Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Complete PAPER 1 & PAPER 2 NOTES
Complete PAPER 1 & PAPER 2 NOTES
Complete PAPER 1 & PAPER 2 NOTES
ISLAMIAT 0493
TEACHER’S NOTE
The purpose of this book is to help students prepare for their exams in an easier and better
way. It is to be used in conjunction with the textbook and it is not sufficient in itself to prepare
for the exams. It can help the students gain a comprehensive understanding when there is
insufficient content in their textbooks.
PAPER I
Ethics……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..160
PAPER II
References/Quotes
Paper 1 271
Paper 2 295
Paper One
Paper One Notes
QURAN PASSAGES
Main Themes and Importance of Themes
Part (a)
1
Part (b)
• This passage makes the Muslims realize that they should always remain firm in belief in
Tauheed of Allah and should not associate any creature in His attributes, and not indulge
in shirk.
• Muslims understand that Allah is free from humanly attributes, like eating, sleeping,
fatigue etc.
• Muslims recite this verse for Allah’s protection against all evils.
• They must remember that all powers belongs to Allah so turn only towards Him only for
help & support in daily lives.
• Being Muslims, we must not….prostrate in front of the Prophet’s (PBUH) or saints’ graves.
We must not plead Muslim saints to cure our illness, grant us jobs, or bless us with
children. We must not make duas to dead people.
2
Part (a)
• These lines of Surah Al-Ina’am discuss Allah’s absolute uniqueness. He is ‘Badee’ the
originator, innovator, inventor of all things. All things in universe were created by Allah.
He created the elements that formed the heavens and earth.
• It tells us about His Tauhid, clearly specifying that He is matchless as no one is worthy of
being His companion. He is free from physical relations like wife and children. He has
reinforced this in Surah Ikhlas, “He begets not, nor is He begotten.”
• The passage greatly reinforces the attribute of Allah as the Omnipotent Creator. He has
created entire universe solely. All powers lie with Him alone. He gives life, sustains,
provides, blesses and deprives whomever He pleases. The entire universe, every
phenomenon is moving under His command; and not a single leaf can move without His
permission.
• Allah is incomprehensible, no one can comprehend His physical existence, neither
visualize His entity. Yet he is ‘Khabeer’ the Omniscient, fully aware of every occurrence in
the universe. Nothing is secret from Him.
Part (b)
• With this passage, Muslims understand that they must demonstrate their firm belief in
Tauheed by bowing down only before Allah in all submission and worship Him by praying
salat, fasting, giving Zakat. They must abstain from all types of shirk like shirk in existence,
worship and attributes of Allah.
• They are supposed to be grateful to Him for all blessings of daily life.
• They should utilize the amazing human mind to understand the purpose of life, its
beginning and its end.
3
• Being true believers, we must not let worldly matters like business dealings, weddings,
social events distract us from our obligations towards God e.g. praying Salat, abstaining
from lying, cheating, wasting money on expensive clothes, food, gadgets etc.
Part (a)
• The passage makes the Believers realize that they are bound to worship Allah alone in
order to appreciate His Creative power.
• They should know that it is unlawful to prostrate before anything besides Allah. In the
Prophet’s (PBUH) time people used to worship idols and objects of nature. Today’s people
worship saints by believing they have divine powers. They bow down before shrines and
tombs of famous Muslims. This is shirk and must be avoided at all costs.
• Being Muslims, we must observe the objects of nature and ponder over Allah’s signs.
When we do this, we will be filled with awe, wonder and love for Allah. Pondering will
help us realise that there must be a supreme power to control and sustain such a
wonderful and complex universe. As the Quran states: “...(those who) think deeply
about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (they say): ‘Our Lord! You have not
created (all) this without purpose…’ ”
4
Part (a)
These verses of Surah As-Shura deal with the theme Allah in Himself.
Allah elaborates His Kingship over the universe. “Aliyyil Azeem” means Allah is Above all
of His creation, the Most Exalted, Omnipotent, compared to Whom nothing else is great.
Every strong person is weak and insignificant when compared with His Might.
• The passage describes Allah’s exclusive ownership of all things in the heavens and the
earth. The heavens tremble so much due to the grandeur of His Throne and Power that
they are almost blown apart with His fear. The angels are appointed to glorify His
attributes.
• The passage further elaborates His Mercy. He has appointed angels who pray for the
forgiveness of man on earth as man himself is so ignorant of his sins. It is only Allah’s
Mercy that man is able to walk freely on earth despite his crimes. Allah says, “... But My
mercy extends to all things ….” (Al-Airaaf:156).
• The keywords “Ghafoor-ur-Raheem” signify His extreme compassion, magnanimity and
benevolence upon all creations.
Part (b)
• Muslims realise that even the heavens and angels tremble with fear of Allah. Hence they
also need to be humble and God-fearing. They also need to realise the true majesty and
grandeur of Allah, praise him and worship Him as is worthy of Him. They need to be wary
of falling astray into different types of shirk.
• Being Muslims, we must be grateful to Allah for His mercy over us, for giving us time to
repent for our sins, for appointing angels to ask for our forgiveness.
• Muslims must exercise their authority and power over employees keeping in mind that
they are not the masters, there is a Supreme Authority, Allah over them who is the True
Owner and Master of everyone.
5
• As God is so forgiving and merciful, we must also be merciful to His creatures in return
e.g. be kind to stray animals, compassionate to friends and siblings, tolerant about
mistakes made by our staff etc.
Part (a)
• Surah Ikhlas elaborates the fundamental faith of Muslims, Tauheed i.e. Allah is One and
Alone. This surah is for the purity of faith (ikhlas).
• Allah is ‘Samad’ meaning He is independent, the self-sufficient, in need of no one’s
support; rather He supports everything in this universe.
• The passage highlights that Allah (swt) has no family tree, ultimately negating the belief of
Jews and Christians.
• It elucidates that He has no partner, ancestors or descendants. He cannot be conceived in
human pattern as He is matchless and no one is worthy of being His companion. He is
completely free from physical relations like wife and children. The passage negates all
types of shirk in existence, worship and attributes of Allah.
• Holy Qur’an says, “And your God is One Allah…….”(Surah Al-Baqarah:163). The keyword
of this passage is ‘Ahad’ which means ‘One.’
Part (b)
• The Prophet PBUH said this Surah is One third of The Holy Qur’an. Muslims often recite
this surah in salat after Surah Fatiha.
• The passage helps Muslims comprehend the true concept about Allah, Who is Alone
worthy of being worshipped. It protects Muslims from different forms of shirk.
6
• This Surah helps Muslims develop clarity of faith. They understand that the existence of
Allah and His powers that is above all individuals. Therefore, they should submit their will,
prayers & worship to Him Alone e.g. through Salat, Zakat, charity etc.
• Being Muslims, we must not….prostrate in front of the Prophet’s (PBUH) or saints’ tombs.
We must not plead Muslim saints to cure our illness, grant us jobs, or bless us with
children. We must not make duas to dead people.
(Passages 6---10)
Part (a)
• Surah Al-Fatiha describes the theme, Allah’s relation with His created world.
• This Surah is known as “Umm ul Qur’an” and was the first complete surah to be revealed.
• The surah identifies Allah as the ‘Rabb’, the sole king of all universe, the one who
nurtures, protects and supports all creation and its affairs. The Surah affirms the various
types of Tauheed, in Allah’s existence, lordship, worship and qualities.
• It highlights the keywords, grand names of Allah (swt), Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim. They
signify His Supreme Mercy, Compassion, forgiveness and magnanimity. There is no Mercy
greater than His.
7
• He is Sole Judge ‘Maalik’ of all matters; no one will be able to intercede for anyone on the
Last Day except as He wills. He will give justice to those people who were not given justice
on earth.
• Allah showers His mercy in many ways by helping, protecting and guiding people to lead
better lives.
• It teaches man how to pray for the path of the righteous. Man needs to seek His guidance
to receive His Mercy, and to purge out evil and rebellion from himself which causes him
to go astray and leads to the anger of Allah.
• The Quran states: ”Verily! Right guidance is the guidance of Allah.”
Part (b)
• This Surah has great importance in prayer because without its recitation, daily 5 times
prayers would be incomplete. The Prophet has stated, “No prayer is accepted without
Surah Fatiha.”
• This passage helps the Muslims understand that they should never lose hope in Allah’s
Mercy as He is Rahman. They should seek His help & favour at all times. As Allah states in
Quran, “... But My mercy extends to all things ….”
• Muslims must beg Allah for the right path, to be successful in this world and the next one.
• The passage reminds Muslims of the Day of Accountability. It reminds them to prepare to
give an account of all their deeds.
• Being Muslims, we must not forget that day when we will have to answer for all our
actions. We will be questioned about every salah missed, every fast abandoned, every
friend we hurt, every lie we ever told. So we need to abstain from all such sins out of fear
of accountability.
8
Part (a)
• These verses of Surah Al-Baqarah indicate Allah’s relation with the created world.
• The passage focuses on the fundamental Islamic belief of Tauhid and staying away from
shirk and all its forms.
• It teaches us that Allah is the Creator of everything. It is said in Holy Qur’an, “Praise be to
Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of all worlds…” In response, as gratitude, Allah is
reminding man of his duty to worship and glorify Him.
• It explains the creation of man himself and creation of earth & heavens. The passage
shows some of the blessings of Allah which signify His Majesty, Glory & Power.
• The blessings in nature are mentioned to draw man’s attention towards his Creator.
These blessings are a reflection of Allah’s omnipotence, mercy and kingship over the
universe. Thus only He deserves true praise, admiration and all forms of worship.
• Allah made these fruits and other blessings for the comfort of man. Man must be grateful
for these blessings but not abuse the control Allah has given him on earth as he is only
Allah’s ‘khalifa.’
• The keyword of this passage is “Obudu” which means “Worship (your One Lord).”
Part (b)
• The passage highlights the relation between Allah and man i.e. a relation between a lord
and his slave. Allah blesses and sustains his slave, the slave in return must be obedient,
humble, God-fearing.
• From this passage, Muslims understand that they are enjoined to stay away from all
forms of shirk in existence, lordship, worship and qualities of Allah.
• The system of nature depicted helps strengthen their belief that all Authority & Glory
rests with Allah alone.
9
• They must not shut their eyes to all the evidence of the existence of Allah. They must
reflect on the natural blessings like sunlight, rain, wind, clouds, grains and ponder upon
the numerous benefits Allah has provided them.
• Being Muslims, we should be grateful for every fruit, vegetable, piece of food that we get.
The beds we sleep in and the roofs which we sleep under are only there because of Allah
so we must thank Him day and night.
Part (a)
• These verses of Surah Al-Alaq reveal Allah’s relation with the created world.
• It was the First revelation on Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) and also conferment of his
prophethood.
• It talks about Allah’s omnipotence and magnanimity in creation of man from a humble
origin ‘alaq’: the embryo.
• Allah is omniscient and He blesses His knowledge to man as He desires.
• The passage highlights the significance of knowledge by using the keyword ‘iqra’ twice. It
urges man to ponder over the creations and gain contemporary and religious knowledge.
Allah matured and blessed man by giving him the ability to use a pen (qalam), a symbol of
knowledge.
• It is knowledge which has made man superior over all other creatures on earth. Hence its
importance cannot be overemphasized.
• The holy Quran says, “and He taught Adam the names of all things”.
10
Part (b)
• Muslims realize that they are required to acquire knowledge of religion, science and
technology.
• They must utilise their minds to understand the world which will help them find the true
path to success.
• They must make the best use of knowledge to distinguish between right and wrong.
• Being Muslims, we should…remain humble and never proud of our educational degrees;
remember our humble origin from a mere clot of blood; be grateful to Allah for nurturing
us from an embryo to full grown adults with the mental and physical capabilities to leap in
the vast fields of knowledge; use this knowledge to eliminate poverty and injustice.
11
Part (a)
• Surah Al-Zilzal reinforces the Belief in Hereafter which is one of the fundamental beliefs of
Islam.
• It also elaborates the theme of Allah’s relation with the created world.
• It further describes how the horrors of the Last Day will unfold and how man will face the
outcome of his deeds.
• The earth will be jolted so violently that it will vomit out ‘Asqaalaha’ all its buried
treasures, dead bodies, metals etc. The earth will then give testimony ‘akhbaraha’ of all
the sins of mankind. No action will be left out, no one will be able to deny his deeds.
• Men will be brought forward to his Lord in separate groups e.g. the martyrs, the
mujahideen, the liars, the fornicators etc. Allah will be the only Judge.
• Holy Qur’an states, “….. when men will be like scattered moths. And mountains will be
like flying wool.” Such will be state of things that day.
• Men will be given rewards or punishments justly on the basis of their actions.
12
Part (b)
• The power of Allah to end the world in such a magnificent way strengthens a Muslim’s
faith in Him and further inculcates a great fear of accountability before Him.
• With this passage Muslims realise that they must refrain from all minor and major sins, no
sin should be considered insignificant. Muslims are also encouraged to do small acts of
virtue which appear insignificant today but will be rewarded on the Last Day.
• Muslims understand the temporary existence of this world which helps them focus on the
other eternal world.
• The passage persuades Muslims to be vigilant in fulfilling the pillars of Islam e.g. Salat,
Zakat, fasting etc.
• Being Muslims, we must not waste our time and money on worldly things like parties,
weddings, expensive food and clothing etc. Rather we must remember the Day of
Judgment and invest our blessings in helping others e.g. assist a needy person get a job,
help our senior family members with small daily chores, financially assist a poor child get
a good education etc.
13
Part (a)
• Surah Al-Naas tells about the Allah’s relation with the created world.
• The keywords of this passage are ‘Rabb’, ‘Maalik’, ‘Illah’; highlighting Allah’s Supreme
Authority, Lordship and Sole control over man’s life. Repetition of Allah’s great attributes
highlights his bond with humans.
• It points out the necessity of Allah’s protection for man against evil factors. Man himself
will not be able to fight the evil desires Satan embeds in his heart. Neither can man resist
some of the insidious invitations of friends, relatives etc. to stay away from evil. The Holy
Quran says: “Verily Satan is an avowed enemy to man.” It shows Satan never gives up.
Man is too weak to be able to resist sinister invitations for long.
• It elaborates that Allah is the Creator and Sustainer who provides all means of support
and protection against evil.
Part (b)
• This passage is recited with Surah Falaq for protection from Satan’s evil attacks including
black magic.
• The remembrance of God guarantees protection from Satan’s wicked designs. This is the
only refuge Muslims should seek as they themselves are powerless to ward him off.
• Muslims should seek Allah’s protection against Satan’s evil whispers in hardships like
financial loss, injury, illness and other problems in life. Satan wants man to give up faith in
Allah but Muslims should recite this Surah to ward off such thoughts.
• If we feel some magic spell inflicted on us, we must remember that Allah is our Lord and
King and only He has the power to fight off Satan’s attack. We must not seek refuge from
others as this would be a form of shirk. - As long as we put ourselves in Allah’s
protection, have trust and faith in Him, Satan cannot lead us astray.
14
(Passages 11---15)
Allah’s Relation With His Messengers
Part (a)
• Main theme of this passage is Allah’s relation with His Messenger Adam (A.S).
• The passage shows the superiority of man over others because of the knowledge granted
to him. God grants His knowledge to whomever He wants.
15
• The Quran states, “ We have indeed created Man in the best of moulds” (Surah At-tin-4)
• Knowledge is superior over worship, that’s why Angels who praise Allah all the time
couldn’t be made His ‘khalifah’ i.e. His deputy on earth. The responsibility of Khalifah
makes complete obedience and humility compulsory for mankind. Man can only use
Allah’s given powers, knowledge and resources according to the laws of Allah.
• Man’s superior status was duly acknowledged by angels except Iblis who was a jinn. Iblis
disobeyed out of arrogance and jealousy.
• The desperate creature Iblis, after being condemned, became Adam’s (AS) enemy and
misled him, resulting in Adam’s (AS) and Eve’s (AS) expulsion from paradise.
• God did not abandon Adam (AS) in this difficult time. He is ‘Tawwab-ur-Raheem’, Most
merciful, who accepts repentance. God inspired Adam (AS) to learn the words for gaining
His forgiveness. Indeed He is Magnanimous.
Part (b)
• This passage makes the Muslims realize that they are now vicegerents on earth because
of knowledge blessed on them. They need to show loyalty to their Lord.
• They are supposed to respect the rights of Allah and His people.
• They should not feel pride because of their knowledge and power.
• They should seek forgiveness from Allah frequently for their intentional & unitentional
disobediences.
• Being Muslims, the verses inspire us to repent over sins & ask His forgiveness; never feel
hopeless over our sins, never give up trying to be good, have faith that Allah looks at our
efforts. If we have been arrogant about our knowledge or wealth, we should repent
immediately. If we have left our Salat or forgotten our Zakat, ask for forgiveness and
reform ourselves.
16
Part (a)
• Main theme Allah’s relation with His Messenger Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S).
• The verses show the spiritual enlightenment of Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S) when he recognized
Allah by logical reasoning
• He lived among Zoroastrian people who had great knowledge of stars & heavenly bodies
so he began to explore the idea of worshipping distant shiny objects.
• He observed the stars, the sun and the moon. He realized all these objects were moving
under the laws of nature so they could not be gods. He struggled in his quest for the
truth. Finally the truth dawned upon him and he identified the true God.
• He rejected the gods of the ‘mushrikeen’, his idol-worshipping community, and liberated
himself from all forms of shirk.
• He vowed to be ‘Haneefa’ i.e. completely focused on the path of truth of His One and
only God, the creator of all universe. The Quran states: “… when his Lord said to him
(Ibrahim): ‘Submit’, he said: I have submitted to the Lord of the Universe.”
Part (b)
17
• It strengthens Muslim faith in Tauhid by showing that the objects such as the sun, moon,
stars are dependent upon the will of their Creator and have no will of their own.
• It means that the Truth should be conveyed to the people in an inspiring way so it leads to
the acceptance of the faith. We must alone worship Allah, not His creations.
• H.Ibrahim (AS) discovered and followed the path of guidance despite his community’s
great opposition. It tells us that no matter what our problems are, effort for finding the
truth and guidance can be made in all circumstances.
• Being Muslims, we must be wary of all forms of shirk. We must not pray to dead people;
prostrate in front of the Prophet’s (PBUH) or saints’ graves. We must not beg Muslim
saints to cure our illness, grant us jobs, or bless us with children. All powers to heal and
bless lie with Allah Alone.
Part (a)
• Main theme of the passage is Allah’s favours upon His Messenger Hazrat Isa (A.S) through
miracles.
• The miracles given to Hazrat Isa (AS) are mentioned: Allah gave life to him with “rooh-ul
Qudus” when Angel Jibrael blew his spirit into his mother, gift of speech only a few days
after birth, giving life to a bird made of clay, curing incurable diseases like leprosy, giving
sight to the blind, and wisdom ‘Hikmat’ and knowledge of Books Torah and Injeel.
• Quran states: “He shall speak to the people in childhood and in maturity.”
• The keyword of this passage ‘Be-izznii', emphasizes several times that all these miracles
happened by the power of Allah only, not by the power of Isa (A.S). It reinforces the
theme of Tauhid that Isa (AS) is not to be worshipped, rather it is Allah.
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• The passage shows God’s omnipotence. He gives His powers to whom He desires. It also
highlights Allah’s love for mankind as He sent Prophets with such amazing miracles so that
man would be guided.
Part (b)
19
Part (a)
• Main theme of this passage is Allah’s exclusive support to His Last Messenger (PBUH).
• This surah was revealed in order to remove Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) anxiety at why Allah
had not sent a revelation for some time. He feared that Allah was angry at him or had
abandoned him.
• Allah consoles His Prophet by taking the Oath of Day “Wa-Duhaa” and the night “Layl”
that He has not deserted him nor is He angry with him. (He truly loves His Messenger, like
He always has, ever since he was born.) The mention of ‘day’ and ‘night’ in the passage
actually symbolise revelation and rest, thus a break in between revelations is needed.
• Allah gives glad tidings to His Messenger, promising him a much better life in future. It will
be blissful and eternal, free of all pains. As Allah reassures him in the Quran: “ To you We
have granted Abundance.”
• Allah recounts His blessings upon the Holy Prophet that He guided & supported him when
he was lacking in supervision, guidance and wealth. The blessings of having Abu Talib and
other guardians during childhood, then later Hazrat Khadija in his life, and the guidance of
Quran, all are indicated here.
• Allah advises His Prophet PBUH to remain steadfast in his good deeds; kind treatment of
the rejected and underprivileged class is emphasized, along with the importance of
remembering your Lord at all times.
Part (b)
• Muslims realise that Allah does not abandon His people in hard circumstances.
• They should know that Allah never fails to fulfill His promise.
• They should to be kind towards orphans; they must not be stone-hearted & repulse
orphans but show a warm caring attitude to them.
• Being Muslims, we must not yell at beggars, we must give respect to people of all classes;
if we cannot adopt orphans, we can at least fund their education or upbringing in
orphanages. We can donate to Edhi centres to help the less fortunate segment of the
society.
20
• We must not lose hope if Allah does not seem to respond to our prayer for a good job or a
child, as Allah knows what time is best for each blessing.
Part (a)
• Muslims realise the importance Allah gave to His Last Messenger (PBUH) by promising
him Kausar. Believers realise that Allah (swt) fulfilled His promise of Kausar in form of
Qur’an, bestowing Prophethood, guidance and also in form of billions of his followers.
• Muslims are also enjoined to offer prayers with discipline and devotion and perform
sacrifices in the way of Allah as the Prophet was asked to remember Him through regular
prayer in order to deserve His special favor.
• Being Muslims we must never abandon our 5 obligatory prayers, we must sacrifice for
Allah in the form of giving up sins like cheating, dishonesty, vulgarity, pride. All these vices
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should be sacrifised along with physical forms of sacrifice like donating money to your
staff in their hour of need, sacrificing our comfort in winter by performing wudu with cold
water, sacrificing our comfort to be of service to our old grandparents etc.
• Also we must not lose heart in the face of calamities like an accident or loss of a family
member. We must be patient, having complete faith in Allah’s wisdom and trust the
eternal happiness promised to us in Hereafter if we remain steadfast.
(write about the passages with theme Allah in Himself, Ayat-ul Kursi, Surah Ikhlas, Inaam,
Baqarah, As-Shura) Quotes from First 5 Passages:
1. “Allah. There is no god but He, the living, the self-subsisting, eternal.” (Al- Baqarah: Ayatul
Kursi)
2. “His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth and He feels no fatigue in guarding
and preserving them…” (Al-Baqarah: Ayatul Kursi)
3. “To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth...” (Al-Ina’am-101)
4. “No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all visions.” (Al-Ina’am-103)
5. “Adore not the sun and the moon, but adore Allah who created them, if it is Him you wish
to serve.” (Fussilat:37)
6. “The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them, and the angels celebrate the
praises of your Lord…” (As-Shura-5)
7. “Say He is Allah, the One and Only.” (Al-Ikhlas)
8. “He does not beget, nor is He begotten.” (Al-Ikhlas)
Q2. Using Quran passages from the syllabus, describe what Quran teaches about God’s
responsibility to His creatures and their duties towards Him. (10)
(write about Allah’s relation with mankind, focusing on Allah’s favours and man’s duty:Surah
Fatiha, Alaq, Zilzal, Nas, Baqarah) Quotes from 5 Passages of God’s Relation with Man
1. “Master of the Day of Judgement. You we worship and you we ask for help.” (Al-Fatiha)
2. “Who has made the earth your couch and the heavens your canopy.” (Al-Baqarah:22)
3. “Read! In the name of your Lord, Who created. Created man from a clot of congealed
blood.” (Al-Alaq,1-2)
4. “When the earth is shaken to her utmost convulsion.” (Zilzal,1)
5. “And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.” (Zilzal, 8)
6. “He who whispers into the hearts of mankind. Among jinns and among mankind.” (Al-
Naas, 5-6)
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Q3. From the set passages in your syllabus, write about the relation between God and any
TWO of the prophets you have studied (not including Prophet Muhammad PBUH). (10)
[write detail of any 2 passages about Hazrat Adam, Hazrat Ibrahim, Hazrat Isa (A.S)]
[- “Allah said, ‘O Iblis! What happened to you that you stayed apart from those who prostrated?’
He answered, ‘It does not befit me to prostrate myself to a human…’” (15:32-33) ]
[- “But they killed him neither, nor crucified him…Allah raised him up unto Himself.” (An-Nisa,
157-158)]
Q4. From passages in your syllabus, write about how God gives knowledge of Himself to His
Messengers. (10)
(Describe Allah’s relation with His Messengers Passages, highlighting how God showed His
powers, mercy, forgiveness, Oneness, Lordship, magnanimity, love and affection)
Q5. Write about God in Himself from the following passages of your syllabus: 112, 41:37,
6:101-103, 2:455.
Q6. From the set passages in your syllabus, discuss God’s relation with the last Messenger
PBUH.
(write about Surah Duha and Surah Kausar) Surah Duha and Surah Kausar Quotes:
1. “Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?” (Al-Doha-6)
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2. “And He found you in need, and made you rich (self-Subsistent).” (Al-Doha-8)
3. “And He found you seeking, and He gave you guidance.” (Al-Doha-7)
4. “Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor is He displeased.” (Al-Doha)
5. “To you have We granted abundance. So, pray to your Lord and sacrifice.” (Al-Kausar-1,2)
6. “Rejected were the Messengers before you, with patience and constancy, they bore their
rejection.” (Al-Inaam-34)
7. “And establish regular prayer in order to remember Me.” (Taha-14)
8. “For he who hates you, he will be cut off.” (Al-Kauser-3)
Q. ‘The Quran teaches that humans should be responsible towards the environment.’ Give
reasons to agree or disagree with this statement. (4)
(candidates can choose to agree or disagree e.g.: if they agree they can write:)
God has given everything to man for his survival and comfort but God is the Owner. Man should
not abuse this privilege by being ungrateful or wasteful. Everything belongs to God and man will
be held accountable for his way of using God’s blessings. The Quran says, “To Him belongs all
that is in the heavens and the earth.”
The Quran also says, “Eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.”
These verses are clear indications that man is just a ‘khalifa’ (vicegerent) of God on earth. He
cannot plunder and waste the earth’s resources out of greed. He can only use out of necessity.
Lastly, the surah instructed him to continue living as Allah taught him, by helping the poor and
needy and by showing gratitude for Allah’s favors upon him.
After the revelation of this surah, the Prophet (pbuh) was comforted and he continued to preach
Islam to the Makkans.
After the death of his second son Abdullah (ra), the Prophet’s (pbuh) uncle Abu Lahb, who was
his worst enemy, called him ‘Abtar’ (cut off from his root) meaning that he had no male
descendants to carry his name and they said his message would die when he would pass away.
Allah revealed this surah to console and give hope to the Prophet (pbuh) by promising him that
he would be given abundant blessings in this world and hereafter also.
“To you we have granted Abundance,” (S.Kausar) Kausar or ‘abundance’ is interpreted as the
Quran, knowledge, wisdom, victory, dignity, a fountain in paradise; also his spiritual generations
(all Muslims) and his daughter Fatima’s (ra) two sons: Hassan (ra) and Hussain (ra).
The Prophet (pbuh) was instructed to remain loyal to his faith by continuing to live as Allah
taught him. “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice.” (S. Kausar)
The Prophet’s (pbuh) enemies specially Abu Lahb, are warned of Allah’s wrath and it is said that it
would not be the Prophet (pbuh) but his enemies who would be cut off. “He who hates you, will
be cut off.” (S. Kausar)
After the revelation of this surah, the Prophet (pbuh) continued his mission with renewed hope,
strength and devotion.
25
Surah AL-Ikhlas (112)
This surah was revealed in Makkah after the Prophet (pbuh) started open preaching in Makkah,
when he invited the Makkans to worship Allah alone and forbade them from idol worshipping.
The Quraish used to come and ask the Prophet (pbuh),
They would ask about Allah’s family lineage, his forefathers etc. The Prophet (pbuh) would reply,
“Allah is unseen,” but this would not satisfy the Quraish. Thereupon Allah revealed this
magnificent surah.
The content of the surah clearly establishes Allah’s Oneness by declaring the rejection of shirk.
The worship of 360 idols in Kaaba was clearly forbidden. It emphasized on the fact that Allah
alone should be worshipped. “Say! He is Allah, the One and Only.” (S. Iklhas)
This surah also said that Allah does not have a beginning nor an end, unlike the idols which the
pagans worshipped at that time. Allah is free from all limitations of time and space as it says,
“Allah, the Eternal, Absolute.” (S. Ikhlas)
The surah also decalred that God does not have any physical relations with anyone. The pagans
believed that angels were God’s daughters. Simultaneously, it negates the idea of Trinity (father,
son, Holy Spirit) which the Christians believed, as it says, “He begets not, nor is he begotten.”
The pagans believed and worshipped idols they could see, therefore this surah negated any
beliefs that God’s physical attributes could be comprehended or seen because He is unique in His
personality, attributes, actions and no human or earthly attributes should be compared with Him.
“And there in none like Him.” (S. Ikhlas)
Later this surah was revealed in Madina together with Surah Falaq. Both these surahs together
are called mauzettein and comprise of 11 verses. Charms and black magic were inflicted on the
26
lock of the Prophet’s (pbuh) hair by a Jew named Labeed. The enemies of the Prophet (pbuh) had
asked him to perform this magic spell. The Prophet (pbuh) started getting regular headaches, he
remembered the Quran well but became very forgetful about daily matters. The Prophet (pbuh)
realized something was gravely wrong and he prayed to Allah to heal him. He had a dream in
which 2 angels were sitting near him, one near his head, one near his feet, whereas he was lying.
They informed each other that he was inflicted by a magic spell cast by a man named Labeed.
They also said the material used by the Jew was the Prophet’s (pbuh) hair and a comb. Then they
said it was placed in a certain well. According to a narration the Prophet (pbuh) himself went to
the well and had the well filled up with earth.
According to another narration, the Prophet (pbuh) sent Ali (ra) with other companions there. He
guided Hazrat Ali (ra) to take out the comb with the hair lock and untie the 11 knots on it, reciting
each verse of mauzettein while untying them. The effect of the magic wore off. The Prophet
(pbuh) now felt very light.
These verses are a shield from all evils. The Prophet (pbuh) thereupon used to recite them once
after every salah, and 3 times morning and night and blow on himself.
And so, it happened that once Quraish had a discussion and they decided to send Utbah bin
Rabiah to the Prophet (pbuh) because he was very intelligent and less aggressive. Utbah came to
the Prophet (pbuh) to convince him to stop preaching Islam. He said,
“O my nephew, you have a worthy positi on among us. But you have created a rift
in your people by ridiculing them, insulti ng their gods as well as their religion, and
denying their customs. Now, listen to me, I will off er you some proposals and see if
you can accept any.
My nephew, if you want to have wealth by what you preach, we will collect enough
of it that you will be the richest of us. If you desire honour, we will make you our
chief and leave every decision to your choice. If you aspire for kingship, we will
recognize you as our monarch. And if you are possessed of a ghost or a jinn for
27
which you have no remedy, we will fi nd a competent physician for you unti l your
health is completely restored.”
The Messenger (pbuh) of Allah listened pati ently. When Utbah had fi nished the
Prophet (pbuh) said, “Now listen to me,” And the Prophet (pbuh) recited the verses
of Surah Fussilat. “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful…” and he
conti nued to recite a porti on of Surah Fussilat. On completi ng the recitati on, the
Prophet (pbuh) prostrated and then said to Utbah, “O Father of Walid, you have
heard what you heard, now it is for you to decide.”
As the Quraysh saw Utbah returning, they said; “Truly, he comes with an altered
expression on his face.”
And, when he fi nally came, they asked him what had happened.
He said, “I have heard an utt erance like which I have never heard before. By God, it
is neither poetry, nor magic nor witchcraft . Listen to me, O Quraish, leave this man
alone and let him do what he wants. If he overcomes the Arabs, then his honour
will be your honour.”
But the Quraish mocked him and said, “He has cast a spell on you too.”
Utbah replied, “Then do what you think is best…”
In the Quran Allah (swt) says: ‘And We have certainly given you, [O Muhammad], seven of the
often repeated [verses] and the great Quran.’ [al-Hijr:87]
According to a Hadith of our beloved Prophet (pbuh), this Surah is unique because there is nothing
like it in the previous scriptures or the rest of the Qur’an and Muslims are the Ummah that are
blessed with it. Allah’s Apostle (pbuh) said,
“Whoever does not recite Al-Fatiha in his prayer, his prayer is invalid.”
Ibn `Abbas said, “While Jibril was with the Messenger of Allah, he heard a noise from above. Jibril
lifted his sight to the sky and said, `This is a door in heaven being open, and it has never been
opened before now.’ An angel descended from that door and came to the Prophet and said,
`Receive the glad tidings of two lights that you have been given, which no other Prophet before
you were given: The Opening of the Book and the last (three) Ayats of Surat Al-Baqarah. You will
not read a letter of them, but will gain its benefit.” (Sahih Muslim & Sunan Nisai)
A Companion (ra) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, ‘Shall I teach you the greatest
Surah in the Qur'an before you leave the mosque?’ Then he (pbuh), took me by the hand. And
when we were about to step out, I reminded him of his promise to teach me the greatest Surah
in the Qur'an. He (pbuh) said, ‘It is `Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil Alamin (i.e., Surat Al-Fatihah) which is
Saba Al-Masani (i.e., the seven oft-repeated Ayahs) and the Great Qur'an which is given to me.’
” (Sahih Bukhari).
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HISTORY AND IMPORTANCE OF QURAN
PRESERVATION & COMPILATION OF QURAN
INTRODUCTION: Quran is the book of Allah and Allah Himself has promised to preserve it:
“We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from
corruption).” (Al-Hijr-9).
Arrangements were made to preserve the Quran during the Prophet’s (pbuh) lifetime by
the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. Whenever the Prophet received a revelation, he
would memorise it and recite it to whichever Sahabi was near him and the Sahabi would
memorise it.
Later the Prophet (pbuh) would ask his literate Companions to write the revelations as he
was unlettered himself. After getting them written, he would ask the Companion to read
aloud what they had written to check the authenticity of the verses and he would correct
any mistakes. The Quran says, “And We sent down the Quran in pieces so that you
(pbuh) may read it to mankind at intervals and We sent it down gradually bit by bit.”
In this way, many Companions had their individual copies.
Since paper was not available, they wrote on things like leather, flat stones, bones of
animals, parchment, clay, leaves, walls, wooden boards etc.
They had some written verses with them when they migrated to Madina.
In Madina, Zaid bin Thabit’s (ra) mother brought him in the service of the Prophet (pbuh)
to be properly trained. He became a regular scribe of the Quran. Many other scribes were
also there besides Zaid bin Thabit (ra) as the Companions used to copy the verses from
each other.
{Zaid bin Thabit (ra) was very sharp & intelligent with an excellent memory. The Prophet
(pbuh) had asked him to learn Hebrew & Syriac because he did not trust a Jewish scribe.
He became a regular scribe for the Prophet (pbuh) after he impressed the Prophet (pbuh)
when he recited the Quran with depth & great understanding}
The Prophet (pbuh) himself directed the Companions about the chapters, their order,
which verses were to be put in which order in which surahs/chapters. In this way, the
correct exact order of the verses and surahs was preserved through writing and through
memorization of many Companions.
Angel Jibrael used to revise the Quran every year (revealed so far, each year) with the
Prophet (pbuh). (Jibrael used to recite it and the Prophet used to repeat it after him). Abu
Hurairah (ra) reported,
“Jibrael used to repeat the recitation of the Quran with the Prophet (pbuh) once every year, but
he repeated it twice with him in the year he died.” (Bukhari)
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The Companions used to check their written copies during Ramadan with the Prophet
(pbuh) when Angel Jibrael revised the Quran with the Prophet (pbuh) and the Prophet
(pbuh) used to revise it with his Companions after that.
In this way, no complete copy of the Quran existed at that time. But the whole Quran’s
arrangement was preserved in the memories of the Companions.
Compilation during the Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) (11 A.H.)
Uprising of false prophets, battles fought against them, one was fought against
Musailimah that was the Battle of Yamamah in which about 360 Huffaz were martyred,
Hazrat Umar’s (ra) great concern after the death of so many Huffaz
Umar (ra) shared the concern with Abu Bakr (ra): many huffaz being martyred, if this
continued, the Quran could be lost to future generations
At first, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) rejected the idea as how could he do something the Prophet
(pbuh) himself had never done. “How can I dare the task which Hazrat Muhammad
(pbuh) did not do during his life time?” said Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). He said,
“Umar (ra) went on persuading me to accept his suggestion till I was convinced that he was
right so I accepted his suggestion.”
Both agreed that Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (ra) was the best man for this job. Zaid (ra) also
vehemently rejected the idea at first. Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (ra) reports that he said to
them,
“‘How dare you do something, the Messenger (pbuh) of Allah has not done?’ Abu Bakr (ra)
said, ‘By Allah, this is good.’ Abu Bakr (ra) did not cease to repeat it to me till Allah opened my
breast…”
Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) assured him that 40 scribes would be helping him out. He
would be heading this committee as he had been a regular scribe so there was no one
better suited than him for this task.
Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit’s (ra) precautionary measures:
could’ve written the entire Quran from his own memory but he took great precautionary
measures
collected all parchments, leather, stone & wood pieces etc. from all companions
For each and every verse, he would confirm it with his own memory; 3 companions would
recite it to each other to testify its authenticity.
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Then that verse would be publicly read aloud in Masjid-e-Nabi so if anyone had any
objection to its content or order, they would come forward.
Each & every verse was written one by one, in this way.
Hazrat Umar (ra) who was a memoriser of the Quran himself was also there to verify the
verses with Hazrat Zaid (ra), if someone came forward with a verse.
In this way, the entire Quran was written in a single copy for the first time without any
punctuation marks or ‘aarab’. This copy was called ‘Mushaf-e-Siddiq’ [copy of Abu Bakr
As-Siddiq (ra)]
The ‘Mushaf’ was kept in Abu Bakr’s (ra) possession during his caliphate till his death.
After his death, it was in possession of Hazrat Umar (ra) during his caliphate. After the
death of Umar (ra), it was given to his daughter, Hazrat Hafsa (ra) (the wife of the
Prophet) and the copy was now called ‘Mushuf-e-Hafsa.’
Compilation during Usman’s (ra) Caliphate (23 A.H.)
After the death of 2nd Caliph Umar (ra), Uthman bin Affan (ra) became the 3rd caliph.
Muslim empire kept expanding rapidly under the caliphs.
New Muslims in new areas would learn the Quran from Muslim soldiers & traders.
There were variations in recitals in far-flung countries. People started disputing over
the variations. The people insisted on reciting Quran in their own dialects.
The Prophet’s (pbuh) dialect was the dialect of Banu Sa’d which was the pure classical
dialect of Arabia. However, the Arabic dialects of Madina and especially Syria, Persia,
Egypt etc. were different.
Hazrat Huzaifah bin al-Yaman (ra) had gone for jihad in Armenia and Azerbaijan and
reported to Hazrat Uthman (ra) that the people of Syria and Persia (Iraq) were reciting
the Quran in different ways in different masjids of those areas (they were all new
converts.) Hazrat Huzaifa (ra) witnessed a disagreement and realized this might break
the Muslims into different sects. There was also the fear of Quran verses getting
changed due to difference in dialects. He said to the Caliph Usman (ra),
“O Leader of the believers! Save this nation before they differ about the Book, as Jews and
Christians did before.” (Bukhari)
Therefore, Hazrat Uthman (ra) sent a message to Hazrat Hafsa (ra), “Send us the
manuscripts of the Quran so that we may compile the Quranic materials in perfect copies
and will return the manuscript to you.”
Uthman (ra) then again called Zaid bin Thabit (ra), who was a Madinite, to write the entire
Quran again with the help of 3 Quraishite (Makkan) Companions: (i) Abdullah bin Zubair
(ii) Saeed bin Al-As (iii) Abdur Rahman bin Harris.
Again, each verse was verified with these 3 Companions and tallied with ‘Mushaf-e-Hafsa
and then written
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12 Copies (or in other narrations 4 or 7) were made this way. Mushaf-e-Hafsa was
returned to Hazrat Hafsa (ra) and one authentic copy was kept in Madina and the rest
were sent to different parts of the Muslim empire along with a teacher to teach the new
Muslims the Prophet’s way of reciting the Quran. For this accomplishment, Hazrat
Uthman is given the title of ‘Jami-ul-Quran’ as he united all Muslim ummah upon one
method of recitation.
Hazrat Uthman (ra) also ordered all other copies from far-flung areas to be brought and
burnt, to end any conflict regarding the verses of Quran.
Hazrat Ali (ra) says about Hazrat Usman (ra),
“Say nothing about Uthman (ra) except what is good. For, by Allah! Whatever he did in
connection with the transcription of Quran was done in the presence of all of us and with our
advice and counsel.”
Dotting, Punctuation and Vowelization Punctuation and dotting were done during the time of
Muawiyah and later Hajjaj bin Yusuf. - Conclusion
Sample questions: (a). Write about the preservation of Quran in the form of Mushuf-e-Hafsa.
(10)
(a) Write about the compilation of Quran during H.Abu Bakr (RA) and H.Uthman’s caliphates.
(10)
(b) What is the significance of having Quran in form of a book? (4)
(b) Explain the importance of the principles employed by the compilers of the Quran at the time
of the caliphs. (4)
-measures taken during H.Abu Bakr’s RA time: (i) to ensure accuracy of every verse, this was
important so no authentic verse was lost, changed or missed. It was important to not only rely on
memory but to make sure it was preserved in written form also.
- measures taken during H.Uthman’s RA time: Uthman (RA) could see (ii) the danger of the
original message getting lost, different versions could mean differences in meaning also, to
ensure there was no difference of opinion about the words of Quran, no Quran copy should be
different from the one compiled during H.Abu Bakr’s caliphate. (iii) Different versions might
break the unity of the ummah. Other copies were called and burnt to make sure all Ummah was
united upon the accuracy of every word.
(b) The Quran should not have been compiled by Caliphs because it was not done by the
Prophet PBUH. Agree or disagree, giving reasons for your opinion? (4)
-Disagree, it was necessary to compile because there were not plenty of Huffaz left during H.Abu
Bakr’s caliphate like there were during the Prophet’s life. The Prophet was alive to rectify any
mistakes they might make in Quran. The Prophet did not have it compiled because he did not
33
feel the need for it. But, if need arose due to changing times, he had allowed his Companions to
do Ijma and take decisions agreed upon by others. Quran compilation was considered necessary
by the Companions and so they did it out of necessity. It was never forbidden by the Prophet
(PBUH). False prophets had no influence during Prophet’s lifetime so their fake verses were also
not a threat. But after the death of the Prophet PBUH, the influence of fake prophets had
increased greatly
“We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the night of power.” (Al-Qadr-1)
“Read in the name of your Lord, who created. Created man from a clot of congealed blood.
Read! And your Lord is Most Bountiful, He who taught use of the pen. Taught man what he
knew not.” (Al-Alaq,1-5)
The revelations used to be revealed on the Prophet (pbuh) in different experiences. As soon as
the experience would be over, the Prophet (pbuh) would recite the verses to the Companions
near him who would immediately memorise them and write them down. In the beginning, the
Prophet would try to quickly learn every revealed verse but then Allah commanded him in the
Quran,
“Verily, collecting the Quran and reciting it to you is Our responsibility, so if we read it to you,
listen to it. Then, we will explain it.” (75:19)
Another time was once when the Prophet (pbuh) was riding a camel and the Companions saw
the belly of the camel nearly touching the ground. The Companions were shocked, then they
realized that the Prophet (pbuh) was receiving a revelation. As the experience was very stressful
for the Prophet, Allah says in the Quran,
“Thus (it is sent down in parts), that We may strengthen your heart thereby. And We have
revealed it to you gradually, in stages.” (Furqan 25:32)
3. Ringing Bells: Once a companion asked the Prophet (pbuh) how a revelation came. The
Prophet (pbuh) said,
“It comes to me sometimes as the ringing of a bell and this is hardest on me; then he (angel)
leaves me and I remember from him what he says; and sometimes the angel comes in the
shape of a man and he talks to me and I remember what he says.” (Bukhari)
In this way of revelation, the Prophet (pbuh) would sweat profusely, his heart would beat faster,
he would have palpitations and the strange sound of very loud ringing bells would be heard by
him. After the experience would be over, the Prophet (pbuh) would know the newly revealed
verses and he would recite them aloud for the Companions to memorise and write them. Hazrat
Aisha (ra) says,
“I saw revelation coming down upon him in the severest cold and when the condition was over,
perspiration ran down his forehead.” (Bukhari)
The gravity of this experience can also be imagined by the following Quran verse,
CONCLUSION: The last revelation of Quran was revealed at the Farewell Pilgrimage,
“This day have I perfected your religion upon you and completed my favour upon you and have
chosen Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maiyda-3)
With this verse, Allah wrapped up the entire series of Quran revelations by 632 A.D.
i. so as to strengthen the heart of the Prophet (pbuh) by encouraging him and guiding him
according to the circumstances
ii. so that the Prophet (pbuh) would be able to bear the stress of the experiences associated
with the revelations easily. The Quran says,
“Had We revealed this Quran on a mountain, you would have surely seen it falling down in all
humility and splitting asunder for awe of Allah.” (Al-Hashr, 59: 21)
iii. to gradually implement the laws upon the Muslims. (Had all commands appeared
together, it would have been nearly impossible to implement all laws of Quran in one day.
Humans need time to bring major changes in their thinking and actions.)
iv. understanding the wisdom behind the verses was easier when the revelations came
according to the situation, difficulty faced, or question raised by some Companion
v. to make the application and memorization of the revelations easier.
Q. Write an account of the revelations descended upon the Prophet PBUH between 610-632
A.D. (10)
“Read in the name of your Lord, who created. Created man from a clot of congealed blood.
Read! And your Lord is Most Bountiful, He who taught use of the pen. Taught man what he
knew not.” (Al-Alaq,1-5), year 610-AD (1st revelation)
Makki Period
Beginning of Preaching :
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1st Stage in 1st Year of Prophethood: “O you who is wrapped up! Arise and warn! And
glorify the dignity of your Lord. And purify your garments!”
2nd Stage in 3rd Year of Prophethood: “And warn thy family.” (613-AD) (command to
preach to family & tribe)
3rd Stage in 3rd Year of Prophethood: “Declare openly what you are commanded and turn
away from those who join false gods with Allah.” (613-AD) (command to preach openly)
Fasting and Zakat were prescribed in the 2nd Year of Hijrah in Quran. Fasting:
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before
you so that you may learn righteousness.” (2:183)
Zakat prescribed: “And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah and do not make
your own hands contribute to your destruction…” (2:195)
Conquest of Makkah: “And say the truth has come and falsehood has banished. Surely
falsehood is bound to perish.” (Bani Israel:81).
Farewell Pilgrimage, Last revelation: “This day have I perfected your religion upon you
and completed my favour upon you and have chosen Islam as your religion.”
Q. What was the significance of the Quran being sent to an unlettered prophet?/ Why did God
choose a messenger who could not read and write? (4)
- Being unable to read and write, it would have been impossible for the Prophet PBUH to
have composed the Quran himself, proving that it was from a divine source.
- The Prophet PBUH was unlettered so he couldn’t possibly have read history of previous
prophets and their nations like Bani Israel from any scripture. How he had this knowledge
was a miracle.
- All other scientific and geographical facts, knowledge of the unseen things (like angels,
hell, paradise), verified by previous scriptures, all of these were Quran’s miracles.
37
- It was impossible for an unlettered person have so much knowledge when he couldn’t
even read and was never known to have any teacher. Thus proving that it was from a
divine source.
Also, the style of Quran is similar to God’s way of addressing people in previous
scriptures. How an unlettered person could know that style, without ever even studied
any scripture was uncanny. Hence the Prophet PBUH being unlettered was even more of a
proof that the Quran was from a divine source.
- God proved to Muslims that being able to read and write is not important near Him. God
gives high rewards and status to a man on the basis of his piety and good deeds, just like
He blessed the Last Messenger (PBUH) the highest status among prophets and mankind.
- Oral conveyance and delivery of Allah’s message would be more effective than if the
Prophet PBUH had written it and then delivered to people
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAKKI & MADNI SURAHS
[If it’s a 4 marks question, all the differences will be stated quickly and clearly with 1-2 references.
If it’s a 10 marks question, several references will be given from the Quran to give examples of
Makki and Madni Surahs. (A 10 marks question has never appeared on this in past papers)]
Makki Surahs are not the only ones revealed in Makkah but include all those Surahs revealed
before the Prophet’s (pbuh) migration to Madina
Madni Surahs are not the only ones revealed in Madina but include all those Surahs revealed
after migration e.g. they include those revealed at Tabuk or Farewell Pilgrimage or Hunain etc.
MAIN DIFFERENCES:
1. Difference in Content: Makki Surahs focus on: (i) Tauheed (ii) Prophethood (iii) Day of
Judgment and Life of Hereafter e.g. Surah Ikhlas: Say “He is Allah, the One and Only,
Allah the Eternal Absolute; He begets not nor is He begotten.”
(as the people needed to learn about the basics of faith, they didn’t have any foundation
of belief in early stages of Islam)
Madni Surahs focus on principles and laws in depth regarding jihad, family inheritance,
divorce, zakat etc. (references of Zakat/Fasting/Jihad obligation can be given) e.g.
“Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed on those before you so that you may
learn righteousness.”
(because there were mostly Muslims in Madina and they were free to practice Islamic
laws now)
2. Difference in Length: Makki Surahs are mostly concise & short. e.g. (reference of) Surah
Kausar
Madni Surahs are mostly very lengthy as they have great details e.g. Surah Baqarah
38
3. Difference in Way of Addressing the People: In Makki Surahs, Allah mostly addresses the
people with, “O mankind…” (because mostly there were non-Muslims in Makkah)
In Madni Surahs, Allah mostly addresses the people with “O you who believe…” or “O
people of the Book…” (as mostly there were believers along with Jews in Madina)
4. Difference in Style of Language: In Makki Surahs Allah has frequently used stern and
admonitive words e.g. “Kallaa” in Quran means “Absolutely not, never!” e.g. Surah
Lahab. (as the Makkan non-Muslims were arrogant and refused to even listen to the
Prophet PBUH so Allah used stern language with them)
In Madni Surahs Allah has used much gentler words (as the believers in Madina did not
need such strict tone to take heed)
5. Difference in Beginining/Commencement of Surahs: The Surahs which start with
unconnected alphabets (Al-Muqatta’at) are mostly Makkan, e.g. Alif-Laam-Meem, Yaa-
Seen (except for 2 Surahs: Baqarah and Al-Imran)
i. Quran i. Ijma
ii. Hadith ii. Qiyas
Introduction :
1. “This is the Book; in it is sure guidance without doubt for those who fear Allah.” (Al-Baqarah-2)
2. Political Matters: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger (pbuh) and those
charged with authority among you.” (Al-Nisa:59)
4. “Pilgrimage to the house is a duty man owes to Allah, those who can afford the journey.”
5. Business Matters: “Do not eat one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful] business by
mutual consent…” (Al-Nissa-29)
6. Penal Laws: “Cut off the hand of the thief, male or female as a recompense for that which they
committed.” (Al-Maiyda-38)
7. Family Matters: “Men are protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one
(men) superior to the other (women) as they spend their means to support them.” (Al-Nisa- 34)
39
8. “Prohibited to you (in marriage) are: your mother, daughters, sisters, father’s sisters, mother’s
sisters…” (S. Al-Nisa:23)
9. Moral Matters: “Help another in righteousness and piety, but do not help another in sin and
transgression.” (Al-Maida-2)
10. “Wine and gambling, and idols and foretelling through arrows are only unclean things, a work
of Satan. So, save yourself from them…” (al-Maida:90)
Quran: “Say: Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger…” (Al-Noor: 54)
Hadith: The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said, “I have been given the Book and some other thing
like of it.” (Tirmizi)
Political matters
Quran: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those charged with
authority among you.” (Al-Nisa: 59).
Hadith: “You should obey your ruler even if he is an Ethiopian ruler whose head looks like
a raisin.” (Bukhari)
Religious matters
Quran: “Pilgrimage to the house is a duty man owes to Allah, those who can afford the
journey.”
The Prophet (pbuh) taught all the method and rites of the Hajj through his Sunnahs
Trade matters
Quran: “Do not eat one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful] business by mutual
consent…” (Surah An-Nissa-29)
Hadith: “One who gives short measure, is not amongst us.” (Tirimdi)
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Social Matters
Quran: “Cut off the hand of the thief, male or female as a recompense for that which they
committed.” (Al-Maiyda-38)
Hadith: The Prophet (pbuh) explained the verse on theft saying the right hand up to the
wrist is to be cut off.
Family Matters
Quran: “Men are protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made the one
(men) superior to the other (women) as they spend their means to support them.” (Al-
Nisa- 34)
Hadith: “You have rights over your wives and your wives have rights over you.” (Last
Sermon)
The Prophet PBUH also laid down laws when the Quran was silent on something e.g. the division
of inheritance is clearly addressed in Quran but leaving off wealth to non-Muslim relatives is not
metioned. The Prophet PBUH said,
“A Muslim may not inherit from a non-Muslim, nor a non-Muslim (inherit) from a
Muslim.”
“Ijma” is from the word ‘jamaa’ which means ‘collection’ or ‘consensus’ or ‘unanimous
agreement’ (same root word as Juma i.e. Friday Prayers and Jami i.e. mosque)
It is a consensus of the majority of Muslim jurists upon a particular issue.
Should only be referred to when there is no clear teaching in the Quran and Sunnah
Evidence of Ijma allowance in the Quran,
“You are the best of people evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is
wrong…” (3:110)
“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and obey those charged with
authority among you.” (4:59)
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Such verses indicate that the community has been given the authority to decide upon some
matters because it is upright and follows the guidance of Allah and the example of the Prophet
(pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) said,
At another instance, in reply to Hazrat Ali’s (ra) question about how to proceed in cases when
there is no definite direction in the Quran and Sunnah, the Prophet (pbuh) said,
“Gather together the righteous from among my community and decide the matter by their
counsel and do not decide it by any man’s opinion.”
Therefore, it has been undisputed from very early Islamic times that that the agreed view of the
community is binding upon all Muslims in legal matters.
(3 Types of Ijma)
1. Ijma was done by the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions. This is indisputably accepted by all
Muslim community. e.g.
i. The Prophet (pbuh) did not consult Companions in decision-making about religious
matters since he always followed Allah’s orders in that regard. But he used to consult with
his Companions in political and worldly matters. e.g. his consultation with Companions
before the Battle of Uhud.
ii. Quran compilation done during Abu Bakr’s (ra) caliphate was done after Ijma
iii. 2 adhan calls for Friday Prayers were decided during Uthman’s (ra) caliphate after Ijma
iv. 20 Tarawih prayers were said in congregation in Ramazan during the caliphate of Umar
(ra) even though the Prophet (pbuh) did not pray Taravih in congregation with regularity
and did it only 3-4 times.
The Ijma of the Companions is binding upon all Muslim Ummah.
5 schools of thought are generally followed by all Muslim community whose Ijma is accepted by
their followers:
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i. Hanafi
ii. Maliki
iii. Sha’afi
iv. Hanbali
v. Jafri (Shia school of thought who follow Imam Jafar)
Each school of thought respects the other, none should be scorned by another.
If some new problem or questionable issue arises today, Ijma can be done by present day Imams
also. This Ijma is done at 2 levels:
i. Ijma at International Level: Imams and Muslim experts from across the globe come
together and decide upon matters which are then to be followed by Muslims all across
the world after the Ijma is done
ii. Ijma at a Local Level: Imams and people of a locality may be facing a particular issue,
perhaps according to their weather. The people then decide the matter after consultation.
This is not binding upon the entire Ummah. This may be rejected, changed or continued in
future, according to the decision of the community.
An example of Ijma done by Muslim scholars, based on an injunction in Quran:
“Prohibited to you (in marriage) are: your mother, daughters, sisters, father’s sisters, mother’s
sisters…” (S. Al-Nisa:23)
Based upon this verse, Muslim jurists have done Ijma and unanimously agreed to add 2 more
groups to whom marriage is forbidden i.e. marriage of a man with his grandmother or his
granddaughters is also forbidden.
1. Explicit Ijma: An Ijma upon which all Muslim scholars agree in unison.
2. Implicit Ijma: An Ijma which is done by some scholars. Other scholars do not object to it nor
reject it, which shows their tacit approval.
Q. How is Quran used in conjunction with Ijma to form Islamic laws? (10)
“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and obey those charged with
authority among you.” (4:59)
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Here ‘authority’ means a scholarly or political body that is responsible for legislation or law-
making. The Quran refers to the Muslims who attain balance in the community by consensus,
avoiding divisions and rifts and solving problems together. As it says,
“If you do not know, ask of those who possess knowledge.” (16:43)
This verse means that new matters must be referred to the competent scholars for finding a
solution.
No Ijma can be against the teachings of the Quran. Rather, if there is substantial reason to base
an Ijma upon Quran, it should be done. It is to be noted that the Ijma of the Companions may not
be changed by future generations of Muslims. Similarly, Shia Muslims believe that the Imams
[descendants of the Prophet (pbuh)] were authorised to exercise Ijma which is binding upon all
Shia community.
Example 1:
An example of how Quran is used as a basis to do Ijma is when the Quran says,
“Prohibited to you (in marriage) are: your mother, daughters, sisters, father’s sisters, mother’s
sisters…” (S.Al-Nisa:23)
Based upon this verse, Muslim jurists have done Ijma and unanimously agreed to add 2 more
groups to whom marriage of a man is forbidden i.e. with his grandmother or his granddaughters.
Example 2:
Another example is that of Ijma done by Muslim scholars about the inheritance of wealth by a
grandfather. The Quran says,
“It is prescribed when death approaches any of you, if he leaves any goods, he should make a
bequest (will/inheritance) to parents and next of kin.” (2:180)
This verse means that when a man dies, he leaves his wealth to his parents or next relative.
Scholars have done Ijma that if the parents are also dead, then the wealth should be inherited by
the deceased’s grandfather.
Example 3:
Another example of Ijma based upon Quran is regarding the use of IVF (in vitro fertilization). This
is a modern concept for couples who are not able to have babies. Although a couple can use IVF
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to conceive, scholars have objected to the usage of a cell donated by another man/woman. This
is based on the Quran verse:
On the basis of this verse, scholars have done Ijma that it is not lawful for a woman to have the
cell donated by any man except her own husband, in order to conceive a baby.
Example 4:
“So, any one of you who is present that month (of Ramadan) should fast, and anyone who is ill
or on a journey should make up for the lost days by fasting on other days later.”
Based upon this verse, Muslim scholars have decided that pregnant women come under the
same ruling as those who are ‘ill’, meaning that if there is danger to the woman’s own health or
her unborn baby’s health, or fasting is too difficult for her, she is allowed to leave the fasts and
must feed (one poor person for each day). She must then fast on other days instead.
These are just a few examples of how Quran is used in conjuction with Ijma to from Islamic laws.
Qiyas means ‘drawing an analogy or similarity.’ It refers to comparing one situation with
another and making a decision based on that. This is called analogical deduction.
Qiyas is ‘the legal method to form a law from another law by comparing it with another
situation or thing which is similar to it.’
Need for Qiyas: new issues, new problems, new questions
Justification/Evidence of permission to exercise Qiyas:
(i) When the Prophet (pbuh) sent Muadh ibn Jabal (ra) to Yemen, he asked, “How will you judge
when a question arises?” Muadh (ra): “According to the Word of Allah.” The Prophet: “And if you
do not find a solution there?” Muadh: “Then according to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.”
Prophet: “And if you find no solution in the Sunnah?” Muadh: “Then I shall take the decision
according to my own opinion.” Then the Prophet (pbuh) said,
“Praise be to Allah, who has led His Messenger (pbuh) to a solution that pleases Him.”
(ii) According to Imam Al-Shafi, permission of Qiyas is also given in the Quran, when Allah says,
“Turn your face in the direction of the Holy Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your faces in that
direction.” (Al-Baqarah:150)
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He says you should face the Kaaba when you see it, but when you cannot see it, you should use
your reasoning to determine its direction by the sun, the stars, etc.
Qiyas cannot disregard principles of Quran and Sunnah neither give a new ruling over
a ruling already given in Quran & Sunnah
Only a properly qualified scholar can perform Qiyas
Qiyas can only be based on Quran, Sunnah & Ijma and not on another Qiyas
Proper method must be followed to perform Qiyas regarding Asl, Far’e, illa and
Hukam
Method used in Qiyas
Experts have identified the following 4 steps for the comparison to be considered valid:
Example 1:
i. Asl: The Quran forbids sales transactions after Friday Adhan: “When the call is made for
Salat ul Juma, then hasten to the remembrance of Allah, and leave aside
business.”(62:9)
ii. Far’e: Are all transactions forbidden after Friday Adhan?
iii. illa: Transactions distract Muslims from Prayers so every transaction is forbidden after
Friday Adhan
iv. Hukam: All transactions are forbidden after Friday Adhan
Example 2:
i. Asl: The Quran says, “Wine and gambling, and idols and foretelling through arrows are
only unclean things, a work of Satan. So, save yourself from them…” (al-Maida:90)
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Every intoxicant is Khamr so every intoxicant is Haram.”
ii. Far’e: are cocaine, LSD, marijuana, opium and other similar drugs halal?
iii. illa: these drugs cause intoxication, unclear thinking and clouding of senses
iv. Hukam: all these drugs of modern times are Haram
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Example 3:
i. Asl: Quran says,“Those who accuse the chaste women (of fornication), but they do not
produce four witnesses, then lash them with eighty lashes …” (24:4)
ii. (24:4)
iii. Far’e: punishment for drinking wine?
iv. illa: Upon Umar’s (ra) consultation about punishment for a drinking man, Ali (ra) said to
him, ‘We think, he should be flogged with 80 lashes. Because when he drinks, he becomes
intoxicated and then he talks confusedly and he lies.” (as punishment for lying against
chaste women is also 80 lashes in Quran.)
v. Hukam: Punishment for drinking wine will be 80 lashes
Examples of Qiyas (based on Hadith): (Examples For Question: How is Hadith used in conjuction
with Qiyas to fom Islamic laws?)
Example 1:
i. Asl:
- According to a hadith narrated by Aisha (RA), the Prophet PBUH said that if flour dried
on the nails and water had not reached any portion of that nail, ablution will not take
place
- Another incident reported by Umar (RA), “A person performed ablution and left small
part equal to a nail (unwashed). The Messenger (PBUH) saw that and said, “Go back
and perform ablution well.’ He then went back, performed ablution well and offered
the prayer.’
ii. Far’e: Is nail polish allowed for Wudu?
iii. illa: Comparison drawn between dried flour and nail polish: both do not allow water to
reach the nail
iv. Hukam: Wudu will not be valid with nail polish
Example 2 :
i. Asl: The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Every intoxicant is Khamr so every intoxicant is Haram.”
ii. Far’e: are cocaine, LSD, marijuana, opium and other similar drugs halal?
iii. illa: these drugs cause intoxication, unclear thinking and clouding of senses
iv. Hukam: all these drugs of modern times are Haram
Sample questions:
Q. Why do some Muslim scholars reject the use of analogy (Qiyas)? (4)
Some Muslim Scholars especially Shias do not accept Qiyas because they argue:
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it depends on the abilities of a Muslim to find the comparison thus it is based
on individual opinion; it may differ from one person to another person as it is
based solely on opinion and therefore should not be implemented as a law
it does not have the same broad undisputed support, from Quran or from
community as the other 3 sources (Scholars argue that there is only 1 hadith
about Muadh bin Jabal (RA) which endorses Qiyas)
Quran and Hadith have given us a complete code of conduct till Day of
Judgement. Halal and Haram have been clearly mentioned in the Quran and
Sunnah hence no one has the right to add or omit anything from these primary
sources. As the Quran says, “And We have revealed to you the Book, an
exposition of everything, and guidance...” (16:89) and “Nothing have we
omitted from the Book...” (6:38)
Shias say that Aql (reason) should be applied to deduce a solution from Quran,
Hadith and Ijma. They believe Qiyas is an innovation (Biddah) which can lead to
erroneous conclusions in Islamic rulings
Q. How easy is it to do Ijma to solve present-day issues? (4)
(Discuss whether it’s easy, not easy, or very easy to do Ijma today. e.g. candidates can write: )
- It is not so easy to do Ijma on an international level today because there are too many
Muslim sects now. For all Muslim sects to agree unanimously upon one decision is very
difficult due to wide differences of thoughts and opinions.
- Present-day issues have become complex e.g. cloning, genetic engineering, use of
cryptocurrency. For all Muslim scholars to unanimously give a single ruling for an issue is
nearly impossible.
Q.Are Ijma and Qiyas equally important is solving present-day issues? (4)
(students will agree or disagree, and then prove how both are equally important, or how one is
more in importance than the other)
Quran is recited for rewards, for pondering, for guidance, recited in salat also.
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Quran tells Muslims about Allah, His Existence, His Unity, His Power, His Signs:
“Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from
the heavens; and by it brought fruits for your sustenance.” (Al-Baqarah-22)
Quran tells Muslims about all the articles & pillars of faith
“And the believers also believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His Messengers…”
(2:285)
Quran guides Muslims about pillars of Islam, their injunctions and other matters pertaining
to them e.g:
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so that
you may learn righteousness.” (2:183)
Quran gives insight into history; stories of previous prophets and their books so that
Muslims may learn lessons from them e.g: The Quran says about Isa (as):
“But they killed him neither, nor crucified him…Allah raised him up unto Himself.” (An-Nisa, 157-
158)
Quran guides Muslims about the way of life, about good character, good moral values
e.g. honesty, humility, modesty, justice. e.g.:
“Help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not help another in sin and transgression.”
(Al-Maiyda-2)
Quran warns Muslims against many vices, e.g. backbiting, lying, hypocrisy, pride,
cheating.
“Devour not each other’s properties unlawfully unless it is through trade by your consent.” (Al-
Nisa-29)
“Let not some men among you laugh at others, it may be that the (latter) are better than the
(former).” (Hujarat, 49:12)
Quran guides Muslims about social and family responsibilities e.g. treatment of parents,
orphans, spouse, widows, orphans, neighbours, travelers e.g.:
“Men are protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made the one (men) superior
to the other (women) as they spend their means to support them.” (Al-Nisa- 34)
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Quran has set down laws pertaining to marriage, divorce, inheritance.
Quran also guides Muslims about lawful & unlawful actions e.g. pork is haram and wine
is forbidden, a person accusing someone of adultery without 4 witnesses is to be
punished, dead animal’s meat is forbidden
“Intoxicants(wine), gambling, idols and foretelling through arrows are unclean things a work of
Satan. So save yourself from them …” (5:90)
Quran teaches Muslims principles of balancing their economical and financial lives. e.g.
give proper weight & measure, when 2 people make a contract, they should write it down
in front of 2 witnesses, be fair in business transactions e.g.:
“Give full measure, when you measure and weigh with a balance that is straight.” (17:35)
Quran has set particular punishments for adultery, slander, murder, treason, stealing etc.
e.g.:
“Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female as a recompense for
that which they committed.” (Al-Maiyda-38)
Quran contains many scientific facts, which help Muslims understand the system of the
creation, e.g. the 3 developmental stages of the embryo. Quran also mentions
geographical facts like how the mountains stabilize the earth.
“And He has set firm the mountains on the earth so that it would not shake with you.” (Nahl,
16:15)
Quran tells Muslims about the ‘unseen’. This helps solidify Muslims faith in various
articles of faith, e.g. about angels, about resurrection, Day of Judgment, Paradise & Hell
“Say, the angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls. Then you shall be brought to
your Lord.” (Surah Al-Sajdah, verse 11)
(The Importance of Quran in all thought and actions of a Muslim’s life will be elaborated with the
help of several verses)
Sources of Tafseer:
(i) Tafseer of the Quran by the Quran: This tafseer is, of course, of the highest rank. The verses of
the Quran explain other verses of the Quran. This is mostly because they are interrelated.
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(ii) Tafseer by the Hadith: The entire life of the Prophet (pbuh) elaborates the tafseer of the
Quran. e.g. the Quran orders Muslims to establish salah but does not elaborate its method. The
Prophet (pbuh) showed the Muslims the method of prayer.
(iii) Tafseer by the Companions (ra): The Companions (ra) taught the tafseer through Ijma
(consensus of opinion). They also used the circumstances of revelations to relate the background
of Quranic verses. e.g. Surah Al-Kausar was revealed to console the Prophet (pbuh) when he was
going through a difficult phase
(iv) Tafseer by Muslim Jurists today: Qualified Muslim jurists who have deeply studied Quran and
Hadith are also a reliable source of interpretation of the Quran.
QUALITIES OF A MUFASSIR:
must be a Muslim and have proper understanding of Islamic beliefs & pillars
must have knowledge of:
Arabic language and its vocabulary
Arabic grammar
Arabic word structures
Sahih and Daeef Hadiths
Circumstances of revelations
Nasikh & Mansookh verses
Muhkam and Mutashabih verses
Makki & Madni Surahs
Types of Verses
Mansukh Verses: The verses which have been cancelled (abrogated) e.g. “…approach not salah
when you are in a drunken state…” (S. Baqarah:219)
Nasikh Verses: The verses which have replaced the cancelled verses e.g. “Intoxicants (wine),
gambling, idols and foretelling through arrows are unclean things a work of Satan. So save
yourself from them …” (5:90)
Muhkam Verses: The verses which have clear commandments of Allah e.g.” And establish prayer
and give zakah…” (S. Baqarah:43)
Mutashabih Verses: The verses whose meanings are not completely clear e.g. “…The Hand of
Allah is over their hands.” (Surah Fatah:10) Another example is of Haroof Al-
Muqatta’at or the ‘disconnected letters’ like ‘alif laam meem’ whose meaning is not clear to
anyone except Allah.
In conclusion, the Mufassir should have thorough knowledge about all of the above types of
verses.
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SEERAH
Seerah Milestones
Corrupted religion, Al-Laat, Manaat, Al-Uzzah idols as intermediaries between them and
Allah
Only small remnants of religion of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) left
Hajj & Umrah done but with wrong customs
the Hunafa: they worshipped Allah alone; very few left
Political Situation:
Noble tribes extremely proud, did not marry lower tribes’ people
Obsessed with eloquent Speech and Poetry [Great memory in learning very lengthy
poems]
Treated women like merchandise
wife passed down in inheritance [to stepson]
not allowed to inherit wealth
men would feel shame on birth of daughters as future of women was bleak
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many would bury their daughters alive out of shame or fear of poverty. The Quran
says, “When the female (infant) buried alive would question, for what crime she
was killed.”
marriages: polygamy, man would treat wife harshly, take away basic rights,
divorce as many times as he liked and then remarry
War fighting over the most minor issues that would ensue for as long as 40 years e.g. why
a man of a tribe killed a camel of another tribe
Arabs became very war-like people
Illiteracy nearly 100%; unlike the Jews & Christians
Endowed with natural intelligence & potential for learning
Indulged in:
gambling
fornication (relationship to someone other than the spouse)
usurp the rights of orphans
usury
shed blood over trivial reasons
Some Very Good Morals:
Year 570 AD, the Year of Elephant. Born 6 months after the death of his father Abdullah.
Mother’s name was Amina. As sson as he was born, his grandfather was given the good news. He
took his grandson near the Kaaba and prayed for him. Grandfather named him ‘Muhammad’
(PBUH), mother named him ‘Ahmad’ (PBUH).
First feed: Fed initially for a few days by slave-girl of Abu Lahb called Thaubiyah. She had also fed
Hazrat Hamza (RA). The Prophet PBUH has said,
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(Roles of Haleema Sadia, Amina, Abdul Muttalib and Abu Talib)
Haleema Sadia:
Haleema, from the tribe of Banu Sad, arrived in Makkah with husband Harith along with
her tribe
one donkey, one camel, own baby boy & husband accompanied her
last one to arrive, only baby Prophet(pbuh) left, accepted him just before leaving
first to arrive back home, more than enough feed for both babies, her flock of sheep
thrived
After 2 years, according to the custom, Haleema tried to return the Prophet to mother,
but Amina returned him due to epidemic in Makkah
Around 4 years of age, 2 Angels visited the child Prophet , cut open his chest, cleansed his
heart and removed the black spot of satan, sealed his body again
Haleema returned the boy out of fear of misfortune
Role of Haleema Sadia:
learnt pure Arabic language & dialect, learnt the beauty of speech & poetry; a source of
pride for Quraish
Fresh air for proper health, active lifestyle (life in cities encouraged laziness & slackness)
learnt shepherding
received natural feed of Haleema; its physical benefits last for a lifetime and can give one
the strength of 40 warriors. The Prophet PBUH said,
“Verily! I’m the most perfect Arab among you; my descent is from Quraysh and my tongue is
the tongue of Banu Sa’d.”
Amina, Mother of the Prophet:
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it was her motherly love that she sacrificed the time of the few early years of her son’s life
for his security, health and character building
teaching son to respect and love his deceased father by visiting his grave
Prophet received the warmth of a mother’s love for the short period of about 2 years that
he spent with her
Role of Abdul Muttalib
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Between 20-25 years of age: looked for ways to earn his own living, used to graze
people’s sheep. The Prophet PBUH said,
“I used to shepherd the sheep of the people of Mecca for some Qirates.”
-started taking people’s goods for trade, earned the titles of Sadiq (truthful) and Ameen
(trustworthy)
Marriage to Khadija (ra) -Prophet 25 years of age: when she sent a caravan with him and her
servant Maisara. The servant praised the Prophet PBUH so muc, she was so impressed that she
sent him a marriage proposal through her friend Nafeesa. Both their uncles met and the marriage
took place. The Prophet PBUH shifted to her house.
The Happy Household: 4 Daughters: Ruqaiyah, Zainab, Umm Kulthum, Fatima, one adopted son
Zaid bin Haris, one nephew Ali, one maid Barakah (ra)
Fixing of the Black Stone-35 years of age- The Quraish had decided to rebuild the Kaaba because
its walls had weakened due to floods. When the reconstruction began, all began to argue over
which clan’s leader would put the Hijra-Aswad (Black Stone). The Prophet PBUH gave a fair
chance to all by placing the Black Stone in the middle of a cloth and asking all leaders to carry
that cloth near the Kaaba and then fixing the stone himself; hence reverting a war among
Quraish.
Contemplation in Cave of Hira- in his late 30s, he began to spend more and more time in Cave of
Hira, often taking food for a few days, spending his time meditating and praying to God to show
his community a way out of their corrupt ways.
Questions:
Q. What can these relations teach us about family ties today? (4)
Q.What was the significance of the roles played by his mother, grandfather, foster mother? (4)
Q. Did his family help prepare him for prophethood? Agree or disagree, giving reasons for your
answer. (4)
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Q. What is the significance of many prophets of God being shepherds? (4)
powerful inward signs-true dreams, hearing salam, visions of dawn breaking, love of
solitude
It was Year 610 AD, Night of Laila tul Qadr in Ramadan, Prophet (PBUH) was 40 years old
Angel Jibrael in form of a man, “Read!”
squeezed the Prophet 3 times, The Prophet PBUH said, “He held me and pressed me
tightly, then he released me and said ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I am not a reader!’ So, he held me
and pressed me hard a second time until I was exhausted, then he released me...” The
third time the Prophet PBUH said, “What shall I read?” The angel recited the first 5 verses
of Surah Alaq,
“Read in the name of Your Lord, Who created;
Created man from a clot of congealed blood.
Read! Your Lord is Most Bounteous,
Who has taught the use of pen,
Taught man what he did not know.”
the Prophet (pbuh) recited the verses after him, the Angel left
Prophet (pbuh) full of fear, wondering if it was magic or he was possessed by a jinn
The angel disappeared
The Prophet PBUH fled from the cave
hears voice of Jibrael, Prophet (pbuh) looked up, all sky completely covered till horizon
with 600 wings of Jibrael, “O Muhammad (pbuh)! You are the messenger of God and I
am Angel Jibrael.” The angel said these words twice.
(Role of Angel Jibrael: by giving him a tough experience, the angel was preparing the
Prophet PBUH for the tougher times ahead. Also, he introduced his prophethood to him)
Prophet (pbuh) reached home, “Cover me! cover me!”
After calming down, he told his wife Khadija (ra) everything. Khadija (ra) consoled him and
reassured him, “Allah will not let you suffer any humiliation because you are kind to
your relatives, you speak the truth, you assist anyone in need, you are hospitable to
guests.”
(Role of H.Khadija RA: she believed in him, comforted him)
She then went to visit her Christian cousin, Waraqah bin Naufal, who was excited to hear
her and he confirmed that her husband was a prophet, “This is the same angel who
visited Musa (as) and Isa (as)!”
The Prophet (pbuh) then visited Waraqah bin Naufal who repeated what he had said
earlier to Khadija (ra) and added, “Your people will call you a madman and a liar and will
expel you out of the city.” The Prophet (pbuh) was amazed to hear this. Waraqah said,
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“No man has ever preached a message like yours but was met with enmity. If I am alive
at that time, I will give you all my support.”
(Role of Waraqah: confirmed his prophethood, predicted future events, showed his
support to him)
STAGES OF PREACHING
SECRET PREACHING, The First Stage: After the first revelation, there was a short break in which
the Prophet (PBUH) again started feeling great anxiety about the reality of what had happened in
the cave. One day, he again saw Angel Jibrael sitting in a chair in the sky. The Prophet PBUH went
to bed terrified, wrapped up in his cloak, when Allah’s verses were revealed:
“O you who is wrapped up! Arise and warn! And Glorify the Dignity of your Lord. And purify
your garments.” (74:1-3)
This revelation marked the beginning of preaching and it was all done secretly for 3 years.
Method of Wudu and postures and rituals of Salat were taught by Angel Jibrael in the
very early revelations
The Household members: Prophet PBUH used to pray with H.Khadija (RA) at home
privately. H.Ali (RA), only 10 years old, (who lived in their house) was impressed with the
new religion and accepted Islam in the early days. All 4 of the Prophet’s PBUH daughters,
H.Zaid bin Harris, H.Barakah (RA) also accepted Islam.
H.Abu Bakr (RA) accepted Islam very early. The Prophet PBUH said, “Whenever I invited
anyone to Islam, they hesitated, except for Abu Bakr RA. He accepted my message
without any hesitation.”
H.Abu Bakr RA also began to quietly confide and invite others he could trust, urging them
to enter Islam. Uthman bin Affan RA heard a call in the desert, “Ahmad has come to your
land.” Talhah RA met a monk in Syria who predicted the arrival of a messenger Ahmad
with a true message. Both were taken by Abu Bakr (RA) to the Prophet PBUH where they
accepted Islam.
Abdullah bin Masood (RA) was a young shepherd who met the Prophet PBUH and Abu
Bakr RA in some pastures and refused to give them milk of the sheep as they did not
belong to him. Very soon after this, he accepted Islam. Later on he became one of the
best reciters of Quran.
A Companion Hazrat Arqam RA gifted his house to the Prophet PBUH for the sake of
Islam. The early Muslims used to meet secretly in the middle of the night at this house,
Dar-e-Arqam. There they used to learn about the latest revelations, the teachings of Islam
from the Prophet PBUH.
They now took care to keep their clothes pure and free from impurity. They used to pray
together there secretly 2 times a day.
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The early revelations focused on teachings of Tauheed, Resurrection, Day of Judgment,
belief in Hell and Paradise, signs and qualities of Allah.
Angel Jibrael used to say ‘Assalam o Alikum’ to the Prophet (PBUH). The practice of
greeting one another with “Assalam o Alikum” was established.
Precautions was taken to not attract any attention so that their secret would not be
revealed. The news did leak to some Quraishites but they paid little attention to it as they
didn’t know they were disbelieving their gods.
Some of the other early converts were Jafar bin Abi Talib, Ammar bin Yasir, Khabbab bin
al-Arat, Abdur-Rahman bin Awf, Sad bin Abi Waqqas, Saeed bin Zaid, Uthman bin Mazun
(RA). Many of these converts were poor or were slaves.
About 40 Muslims accepted Islam in the first 3 years of secret preaching.
The Prophet took great safety precautions regarding secrecy; he used to meet secretly to preach
& train the new Muslims outside Makkah:
Allah had not yet commanded the Prophet PBUH to preach openly
to strengthen and solidify true faith or ‘iman’ in their hearts
to prepare them for the next stages which were going to be very tough; to ensure they
were steadfast enough to tolerate the hardships in future
Ayahs of Patience were also consistently revealed to prepare them
to prepare them to become preachers and exemplary role models for other people
The Muslims were very few in number. If they had announced Islam openly at this time,
the Quraish could have simply crushed Islam in Makkah in the very beginning by expelling
or killing the new Muslims
INVITING FAMILY & TRIBE, The Second Stage: “Warn your nearest family” (26:214)
The Prophet PBUH invited about 40 members of Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib clan to his
house for a meal. After they had eaten and the food seemed untouched, Abu Lahb frightened the
guests away by saying, “Your host has cast a spell on you!”Everyone left.
The Prophet PBUH again invited his relatives on another day and this time introduced Islam to
them, asking who would be his helper in this mission. No one spoke except the young Ali (RA) ,
about 13 years old now. He said, “I will be your helper in this mission.” Upon this the relatives
laughed and left, mocking the young boy’s offer of help.
The Prophet’s PBUH aunt H.Safiyyah (RA), and H.Umm al-Fadal, the wife of H.Abbas RA entered
Islam, soon bringing in her 3 sisters also towards Islam.
Q. What was the significance of Inviting Family & Tribe first? (4)
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The Prophet had to start preaching his own family, then close relatives because family’s
support was important before convincing strangers to accept Islam.
Tribal loyalty was very strong and Quraish’s support would be of immeasurable
importance, hence they were invited to Islam first.
Makkah was the centre of idolatry as the House of God was here, so the greatest religious
significance was associated with Makkah. Hence, it was important that the custodians of
the Kaaba i.e. the Quraish should be convinced of abandoning the idols first. Whenever
the Prophet invited non-Quraishites towards Islam, they would say, “We will accept Islam
when the Quraish has accepted it.”
OPEN PREACHING, The Third Stage: “Therefore, declare openly that which you are commanded
and turn away from the polytheists.” (15:94)
Several people were requested to gather near Mount Safa to hear the Prophet’s PBUH
message. The call made at Mount Safa, “If I inform you that a big army of people is
advancing (from the other side of the hill), would you believe me?” the Prophet (PBUH)
said. The people’s reply, the Prophet’s PBUH invitation to Islam, the response of Abu
Lahb, “Curse be upon you! Is this what you wasted our time for?”
A period of extreme opposition & persecution began
Q. Why did the Quraish fear/reject the message of Islam? (4)
Monotheism (they believed their idols brought them closer to Allah, believed angels were
the daughters of God)
Resurrection was completely unbelievable for them
Prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) [they asked why God didn’t send an angel for their
guidance or why such an ordinary man was chosen as messenger]
Quran as the Word of Allah (they could simply not believe that revelations came, that
they were the words of God Himself, they had never before heard of such ideas)
Rejection of Idea of Equality
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Bilal (master: Ummayah bin Khalf, iron armour, skin would melt, laid on hot sand with
boulder on top, ‘Ahad! Ahad!’, Hazrat Abu Bakr freed him)
Summaiyah, Yasir & their son Ammar ibn Yasir (Summaiyah: former slave, killed by Abu
Jahl’s spear hitting her below her waist; husband Yasir, also martyred with torture; their
son Ammar ibn Yasir: unbearable torture till uttered words of idols, asked the Prophet
about it, the Prophet reassured him that the heart should remain faithful)
Khabbab ibn Al-Arat (mistress: Umm Anmar, worked as blacksmith, had no protection,
clan and other people stunned by his acceptance of Islam, beat him so much once that he
fell unconscious. Once Umm Anmar put a piece of heated iron on his head & kept it there
until he fell unconscious, his clansmen would rip off his clothes, deprive him of water,
beat him & knock him down; coals would be put & pressed on his back; he would be
dragged on burning coals until his flesh would fall off; only the water that seeped out of
his body would extinguish the coals; Allah eventually punished Umm Anmar with a such
severe headache that she would howl & scream with pain, only cauterizing her head with
something red hot would relieve it)
Suhaib Rumi (tortured to the extent that he lost control over what he said & repeated
anything the oppressors asked, he was very sad but the Prophet consoled him that he was
still a believer)
Zinra (Roman slave girl; hot red iron rods were put in her eyes & she turned blind, Quraish
taunted her to call on One Allah to restore her sight; eyesight restored later)
Abu Bakr & Talhah (tied with a rope together while praying, rope got untied mysteriously;
Abu Bakr once tried to give an Islamic sermon when the Prophet was with him, beaten so
severely that he nearly died, still when he gained consciousness he refused to eat or drink
anything till he was certain the Prophet was safe)
Musab bin Umair (led the most comfortable life of luxuries, best clothing, best perfume
etc; when he became Muslim he was apprehended & imprisoned by his own family, caste
off by his relatives, drastic change in life, no more luxury or comfort, skin hardened, body
weakened, would wear torn & tattered clothes
Saad bin Abi Waqqas (a dutiful son, suffered psychological torment from mother who
refused to eat & drink until he abandoned Islam, mother didn’t eat or drink for many days
etc)
Abdullah bin Masood (a young man, recited the Quran openly in Kaaba, was beaten till
his face started bleeding along with other injuries)
Uthman bin Affan (his uncle would wrap him up in a mat and light a fire under the mat)
Hazrat Abu Bakr(ra) freed many Muslim slaves including Bilal, Zinra, Amir bin Fuhairah, Abu
Fakih etc. Muslims remained patient as God commanded, “Bear with patience with what
they say, and part with them with a courteous farewell,” Quran.
Q. Why Didn’t the Prophet Encourage/Allow the New Muslims to Fight Back? (4)
Raising the ranks of the believers. Late believers could never have the same status as
early believers because the early believers faced all the initial persecutions and stood by
the Prophet PBUH when no one else did
Islam was promoted by early believers’ patience. Non-Muslims were impressed by the
forbearance and sacrifice of Muslims.
The difficulties prepared the believers for higher levels of Piety. Hardships strengthen a
person. With hardship, one dives into his own soul to extract greater courage. He
becomes closer to God.
Nazar Bin Harris’ scheme. He went to Persia, learnt long suspenseful stories;
brought singing & dancing girls to disturb the Prophet’s preaching.
Uncle Abu Lahb’s persistent opposition and abuse:
The only close family member to oppose him
showed delight on his second son’s death, would call him ‘’abtar”
his 2 sons divorced the Prophet’s 2 daughters
dedicated his life to fight Islam
would throw stones at the Prophet
would follow the Prophet in markets & hajj gatherings
would interrupt him, harass him & defame him
cursed him at Mount Safa when the Prophet invited to Islam openly
Abu Lahb’s wife, Aunt Umm Jamil’s role:
would spread lies to defame him
put thorn bushes in his path
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would put impure filth at his door
Waleed bin Mughira’s attempt to defame the Prophet by calling him a ‘magician’
Quraish would Mock: “He is spoken to from heavens!” or “Haven’t you been
spoken to from heavens today?”
Some enemies would throw the internal organs of sheep in his cooking pot
Sometimes mushrikeen would blow the powder of decomposed bones on the
Prophet’s face and question Resurrection
Pressure through Abu Talib. Abu Talib talked to him to back off. The Prophet’s
famous words “Even if you put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left
hand, I will not give up preaching this message.” Abu Talib said, “I will support
you as long as you want.”
The different offers made to Prophet in exchange for leaving Islam
offer of riches and wealth, offer of the most beautiful woman of Quraish,
offer of being made a leader
offer of following both religions (worshipping Islam’s One God and the
Quraish’s multiple gods) turn by turn every week. Allah revealed Surah
Kafiroon, “I do not worship what you worship.”
Suffering during the Ban
Allah sent ayahs to the Prophet to remain patient with whatever they said. “Bear with patience
with what they say, and part with them with a courteous farewell,” Quran.
Lessons:
Patience
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Unity
Faith in Allah
Steadfastness in worship
Abu Talib was a leader, the most influential member of Banu Hashim (united the children
of Hashim & Abdul Muttalib)
Abu Talib provided him ’Jiwar’: a term used for tribal protection
The Quraish approached him, “Stop him from degrading our gods…’, Abu Talib talked to
his nephew, the Prophet’s (pbuh) reply “Even if you put the sun…”
Abu Talib did not accept Islam but allowed the Prophet (pbuh) to continue doing what he
believed in and reassured his support to him
Quraish offered Abu Talib a young man in exchange of the Prophet (pbuh) but Abu Talib
rejected the offer flatly
The Prophet (pbuh) was able to move freely, speak openly without much fear for his life,
comparatively safer and less physically tortured
remained supportive of the Prophet(pbuh) till his last breath
________________________________________________________________________
5th Year of Prophethood
Migration to Abyssinia
It was the 5th Year of Prophethood. When the persecutions got intolerable, the Prophet (pbuh)
advised the Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia as its king, Negus was known to be very fair. There
was hope of introducing & spreading Islam outside Arabia. Also, the Quraish had no authority in
Abyssinia.
Around 15 Muslims, including Uthman bin Affan (ra) and his wife Ruqqayyah(ra), Abu
Salamah (ra) & his wife Umm Salamah (ra), Jafar bin Abi Talib (ra) and his wife Asma (ra)
migrated secretly
warmly welcomed by the Christians in Abyssinia
After a few weeks, rumour reached Abyssinia that things had changed in Makkah, many
people of Quraish had accepted Islam & persecution had nearly ended.
Muslims decided to return, some discovered near the border that this was fake news,
some stayed in Makkah, others returned to Abyssinia
Quraish’s persecution got even more severe than before
The Second Group
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Around 80 men and 18 women migrated with children (98 in total)
Quraish’s anger, could not let Islam spread out of control
Quraish’s scheme: Amr ibn Al-As and Abdullah ibn Rabiah sent by Quraish, plan to bribe
generals of Negus’s court with expensive gifts
The Day at Negus’ Court
After talking to the courtiers one day earlier, the Quraish made their demand in front of
Negus,
“Some foolish young men have come from our country to your country. They have invented a
new religion that is neither ours neither yours. Their families have sent us to request you to
send them back.”
Negus’ replied that he would first question the Muslims; summoned the Muslims to court
Jafar bin Abi Talib (ra) chosen by Muslims on the basis of his eloquence, wisdom &
intelligence, close relative of the Prophet (pbuh), had a noble character, noble lineage,
was a cousin of the Prophet (pbuh)
Negus was ready with his priests with bibles open in front of them
Jafar (ra) made a long speech:
“O king! We were a wicked and ignorant people who worshipped idols and ate corpses. We
committed all types of disgraceful acts and did not pay our due obligations to neighbors and
relatives. The strong of us suppressed the weak. Then Allah raised a Prophet (pbuh) amongst us
whose nobility, righteousness, good character and pure life were well known to us.
When we believed in him and acted upon his nice teachings, our people began persecuting us.
When their cruelties became unbearable, we took shelter in your country by the permission of
our Prophet (pbuh).”
Negus asked to hear some verses of Quran, Jafar (ra) recited ayahs from Surah Maryam
(the ayahs about Isa’s (as) birth & miracles with Maryam). Jafar (ra) recited:
“…She said, ‘How can I have a son when no man has touched me nor am I unchaste?’ He
said,’So,Your Lord said, ‘That is easy for Me…’ ”
Negus & courtiers & priests were touched & moved to tears
Negus said,
“By God this and the Bible are the lights of one lamp.”
Negus announced refuge to the Muslims
The Second Day at the Court
Amr Ibn Al-As connived to entrap Muslims a second time, said to Negus that Muslims
called Jesus a ‘slave’
Negus called Muslims a second time, Muslims decided to stick to the truth
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Jafar (ra): “We say what our Prophet has taught us: ‘Isa is the slave of Allah, His
Messenger’(His Spirit & His word breathed into Mary)”
Negus ordered all gifts to be returned by him & his generals and ordered the Quraish to
leave
Both Quraishites returned back defeated
Negus’ secretly accepted Islam
Later, after many years the Prophet prayed his funeral prayers upon his death
Significance:
Sample Questions:
Q. Write an account of the first Muslim migration. (10)
Q. What lessons can be learnt from the Muslim migration to Abyssinia? (4)
Q. What was the significance of this migration for Muslims of that time? (4)
Q. What lessons can Muslims today learn from the role of Hazrat Jafar bin Abi Talib (RA)? (4)
Q. The migration to Abyssinia can be compared to some Muslim migrations today. Agree or
disagree with this statement, giving reasons for your opinion. (4)
Q. Why do you think Hazrat Jafar (RA) was chosen to represent the Muslims? (4)
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Q. Why did the Prophet (PBUH) choose Abyssinia for Muslims’ migration? (4)
-Hazrat Hamza’s (ra) acceptance of Islam (Abu Jahl’s misbehavior with the Prophet (pbuh),
Hamza’s (ra) response and challenge; acceptance of Islam)
(the people Hazrat Fatima bint Al-Khattab & Hazrat Saeed bin Zaid [husband & wife] Hazrat
Khabbab bin Al-Arat); the incident at Umar’s sister Fatima’s house
Umar openly announced his entrance into Islam near Kaaba, would openly pray near
Kaaba and encourage other Muslims to do so
Often Umar & Hamza (ra) would accompany Muslims & pray openly in congregation
_______________________________________________________________________________
7th – 9th Year of Prophethood
THE BAN/BOYCOTT
Until Banu Muttalib surrendered the Prophet (pbuh) or until the Prophet (pbuh) gave up his
prophethoood, the Quraish would have
no intermarriage
no selling or buying
not allow any resources to reach them
no social visits
no sitting together
no talking
not even entering their houses
not show any mercy to them
not reconciliate with the Banu Muttalib and Banu Hashim
Bagheed bin Amir wrote down all these terms [his hand was later paralysed]
A document was prepared and signed by around 40 leaders of Quraish
It was hung inside the Kaaba to make it sacred
Shi’b-e- Abi Talib (Valley of Abu Talib)
Abu Talib decided it was most suitable to shift to a valley in the outskirts of Makkah for
their unity & for protection of the Prophet (pbuh)
Abu Lahb, who lived near that valley, left that place and shifted with his wife among the
non-Muslims to show solidarity to the polytheists
That valley later famously came to be known as Shi’b-e-Abi Talib
Abu Talib greatly feared for his nephew’s life. When everyone would go to sleep, he
would change places of sleep with the Prophet (pbuh) to fool anyone wanting to attack
the Prophet (pbuh) while asleep
Suffering of the Muslims
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Quraish would buy all the commodities from caravans arriving in Makka so Muslims
wouldn’t be able to buy anything
the Prophet (pbuh) continued to preach Islam, would visit the Kaaba in the sacred months
Help of Relatives & Friends
Abu Bakr (ra) used all his wealth to help Muslims in any way possible. In 2 years time, his
wealth had depleted
Umar (ra) & Abu Bakr (ra) would think of various ways to help
Abu Jahl was always watching closely. Once Hazrat Khadija’s nephew was taking a bag of
flour. Abu Jahl threatened to ostracise him and tried to stop him. Al-Bakhtaree intervened
& struck Abu Jahl to ward him off
Others (Hisham bin Amr) had close marriage connections with Banu Muttalib etc. At night
he would bring a camel laden with food & clothes and send it to Shi’b Abi Talib secretly
The Lifting of the Ban
In Makkah some Quraishis discussed at night that this ban was extremely cruel.
Hisham bin Amr (who used to secretly smuggle food to them) brought up this this
issue. Along with Al-Bakhtaree and 3 others (a total of 5 Quraishis) decided to raise
the issue independently the next morning
The next morning, when Abu Jahl & many other Quraishis were present, Zuhair said,
“How can we eat and drink contentedly when the children of Banu Hashim and Banu
Muttalib are dying? I do not agree to this pact & I will not rest until it is torn up.”
Abu Jahl jumped to his feet and declared, “By Allah, it will not be torn up!”
Zuhair’s friend spoke up, “I also do not agree, it is unfair from the very start,” Abu Jahl
opposed him as well
The third accomplice (Al-Bakhtaree) spoke in favour of Zuhair. Then a fourth & a fifth
person spoke up. More Quriashis started speaking in favour of the boycotted. Abu Jahl
had to back off as he understood that they had joined hands.
Abu Talib, who was sitting in a corner, near Kaaba, said that the Prophet (pbuh) had
been informed in revelation about the destruction of the document
There was an argument among the Makkans; decision to open the Kaaba and check,
decided if Abu Talib true, then the ban would be ended
Kaaba opened; the document was wall eaten up by termites except where the names
of Allah were written. Quraish amazed, the ban ended
7th-9th year of Prophethood: after 3 years, Muslims & Banu Hashim & Banu Muttalib
returned to their houses
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Lessons
The ban brought further attention to Mulims’ impressive patience & dedication. Tribes
outside Makkah very impressed & attracted to Islam & more people entered Islam. Surely
this religion must be true if the Muslims are willing to die for it.
No matter how hard times are, Muslims make do with whatever they have with patience
Allah’s promise in Quran, “After every difficulty, there is ease.”
6 months after returning from Shi’b Abi Talib, the Prophet’s (pbuh) uncle fell seriously ill
A group of Quraish leaders came, Abu Jahl, Utbah, Shaybah etc
Quraish made another attempt with Abu Talib, offering gifts to the Prophet (pbuh) in
exchange for the Prophet to stop preaching. The Prophet pbuh rejected it.
The Prophet (pbuh) pleaded his uncle to make the Shahadah so he could testify for him
on the Day of Judgment.
Quraish’s leaders to Abu Talib: “Would you really turn away from Abdul Muttalib’s
religion?”
Out of fear of dishonor, Abu Talib did not recite the Kalima Shahadah and passed away -
The Prophet (pbuh) vowed to pray for his forgiveness until Allah forbid him from doing so
Death of Hazrat Khadija (ra)
Very soon after the death of Abu Talib, Hazrat Khadija passed (ra) away at 65 years of age.
The Prophet was about 50 years old now [Together they had a blissful & harmonious
marriage for 25 years!]
Hazrat Khadija’s (ra) financial help, unwavering encouragement, support, consolation and
was irreplaceable for the Prophet
A great loss!
The New Leader Abu Lahb
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10th Year of Prophethood
The Prophet (pbuh), “I rather hope that someone from their descendants will worship
One Allah.”
Meanwhile Utbah & Shaybah felt pity for the Prophet and sent their Christian slave,
Addas, to the Prophet (pbuh) with a plate of grapes and other fruit
The Prophet (pbuh) said “Bismillah…” before starting to eat.
Addas: “What words are these? People here don’t use these words.”
Prophet: “Where are you from?”
Addas:” The Land of Neniwah”
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Prophet: “The Land of Neniwah meaning the Land of Yunus.”
Addas: “How do you Prophet Yunus?”
Prophet: “He is my brother. He was a prophet and I am a prophet.”
Upon hearing this, Addas was immediately impressed by the Prophet (pbuh), in respect
he started kissing the hands & feet of the Prophet (pbuh).
Utbah & Rabiah watching this scene from a distance started getting infuriated.
Upon Addas’ return, both Utbah & Rabiah scolded him angrily but he replied, “He has told
me something only a prophet could know.”
The Prophet now decided to return back to Makkah
On the way back, while he prayed his night prayers at Nakhlah, 7 Jinns accepted Islam
upon hearing his recitation. The Prophet (pbuh) was informed about it through revelation
of Surah Jinn- it was a small consolation in this painful trip.
(Before entering Makkah, he sent message to request for protection from some people.
Mutim, accepted it and declared protection for the Prophet)
Q. What lessons can Muslims today learn from the Prophet during his journey to Taif? (4)
Q. The Prophet’s PBUH characteristic of mercy is not practical to follow for Muslims today.
Agree or disagree with this statement, giving reasons for your answer. (4)
_______________________________________________________________________________
10th Year of Prophethood
The Prophet (PBUH) had faced Difficulty after Difficulty: the ban, the 2 Deaths, the
Disappointing Visit to Taif, the Increase in Persecution
Allah took His Messenger (PBUH) on this amazing journey to encourage and motivate him
ISRA and MEERAJ
The word “isra” refers to the Prophet’s night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem
The word ‘meeraj’ refers to the Prophet’s ascension to the heavens (skies)
The Journey Begins
“Glory to Him who carried His Servant by night from the Sacred Masjid (Kaaba) to the distant
Masjid (Masjid-e-Aqsa)– whose surroundings we have blessed …”
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Jibrael appeared, split open his body and removed his heart
The heart was washed in a basin of gold filled with Faith & Wisdom (filling the heart with
faith & wisdom)
A white-colored beast called Buraq (between a mule and a horse, with 2 wings) appeared
Buraq was named so due to its speed of light; it’s one step was as far as the eye could see
The Prophet (pbuh) sat on it and was taken to Jerusalem to Masjid-e-Aqsa
Offered 2 vessels of milk and wine there; the Prophet chose milk, Jibrael said, “you have
chosen nature”
The Prophet (pbuh) led 2 rakahs prayer of all previous prophets in Jerusalem - “Imam-ul-
Anbiya”
Then the Prophet (pbuh) was taken up to the skies
As they reached the 1st heaven, Angel Jibrael knocked the door of the heaven. A voice
inside inquired, “Who is it?” Angel Jibrael said, “It is Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).” The
reply came, “He is welcome! He is a Blessed Comer!” [This conversation took place on
each heaven]
On the 1st heaven, he was introduced to Prophet Adam (as). Prophet Adam (as)
was sitting on a wall. When he would look to his left side, he would start crying.
When he would look to his right, he would start laughing. Upon inquiry, Angel
Jibrael told the Prophet (pbuh) that when he looks to his left, he sees his children
in hell and he starts crying. When he looks to his right, he sees his children in
Paradise and he starts laughing.
2nd heaven: Hazrat Yahya & Hazrat Isa (as)
3rd heaven: Hazrat Yusuf (as)
4th heaven: Hazrat Idrees (as)
5th heaven: Hazrat Haroon (as)
6th heaven: Hazrat Musa(as); Hazrat Musa started crying when the Prophet started
to leave. Upon inquiry he said, “I was told a youth after me would have more
people enter Paradise than from my nation.”
7th Heaven: Hazrat Ibrahim(as)
The Prophet (pbuh) and Angel Jibrael reached Sidra-tul- Muntaha which was the farthest
lote tree; it’s leaves were as broad as elephant ears and multi-colored fruits as large as
vessels.
Allah describes this in Surah Al-Najam,
[This was the second time when he saw Jibriel in his real form]
The Prophet (pbuh) stepped forward and had a conversation with Allah
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given gift of 50 obligatory prayers which were reduced to 5 prayers. The Prophet said to
Hazrat Musa (as) “I feel shy to ask Allah to reduce them further.”
Allah promised the Prophet PBUH all major sins of his Ummah would be forgiven as long
as they didn’t commit shirk
The Prophet is also shown Paradise, its 2 rivers, including Kausar and also Hell
The Keeper of Hell was Angel Malik with a fierce, cheerless, frowning face
Punishments in Hell:
People who wrongly used wealth of Orphans: Were eating big pieces of fire and
excreting them simultaneously
People who refused to pay Zakat: Eating thorns & their private parts were bare
People who left Salah: Crushing their heads again & again
Rewards in Paradise:
Prophet, “If a woman of people of Paradise appeared onto earth, light and
fragrance would fill all space between heaven and earth.”
The Prophet (pbuh) returned to the rock at Jerusalem from where he had taken off and
then returned to Makkah
The Prophet (pbuh) declared his visit to Quraish. The Quraish laughed at him and asked
for details. The Prophet (pbuh) described the appearance of the previous prophets. He
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also described each and every door of Masjid-e-Aqsa in Jerusalem (miraculous vision by
Allah in front of his eyes)
One caravan’s she-camel was lost & being searched for. The Prophet (pbuh) drank
a cup of water from there
Each & every caravan arrived and all details were confirmed
Abu Bakr’s response; given title of “As-Siddiq” meaning ‘testifier of the truth’
After all the difficulties he faced, the ban, the 2 Deaths, the Disappointing Visit to Taif, Allah
provided the Prophet Encouragement after Grief
it filled the Prophet’s (pbuh) heart with strength & trust in Allah
He was proven Imam of all prophets before him and titled as Imam-ul-Anbiya
Confirmed as Imam of all generations to come
Gifted 5 Obligatory Prayers (Salah)
Gifted Last 2 verses of Surah Baqarah
Exclusive honor as the only creation to cross Sidra-tul-Muntaha
(Question on Significance of Meeraj for Muslims of that time/ Muslims of today can also appear)
Lessons:
Every trial is followed by some reward or relief. Quran says, “Verily after every
difficulty there is ease.”
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Speak the truth openly, even when afraid of being mocked or made fun of
We must believe in whatever the Prophet (pbuh) said: the Isra & the physical journey
to the skies; it was not a ‘dream’!
_______________________________________________________________________________
PLEDGES OF AQABAH
Background of Yasrib (old name of the city Madina):
The Prophet (pbuh) used to invite to Islam all the people from diverse communities at the
time of Hajj (he used to try very hard every year)
Aqabah is a place near Makkah
In the 11th Year of Prophethood, 6 men from Khazraj tribe in Madina accepted Islam as
they recognized this message as similar to the one often mentioned and predicted by
Jews
The 6 men returned to Madina with the intention to preach and unite their people
(desperate and determined to unify their war-torn community)
12th Year of Prophethood – 1st Pledge of Aqabah
12 men from Madina came for Hajj (5 were the same as previous year, 7 others)
Declaration of Faith by the 12 men- Oath taken:
“We will worship none but Allah, we will not steal, we will not commit fornication, we
will not kill our children, we will not utter slander, we will not disobey the Prophet.”
Prophet (pbuh) said, “If you fulfill this pledge, then Paradise is yours.”
Musab bin Umair (ra) appointed as the first Muslim ambassador of Islam to Madina, to
teach all the doctrines of Islam to the Madinites
Within one year, Islam spread in Madina like wildfire
13th Year of Prophethood – 2nd Pledge of Aqabah
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Musab bin Umair(ra) returned to Makkah after almost a year; he gave the Prophet (pbuh)
glad tidings of various new Muslims in Madina
Hajj season again, 75 people (73 men and 2 women) came for Hajj from Madina
A secret meeting took place between the 75 people and the Prophet (pbuh) and his uncle
Abbas at midnight (on the 13th Zilhajj)
Hazrat Abbas (still a non-Muslim) wanted to make sure the Muslims of Madina would
protect and fight for the Prophet if the need arose.
Abbas also wanted to know what kind of fighters the Madinites were. The Madinites
assured him of their fighting skills. Abbas said, “You know the esteem in which we hold
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). We have protected and honoured him. Yet he has resolved to
join you. If you think you will protect him and fulfill your promise to him, then take him.
But if you think you will betray him, then leave him now.”
The Prophet (pbuh) requested for their refuge just like they would protect their own
families.
The Madinites unanimously swore to give refuge and protection to the Prophet (pbuh),
“By Him who sent you, we will protect you just as we protect our wives and children. So
accept our pledge for we are men of war.”
The Prophet assured them he would never leave them.
All the Madinite men held the Prophet’s (pbuh) hand one by one and swore their
allegiance (baiyt) to the Prophet (pbuh).
12 deputies were appointed from among the Madinites as representatives of their people
And so, the 75 people of Madina returned
Signficance of the Pledges:
A foundation stone for the migration of the Prophet (pbuh) and the Makkan Muslims
migration to Madina, and eventually a foundation for the first Islamic state
A source of hope and encouragement for the Prophet (pbuh) to have so many
Madinites accept his teachings so quickly
Q. In your opinion, why should Muslims provide a safe haven to others? (4)
Refuge should be provided to refugees, whether Muslims, or non-Muslims
- for the sake of God’s pleasure
- for the sake of promoting justice
- for promotion of Islam’s love for peace
- Muslims should show no pride in giving protection & care for the sake of humanity as
they themselves could be in that place one day
Some Questions:
Q. Write about the Prophet’s PBUH activites in spreading Islam outside Makkah before his
migration to Madina. (10)
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-introduction of Islam outside Arabia was done by the Prophet PBUH when he advised some
Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia. (no details to be written of this)
-details of Visit to Taif and its results
-details of Pledges of Aqabah: Every year he used to try hard at the time of Hajj, to invite non-
Makkans to Islam. Very few would listen to him, most rejected him. One such effort turned
fruitful when he invited 6 Madinites who had come to Makkah for Hajj in the 11 th Year of
Prophethood. These Madinites recognized this messenger as the one predicted by Jews in their
neighborhood. Desperate for someone to bring peace in their community, these 6 Madinnites
quickly accepted Islam. The next year….
Q. Write about the changes in Quraish’s behaviour with the Prophet PBUH, before and after
the First Revelation. (10)
Q. Write about the changes in Quraish’s behaviour with the Prophet PBUH in the years
between his marriage to H.Khadija RA and the death of Abu Talib. (10)
Q. Why is it significant that the Quraish still kept their belongings with the Prophet PBUH after
he started to preach Islam? (4)
______________________________________________________________________________
1st Year of Hijrah
MIGRATION TO MADINA
Q. What were the events that Led to the Migration to Madina? (10) OR What were the events
leading to the migration to Madina? (10)
Persecution and opposition from the day Islam was declared openly in 3rd Year of
Prophethood
Successful migration to Abyssinia in 5th Year of Prophethood was an encouragement for
Makkan Muslims also to migrate
Boycott of Banu Hashim in 7th -9th Years of Prophethood was extremely difficult time,
preaching was greatly hindered during this time; it got increasingly difficult to live in
Makkah and the Prophet PBUH began to think seriously about shifting some place else
Death of Abu Talib, a leader in 10th Year of Prophethood; loss of a great protector and
supporter
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Visit to Taif in 10th Year of Prophethood; by convincing the Thaqifs and having their
support, the Prophet PBUH had hoped to persuade Quraish in Makkah also to accept
Islam. This however was an unsuccessful trip. The Prophet PBUH returned to Makkah
after getting protection from a non-Muslim called Mutim.
Pledges of Aqabah in 12th and 13th Years of Prophethood provided hope and support to
Prophet PBUH of peaceful life outside Makkah. Makkan Muslims, with the Prophet’s
PBUH permission, secretly started to migrate to Madina after this pledge.
Death of new protector Mutim soon after the 2nd Pledge of Aqabah left the Prophet PBUH
vulnerable to Quraish’s attack again
Quraish’s plot made at Dar-un-Nadwa in 14th Year of Prophethood to kill the Prophet
PBUH, Allah commanded the Prophet PBUH to migrate
Plot of Quraish made at Dar un Nadwa; Idea of Abu Jahl: one person from each clan of
Quraish tribe will strike a blow to the Prophet PBUH. This way, his murder would be
blamed on all clans. Banu Hashim clan will not be able to take revenge from all clans.
Hence they would have to accept the blood money for this murder.
Angel Jibrael informed the Prophet PBUH of the insidious plan, Allah commanded him to
migrate quickly. The Quran says,
“They plot and plan and Allah too plans but the best of planners is Allah.”
Prophet PBUH quickly went to house of Abu Bakr RA, informed him of their plans to
migrate that night, Abu Bakr RA wept
Prophet PBUH went back to his house, instructed Ali RA to sleep in his bed with his cloak,
assured him no harm would come to him, told him to return Quraish’s belongings the
next morning and then migrate
Prophet’s PBUH house was now surrounded by members of Quraish waiting for him to
come out before Fajr, as was his custom. They didn’t want to barge inside his house and
kill him in presence of his daughters and wife; this was against their honor.
The Prophet PBUH left the house, took a handful of dust and threw it at the Quraish,
walked right past the Quraishites, reciting the verses of Surah Yaseen, “And We have put
a barrier before them and a barrier behind them and covered them up (from all sides) so
that they cannot see.” (Surah Yaseen:9)
The Prophet PBUH was completely invisible to them. Later they looked in his house’s
window to check on him and saw the figure of Ali RA sleeping with the Prophet’s cloak in
his bed. They thought it was the Prophet PBUH sleeping.
The Prophet PBUH quickly went to Abu Bakr’s RA house, climbed out his back window
where 2 camels were ready.
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Instead of going north towards Madina, in order to avoid getting caught on that road,
they decided to go south and hide in the Cave of Thawr till their search had died down. As
they left Makkah the Prophet PBUH looked back towards Makkah and said, “Of all places
on earth, you are the dearest to me, and if my people had not driven me out, I would
never have left you.”
They climbed the mountain, Aby Bakr RA entered the cave first, took off his shirt, tore its
pieces to clean the cave and cover all holes of insects etc.
For 3 nights Abu Bakr’s son Abdullah RA, his daughter Asma RA, and his servant Amir bin
Fuhairah RA visited them. Abdullah brought news every night, informing them that the
Quraish had put a reward of a 100 camels to anyone who brought the Prophet PBUH dead
or alive. Asma RA brought food for them. Amir RA used to erase their footprints in the
sand with a herd of sheep, and provided them milk from the sheep.
The third night some sharp trackers were able to track the Prophet’s PBUH whereabouts.
It was daytime, they were very close to the entrance of the cave. Abu Bakr RA feared
greatly for the life of the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet consoled him. The Quran says, “..he
had no more than one companion, the two were in the cave and he said to his
companion, ‘Have no fear, for Allah is with us.”
The Quraish saw there was a spider web there and a part of a tree covered most of the
entrance. A dove sat undisturbed on its eggs in a nest in the tree. The Quraish left the
cave without looking inside.
The 3rd night, Abdullah RA brought 3 camels along with a guide for their journey to
Madina. One camel was given to the guide, one to the Prophet PBUH and one to Abu Bakr
RA and his servant Amir RA.
Soon after they had set off, they felt Suraqa bin Malik pursuing them. As soon as Suraqa
would come close to them to try to aim his arrow at them, his horse’s legs would sink in
the sand. After multiple tried, he gave up and requested the Prophet to write something
for him. The Prophet PBUH prophesised that one day he would wear the bangle of Persian
king. After getting this written Suraqa left, promising not to tell anyone about the
Prophet’s PBUH whereabouts.
On the way further, they met Hazrat Talha (RA). In his joy, Hazrat Talha RA gifted the
Prophet (PBUH) and Abu Bakr (RA) 2 new white garments.
The Prophet PBUH reached Quba in about 14 days. He stayed here for 3-4 days and laid
the foundations of the 1st masjid of Islam, Masjid-e-Quba. Then, after leading the first
ever Friday congregational prayers, he set off towards Madina.
On Friday, 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal, he entered Madina, sitting on camel Qaswa, in his shining
new garment, it was a sight of joy for the Muslims waiting anxiously for the arrival of the
Messenger PBUH. All gathered around his camel, shaking his hand, greeting Salaam to
him. The Prophet PBUH beamed back humbly, giving words of advice to everyone.
Madinite young girls lined the streets to sing Naats and beat the drum-like musical
instruments called Daf.
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Many Madinites tried to take the Qaswa’s reins and lead it to their homes but the
Prophet PBUH said, “Let it be, it is under (Allah’s) orders.” The Prophet PBUH had let the
camel decide where he would stay. For a long time, Qaswa walked on with the
Companions watching anxiously where it would halt.
Finally Qaswa stopped at an empty plot of land which belonged to 2 orphans, Sahl and
Suhail. The Prophet PBUH called them, fixed the land’s price with them, even though they
insisted he could have it for free. The Prophet PBUH borrowed money from some
Companions and paid the price of the land.
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari’s (RA) house was next to that empty plot. He eagerly came forward
and took the Prophet’s PBUH baggage with him and the Prophet PBUH followed him.
Some Companions protested and begged the Prophet PBUH to stay with them. The
Prophet PBUH replied, “A man stays with his baggage.”
Q. What was the significance of this migration for the Muslims or the Prophet? (4)
freed of persecution
Prophet’s life saved
Turning point in the history of Islam
Establishment of first Islamic state based on Islamic principles
Start of Hijri calendar
Prophet PBUH made the head of the Islamic state established in Madina
Q. How did the stay in Cave of Thawr strengthen the Prophet’s PBUH relation with God? (4)
by saving his life with the miracle of the spider web and the tree, God reassured the
Prophet PBUH that He would never abandon him. His trust was reaffirmed and he
knew God would always be there to protect him in future also.
God provided him with food and milk in the cave for 3 days; Prophet’s PBUH faith was
strengthened that God would always provide for him, no matter where he was.
God provided him support through the companionship of a loyal friend hence the
Prophet PBUH felt very grateful to God for all His favours. The Prophet’s PBUH bond
with God grew stronger than ever.
_______________________________________________________________________________
1st-2nd Year of Hijrah
Arrangements in Madina
1st Year of Hijrah
Change of the Name ‘Yasrib’ to ‘Madina-tu-Nabi’; Yasrib implied a bad meaning like
‘filth/darkness’
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Construction of Masjid-e-Nabwi: Walls made of unbaked brick, roof made of date palm
branches and leaves, date palm tree trunks used as pillars. It was simple square structure.
Prophet himself participated in the manual labour with his Companions. It took 7 months
to complete this construction along with which the Prophet’s PBUH 2 apartments were
constructed for his wives Sauda RA and Aisha RA.
Significance:
A place for 5 congregational prayers and worship
A consultation & parliament house
A military and economic headquarters
An education centre
A place of refuge for homeless Muslims, the As’hab-e-Suffa (People of the Bench)
Brotherhood or Muwakhaat created between Ansars and Muhajireen: House of Anas bin
Malik (RA), 90 Ansars and Muhajireen were joined in pairs of brotherhood. The Ansars
(Helpers) were to help Muhajireen (Immigrants) settle into Madina. They shared all their
belongings, their lands, their farms with their new brothers.
The Quran states, “The believers are a single brotherhood.”
Muhajireen also took only what was essential, they were encouraged by the Prophet
PBUH to learn the art of farming and try to become independent as quickly as possible, so
as not to be a burden on Ansari brothers for long.The Quran states, “And the first and the
foremost Immigrants and Helpers and those who followed them with good; Allah is
pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah.”
Significance:
Created unity, love in the community, resulted in a caring society where no one was left
helpless
Adhaan, the Call to Prayer decided: The Prophet PBUH consulted with the Companions on
what the method of calling to 5 daily prayers should be. Someone suggested ringing bells
like the Christians, another suggested blowing a trumpet like the Jews. No idea was
finalized. A Companion Abdullah bin Zaid (RA) had a dream in which he heard the words
of Adhaan. The next morning he excitedly told those words to the Prophet PBUH. The
Prophet asked Bilal (RA) to give the first Adhaan. When he gave the first Adhaan, Hazrat
Umar RA came running out of his house, saying he had heard the very same words in his
dream the night before.
Significance: (all the following ideas are not required in Arrangements in Madina
question)
Allah’s greatness was announced 5 times a day to remind the Muslims to leave
every other act for Salat
The Declaration of faith in Adhaan was a reminder of a Muslim’s duty towards God
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The words ‘Come to prayer, Come to Success’ were a reminder that Salah is the
key to success in this world and the next. “Salat is the key to Paradise.” (Hadith)
The adhaan united all Muslims upon one call
Charter of Madina (including all Muslims, idol-worshippers, Jews in Madina): As soon as
the Prophet PBUH arrived in Madina, he realized the Jews’ influence over Madina and
made an agreement with them quickly. Some of the terms of the Charter of Madina were:
o Equal rights, status and justice for all
o Freedom to practice own religion for all
o Prophet PBUH would be the judge in all disputes
o Muslims’ allies would be Jews’ allies and vice versa
o In case of attack on Madina, Jews and all tribes in Madina will help and support
the Muslims to defend the city
o Expenses and benefits of all battles were to be shared by all
The truth was that the Jews had only joined this agreement for economic and political benefit.
Significance: The exemplary 1st Islamic society based on Islamic principles, representing the true
spirit of justice and equality for all was established.
18 months after Hijrah, Allah made fasting obligatory by revelation of Quran verses,
“Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may learn
self-restraint.”
In the same year Zakat was also made obligatory. The Quran states, “Establish prayers and pay
charity.”
Eid prayers and sacrifice on Eid-ul-Adhaa was also made compulsory in this year.
Change of Qiblah: The Qiblah at this time was towards Masjid-e-Aqsa in Jerusalem, which
had also been the Qiblah of Jews for centuries. In the initial months when the Prophet
PBUH migrated to Madina, the Jews also used to come and pray in congregation behind
the Prophet PBUH. In 2 A.H., while the Prophet PBUH was leading the afternoon prayers,
Allah revealed the verses, “So turn you face towards the Sacred Masjid (Kaaba) at once,
and wherever you are, turn your face towards it.”
Significance: Kaaba was established as the religious centre for all Muslims. It was the
house of God constructed centuries ago, now it’s status was restablished.
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Orders of Jihad revealed:
The Legislation of jihad was revealed. The Quran says, “Fight in the way of Allah against those
who fight you; but do not transgress limits...”
Spiritual guidance: The incentive to fight was achievement of either Victory in the world
or Martyrdom and Paradise after death
Physical Training: spear throwing, sword fighting, archery, horse riding were highly
encouraged
_______________________________________________________________________________
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The Immigrants from Makkah were traders by profession and at this time did not have
much wealth to do trade. The Madinites were mostly farmers by profession. The Prophet
(PBUH) encouraged the Immigrants to quickly learn the art of farming and help their
Ansari brothers in work instead of sitting idle. He strongly encouraged them not to be a
burden on the Ansars and become self-dependent as soon as possible.
Thus the Muhajireen took only what was essential and worked equally with their Ansari
brothers in their work. The Quran states, “And the first and the foremost Immigrants
and Helpers and those who followed them with good; Allah is pleased with them and
they are pleased with Allah.”
Very soon, through hard work, the Muhajireen were able to stand on their own feet. An
outstanding example of self-dependency was set by H.Abdur Rahman bin Awf (RA). When
his Ansari brother Sa’ad bin Rabiah (RA) offered to give him half of all his property,
H.Abdur Rahman bin Awf (RA) replied, “May Allah give you Barakah in your wealth. Just
show me the way to the market.” With his small belongings, he started his business and
within a short period of time, Allah blessed him with great profits and wealth.
The number of Muhajireen in Madina gradually grew. All of them were given whatever
support and help that was possible by the Madinites. The example set by these Muslims is
unmatched in history and a role model for all Muslim community to follow today.
_________________________________________________________________________
2nd Year of Hijrah
It was now obligatory to destroy any power or enemy that blocked preaching and took
away the freedom to practice Islam freely
The Quraish sent a Letter threatening to fight the Madinites if they didn’t fight and expel
the Prophet (PBUH)]
Lurking enemies were stealing Muslim cattle or burning or cutting trees around Madina
Quraish also wanted revenge for Nakhlah Incident- A Quraishite was killed [without the
Prophet’s (PBUH) orders] at Nakhlah during the sacred month by some Muslims and the
Quraish wanted revenge for this murder
2nd Year of Hijrah, Abu Sufyan’s Caravan in danger of being attacked by Muslims, Abu
Sufyan sent a message to Quraish for help
Before the Battle:
“And remember when Allah brought on you drowsiness, giving you a feeling of peace
and security from Him, and He sent down rain upon you from the sky...” (Surah Al-
Anfaal, verse 11)
The ground now became firm.
Abu Jahl also prayed to his gods all night to destroy those who broke the ties of kinship
The Quran states,
“(Remember) when you were calling upon your Lord for help, and He answered you
(saying): ‘I shall assist you with a thousand of the angels following one another’.”
(surah Al-Anfaal, verse 9)
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Angel Jibrael arrived on a horse with an army of angels. The Prophet (PBUH) told Abu
Bakr(RA) of the good news that help had arrived from Allah
Quraish’s army and Muslim army came face to face
3 Quraishites came forward to start the battle: Utbah, his brother Shaybah and his son
Walid, 3 Ansars quickly jumped forward to combat them
The Quraishites told the Ansars, “O Madinites, our battle is not with you. O (Prophet)
Muhammad (PBUH), send us men from our own tribe.”
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Arise Ubaidah! Hamza! Ali!” (Ubaidah fought Utbah, Hamza
fought Shaybah, Ali faced Walid)
H.Ali and H. Hamza were able to finish off their opponents quickly. H. Ubaidah’s (RA) leg
was cut off before H.Ali and H.Hamza came to his assistance to kill Utbah
The battle started in full swing.
The Prophet (PBUH) threw a handful of dust towards the enemy
The Muslims felt divine powers helping them e.g. an enemy’s head got cut off before a
companion’s sword had even touched it, many saw brief glimpses of angels as flashes of
white here and there.
A companion Ukashah’s (RA) sword broke, he asked the Prophet (PBUH) for a new sword,
the Prophet (PBUH) handed him a wooden club. When he started fighting, miraculously
the wooden club changed into a shining sword.
Enemy was crushed in a matter of hours. All the main senior leaders of Quraish were
killed. Ummayah was killed by Bilal, Abu Jahl, Utbah, Waleed bin Mughira all were killed
The Quraish was shocked. 70 Quraishites killed, 70 Quraishites captured, 14 Muslims
martyred
The Quran says,
“Indeed, there was a sign for you in the two hosts, which met together in encounter;
one part fighting on the way of Allah, and the other unbelieving, And Allah strengthens
with His aid whom He pleases…” (3:313)
The Muslims were overjoyed.
The prisoners were treated with kindness and courtesy. Those who did not have enough
money for ransom were granted freedom after teaching 10 Muslim children how to read
and write.
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AFTER THE BATTLE OF BADR
The Muslims returned to Madina to find that the Prophet’s (PBUH) daughter Hazrat
Ruqqaiyah (RA) had passed away
In Makkah, Hind got news that she has lost her father (Utbah), brother (Walid) and uncle
(Shaybah); she swore revenge on Hamza (RA) by chewing his liver
Quraish sent ransom for the release of captives
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Abu Sufyan was shocked to hear about the “men in white” who helped the Muslims inflict
this crushing defeat. The Quraish immediately started preparations for revenge, wealth
from Abu Sufyan’s caravan also used in these preparations
(Abu Lahb, the Prophet’s uncle soon died from an infection which had spread to his whole
body)
EXPULSION OF BANU QAINQA
Jews clearly dismayed at the victory of the Muslims at Badr
Kaab bin Ashraf from Banu Nadir went to Makkah to sympathize and compose poetry for
Quraish, urging them to take revenge for Badr.
Prophet (PBUH) was well-informed about the treachery of Banu Qainqah.
Muslim woman went to buy gold in the market of Banu Qainqah, greatly insulted, hijab
made fun of; men killed on both sides.
Instead of seeking the Prophet’s (PBUH) arbitration, the Jews decided to fight. They
withdrew their forces in their forts
The Jews found themselves besieged by the Muslims; no allies came forward to help the
Jews; After 2 weeks they surrendered
Abdullah bin Ubayy intervened and requested for leniency. The Prophet (PBUH) let them
free, they were exiled and had to leave behind their tools, weapons and armour.
_______________________________________________________________________________
3rd Year of Hijrah
BATTLE OF UHUD
Quraish thirsty for revenge of battle of Badr; prepared fervently all year using the wealth
from Abu Sufyan’s caravan to buy new weapons etc.
3rd Year of Hijrah; it was the anniversary of Badr
A sealed letter arrived from uncle Abbas informing the Prophet (PBUH) about 3000
Quraishites ready to march towards Madina
In Madina
Quraish arrived and had camped north of Madina near Uhud mountain
Quraish’s Cavalry:
Commander-in-Chief: Abu Sufyan
Co-commanders: Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl (son of Abu Jahl) & Khalid bin Waleed (son of
Waleed)
Talhah: Standard-bearer (flag-holder)
Hind (wife of Abu Sufyan) and their women were at the back chanting songs &
beating drums
Abu Sufyan called out to Muslims of Madina,“Quit the field & leave and we will not fight
you.” The Ansars responded in thunderous abuse. Quraish moved forward,
In the very beginning Talhah, the Quraish’s standard-bearer was killed by Ali (RA)
Wahshi stalked Hamza (RA), killed him and left the battlefield
Muslims were winning, driving Makkans back towards their camp
The 50 Muslim archers watched the enemy being defeated and Muslim army nearly
reached the enemy camp, the archers thought it was time to plunder and collect the
booty which lay open on the battlefield
40 archers left their places thinking Muslims had won now. Abdullah bin Jubair (RA)
warned them of the Prophet’s instructions but they claimed that the battle was over now.
Only 10 devoted archers were left on Mount Uhud.
The Quran states,
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“And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing the enemy by His
permission until [the time] when you lost courage and fell to disputing about the order [given
by the Prophet] and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love (booty and riches).”
(Surah Al-e-Imran, verse 152)
Khalid bin Waleed seized this opportunity, he attacked the Muslims from behind. All 10
remaining archers were martyred.
Ikrimah followed Khalid’s strategy, both attacking from behind
The tide of the battle suddenly changed. Fleeing Makkans returned to fight again
Enemy was now gaining access to the Prophet (PBUH). Muslims were being driven up the
slope. Prophet (PBUH) was now surrounded by close guarding Companions while the
enemy attacked them.
Prophet (PBUH) was injured. 2 metal pieces from his helmet penetrated his cheek
The Prophet (PBUH) was struck with a stone breaking 2 of his teeth, lip bleeding
An enemy brought down his sword vehemently upon the Prophet (PBUH) and Hazrat
Talhah bin Ubaidullah (RA) shielded the Prophet; Talhah’s arm was paralysed, also lost 2
of his fingers, received 70 wounds on his body. (Abu Bakr later used to say, “That was a
day all for Talhah.”)
The Prophet (PBUH) was hit on the shoulder, momentarily lost consciousness and fell to
the ground.
The Quraish shouted, “Muhammad (PBUH) is slain!” The shouts echoed.
Muslims were full of sorrow and regret, many lost heart and tried to withdraw from the
battlefield. Allah questioned the Muslims about this in the Quran,
“Muhammad (PBUH) is only a messenger and many messengers have died before him. If
Muhammad (PBUH) dies or is slain, will you then turn on your heels?” (S. Al-Imran, verse 44)
Quraish assessed the damage so far, there were the bodies of nearly 70 Muslims on the
battlefield. Quraish decided that their aim has been fulfilled. They had now sufficiently
taken revenge for the Battle of Badr, so they decide to leave.
Talhah RA) carried the Prophet (PBUH) up on higher ground as the Prophet (PBUH) was
now too weak to walk. The Prophet (PBUH) said later about him, “He who wants to see a
walking martyr on earth, let him look at Talhah.”
News of the Prophet’s (PBUH) survival spread quickly among the Muslims who rejoiced
upon it
Around 70 Muslims were martyred in this battle, Quraish lost about 22 Quraishites
Before leaving the battlefield Hind, in her frenzy for revenge, cut off Hamza’s (RA) nose,
ears, cut open his stomach, chewed his liver and spit it out; gave her jewelry to Wahshi as
a prize
Quraish’s men and women mutilated the bodies of the martyrs, making necklaces of their
noses and ears, hanging them on trees and around their necks
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Quraish buried their own dead, loaded the spoils of war (booty) and prepared to leave
Abu Sufyan went to the foot of Mt.Uhud and declared in a loud voice,
“War goes by turns, this is a day (of revenge) for a day (of Badr).”
Umar (RA) replied from the top, “We are not equal, our dead are in Paradise, yours in
eternal Hell.” Abu Sufyan then asked if the Prophet was alive and Umar (RA) replied he
was alive.
Abu Sufyan challenged, “Our next meeting place will be at Badr, same time next year.”
And the Quraish left for Makkah.
Madni women arrived to tend the wounded
The Prophet prayed 72 funeral prayers; 2-3 Companions were buried in the same grave
After The Battle of Uhud
Immediately after the Quraish left, the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions descended
from Mt.Uhud. The Prophet gave instructions to look for Hamza (RA)
Upon seeing his mutilated body, the Prophet (PBUH) was filled with grief and anger; he
swore revenge for his martyrdom; but Verses of Patience were revealed in the Quran,
“And if you take your turn, then retaliate with the like of that with which you were
afflicted; but if you are patient, it will certainly be best for those who are patient.”
Abu Ubaidah ibn Al-Jarrah took 2 metal pieces in the Prophet’s cheek out with his mouth,
resulting in loss of his own 2 teeth.
Back to Madina
The Prophet (PBUH) went to visit Banu Nadir with his Companions including Abu Bakr (RA)
and Umar (RA)
Jews conspired to kill him, invited them to stay for a meal
Angel Jibrael revealed the conspiracy, the Prophet left, the Companions also left after
waiting a long time
The Prophet (PBUH) sent a message to Banu Nadir, exposing their plot and giving them 10
days to leave or they would be killed
The Banu Nadir Jews were confident of allies’ help; flatly refused the Prophet’s (PBUH)
proposal
Ali (RA) was immediately sent with banner with Muslim army to besiege them
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Banu Nadir were hopeful of receiving help from other Jewish tribes but no one came
forward to help. After 10 days, the Prophet ordered to cut off their fruit trees, Banu Nadir
very hopeful of return to their forts later, so they surrendered
Prophet allowed them to take all they wanted except arms and armour
A magnificent caravan, full of expensive cloth, gold, rubies, emeralds etc. departed. All of
this could have been their booty but because of the Prophet’s (PBUH) mercy, they were
allowed to take almost everything.
The Prophet (PBUH) distributed the land mostly to poor Immigrants
Exiled Jews settle in Khyber
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5th Year of Hijrah
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3000 Muslim army, all ordered to guard the trench at the edge and shower the enemy
with arrows if someone tried to cross it
Quraish arrived from the west, the allied tribes from the east.
Abu Sufyan: Commander-in-Chief, Khalid and Ikrimah: Co-Commanders
The enemy was taken aback upon facing the trench, a new idea never seen before in
Arabia
Quraish mocked the Muslims for stooping down to this cowardly trick and not coming out
to fight them openly
A few days passed by, no fighting except for an exchange of arrows
Huyayy, a Jew from Banu Nadir went to the Chief of Banu Quraizah and convinced him to
betray Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Umar (RA) informed the Prophet of Banu Quraizah’s betrayal, the news was confirmed by
other Companions.
News came that the Quraish planned to attack Madina through Banu Quraizah’s forts and
raid the fortresses where the Muslim women and children were staying
The Prophet (PBUH) was now forced to retreat some forces from the trench to protect
the city of Madina from Banu Quraizah’s side. The Prophet (PBUH) ordered Zaid (RA) to
patrol the streets of Madina with 300 men
The strength at the trench now decreased so the Muslims had to now guard for longer
hours.
The help of Naeem bin Masood; a man from Banu Ghatfan secretly became Muslim and
created mistrust and misunderstanding between Quraish and Banu Quraizah
Days & nights passed, the Muslims guarded dutifully and vigilantly (Khalid & Ikrimah were
constantly on the lookout for any slackness)
Only at 1 point did the enemy manage to cross the trench. (Ikrimah managed to make his
horse leap over the narrowest part, 3 other Quraishites followed him. Hazrat Ali and
other Sahabah blocked the passage so no more would come.) Hazrat Ali killed one of the
enemies, the remaining fled back for their lives.
The Prophet (PBUH) kept encouraging the Muslims to remain steadfast and patient.
No real fighting, a battle of nerves, food began to run short, nights extremely cold. Some
hypocrites started criticizing that a trench was not enough to win a battle
Quraish also suffering desperately on the other side, no crops for animals left, camels and
horses started to die
The Prophet (PBUH)prayed for 3 days
There was a great sandstorm
Enemy’s tents blown away; animals ran away frightened
The Quran says about this,
“O you who believe! Remember Allah’s blessing on you when the hosts came against
you and we send upon them a wind and armies (of angels which) you did not see...”
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(Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:9)
Muslims’ tents remained intact; Muslims were now very weakened with cold & hunger
The Prophet (PBUH) asked Hazrat Huzaifah (RA) to spy on the enemy’s next move
Abu Sufyan declared his departure! Ikrimah taunted him and all enemy left
Hazrat Huzaifa brought back the good news to the Prophet
By sunrise, there was no sign of the enemy on the horizon
Muslims rejoiced
Allah had paid off their relentless patience and fortitude
The Quran says ,
“And Allah sent back those that were unbelievers in their rage and they had no good.
Allah spared the believers of fighting. Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty”
(Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:25)
Some Lessons:
Patience
Unity and brotherhood
Trust & faith in Allah
Allah pays off hard work
Working equally with everyone, even if you are the leader
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6th Year of Hijrah
Treaty of Hudaibiyah
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Khalid bin Waleed set out with 200 men to fight them
The Prophet (PBUH) changed his route; Halt at Hudaibiyah
The Quraish’s messenger arrived, telling them to leave without Umrah
Hazrat Usman bin Affan (ra) sent to Quraish on behalf of all Muslims to ask for permission
to perform Umrah
Hazrat Usman (ra) got late in returning; Bait-e-Ridwan took place under a tree
The Quran states about Bait-e-Ridwan,
“Surely Allah was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the
tree...” (48:18)
Suhail bin Amr arrived from Quraish, along with 2-3 other Quraishites
Deal made; terms decided after much deliberation
Hazrat Ali (rs) started to write the Treaty; Suhail made 2 great objections:
i. He insisted Ali (RA) not to write “Bismillah-i-Rahman-i-Raheem”. Instead to write
“Bismikallahumma”.
ii. Also insisted not to write, “Muhammad the Messenger of Allah” (PBUH). Instead
write “Muhammad bin Abdullah.” (PBUH)
Hazrat Ali (RA) and Muslims were greatly disheartened & upset
Treaty was not signed yet when son of Suhail bin Amr, Abu Jandal (ra) who had converted
to Islam, arrived in chains; begged Muslims to take him with them to Madina
Prophet (PBUH) kept his word, advised Abu Jandal to be patient, Abu Jandal was sent
back
The treaty ws signed silently
Hazrat Umar (RA) made many objections, Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) advised him to obey &
trust the Prophet (PBUH) as he was God’s Messenger
The Quraishites left, the Prophet (PBUH) ordered everyone to sacrifice their animals and
shave their heads, but no one moved
Prophet (PBUH) greatly upset, sacrificed his own animal silently and got his head shaved;
the Companions were jolted back to reality
Verses of Surah Fatah were revealed on the way back to Madina,
“Surely, we have given you a victory, a very clear (manifest) Victory.” (48:1)
Many people enter Islam after this treaty as trade and relations between Madina and
Makkah resume
No fear of war anymore
Khalid bin Walid and Amr bin Al-As (RA) accept Islam very soon after the treaty
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The Prophet (PBUH) now had the peace of mind to invite neighbouring countries of
Arabia to Islam by writing letters to their kings
Some Questions:
(Trade relations between Makkah and Madina resumed, acceptance of Islam by more people
than ever before, the victory of conquering personal desires for the sake of Allah, the victory at
Khyber, the victory at conquest of Makkah)
Q. What can Muslims today learn from the Treaty of Hudaibiyah about the importance of
keeping their word? (4)
(The Prophet (PBUH) kept his word when he asked Abu Jandal to return to Makkah, even though
it was a very difficult decision for him and he was under immense pressure from his Companions
not to do so. It shows that a Muslim should keep his word no matter what, no matter how hard
things seem and how unfavourable circumstances are. God will help those who fulfill their
promises. God helped the Muslims also. Hardly a year had passed since Treaty of Hudaibiyah that
the Quraish asked the Prophet (PBUH) to call Abu Jandal and his friends to Madina as they had
made a separate group and were attacking the Quraish’s caravans coming out of Makkah. Hence
God will help anyone today who honors his word.)
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Letters to Kings
Letter to Chosroe Pervez, King of Persia
The tradition in Persia was to write the king’s name on top of all documents
The Prophet’s (PBUH) letter started with “In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, Most
Merciful.” Below it was written, “This letter is from Muhammad the slave and
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to Chosroe Pervez, the King of Persia.”
Chosroe was enraged upon receiving the Prophet’s (PBUH) letter as his name was not
written on the top. In his rage he tore the Prophet’s (PBUH) letter into (14) pieces and
humiliated the messenger of the letter.
When the Prophet (PBUH) received this news, he prophesized that Chosroe’s empire
would be torn apart.
Yemen, in the south of Arabia, was also under Chosroe’s government Chosroe ordered
the governor of Yemen to send men to Madina and arrest the person who “has claimed
prophethood in Madina.”
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The men from Yemen arrived in Madina. They came to the Prophet (PBUH) and
announced that they had come to arrest him on orders of the Persian King.
The Prophet (PBUH),
“My Lord (Allah) has already killed your Lord (Chosroe).”
The men were surprised and went back to their governor in Yemen. The governor of
Yemen said,
“If what he says turns out to be true, I will accept Islam.”
Soon enough, news arrived from Persia that Chosroe had indeed been killed by his son.
The governor of Yemen then accepted Islam and that was the start of Islam’s spread in
Yemen.
Letter to Heraclius, King of Roman/Byzantine Empire
Heraclius was a Christian king, had knowledge of the Bible; knew about prophesies and
signs of the Last Prophet
Upon receiving the Prophet’s (PBUH) letter, he decided to investigate the matter
Heraclius called for some men close to the Prophet (PBUH)
Some men from Makkah, including Abu Sufyan, were by coincidence in Syria at that time
for trade. These men were called and brought to Heraclius’ court
Abu Sufyan was chosen to answer Heraclius’ questions as he knew the Prophet (PBUH)
most among others
Heraclius asked him questions about the Prophet (PBUH). Abu Sufyan was afraid to lie as
his fellows were there and they would’ve known that he was lying because he was afraid
the truth would impress the king
Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan about the Prophet’s (PBUH) lineage and Abu Sufyan
answered that it was the best in Arabia. Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan if anyone else had
made a similar claim of prophethood in their country and Abu Sufyan replied in negative.
Then Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan about the followers of this prophet and Abu Sufyan
replied that they were mostly poor and young slaves. Heraclius asked if any of his
followers had ever abandoned their new faith and Abu Sufyan replied in negative.
Heraclius asked about the character of the Prophet and Abu Sufyan said that the Prophet
(PBUH) was honest and known as Sadiq and Ameen.
Heraclius recognized all signs of true prophets. Heraclius replied,
“If what you have told me is the truth, he (the Prophet) will very soon occupy this place under
my feet, and if I were with him, I would wash his feet.”
Heraclius was highly inclined to accept Islam. He tried to convince his courtiers to accept
this message but his courtiers strongly advised him against it. The courtiers told the king
that at that time Syria was on the verge of becoming the biggest superpower and they
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must not follow a person from such an uncivilised country like Arabia, as it would ruin
their path to success.
Heraclius followed his courtiers’ advice and decided not to accept Islam. However, he did
not insult the Prophet’s (PBUH) messenger.
Later on, his heart was hardened against the Muslims and politically he became a fierce
enemy of Islam.
Letter to Maqawqis, King of Egypt
Maqawqis was a Coptic Christian. He did not accept Islam but he treated the Prophet’s
messenger with utmost respect.
Maqawqis sent expensive gifts to the Prophet with the messenger including a horse and 2
Christian slave girls, Shirin and Maria Qibtiya.
The Prophet (PBUH) accepted the gifts. He married Maria Qibtiya who bore him a son,
Ibrahim (who died in infancy). Shirin was given to another Companion.
Letter to Negus, King of Abyssinia
A messenger of the Prophet (PBUH) brought a formal invitation to Islam to King Negus of
Abyssinia. He treated the messenger and his message with high respect and sent back
gifts for the Prophet. He had secretly accepted Islam but did not do so openly as his
people were not yet ready to accept Islam. (Later, the Prophet PBUH prayed his funeral
prayers, a clear sign that Negus was a believer)
Letters to Rulers of Bahrain & Oman
The rulers of Bahrain and Oman both accepted Islam upon receiving the Prophet’s (PBUH)
letters
Letter to Ruler of Yamamah
The ruler of Yamamah upon receiving the Prophet’s (PBUH) letter sent him a message,
“Your teachings are very nice and if there is a share for me in your kingdom then I will
accept your faith.” The Prophet rejected his offer.
Letter to Governor of Damascus (Syria)
The governor of Damascus was angered upon receiving the Prophet’s letter and decided
to attack the Muslims but the plan was never carried out.
_______________________________________________________________________________
7th Year of Hijrah
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It was the 7th Year of Hijrah
The pride of Jews, Jews not afraid of Muslims, preparing to invade Madina.
Muslim take them by surprise by besieging them. Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.)
reached Khyber before dawn and prayed Fajr in its vicinity. Then he attacked it before the
sun rose. The Jewish peasants who came out to work with their cattle, hoes and baskets
were surprised to see the Muslims there and exclaimed: “Muhammad (PBUH) and his
army!” The Prophet (PBUH) exclaimed,
“Allah is Great, Khyber is ruined, Allah is Great, Khyber is ruined…”
Jews sought assistance of Banu Ghatfan (they failed to appear)
Muslims 1600 in number
Jews 20,000 in number, 10-12 strongly built forts
Jews strategy to fight within forts, Jews strength was reduced to 3000-4000
per fort
The battle began with 5-6 days siege by Muslims, no progress; a spy was
caught by Hazrat Umar (RA)
Spy told of the fortresses not well-guarded & had great quantity of weapons
One by one fortresses conquered, weapons gained. Many Jews escaped by
back door to unconquered forts
The famous fort of Qamus was nearly impenetrable, the siege prolonged to
20 days.
Prophet’s famous words,
“Tomorrow I will give the flag to one who is loved by Allah and His Prophet
(PBUH) and he loves Allah and His Prophet (PBUH).”
Standard (flag) given to Hazrat Ali (RA) who was suffering from a severe eye
infection. Prophet (PBUH) applied his saliva on his eyes, Ali (RA) felt relief.
Ali (RA) broke down the door of the fort single-handedly and ordered the
Muslim soldiers to attack simultaneously from all sides. Marhab (famous for
strength equal to 1000 warriors) came out to fight Ali (RA); killed by Ali (RA)
Qamus was conquered, the Jews requested peace, surrendered & promised
to pay Jizya and half of all yearly agricultural produce. Hazrat Ibn Umar (RA)
narrates,
“The Prophet (PBUH) made a deal with the people of Khyber that they would have half the
fruits and vegetation of the land they cultivated.”
Conclusion
- 2000 Muslim Pilgrims performed Umrah near the end of 7 th year of Hijrah
- Prophet (PBUH) was denied key of Kaaba
- Quraish was enraged to see Bilal (ra), a black slave, on Kaaba’s roof giving
Adhan. They bitterly regretted the permission they had promised.
___________________________________________________________________
Jews had arrived to Arabia some centuries ago from Persia and nearby areas
(expelled from Persia and looking for places to live), passing by Madina, recognised
signs of the last Prophet (pbuh) from their book and decided to settle there.
Quraish used to think lowly of Aws & Khazraj though they held Jews and
their knowledge & skills in higher respect
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Upon arrival in Madina, the Prophet (pbuh) saw Jews’ influence and
potential threat over Madina
Prophet (pbuh) gave importance to Jews through Charter of Madina:
- Complete religious freedom
- Equal rights as Muslims
- Problems/ decisions made by their own book (if they wanted)
- People of both religions would defend Madina together if attacked
Behavior of Jews in Madina
- Jews were unable to hide their pleasure at Muslims’ loss in Battle of Uhud
- Jews switched loyalty from Muslims to non-Muslims (thinking Muslims were
now weak)
- Banu Nadeer plotted to murder Prophet (PBUH) with boulder, Prophet (pbuh)
leaves before they can carry out their plan
- Prophet (PBUH) gives them ultimatum of 10 days to leave
- Leader of Banu Nadeer Huyay decided to stay put, declared war
- Muslims besieged their forts, 10 days passed, Bani Nadir received no help
from Banu Quraizah
- Prophet ordered cutting of their palm-trees, a chief source of their revenue
and pride
- Huyay gave up and surrendered, Prophet ordered the Banu Nadeer to leave
their arms and armour behind and take whatever their camels could carry
- A magnificent caravan, gold doors & windows, precious rubies, emeralds was
seen moving out of the forts. Most of Banu Nadeer settle din Khyber.
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- Remaining things later taken as booty by Muslims
5.A.H: Why was Banu Quraizah expelled?
Prophet (PBUH) forbid interest on loan hence Jews’ loss of profits over loans
Prophet (PBUH) created brotherhood, hence he united Aws & Khazraj
resulting in loss of Jews’ profits in selling weapons
Qiblah was changed from Masjid-e-Aqsa (Jerusalem) to Kaaba (Makkah).
Jews were offended and started conspiring against Muslims by joining hands
with Quraish
Prophet’s (PBUH) influence and leadership over Madina resulted in
weakening of Jews’ dominance and influence over Madina, hence they
started resenting the Prophet (PBUH)
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8th Year of Hijrah
Battle of Mautah
“If Zaid is killed, Jafar bin Abi Talib will be your commander, and if Jafar is martyred then
Abdullah bin Rawahah will take the command. If he too dies, then you can select a commander
from among yourselves.”
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The Prophet (PBUH) gave instructions to the army:
“Under no circumstances a new born, woman, an aging man or a hermit should be killed.”
“We have before us the certainty of one of two good things, either victory or martyrdom.”
“One of God’s swords has taken the standard and God has opened the way for
them.”
Prophet (PBUH) was greatly grieved, beloved adopted son, a close cousin and
Companion all martyred
Could not give usual sermons after Salah that day
Went to Jafar’s (ra) wife Asma (ra), gave her the news
Went to Zaid’s (ra) wife, Umm Aimen (ra) and son Usamah (ra), gave them
the sad news
Ordered Muslims to cook food for the deceaseds’ family members
The Prophet had a dream that night: Jafar Tayyar, an angel flying in different
parts of Paradise; told his wife Asma in the morning, she was consoled.
Meanwhile in the battlefield, after the death of Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra),
Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (ra) took charge on encouragement of Muslims
Khalid’s (ra) Strategy : (i) shuffled the groups of Muslims front and back,
right and left (ii) started retreating the army.
Christians thought they had reinforcements; Christians pursued them a bit
then retreated for fear of being entrapped in Arabia.
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Both sides retreated
When army returned, they were mocked and called slogans of being
cowardly, hypocrites booed at them for running from the battleground
(Punishment for retreating, from battleground is execution)
The Prophet (pbuh) said,
“They are not runaways but will return again to fight, if God wills.”
Muslim casualties were around 12, due to Khalid’s (ra) excellent strategy
____________________________________________________________________
Usamah bin Zaid (son of a slave) was sitting behind the Prophet on the camel
The Prophet’s head was bowing so low till it almost touched the saddle
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The Prophet was praising Allah, reciting Surah Fatah. It had been eight years
since their expulsion from Makkah
(His actions symbolized equality, humility, gratitude to Allah)
Prophet’s Actions after Entering Makkah
Took Kaaba’s keys from Usman bin Talhah [reminding him of the day when
he had refused to give the Prophet (PBUH) the Kaaba’s keys & had
humiliated him]
Prophet (PBUH) opened the Kaaba’s door; Pictures were drawn inside on
Kaaba’s walls, including Hazrat Ibrahim(AS) & Hazrat Ismail’s (AS) pictures.
The Prophet (PBUH) asked them all to be erased.
Then the Prophet (PBUH) entered Kaaba with Usamah, Bilal & Usman bin
Talhah and prayed inside
As he came out, the people of Hashimite clan, especially Hazrat Ali (RA)
requested the responsibility of Kaaba’s keys. The Prophet (PBUH) handed the
keys back to its rightful Abdul Dar clan member Usman bin Talhah
Prophet (PBUH) now stood at Kaaba’s door, addressed all the people around
him,
“O leaders of Makkah! What treatment do you expect of me this day?”
They said,
“There is no reproach against you today; God may forgive you too” … (Al-Yousaf:92).
“When comes the help of Allah and victory and you see people entering the religion of Allah in
throngs.” (Al-Nasr, 1-2)
Hind bin Utbah & Wahshi came, asked for forgiveness & pledged allegiance
Prophet ordered Habbal (biggest idol in Makkah) to be destroyed and all
idols in every household to be broken.
Prophet (PBUH) assured the worried Ansars that he would live & die with
them (stayed in Makkah for about 19 days, then returned to Madina)
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Conquest of Makkah a shock for Arab tribes. Some surrendered by accepting
Islam, some tribes like Hawazin and Thaqif (Thaqifs from Taif) decided to
fight the Muslims.
The city Taif had the Temple of Al-Lat, the 2 nd most honored idol after
Habbal in Arabia
Banu Nasr , Banu Sad bin Bakr , Banu Hilal joined hands with them. The allied
force selected Malik bin Awf as their commander known for his bravery &
commandership.
The Prophet’s (PBUH) Preparations:
After 19 days of stay in Mecca, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) prepared an army of
12000 men: 10000 of previous Madinite and allied Muslim tribes and 2000 of
the newly converted soldiers (there were even some non –Muslims like
Suhail bin Amr and Safwan bin Ummayyah in the army). The enemy’s army
was almost twice as large as the Muslim army.
The Prophet (PBUH) borrowed weapons and provisions to ensure adequate
supplies for his army. These were taken from some non-Muslims like Safwan
bin Umayyah lent 1000 armor suits with weapons and camels to the army.
The Prophet (PBUH) sent spies into the enemy territory to gain info on their
preparation and strategy. Unfortunately those Companions did not
penetrate deep into enemy territory to investigate and came back in
confidence with limited information.
The Muslim Army’s Overconfidence and Pride: They said,
“We shall not be defeated!”
The new Muslims’ hearts had not yet imbibed the true Islamic spirit. Previously
they had been materialistic, arrogant, frivolous. (These become second nature
and take time to completely cleanse away. There was still a love for worldly
pleasures & haughtiness in new Muslims’ hearts)
They thought nothing could defeat them now but Allah knew their hearts
and Allah did not like this proud attitude & overconfidence.
Malik’s Preparations (not reported to the Prophet by his spies):
“Truly! Allah has given you victory in many battles and on the Day of Hunain, but when you
had boasted your great number, it availed you not and the land, despite its vastness, became
(too) narrow for you…” (At-Tauba-25)
The Muslims tried to turn back, the ranks behind got scattered and most of
them tried to run back in fright following each other.
The Prophet (PBUH) made a firm stand at the side of the road, along with a
small group of Companions who were coming just next to him, Abu Bakr,
Umar (RA) and some Immigrants & Helpers. The Prophet (PBUH) called out
to the fleeing Muslims but his voice could not be heard over the din:
The Prophet (PBUH) then asked Hazrat Abbas (RA) to call out to them. He
had a powerful voice :
“O You Ansar! Who sheltered and helped the Muslims, O You Muhajireen! Who took pledge
under the tree, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is alive and here by your this side.”
“O Allah! Give guidance to tribe of Banu Thaqif and send them to me.”
The Booty
Prophet (PBUH) arrived at Jiranah with his army, waited a few days for
Hawazins, no one came so all booty was distributed.
Among the captives, a woman named Shaymah, proved she was the
Prophet’s (PBUH) foster-sister. The Prophet (PBUH) welcomed her, showed
great respect, gave many gifts & allowed her to go
Booty was Distributed according to Quranic Law:
Hazrat Usman (RA) provided provisions for 1/3 rd of the army . The Prophet
(PBUH) said,
“From this day on, nothing will harm Usman (ra) regardless of what he does.”
Hazrat Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (RA) gave 200 ounces of silver
Hazrat Umar (RA) gave half of his property
Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) gave all of his property
One companion donated a handful of dates after working all night for a Jew
One Sahabiya cut her long hair locks & donated those
(Umar’s (RA) story, his desire to exceed Abu Bakr(RA) in good deeds)
Hypocrites & Their Excuses :
“…and they said, march not forth in the heat. Say: The fire of Hell is more intense in heat, if
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only they could understand.” (At-Taubah-81)
True believers who were too poor or ill felt grief-stricken at not being
able to go whereas the hypocrites rejoiced
Around 80 hypocrites did not go.
3 True Believers did not go:
i. Kab bin Malik
ii. Hilal bin Umayyah
iii. Murrah bin Ar-Rabi
“Allah has forgiven the Prophet (PBUH), the Muhajirin and the Ansars who followed in the
time of distress.” (At-Taubah-117)
Prophet left Hazrat Ali(RA) behind to look after his family and affairs of
Madina; hypocrites mocked him, Ali (RA) tried to join the departed army;
reassured by the Prophet(“You are to me as Haroon (AS) was to Musa
(AS) except that there is no prophet after me”), Ali (RA) returned to
Madina.
A tough journey, water nearly finished, Prophet prayed to Allah for rain
on Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (RA) suggestion and it rained
Some companions slaughtered their camels to drink the small amount of
water stored in camels bodies
Some more companions wanted to slaughter camels for food but Umar
(RA) suggested the Prophet (PBUH) to forbid this as they would not have
a ride on the way back
Distance of hundreds of miles
Prophet (PBUH) camped at Tabuk and kept waiting for 20 days. No
Roman soldiers, no enemy showed up: either too scared now, or had
backed off or perhaps the news was a rumour.
Prophet (PBUH) made treaties with Christian tribes who agreed to pay
Jizya and were now under Muslim rule. All tribes (Christian) on Syrian
border surrendered through treaties
Now the Prophet (PBUH) decided to return and not invade Roman
territory (advice of Umar(RA) )
Revelation for destruction of Masjid –e-Zarrar (a masjid which had been
constructed by hypocrites with intention to conspire against Muslims)
Prophet arrived in Masjid-e-Nabi, hypocrites came, expressed apologies
mixed with lies. The Quran says,
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…and they would swear by Allah, ‘If only we could, we would have certainly come forth with
you.’ They destroy their own selves and Allah knows that they are liars.” (At-Taubah-42)
Punishment by Allah for the 3 believers (Kab bin Malik, Hilal bin Umayyah, Murrah
bin ar-Rabi )who did not go:
No one was to speak to them, 2 had tied themselves to pillars of Masjid-e-Nabi;
Allah’s order to separate from wives after 21 days.
300 Muslims went with Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) from Madina
Revelations came with Allah’s new orders. The Prophet (PBUH) sent
Hazrat Ali (RA) to Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) to announce the new orders in
Makkah:
- Non-Muslims will not be allowed to perform Hajj next year
- No polytheist will be allowed to live in Makkah in the future
- Resident non-Muslim are given 4 months time to leave Makkah; (Makkah to
be purified of polytheism completely)
- Previous custom of performing Hajj either with Quraish’s hand-me-downs
(used) clothes or naked to be abolished. (Quraish implied their superiority
over all other tribes with this custom). This was the last year all this would
be allowed.
Year of Deputations : 9.A.H was called the Year of Deputations as many envoys
came to the Prophet (PBUH) to accept Islam. Prophet (PBUH) met delegations, sent
some delegations, invitations to Islam, handled administrative issues.
Abudullah ibn Ubayy dies : 2 months after the Prophet’s (PBUH) return from Tabuk,
Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the hypocrite died. The Prophet (PBUH) led his funeral
prayers. After this, the hypocrites were not able to flourish in their evil plans.
_______________________________________________________________
10 th Year of Hijrah
Hajj made obligatory in 10 A.H . ( Ayahs revealed whoever can afford Hajj
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jouney must perform Hajj)
The Prophet (PBUH) decided to perform Hajj, announced his decision, invited
all companions and wives and Muslims across Arabia to join him as he
wanted them to learn proper rites of Hajj
Hazrat Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (RA) and Usman ibn Affan (RA) were given the
responsibility to look after the needs of the Prophet’s (PBUH) Wives
Prophet(PBUH) performed only one Hajj in his life
Prophet(PBUH) set off with around 1 lac 20000 Muslims in the last four days
of Dhul Qadah, mounted on Qaswa
Prophet (PBUH) bathed, put on clothing for Ihram and Aisha (RA) perfumed
him.
Camping at various places on way, Prophet (PBUH) continued repeating
Talbiyyah, “Labbaik, Allahumma labbaik…”
Upon entering Makkah, Prophet (PBUH) made Tawaf and Saii (of Safa
Marwah) and did not take off Irham as he was performimg Hajj-e-Qiran
Prophet (PBUH) set off to Mina on 8th of Dhul-Hajj
The next day he set off to Arafat on 9 th Dhul-Hajj
After midday, as the sun moved towards the west, the Prophet(PBUH) asked
for camel Qaswa which had been saddled for him. The Prophet (PBUH)
climbed it and addressed a gathering of around 120,000 Muslims.
In his Farewell Sermon, the Prophet (PBUH) emphasized on rights of people
(Haqooq ul Ibad) and rights of Allah (Haqooq Allah). He started with rights of
people.
Some parts from the sermon:
“O people! Listen to my words for I do not know if I shall be amongst you next year.
Therefore listen carefully and convey these words to those who are not present.
Your blood, your property and your honour are as sacred as this day, this month
and this city.
Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.
Allah has forbidden you to take usury therefore all pending interests shall be left.
O people! You have rights over your wives and your wives have rights over you. If
they fulfil your rights, then theirs is the right to be well fed and clothed. Treat them
well and be kind to them for they are your partners. And it is your right that they
do not make friends with anyone whom you do not approve of.
O people! Worship Allah, say your 5 daily prayers, fast during the month of
Ramazan and give your wealth in zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford it.
Every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. You are all equal. No Arab is
superior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab.
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And see that you feed your slaves with such food as you eat and clothe them with
such cloth that you wear; and if they commit a crime which you are not inclined to
forgive, then part with them and do not treat them harshly.
Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So do
not be astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O people! No prophet will come after me and no new faith will be born after me.
Understand my words that I convey to you.
And if you were asked about me, what would you say?”
People: “We bear witness that you have conveyed the message to us.”
The Prophet(pbuh) then raised his forefinger up towards the sky, moving the
finger back & forth between sky & people saying thrice,
“O Allah, bear witness! Bear witness! Bear witness!”
While they were still in Arafat, the last revelation of Quran was revealed,
“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have
chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maiyda-3)
Hazrat Umar (RA) and the other Companions started crying upon hearing this
revelation, having understood that the Prophet (PBUH) would leave them
very soon, as his mission in the world had completed.
Then the Prophet (PBUH) led the prayers of Zuhr and Asr together. Then
moving at base of Mt. Rahmah in Arafat , he started making duas with hands
raised, begging earnestly on camel Qaswa for a long time, facing Qiblah.
Prophet stood on Camel for 6 hours supplicating. (hands numb, extremely
exhausted)
As soon as the sun set, he moved to Muzdalifa on his camel and prayed
Maghrib & Isha together upon reaching there.
After Fajr, he made his way to Mina and pelted Jamarat with pebbles.
Sacrificed his animal, had his head shaved
Then performed Tawaf in Makkah
On 10 th Zilhajj he delivered another sermon and repeated some of the same
things as the first sermon, repeated about the sanctity of Muslims, affirming
that he had delivered Allah’s message to all and asking them to convey his
message to those who were absent.
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After spending 3 nights in Mina he returned back to Makkah and then to
Madina
[Main Points of the sermon:
Sanctity of Muslims blood and honour and property
Practices of days of ignorance ended
Practices of blood revenge from days of ignorance ended
Practices of usury ended
Rights of women (obligations for wives)
Hold fast to book of Allah
No prophet After me
Worship Allah, pray 5 prayers, Pay zakat, fast in Ramadan etc.]
____________________________________________________________________
11 th Year of Hijrah
Return to Madina
When the Prophet (PBUH) returned from Hajj, in the beginning of 11 th Year of
Hijrah, the Prophet (PBUH) quickly mobilized an army with Usamah bin Zaid (RA)
[son of Zaid bin Haris(RA)] only 18 years old at that time, to avenge his father’s
death. People made objections but the Prophet (pbuh) rejected their objections. 2
months after that, the Prophet (PBUH) fell sick.
Before the Prophet (PBUH) passed away, there were many signs which indicated
that his death was near.
Prophet’s (PBUH) words to Muadh ibn Jabal in 10 th A.H (before Hajj) while
appointing him governor and judge of Yemen: “It is possible that you will
not meet me again after this year and perhaps you will pass by this masjid
of mine and my grave.”
Every year Jibrael revised Quran once with the Prophet (PBUH) in Ramadan
but this year Jibrael revised Quran twice .
Every year the Prophet (PBUH) sat for last 10 days in Aitekaf in Ramadan but
in 10.A.H the Prophet sat for 20 days Aitekaf
Prophet (PBUH) whispered a secret in Fatimah’s (RA) ear while sick that he
was going to die very soon
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Prophet (PBUH) said in his Farewell Sermon: “Understand from me your
ways (of Hajj) for perhaps I will not meet you again after the end of this
year.”
Prophet (PBUH) said during a sermon,
“Verily, Allah gave a servant a choice between this world and what he has with
Him in eternity and that servant chose what is with Allah.”
No one except Abu Bakar (RA) understood this reference for he started
crying.
Soon after this he was afflicted with a shooting pain in his head, a severe
headache and very high fever . He felt very weak, very difficult for him to go
to the Masjid. ( Fell sick on 29 th of Safar)
He was sick for 13-14 days before death.
The Last Week
He visited the Masjid leaning on 2 men, led the prayer along with Abu Bakr
(RA). (Prophet (PBUH) led the prayer sitting beside him and Abu Bakr (RA)
raised his voice repeating every Allahu Akbar)
Set his slaves free, all weapons given way as gifts , 7 dinars he owned given
away as charity by him
‘O Allah forgive me, have mercy upon me and join me to the most exalted
companionship,’ he repeated this thrice. ‘To Allah we belong and to Him we
return.’ “
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Abu Bakr’s (RA) calm and patience , visited the Prophet’s (PBUH) house.
Kissed face of the Prophet (PBUH), went out, made a speech:
“O people. Lo! As for him who worshipped (Prophet) Muhammad (pbuh), Muhammad (pbuh) is
dead. But as for him who worshipped Allah, Allah is alive and dies not.” Then Abu Bakr (RA)
recited the following verses of Quran:
“Muhammad (PBUH) is no more than a messenger; many messengers have passed away
before him. If he dies or is slain, will you then turn back on your heels?” (Al-Imran:144)
Ali (RA) and Abbas(RA) washed and shrouded the body with help of some
companions. (washed thrice with berry leaves)
Confusion about place of burial. Abu Bakr (RA): “I heard the Prophet(PBUH)
say that prophets are buried where they die.”
Buried exactly where he had passed away, in Aisha’s (RA) apartment
Unique funeral prayers : groups of people (the Quraish, the Immigrants, the
Ansars, the women, the slaves and the children) came and sent blessings to
the Prophet (PBUH)
Died on Monday morning, buried on Wednesday night.
(Reference:The Sealed Nectar Pgs 409-417)
____________________________________________________________________
SEAL OF PROPHETS
Allah started the line of prophets with Hazrat Adam (AS). The teachings of the previous prophets
had been altered, lost or corrupted. Besides, these teachings were not complete for entire
mankind and did not provide a complete code of life.
Allah has perfected the religion for mankind. He has sent down all laws and guidance. There will
be no new laws from Allah now and no one has the right to change Allah’s clearly stated laws in
the Quran. The Quran is uncorrupted and preserved till Judgment Day. As the Quran says,
“This day, I have perfected religion for you, completed my favours upon you and have chosen
for you Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maiyda:3)
The previous prophets were sent to their specific nations either because they had gone astray or
because no prophet had ever been sent to them before. And their messages were not universal
but only for their nations. But the Prophet’s (PBUH) message is for all humanity till the Day of
Judgment. As the Prophet (PBUH) has said himself,
“Ever Prophet who preceded me was sent especially to his own people, but I have been sent as
a Prophet to all mankind.” (Bukhari)
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As Allah has perfected Islam as a religion for all humanity, there is no need to send any more
prophets on earth. The series of prophets has been completed with the Last Messenger (PBUH).
The Quran has labelled the Last Messenger (PBUH) as ‘Khatam-un-Nabiyyin.’ As Allah says in the
Quran,
“Mohammad (PBUH) is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and
the seal of Prophets.” (Quran: Al-Ahzab:40)
The Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) finality as a messenger was also foretold in the previous scriptures by
previous prophets. This is a testimony of the Last Messenger’s seal. Many of the Christians and
Jews who had knowledge of the scriptures knew that the next messenger would be the last
messenger. The name ‘Ahmed’ as the last messenger had also appeared in the Torah. The Quran
says that H.Isa (AS) said, “…I give you the glad tiding of a Messenger who shall come after me,
his name being Ahmad.’ ” (61:6)
This was also testified by scholars of the Prophet’s (PBUH) time. e.g. Bahira the Christian monk
knew the signs of the Last Messenger and recognised him even when he was a little boy.
Similarly, Hazrat Salman Farsi (RA) had also been told the signs of the Last Messenger (PBUH)
from Christian bishops and he already knew that the last Prophet would have the seal of
prophecy on his back, along with other signs.
“A man erected a building and adorned this building with great beauty, but he left an empty
space in the corner where just one brick was missing. People looked around the building and
marvelled at its beauty, but wondered why a brick was missing from that space? I am like that
one missing brick and I am the last in the line of the Prophets." (Bukhari)
The message of the Prophet (PBUH) has been preserved in the Quran and Allah has promised to
safeguard it:
“We have without doubt sent down the reminder and we will certainly guard it (from
corruption).” (Al-Hijr-15:9)
Therefore anyone who claims to be a prophet after the Last Messenger (PBUH) is a liar and an
imposter. The distinctive title of the Prophet (PBUH) as Khatam-un-Nabiyyin given by the Quran
is a testimony of this.
_____________________________________________________________________________
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CHARACTER/ QUALITIES OF THE PROPHET (PBUH)
[How to Attempt the Answer
Introduction:
“And you stand on an exalted standard of character.” (Al-Qalm: 4)
“You have, indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern of conduct for you.”
(Al-Ahzab:21)
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Makkans would clap and whistle near him while he would be praying but the Prophet
PBUH was always tolerant
Abu Lahb’s harassment, divorcing the Prophet’s daughters, calling Abtar, his wife Umme
Jamil’s misbehaviour
Abu Jahl’s threats
Uqbah bin Muait putting sheep intestines on his shoulders during prostration, daughter
H.Fatima RA removed them
Pressure through Abu Talib, “If they place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my
left, to force me to renounce my mission, I would not stop until God fulfills my mission
or destroys me in the process.” Prophet (PBUH).
Visit to Taif, insulted, pelted with stones, Angel Jibrael’s offer (his words can be quoted
here), Prophet “I rather hope someone in their generations will accept Islam”
When the Muslims would ask the Prophet PBUH to curse the non-Muslims, after the
injuries he received in the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet PBUH replied, “I have been not
been sent as a curse, I have been sent as a mercy.”
Story of the woman who used to throw garbage
Allah says in the Quran, “We sent you not, but as a mercy for all worlds.”
The Prophet PBUH said “Allah is not kind to him who does not show kindness to others.”
Once the Prophet PBUH passed by a place, a camel seemed to be calling out to him in
pain. The Prophet PBUH called its owner and said, “Fear Allah with regard to these
animals. Ride them in health and leave them in health.”
(Forgiveness):
Visit to Taif, insulted, pelted with stones, Angel Jibrael’s offer (his words can be quoted
here), Prophet “I rather hope someone in their generations will accept Islam”
When the Muslims would ask the Prophet PBUH to curse the non-Muslims after the Battle
of Uhud, the Prophet PBUH replied, “I have been not been sent as a curse, I have been
sent as a mercy.”
Abdullah bin Ubayy abandoned the Muslims at Battle of Uhud, and showed his treachery
several times, but the Prophet PBUH continued to forgive him and tolerate him
At Conquest of Makkah, “There is no reproach against you today; God may forgive you
too...” (Al-Yousaf: 92).
Forgave killers of Hamza, Wahshi and Hind who chewed Hamza’s RA liver
Once, while travelling the Prophet PBUH was resting while lying under the shade of a tree
when an unbeliever showed up, raised his sword on top of him and said, “Who will save
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you from me now?” The Prophet PBUH said “Allah.” He was about to strike the Prophet
PBUH when his hands shook and the sword fell from his hand. The Prophet PBUH picked
up the sword and said, “Who will save you from me now?” The unbeliever trembled. The
Prophet PBUH forgave him and let him go.
Extremely simple lifestyle, did not like extravagance nor craved for expensive things.
Even when he had access to large amounts of money, he never wished to indulge in
expensive food and clothing. He forbid from wasting money on decorative items
Used to wear coarse thick cloth, often patched. Slept on a bed of date palm leaves and
fiber on the floor, would mend his own shoes, eat very sparingly, would never complain if
there was no food at home, would often have only one meal a day; ate bread made of
coarse flour, would often spend many days having a few dates only, would sit on the
floor with or without a mat. It is narrated by his Companions, “The Messenger of Allah
PBUH used to mend his sandals, sew his garments and conduct himself at home as any
one of you does in his house.”
Lived very humbly, never wanted to be given high respect and honor like kings, would
visit and tend the sick, would go to funerals, would stand up in respect for non-Muslim
funerals too, and often sit and drink with slaves
Once Hazrat Umar (RA) visited the Prophet PBUH. Upon seeing the extremely poor
lifestyle of the Prophet PBUH, Umar’s RA eyes filled with tears. Umar RA said, “The kings
of Persia and Syria enjoy all luxuries of this world but the Messenger of Allah PBUH lives
in such conditions!” The Prophet PBUH replied to him, “Umar (RA) wouldn’t you rather
that the kings of Persia and Syria enjoy luxuries of this world and we enjoy the luxuries
of Hereafter?”
Once, upon a Companion’s query, Hazrat Aisha RA reported about the way the Prophet
PBUH lived in his house. She said he did common household work. He mended his shoes,
milked the goats and swept the house. He shared his meals with slaves and sat and ate
with them. He sat among the poor so that no one could tell who the Messenger PBUH
was. When he went to gatherings, he sat wherever he found a place.
Whenever his Companions would stand up in his respect, he greatly disliked it and said,
“Do not stand for me like the unbelievers do to show respect to others.”
The Prophet PBUH also said to his Companions, “Do not praise me as Christians praise
the son of Mary. I am a servant of God; call me a servant and Messenger of Allah.”
At the conquest of Makkah, he could’ve entered with victorious pride, instead his head
was bowed so low in front of Allah, his head nearly touched the camel’s saddle. He
recited verses of Quran and the son of a slave sat behind him.
Fulfillment of Promises
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Fulfilled his word at the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, when he said Abu Jandal would be
returned, “O Abu Jandal! Be patient, we cannot break the treaty (of Hudaibiya). Allah
will soon find a way for you.”
Abu Sufyan testified to his quality of fulfilment of promises when Heraclius asked him in
7 A.H. about the Prophet PBUH. Heraclius asked if the Prophet PBUH ever broke his
promises. Abu Sufyan said ‘no.’
Two Companions of the Prophet PBUH were caught by Quraish before the Battle of Badr.
Quraish let them go when they promised that they would not fight with the Prophet
PBUH in the Battle of Badr. When they told the Prophet PBUH about it, the Prophet
PBUH said, “You must fulfill your promise. Allah will soon find a way.”
The Quran also says, “Fulfill your promise. Surely fulfillment of promises would be asked
(on the final Day).” (Quran: Bani-Israel-34)
Generosity:
Prophet (PBUH), “A man has sinned enough if he neglects to feed those in need.”
Prophet PBUH, “Feed and greet those you know and those you do not know.”
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) did not deny anything to anyone who asked him.
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) used to give much more at special times, like during the
month of Ramadan. Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) said,
“The Prophet PBUH was the most generous of all the people, and he was as generous as he
could be in Ramadan… the Messenger of Allah Muhammad PBUH was more generous than the
fast wind…” related in Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
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“Some goods came to Allah’s Apostle from Bahrain. The Prophet PBUH ordered the people to
spread them in the mosque – it was the biggest amount of goods Allah’s Apostle had ever
received. He left for prayer and did not even look at it. After finishing the prayer, he sat by the
goods and gave them to everybody he saw. Allah’s Apostle did not get up till the last coin was
distributed.”
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) often gave gifts to soften the hearts of the new Muslims.
In the battle of Hunain, he (PBUH) gave new Muslims and non-Muslims each a large
number of camels. In this way his generosity was one of the reasons Islam became strong
in the people’s hearts. As a result of his great generosity and modesty, many non-Muslims
were impressed with Islam and accepted it.
Prophet PBUH, “There is no day that rises on a man but there are two angels that come
to him. One of them says, ‘Oh Allah, recompense those who spend [in Allah’s way]’ And
the other one says, Oh Allah, ruin those who do not spend.”
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(students can agree or disagree, and then prove their point e.g. if the agree, they can say that
most things Muslims have today are unnecessary, like furniture, air conditioners, expensive food
and clothing and Muslims can make do without them, they are not necessities.
If they disagree, they can say that modern amenities like gas, electricity, mobiles, cars, buses etc
have become an integral part of Muslims’ lives now and it would be nearly impossible for them to
have a normal life in today’s times without these resources.)
Q. Choose one of these qualities and show why it was important for a messenger to possess it.
(4)
(students will choose any one quality and prove how the message of Islam was spread in a great
way because of that quality)
Q. How can Muslims apply the Prophet’s example of forgiveness today? (4)
Q How can Muslims today apply the Prophet’s example of humility in dealing with strangers
and non-Muslims? (4)
“And feed your slaves as you feed yourself, and dress your slaves as you dress yourself.”
Prophet (pbuh).
“He who slaps or beats him (his slave), expiation for it is that he should set him free.”
Prophet (pbuh).
“The prayer! The prayer! Fear Allah concerning your slaves!” The Prophet (pbuh) said
before his death.
“A man has sinned enough if he neglects to feed those in need.” Prophet (PBUH).
“To spend of your substance out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy,
for the wayfarer, for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves.” (Al-Baqara: 177).
Orphans
“I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like
this," said the Prophet (pbuh) putting his index and middle fingers together.
“Treat not the orphans with harshness.” (Al-Doha:9)
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“Those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they fill the fire into their own
tummies, they will soon be enduring a blazing fire.” (Al-Nisa:10)
Friends
“For every Apostle of Allah, there was a constant companion and my companion in
Paradise will be Uthman (ra).” Prophet (pbuh).
“You are my brother in this world and hereafter.” the Prophet (pbuh) to Hazrat Ali (ra)
“Talha (ra) and Zubair (ra) are my neighbours in Paradise.” Prophet (pbuh).
Teachings about Parents
“In good pleasure of the father lies the good pleasure of the Creator, and in his
displeasure, lies the displeasure of the Creator.” Prophet (pbuh).
“My Lord, bestow on them your Mercy as they cherished me in childhood.” (Bani-Israel-
24)
Teachings about Brotherhood
“If two parties among the believers fall into a quarrel, you need to make peace between
them.” (Al-Hujrat:9)
“None of you believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” Prophet
(pbuh).
Teachings about Children
“No father gives a better gift to his children than good manners and good character.”
Prophet (pbuh).
“Fatima (ra) is a piece of my flesh, whoever causes her anger causes me anger.” Prophet
(pbuh).
“Your riches and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him the highest Reward.”
(Al-Taghabun: 15)
“To men is allotted what they earn and to women what they earn.” (Al-Nisa: 32)
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“The search for knowledge is a duty for every Muslim male and female.” Prophet (pbuh).
“And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is
equitable, but men have a degree (of advantage) over them.” (Al-Nisa: 228)
“Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed
helpers.” [Prophet (pbuh) in the Last Sermon]
“If a woman dies while her husband was pleased with her, she will enter paradise.”
Prophet (pbuh).
Mother
“Whoever has a daughter and does not bury her alive, does not insult her and does not
prefer his son over her, he will be received by God into paradise.” Prophet (pbuh).
“Fatima is a piece of my flesh, whoever causes her anger, causes me anger.” Prophet
(pbuh).
____________________________________________________________________
With his example, the Prophet (PBUH) has taught Muslims that non-Muslims should be:
given Religious freedom, allowed to construct and maintain their places of worship
given Equal Security of life, property and honour
given Justice; if they desire their own religious book of law to be used, then that
should be done
given Freedom to practice their own customs (e.g. they are allowed to buy and
consume alcohol in a Muslim country), freedom to celebrate their religious holidays
and rites
given Asylum/refuge/protection, if they request for it
The Prophet (PBUH) also made clear the position of the People of the Book in a Muslim society:
Muslim men are allowed to marry Christian and Jewish women & they must not force
them to convert to Islam
Slaughtered meat by Jews (Kosher) is similar to Halal meat so most scholars consider it
halal for Muslims. The Prophet (pbuh) has allowed Muslims to sit and eat with People of
the Book, as long as it is not haram food
Thus the Prophet (PBUH) has set the best example ever of living in harmony among non-Muslims.
Respect should be given to each religious group, none should be harassed or persecuted due to
difference in religion. No one should be looked down upon with prejudice and there should be
equal rights for all. Peace and tolerance should be exercised in all matters regarding different
religious groups.
How he freed Muslim slaves like Bilal (ra), Amir Bin Fuhairah (ra) etc.
How he helped many people enter Islam like Uthman bin Affan (ra), Talhah bin Ubaidullah
(ra), Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra), Saad bin Abi Waqqas (ra) etc. The Prophet (pbuh) said,
“The most compassionate member of my people towards my people is Abu Bakr (ra).”
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The marriage of his daughter Hazrat Aisha to the Prophet
Chosen by the Prophet during his migration to Madinah, including the 3 day stay in the
Cave of Thawr; how he suffered the sting of a snake in the cave to protect the Prophet.
Abu Bakr’s fear for the Prophet’s life when the Quraish came close to the entrance of the
Cave of Thawr.
The Quran,
“…when the unbelievers drove him out; he had no more than one companion: the two were in
the cave, and he said to his companion, ‘Have no fear, for Allah is with us.”
Stood like a rock by the side of the Prophet (pbuh) at all times
His support to the Prophet (pbuh) in all battles, especially Uhud and Hunain
His support for the Prophet at the Treaty of Hudaibiyah
His donations at the Battle of Tabuk, brought all his belongings. The Prophet asked, “Abu
Bakr (ra), what did you leave for your family?” Abu Bakr (ra) replied,
“I have left for them Allah and His Prophet (PBUH)”
The Prophet’s famous hadith of loving the “father of Aisha” most after Hazrat Aisha (ra)
His support to the Prophet at Miraj, title: As-Siddiq: ‘Testifier of the truth’
The Prophet’s desire for Abu Bakr (ra) to be the Imam in his place even though Hazrat
Aisha and Hazrat Hafsa tried to convince him otherwise. The Prophet said,
“Tell Abu Bakr to lead the prayer. Allah and the believers will not have it otherwise.”
The Prophet’s orders to close all doors entering into Masjid-e-Nabi except the door of Abu
Bakr. He said,
“All doors of Masjid-e-Nabi should be closed except for the door of Abu Bakr.”
Prophet,
“If I were to take a ‘khalil’ (closest friend) besides Allah, I would choose Abu Bakr…”
When Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) heard these words, he started weeping.
The unifying and brave role of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) at the death of the Prophet, Hazrat
Abu Bakr said to the Muslims,
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“Those of you who worshipped Muhammad (pbuh), let him know that Muhammad (pbuh)
is dead. Those of you who worship Allah, know that Allah never dies and is Ever-Living.”
“O Allah! Strengthen Islam with Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) or Abu Al Hakm (Abu Jahl).”
o Umar (ra) was going to kill the Prophet (pbuh) when on the way he was told that
his own sister, Fatima binte Al-Khattab and her husband Saeed bin Zaid (ra) had
accepted Islam, both were learning verses of Surah Taha when Umar (ra) banged
on the door
o beat up his sister and brother in law till they started bleeding
o felt regretful very soon, took a bath upon his sister’s instructions, read the verses
o went to the Prophet (pbuh) and said Kalima Shahadah
o there were jubilant shouts of “Allahu Akbar” in Dar-e-Arqam at that moment
After Umar’s conversion, Islam was greatly strengthened. Umar (ra) would frequently
pray openly in front of the Kaaba and encourage others to do so as well.
Muslims were able to pray openly near the Kaaba for the first time ever, as everyone
feared Umar (ra)
Umar’s (ra) daughter Hazrat Hafsa (ra) was the wife of the Prophet (pbuh)
While all Muslims migrated to Madina secretly, fearful of their lives, Umar (ra) made a
bold migration announcing near the Kaaba,
“I am now migrating to Madina. Whoever wants his mother to cry for him can try to
come and stop me.”
Always stood by the Prophet (pbuh) as his advisor, supporter, defender and protector
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Many times Quran verses would be revealed soon after Umar (ra) had suggested
something similar about that issue. e.g. Umar (ra) used to say to the Prophet (pbuh), “Let
your wives be veiled." Soon the verses of Hijab were revealed.
The Prophet (pbuh) said about him,
“If there were a prophet after me, it would have been Umar (ra).”
Participated in all battles, all major events (Bait-e-Ridwan, conquest of Makkah etc.) with
the Prophet (pbuh)
Could not comprehend the wisdom behind the Treaty of Hudaibiyah at that time, felt it
extremely humiliating for Muslims, protested to the Prophet (pbuh). However, later he
always regretted his attitude at the Treaty of Hudaibiyah
Brought half of all his property at the time of Battle of Tabuk
always ready to kill traitors and big enemies of Islam
Reaction of Umar (ra) at the death of the Prophet (pbuh):
o holding a sword in his hand outside the Prophet’s (pbuh) house, he said:
“I will slay anyone who says that the Prophet (pbuh) has died.”
o (He had actually misinterpreted a verse of Quran that the Prophet (pbuh) would
not die before his Companions.)
o When he heard Abu Bakr (ra) recite the verses of Quran, the sword fell from
hands, he felt so weak in his knees that he sat down on the ground helplessly
Conclusion
The Companions took the Pledge of Ridwan upon hearing that he had been martyred. The Quran
says about the Pledge of Ridwan,
“Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad pbuh] - they are actually pledging
allegiance to Allah………” (Al-Fath-10)
Escorted the Prophet’s wives along with Abdur Rahman bin Awf at the Farewell
Pilgrimage
The Prophet is reported to have said about him,
“For every messenger, there was a constant companion and my companion in Paradise will be
Uthman (ra).”
Uthman (ra) was famous for his modesty and shyness. One day the Prophet (pbuh) was
reclining in his house with his lower part of leg bared. Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) asked
to enter and when they did, the Prophet (pbuh) remained in that position. They
conversed with each other, and then Uthman (ra) asked to enter. Immediately Allah’s
Messenger (pbuh) sat upright, and covered himself. The Prophet (pbuh) and Uthman
(ra) conversed. When he left, Aisha (ra) asked ‘O Messenger of Allah! When Abu Bakr (ra)
and Umar (ra) entered, you did not sit upright for them. But when Uthman entered, you
sat upright and covered yourself??’ The Prophet (pbuh) answered,
‘Should I not be shy in front of the man even the angels feel shy of?’… (Muslim)
Slept in Prophet’s (pbuh) bed at the time of migration and returned valuables which
people had left with the Prophet (pbuh)
Was made brother of the Prophet (pbuh) himself at Muwakhat (the bonding of Ansars
with Muhajireen). Ali (ra) questioned the Prophet (pbuh) “Who will be my brother?” The
Prophet (pbuh) had said to him,
“You are my brother in this world and in the Hereafter.”
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The next day he told Ali (ra) to take the flag.(Hazrat Ali (ra) had an eye infection…). He fought
with the famous warrior Marhab, known to have the strength of a 1000 warriors and Ali (ra) was
able to kill him
Scribe of the treaty of Hudaibiyah, tolerated the misbehavior of Suhail bin Amr with
immense patience for the sake of the Prophet’s command
One of the Scribes of Quran
Was appointed as a deputy in Madina during the Tabuk expedition; the Jews mocked him
that the Prophet wanted to get rid of him. Ali (ra) ran behind the army, requested the
Prophet (pbuh) to take him too. The Prophet (pbuh) said to him,
“You are to me as Haroon (as) was to Musa (as) except that there is no prophet after me.”
The Prophet (pbuh) once fondly gave him the name of “Abu Turab” which means
“Father of the dust”
Took the message of the freshly revealed verses in the Hajj of 9 A.H
Participated in the washing and shrouding of the body of the Prophet (pbuh) at his
death
Abu Bakr (ra) used to remember the day of Battle of Uhud and say wistfully,
“That was a day all for Talhah (ra).”
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Extremely pious & generous, donated wealth to the poor open-heartedly and led a simple
life
awarded the titles of “Al-Khair” (the benevolent) and “Al-Fayyaz” (the generous) by the
Holy Prophet (pbuh)
The Prophet (pbuh) said,
was martyred during the caliphate of Ali (ra) in the Battle of Camel
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Also the first to shoot an arrow in the name of Islam. When the Muslims migrated to
Madina, the Prophet (pbuh) used to send them on small expeditions. In one such
expedition, Hazrat Sa’d (ra) faced some non-Muslim Makkans and he shot an arrow at
one of them. “I am the first of Arabs who shot with an arrow in the way of Allah,” said
Hazrat Sa’d (ra).
Hazrat Sa’d (ra) took part in Bait-e-Ridwan. He was also there at the Treaty of Hudaibiyah.
Participated in all battles with the Prophet (pbuh). (His younger brother Umair (ra) was
too young to participate in the Battle of Badr and the Prophet (pbuh) forbid him from
fighting. Umair (ra) started crying and the Prophet (pbuh) felt sorry for him and let him
participate; Hazrat Sa’d (ra) excitedly prepared him for the battle by fitting him with a
sword belt fot his small size. Umair (ra), however, was martyred in the battle.)
Hazrat Sa’d played a great role in the Battle of Uhud, protecting the Prophet (pbuh) like a
shield on the Mount of Uhud. The Prophet (pbuh) said at that time, “O Sa’d (ra) ! May my
mother and father be sacrificed for you!” Hazrat Sa’d (ra) later used to say happily that
the Prophet (pbuh) never said about sacrificing both his mother and father to anyone
except him. Narrated Hazrat Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas, “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
mentioned both of his parents for me on the Day of Uhud.”
The Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said about him, “O Allah, answer Sa’d when he
supplicates You.”
Fully supported the caliphs after the Prophet’s (pbuh) death
Fought in battles during the period of Rightly Guided Caliphs, played the most prominent
role in the Battle of Qadisiyyah during Hazrat Umar’s (ra) caliphate. He was made the
commander-in-chief and was able to defeat the Persians; was made a governor in Persian
lands
Also made governor of Kufa during Uthman’s (ra) caliphate; was greatly disappointed at
the murder of Hazrat Uthman (ra); remained mostly silent and neutral in politics
Died at the age of 85 years in Madina, buried in Jannat-ul-Baqee
Humble, God-fearing, selfless, led a very simple life, was steadfast and courageous
______________________________________________________________________________
“It is not (allowed) for you to harm Allah’s Messenger or marry his wives after him, ever…” (Al-
Ahzab-53)
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The Prophet (pbuh) has said, “The best of people’s women are four: Mariyam bint
Imran, Khadija bint Khuwailid, Fatima bint Muhammad (sw) and Aasia, the wife of
Pharoh.”
Background: Born in a wealthy family, her father was a successful merchant; she was
twice widowed, had some children from previous husbands. A rich businesswoman,
intelligent, wise, generous and beautiful, used to hire men for taking her caravans to Syria
How she met the Prophet(pbuh): sent her manager Maisara along with the Prophet
(pbuh) to Syria; the trip was very successful and the Prophet (pbuh) was able to bring
back high profits, Maisara could not stop praising the Prophet (pbuh), Hazrat Khadija (ra)
sent a proposal
The Prophet (pbuh) was 25 and Hazrat Khadija (ra) was 40 years of age at the time of their
marriage: a kind and loving couple, very helpful to relatives and the poor. The Prophet
(pbuh) was freed of all financial worries after his marriage to Hazrat Khadija (ra). The
Quran says, “And He found you in need and made you independent.” (Al-Doha: 08)
The Happy Household: 4 Daughters: Ruqaiyah, Zainab, Umm Kulthum, Fatima, one
adopted son Zaid bin Haris, one nephew Ali, one maid Barakah (ra). They also had 2 sons,
Qasim and Abdullah, both died in infancy.
A devoted and loving wife; Hazrat Khadija’s supportive role after the First Revelation
…“Allah will never disgrace you as you keep good relations with your kith and kin, speak
the truth, help the poor and the destitute…”
She also took him to her cousin Waraqah for consolation.
The first Muslim to accept Islam and pray salah together with the Prophet (pbuh).
Hazrat Khadija (ra) gave consistent encouragement during the early tough years of Islam.
She let the Prophet (pbuh) use her wealth freely for the spread of Islam and helping the
needy. She always consoled and encouraged the Prophet (pbuh), told him to remain
patient and have faith in Allah.
Once Angel Jibrael (as) said to the Prophet (pbuh), “Khadija (ra) is coming to you with a
bowl of soup. Greet her on behalf of her Lord and me. Give her the good news of a
house of pearls in paradise.”
The Prophet (pbuh) did not marry any other woman while he was married to Hazrat
Khadija (ra).
She was the only one who gave birth to the Prophet’s (pbuh) children (except Hazrat
Maria whose baby son died in infancy).
During the boycott between the 7th-9th years of prophethood, Hazrat Khadija (ra) fell sick
and could no longer bear the physical strain of difficulties. Soon after the ban ended, she
passed away at 65 years of age. It had been a loving marriage of 25 years with the
Prophet (pbuh). The year she died is called the Year of Grief.
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The Prophet (pbuh) never forgot Hazrat Khadija (ra) and was continually touched by
anything or anyone that reminded him of her. Hazrat Aisha (ra) said, “I was never jealous
of any wife of the Prophet (pbuh) the way I was of Hazrat Khadija (ra) because the
Prophet (pbuh) always talked of her.”
Hazrat Aisha (ra) said the Prophet (pbuh) continued to remember Hazrat Khadija (ra), so
much that sometimes she felt annoyed. At one such time when Hazrat Aisha (ra)
expressed her annoyance asking, “Has Allah not given you so much better?”; the Prophet
(pbuh) replied, “She believed in me when no one else did. She helped and comforted me
in her person and wealth when there was no one to lend me a helping hand. I had
children only from her.”
The Prophet (pbuh) continued to send gifts to her relatives and friends throughout his life
after her death.
Hazrat Saudah binte Zamah (ra) had migrated to Madina with her husband Sakran bin
Amr (ra). When they returned, her husband soon passed away. At this time, help was
needed in the Prophet’s (pbuh) household with his children and housework after the
death of Hazrat Khadija (ra). Some Companions suggested the Prophet (pbuh) to marry
Hazrat Saudah (ra). The Prophet (pbuh) married Hazrat Saudah (ra) one month after
Hazrat Khadija (ra) passed away. She was about 50 years old when she married the
Prophet (pbuh) and had children from her first husband.
Before her marriage to the Prophet (pbuh), Hazrat Saudah (ra) saw a dream that she was
lying down and the moon fell into her lap. She felt worried and told her husband about
this dream. He interpreted the dream to mean that he would die soon and she would
subsequently marry the Holy Prophet (pbuh).
She was the Prophet’s (pbuh) second wife. Some people were surprised that the Prophet
(pbuh) had married a widow of such age. Her apartment was the first to be built in
Madina. When the young Hazrat Aisha (ra) was married to the Prophet (pbuh), she looked
after her and treated her as a young friend. She also welcomed other wives of the
Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) would give equal time to all his wives by turns. She
later gave up her turn to Hazrat Aisha (ra) as she knew the Prophet (pbuh) loved Aisha (ra)
a lot.
She was an extremely generous woman, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) referred to her as his
most charitable and generous wife. During his Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (pbuh)
advised his wives to spend time in their homes after his death. Hazrat Saudah (ra)
dutifully always remained inside her house and did not leave it even for non-obligatory
Hajj or Umrah. “I have done Hajj and Umrah as per the commandment of Allah, now I
will stay at home,” said Hazrat Saudah (ra).
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She died in 54 A.H during Hazrat Umar’s (ra) caliphate.
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for not having any water for Wudhu for Fajar. As dawn broke and the Muslims felt more
anxious, Allah revealed the verses for Tayamum, giving them permission that if they
didn’t have water, they could do Tayamum with sand. The Companions now thanked
Hazrat Aisha (ra) that, due to her lost necklace, Allah gave them this ease. (When the
caravan prepared to move ahead, her necklace was found underneath a camel, which had
been sitting on it.)
The Scandal of Hazrat Aisha (ra), Revelation of Surah Nur verses: Once when Hazrat Aisha
(ra) was travelling with the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions, she left her ‘howdah’ to
attend to the call of nature. She got late in returning. The people of the caravan did not
realise that Hazrat Aisha (ra) was not in the ‘howdah’ and they picked it up and carried it
away. When Hazrat Aisha (ra) returned, the caravan had left. She sat there, knowing they
would return to look for her there, when they realized she was missing. A Companion,
who was walking far behind the caravan, found her and brought her to the caravan.
Hypocrites started gossiping about Hazrat Aisha (ra) and the Companion having illicit
relations. The Prophet (pbuh) also heard the gossip and started feeling doubtful about the
sincerity of his wife. Many days passed like this. When Hazrat Aisha (ra) realized what was
happening, she was extremely upset. She left her husband’s house and left the matter up
to her Lord. More days passed. Finally the Prophet (pbuh) said one day, “Indeed, by
Allah, Allah has declared your innocence.” Allah revealed the verses of Surah Nur, “And
why, when you heard it, did you not say, ‘It is not (suitable) for us to speak of this.
Exalted are you (O Allah)! It is the greatest slander!’ ” (Al-Noor-16)
The Prophet’s (pbuh) Death: When the Prophet (pbuh) was on his deathbed, he kept
asking, ‘Whose turn is it tomorrow?’ All wives understood that he was anxiously waiting
for his turn with Aisha (ra). So they all allowed him to spend all his days in her apartment.
On the day he passed away, Hazrat Aisha (ra) softened his miswak for him. He passed
away in her arms and was buried in her apartment.
Many of the personal sunnahs of the Prophet (pbuh), how he prayed, how he behaved
with his wives, how he helped in the housework have been revealed to Muslims by Hazrat
Aisha (ra). Because she was not old when the Prophet (pbuh) died, she continued to
spread the light of Islam for many years by helping the Companions know accurate legal
rulings of Islam in uncountable cases. Abu Musa reported, “When a tradition appeared
doubtful to us, we asked Aisha (ra) about it and we found exposition of it from her.” She
was very confident and would research a matter to it’s core until she had found the
answer. Her memory was excellent and she narrated 2210 Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh).
She outlived the Prophet (pbuh) by nearly 50 years. She was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi
when she died.
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4. HAFSA BINTE UMAR (RA)
Daughter of Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab (ra)
Born 5 years before the dawn of Islam
Her first husband was Hazrat Khunais (ra). The couple first migrated to Abyssinia, then to
Madina. Her husband was martyred in the Battle of Badr. She had no children.
As soon as Hazrat Hafsa (ra) had completed her waiting period (iddat), her father Hazrat
Umar (ra) offered her hand to Hazrat Uthman Ibn 'Affan (ra), who rejected it. Then he
offered it to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), but he also turned the offer down. Both knew secretly
that the Prophet (pbuh) intended to send her a proposal. When Hazrat Umar (ra)
complained to the Prophet (pbuh) about this, the Prophet (pbuh) replied, “One (i.e. the
Prophet) who is better than Usman (ra) will marry Hafsa (ra) and Usman (ra) will marry
the one (i.e.the Prophet’s daughter) who is better than Hafsa (ra).”
The Prophet’s (pbuh) marriage to Hazrat Hafsa (ra) strengthened his ties to his close
friend, Hazrat Umar (ra). She had memorized the Quran. She was quick-tempered like her
father. She lived with the Prophet (pbuh) for 8 years. She was a great friend of Hazrat
Aisha (ra).
The Holy Prophet (pbuh) used to spend time with all wives, turn by turn. Once his wife,
Hazrat Zaynab binte Jahsh (ra) started serving him a drink of honey and water which the
Prophet (pbuh) really liked. Due to this, Hazrat Aisha (ra) noticed that he stayed with
Hazrat Zaynab (ra) a bit longer. In order to pry him away, Hazrat Aisha (ra) together with
Hazrat Hafsa (ra) made a plan. When the Prophet (pbuh) came from Hazrat Zaynab’s (ra)
house, Hazrat Aisha (ra) said, “What’s this smell coming from your mouth? Did you have
Magafir?” The Prophet (pbuh) replied no, he’d just had some honey with water. Hazrat
Hafsa (ra) also reacted in the same manner as Hazrat Aisha (ra). It upset the Prophet (ra)
so much that he swore never to have honey again. Allah revealed verses telling him not to
forbid upon himself what Allah had made halal, “O Prophet (pbuh)! Why do you forbid
(yourself) which Allah has allowed you, seeking to please your wives?”
It is also said that once the Prophet (pbuh) told Hazrat Hafsa some secret and she
disclosed some part of it to Hazrat Aisha (ra). Allah revealed this to the Prophet (pbuh)
and when Hazrat Hafsa (ra) asked how he knew that she had disclosed the secret, he
replied that Allah had informed him. Allah also warned both Hazrat Aisha (ra) and Hafsa
(ra) not to make schemes again otherwise they would face Allah’s anger. Allah says, “If
you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated. But if you
cooperate against him - then indeed Allah is his protector…”
Hazrat Hafsa (ra) realized the gravity of what she had done to her noble husband when
she disclosed his secret. However, after the Prophet pbuh forgave her, she lived in
tranquility again.
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Hazrat Hafsa (ra) is ranked second in knowledge to Hazrat Aisha (ra). The Prophet (pbuh)
said about her, “She is the one who fasts during the day and stands during the night for
worship.”
Like Hazrat Aisha (ra) she was a hadith narrator. Around 60 hadiths are said to have been
narrated by her.
The first copy of compiled Quran was kept in her custody after the death of her father,
the second caliph, Hazrat Umar (ra). It was called ‘Mushaf-e-Hafsa’.
She died around 60 years of age and was buried in Janat-ul-Baqee. She told her brother to
distribute her property among the poor.
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happened. In this way, Hazrat Umme Salamah (ra) comforted the Prophet (pbuh) and
helped diffuse a disturbing situation.
Hazrat Umme Salamah (ra) was very keen on learning. She quoted a number of hadiths on
authority of Abu Salamah (ra), Hazrat Fatima (ra) and the Holy Prophet (pbuh). She had
great knowledge of Islam. A Companion said about her, “The wives of the Holy Pophet
(pbuh) were a storehouse of Hadiths. However none was like Aisha (ra) and Umme
Salamah (ra).”
Accompanied the Prophet (pbuh) in the Farewell Pilgrimage, along with his other wives,
despite her illness
She narrated about 400 hadiths.
She outlived all wives of the Prophet (pbuh), died at about 84 years of age and was buried
in Jannat-ul-Baqee.
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She was extremely gentle and pious by nature. She looked after the needs of widows and
orphans. She was well-acquainted with deep matters of Shariah and was meticulous in
following the Sunnahs of the Prophet (pbuh).
Belonged to a rich family in Makkah, sister of the Companion Abdullah bin Jahash; both
were cousins of the Prophet (pbuh)
The Prophet (pbuh) recommended her marriage to his adopted son Zaid bin Haris (ra). At
first Hazrat Zainab (ra) and her family refused the proposal because Zaid (ra) was a freed
slave. But since the Prophet (pbuh) loved Zaid (rs) dearly, his persistent high
recommendation convinced Hazrat Zainab (ra) to accept the proposal. The marriage took
place and it was a symbol of equality in Islam. But soon it proved to be unsuccessful.
There was a great class difference between the husband and wife, hence a divorce took
place.
The Prophet (pbuh) received revelations that Allah had joined Zainab (ra) in marriage to
the Prophet (pbuh). With this marriage, Allah made it clear that marriage to the divorced
or widowed wives of adopted sons is legal in Islam, so everyone should know that an
adopted relation is not identical to a real relation. The Quran says, “Then when Zaid had
dissolved (his marriage) with her-----We joined her in marriage to you (pbuh)...”
Hazrat Zainab binte Jahsh (ra) used to say with pride to other wives of the Prophet (pbuh),
“It is your parents who gave you in marriage; but as for me, Allah gave me in marriage
to the Prophet (pbuh).”
Once she received a bag of delicious honey as a gift. When the Prophet (pbuh) would
come to see her, she would give him a drink of honey and water, which he used to like
very much. Due to this, Hazrat Aisha (ra) noticed that since a few days he was staying with
Hazrat Zaynab (ra) a bit longer. In order to pry him away, Hazrat Aisha (ra) together with
Hazrat Hafsa (ra) made a plan to pretend that the honey he drank caused a bad smell
from his mouth. It upset the Prophet (ra) so much that he swore never to have honey
again. Allah revealed verses, “O Prophet (pbuh)! Why do you forbid (yourself) for which
Allah has allowed to you, seeking to please your wives?”
The Prophet (pbuh) had once said, “My wife with long hands will be the first to meet me
after my death.” This meant that his most generous wife would die first, after his death.
Hazrat Zainab Binte Jahash (ra) was the first to pass away after him.
She had a polite disposition, constantly saying prayers and keeping fasts. She was
extremely generous, pious and truthful. Hazrat Aisha (ra) said about her, “I have never
seen a more righteous woman than Zainab (ra).”
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The Prophet (pbuh) sent the Egyptian Christian King, Maqawqis a letter inviting him to
Islam in 7 A.H. The king , did not accept Islam but he showed respect to the Prophet
(pbuh) by sending him two Christian slave girls Maria Qibtiya (ra) and Shirin along with
some other gifts including expensive horses.
The Prophet (pbuh) gave her freedom and invited her to Islam. He also offered her
marriage which she accepted.
Hazrat Maria (ra) was so beautiful that other wives of the Prophet (pbuh) felt jealous of
her beauty.
She was the only one to give birth to the Prophet’s (pbuh) child besides Hazrat Khadija
(ra). The baby boy was named Ibrahim. However he died in infancy. It was a very painful
incident in the life of the Prophet (pbuh).
She was a God-fearing, kind and pious woman. She spent most of her time in her house
after the Prophet’s (pbuh) death. She was buried in Jannat ul Baqee.
[Common traits in Most Wives: pious, religious, high knowledge, beautiful, spent a lot of time in
worship, keeping a lot of fasts, generous]
The Sons:
Eldest son: Qasim. Prophet (pbuh) was called Abu-ul-Qasim by this relation; the boy lived
for about 2 years
Second Son: Abdullah, also known as Tayyab and Tahir; born after the confernment of
prophethood. Lived less than 2 years; Abu Lahb and other Quraishites mocked the
Prophet (pbuh) upon the death of his second son by calling him ‘abtar’. Allah soon
revealed Surah Kausar revealing that his enemies were the ones who would be ‘abtar’
(cut off).
Third son: Ibrahim; born in 8 A.H. to Hazrat Maria (ra). He also passed away in infancy.
Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra) was next to the Prophet (pbuh) when he held his son’s
dead body in his arms. The Prophet (pbuh) said, “The eyes weep and the heart grieves,
but we say only what our Lord is pleased with…” Coincidentally, there was a solar eclipse
the day Ibrahim (ra) passed away. The people thought that it was because the Prophet’s
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(pbuh) son had died. The Prophet (pbuh) clarified everyone of these myths that eclipses
do not occur due to deaths of anyone.
The Daughters:
Eldest Daughter: Hazrat Zainab (ra). She was married to her cousin Abu al-As who did not
accept Islam for a long time. When the Prophet (pbuh) migrated to Madina, she did not
migrate because she stayed with her non-Muslim husband in Makkah. Her husband Abu
al-As fought against the Muslims in the Battle of Badr and was taken as captive. Hazrat
Zainab (ra) sent her necklace (which was given to her by her mother Khadija ra as a
wedding gift) to ransom her husband. The Prophet (pbuh) was deeply touched to see his
wife’s necklace. His eyes filled with tears and he sent back her necklace and let Abu al-As
free, instructing him to send his daughter to Madina as soon as he reached Makkah.
Zainab (ra) and her daughter were then set off from Makkah. She was expecting a child at
that time. Habbar bin al-Aswad tried to attack her on the way to Madina. She was injured
but she made it to Madina. She later died of that injury.
Second Daughter: Hazrat Ruqaiyyah (ra). She was married to one of Abu Lahb’s son, not
yet living with him. Abu Lahb’s son divorced her due to her father’s message of Islam. She
was later married to Hazrat Uthman (ra). They were both famous for being a beautiful
couple; both migrated to Abyssinia and then to Madina. In 2 A.H. Hazrat Ruqaiyyah (ra)
fell critically ill before the Battle of Badr. Hazrat Uthman (ra) could not participate in that
battle because the Prophet (pbuh) told him to look after her. When the Muslims returned
with news of victory at Badr, they were grieved to hear that the Prophet’s (pbuh)
daughter Ruqaiyyah (ra) had passed away. [After that Hazrat Uthman (ra) was married to
the Prophet’s (pbuh) third daughter, Hazrat Umm Kalthoom (ra). He was given the title of
“Dhul-Noorain” meaning ‘possessor of 2 lights.’]
Third Daughter: Hazrat Umm Kulsoom (ra). She was also initially joined in marriage to
Abu Lahb’s other son but had not shifted to her husband’s house yet. The marriage was
broken when Abu Lahb ordered his sons to divorce the daughters of the Prophet (pbuh);
migrated to Madina with her stepmother Hazrat Saudah (ra); was married to Uthman bin
Affan (ra) after the death of her sister, Ruqaiyyah (ra). She passed away in 9 A.H. while the
Prophet (pbuh) was away on Tabuk expedition.
Fourth Daughter: HAZRAT FATIMA (RA).
o Born 5 years before the confernment of prophethood
o Resembled the Prophet (pbuh) most in appearance and conduct
o She gained great wisdom and knowledge from her father, had memorized the Quran
by heart
o There was great love between the father and daughter
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o In the early days of Islam, when Uqbah bin Muait put the entrails of an animal on the
Prophet (pbuh) in the Kaaba while he was praying, she rushed to her father and
removed the entrails with tears spilling down her eyes. The Prophet (pbuh) consoled
her, “Don’t cry, indeed Allah will make your father victorious.”
o Lost her mother Khadija (ra) at a young age, tried looking after the housework after
that
o Migrated to Madina with her stepmother Hazrat Saudah (ra)
o Was sent proposals from Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra) and Ali (ra). The Prophet (pbuh)
gave her a choice and she chose to marry Hazrat Ali (ra) in 2 A.H.
o A very simple marriage and very few things given in dowry
o The couple lived in extreme simplicity and poverty, she used to do housework all day
o The Prophet (pbuh) arranged a house for her very close to his own house in Madina,
he would visit her frequently
o She gave birth to 3 boys Hassan, Hussain and Mohsin (ra) and 2 daughters Zainab,
Umm Kulsoom (ra). (Mohsin died in childhood)
o Whenever the Prophet (pbuh) would go on a journey, he would visit his daughter’s
house last; and whenever he returned from a journey he would visit her before going
to his own house.
o The Prophet (pbuh) would always stand up when Fatima (ra) would enter his house.
o She was given the title of “Zahra” meaning, ‘the shining one.’
o Once Hazrat Fatima (ra) and Hazrat Ali (ra) requested the Prophet (pbuh) for a helper
who could help her with all the housework she had to do. The Prophet (pbuh) instead
told them to recite ‘Alhumdulillah’, ‘SubhanAllah’ and ‘Allahu-Akbar’ 33 times each.
o The Prophet (pbuh) has said about her,
“The best of people’s women are four: Mariyam bint Imran, Khadija bint Khuwailid,
Fatima bint Muhammad and Aasia, the wife of Pharoh.”
o Once when Ali (ra) and Fatima (ra) were sitting with the Prophet (pbuh), Ali (ra) asked,
“O Prophet (pbuh), is Fatima dearer to you than me or am I dearer to you than
Fatima (ra)?” The Prophet (pbuh) replied,
“She is dearer to me than you, and you are dearer to me than her.”
o Fatima (ra) was a perfect example of a daughter, wife and mother. She spent her life
in worship and obedience to Allah.
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o When the Prophet (pbuh) was on his deathbed, he whispered 2 secrets in her ears.
One was that the Prophet (pbuh) would die soon. This made her cry. The second
secret was that she would be the first among his family to join him in death. This
made her laugh.
o Indeed, only 6 months after her father’s death, one day she had her bed put in her
courtyard, took a bath, lay down in clean linen and told people to bid her farewell to
her husband Ali (ra). She also left a message not to bathe her for her funeral.
o Fatima (ra) wished to be laid on a covered bier for her funeral. She didn’t want to be
uncovered even in death.
o She passed away in 11 A.H. in her late twenties.
Prophet PBUH had great love for Fatima’s RA two sons Hassan RA and Hussain RA. Hassan
RA was born in 3 A.H, Hussain was born in 4 A.H. The Prophet PBUH often used to say to
Hazrat Fatima RA, “Call my 2 sons to me.” And then he would cuddle them.
Often when the Prophet PBUH would pray, Hassan RA and Hussain RA would climb on his
shoulders while he was in prostration. The Prophet PBUH would prolong his prostration
so his grandsons would not fall off. Sometimes they would interrupt his sermon and the
Prophet PBUH would climb down from his pulpit and pick them up.
Both the grandsons were brought up in the company of some of the best people on earth,
like the Messenger PBUH, Hazrat Ali RA, Hazrat Fatima RA and other Companions. They
would hear the Prophet PBUH recite the Quran verses and memorise it quickly. Once the
Prophet PBUH was carrying Hassan RA on his shoulders. He said, “ O Allah, I love him so I
request you to love him.”
The physical features of Hussain RA was those of his grandfather. According to Anas RA,
“There was no one resembling the Prophet PBUH more than Hussain RA.”
The Prophet PBUH said about Hussain RA, “Hussain belongs to me and I to him. May
Allah love him who loves Hussain RA.”
Hazrat Ali RA appointed both his sons Hassan RA and Hussain RA to guard the house
of H.Uthman RA when rebels had surrounded his house in Madina.They would often
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take in food for Uthman RA. In their frenzy to kill Uthman RA, the rebels also injured
Hassan and Hussain RA.
Both supported their father Ali RA in various civil wars during his caliphate.
After the death of H.Ali RA, nearly 40,000 supporters declared Imam Hassan RA as
their caliph in place of H.Ali. Muawiyah however, refused to acknowledge his position.
He claimed that the deal to rule half Arab empire was between him and Ali RA only
and now that Ali RA was dead, Muawiyah alone would rule the whole Muslim Empire.
In order to remove Hassan RA, Muawiyah started preparations to fight him.
Hassan RA also commanded his followers to prepare to fight but his command was
received very coldly and reluctantly. Few showed any motivation to fight.
Finally Hassan sent an army with 20,000 soldiers with his commander. Muawiyah was
in a superior position because of the affluence of the Syrian land. Upon reaching the
Syrian border, the commander was easily bribed by Muawiyah and he switched sides.
When Hassan RA got this news, he sent another force with a new commander along
with 4000 men. But this commander was also easily won over by Muawiyah.
Imam Hassan RA now realized that his followers did not have the mental strength to
fight Muawiyah. Muawiyah offered him to make some deal with him and give up the
idea of fighting against him. It was decided that Muawiyah would become the political
and administrative head of the entire Islamic Empire whereas Imam Hassan RA would
be the religious leader.
Having done so, he came to Madina and announced that he had abdicated from
Khilafat.
Unfortunately, Imam Hassan RA was poisoned to death by one of his wives who was
promised great reward. There are some theories that Muawiyah had him poisoned
but there is no substantial evidence to support this theory.
He died 10 years after his father Ali’s RA death in 50 A.H at the age of 48 years.
He was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi.
Hazrat Hussain RA was made the religious leader of the Muslims after the death of his
brother Hassan RA. Muawiyah continued to rule till his death in 60 A.H.
Before his death, Muawiyah nominated his son Yazid to take his position as the next
political head of the Islamic Empire. It is said, that since Yazid grew up under the influence
of his uncles in Persia, he freely indulged in drinking, gambling and womanizing. When
Muawiyah nominated him, perhaps he was not aware about his son’s extreme habits.
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After the death of Muawiyah, Imam Hussain RA completely refused to give allegiance to
Yazid, a man of such notorious character.
Yazid tried to force him into paying allegiance several times but Imam Hussain RA could
not give in to this demand. Imam Hussain was harassed and threatened so much that he
was forced to retire to Madina and from there, to seek refuge in Makkah in 60 A.H. where
bloodshed was completely forbidden.
A deputation of a group of people from Kufa approached Imam Hussain RA in Makkah
and requested him to come to Kufa to rescue them from the persecutions of Yazid and to
become their choice of leader.
As a precaution, Imam Hussain RA sent his cousin Muslim bin Aqeel RA to Kufa to
investigate the matters of the people there. Muslim RA was warmly welcomed by the
people of Kufa and thousands showed support towards Imam Hussain RA. Thus Muslim
RA sent a letter to Imam Hussain RA that the people there were indeed genuine
supporters of Imam Hussain RA and he could come there without any fear of treachery.
However, soon Muslim RA sensed something gravely wrong. He realized that the leaders
of Kufa had all been bribed to support Yazid. Also the people of Kufa had been threatened
of dire consequences if they supported Imam Hussain RA. Muslim sent another letter to
Imam Hussain RA to warn him not to come there but by this time Imam Hussain RA had
already set off on his journey. Ultimately Muslim RA was killed by Yazid’s forces.
Imam Hussain RA heard of Muslim’s RA death on his way. He had with him a number of
supporters who slowly started deserting him.
Unaware of the plot of his enemies, Imam Hussain RA camped at the desert of Karbala
near the Euphrates River on 2nd Muharram 61 A.H. Yazid’s army began to besiege his
camp.
Many supporters of Imam Hussain RA began to abandon him until only 72 of his close
family relations were left with him. On 7th Muharram, Yazid’s forces cut off their water
supply and did not allow any drop of water to reach them.
All efforts of Yazid’s forces to persuade Imam Hussain RA through temptations, torture
were unsuccessful. Imam Hussain RA requested Yazid’s army to let him speak to Yazid and
come to some peaceful terms. But Yazid’s commander did not listen to any request.
With no option left, Imam Hussain RA prepared to fight. This was the battle between truth
and falsehood. The army now began to kill Imam Hussain’s RA relatives one by one. Every
day Imam Hussain RA and his relatives buried bodies of their killed relatives.
Finally on 10th Muharram, Imam Hussain RA was the only man left in the camp. Left alone
on the battlefield, he went in the camp and handed over his Imamat to his injured young
son Zain ul Abedeen. Then he went out, requested the enemy to stop fighting so they
could pray the Asar prayer in peace. But the enemy refused to stop fighting even for
prayer.
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Imam Hussain RA started praying. Swords and axes fell on him and he was wounded from
head to foot. His head was cut off and it rolled on the ground. Later it was taken to Yazid’s
court in Damascus. The remaining women and children in the camp were also dragged to
Yazid’s court and then let free after some time.
When the news of Imam Hussain’s RA cold-blooded martyrdom spread across the Muslim
Empire, Yazid claimed he had not given any such command and pretended it was a
misunderstood unfortunate incident.
Apparently, Yazid’s army won but the truth of matter is that Imam Hussain RA stood and
died for what he believed in and that was his victory. Imam Hussain RA left a legacy that a
believer never submits to any authority which goes against Allah’s Laws. Even though he
saw his own beloved relatives being starved, killed in front of his eyes, he lifted their
bloodied bodies for burial, yet he did not give up on his principles of truth and did not
surrender to an unjust rule.
Lack of numerical strength should not be an excuse to support evil. One must stand for
the truth, even if one has to stand alone.
Thus Imam Hussain RA lived, fought and sacrificed his life for truth and righteousness.
Shias believe that the descendants of the Prophet PBUH through Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Fatima
RA are the rightful heirs to his legacy. They believe Hazrat Ali RA as the first Imam of the
Ummah of the Prophet PBUH.
1. Imam Ali RA
2. Imam Hassan RA
3. Imam Hussain RA
4. Imam Zain ul Abedeen RA: the only son of Imam Hussain RA to survive was Zain ul
Abedeen (his real name was Ali). After Imam Hussain’s martyrdom, he was chained and
taken to Yazid’s court in Damascus. Later he was allowed to return to Madinah. It was
from Zain ul Abedeen that the descendents of the Imam Hussain RA arose.
5. Imam Muhammad Baqir
6. Imam Jafar Sadiq
7. Imam Musa Kazim
8. Imam Ali Musa
9. Imam Muhammad Taqi
10. Imam Ali Naqi
11. Imam Hasan Askari
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12. Imam Muhammad Mehdi (It is said he went into hiding or occultation and will reappear
at the time of Dajjal to fight and kill him)
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SCRIBES
Introduction:
The Qur’an was written in its entirety during the Prophet’s PBUH time even though it was not
compiled in one text. There were various scribes who had different roles as companions, who
wrote the verses down on a number of materials. They wrote on parchments, bone, dried leaves,
amongst other things. Some of them were official scribes who wrote letters for him (for example
Ubayy ibn Ka’ab RA) whilst some became scribes because they kept their own personal copies of
the revelations for example Abdullah ibn Amr RA. He sought the Messenger’s PBUH specific
permission asking, ‘May I write down everything I hear from you in the states of contentment and
anger?’ He replied, ‘Yes, for I speak nothing but the truth.’
A number of companions had their own personal copies of the words of the revelations, which
were later used to verify the Mushuf-e-Siddiq in the time of Abu Bakr RA. Companions who kept
a private record of the text of the Qur'an satisfied themselves as to the purity of their record by
reading it out to the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet used to instruct the scribes about the sequence
in which a revealed message was to be placed in a particular Sura (chapter). In this manner, the
Prophet PBUH arranged the text of the Qur’an in a systematic order till the end of the chain of
revelations.
Some companions, who did not write down the revelations, had memorized them instead and
their versions were used to verify the written copies after the Prophet’s death.
Main Scribes: (their brief biographies will be done from the book)
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Hazrat Zaid RA, one of the chief scribes relates: “I was the Prophet’s (PBUH) neighbor and when
inspiration descended on him, he sent for me and I went to him and wrote it down for down for
him.”
Zaid ibn Thabit RA reported, “We used to record the Qur’an from parchments in the presence of
the Messenger of God.”
Zaid bin Thabit, "I used to write down the revelation for the Holy Prophet, may the peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him. When the revelation came to him he felt intense heat and drops
of perspiration used to roll down his body like pearls. When this state was over I used to fetch a
shoulder bone or a piece of something else. He used to go on dictating and I used to write it
down. When I finished writing the sheer weight of transcription gave me the feeling that my
leg would break and I would not be able to walk anymore. When I finished writing, he would
say, 'Read!' and I would read it back to him. If there was an omission or error he used to correct
it and then let it be brought before the people."
At another time he says: “I was sitting with the Prophet (PBUH) with my leg under his leg, when
I felt immense pressure on my leg and felt my leg would crush. When I looked at the Prophet
PBUH a revelation was being descended on him.”
The Prophet PBUH said, “If anyone likes to recite the Quran as fresh as it was it had been
descended, then he must recite it like the reading of Abdullah bin Masud (RA).”
H.Abdullah bin Masud (RA) would himself say, “By Him besides Whom there is no god, no verse
of the Book of God has been revealed without my knowing where it was revealed and the
circumstances of its revelation.” (Bukhari)
The Prophet PBUH said, “The one who knows how to best recite the Quran is Ubay bin Ka’ab
(RA).”
The last verse of the Quran (“This day I have perfected for you the Quran and chosen for you
Islam…”) is said to have been written by him.
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Take (learn) the Quran from four: Abdullah bin Masud, Salim, Muad
and Ubayy bin Ka’ab (RA).”
Ali (RA)
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “I am the city of knowledge and Ali (RA) is its gate.”
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Khalid bin Walid (RA)
The Prophet PBUH said about him (Khalid (RA)), “He is the best slave of Allah, the sword of Allah
which He has unsheathed for the disbelievers, hypocrites and polytheists.”
Other Scribes:
Sample Questions:
(a) Write briefly about the tasks carried out by the Scribes of the revelation at the time of the
Prophet. [10]
(b) Explain the importance of the principles employed by the compilers of the Qur’an at the time
of the Caliphs. [4]
ETHICS
(questions can appear in both Paper 1 and Paper 2)
No to wasting
The Islamic attitude towards environment and natural resource conservation is not only
based on prohibition of over-exploitation but also on sustainable development. The Holy
Quran says:
“O children of Adam! … eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the
wasters.”
and:
“To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth..”
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and:
“And it is He who has made you successors (successors) upon the earth…”
Plant trees
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) encouraged the planting of trees and the cultivation of
agriculture which are considered as good acts. This is illustrated in the following
traditions: Allah’s Messenger (SAW) said: “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants
a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is
regarded as a charitable gift for him.” (Bukhari).
Cutting trees is sinful
Islam is against the cutting or destruction of plants and trees unnecessarily as is evident in
the following Hadith: Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “He who cuts a lote-tree [without
justification], Allah will send him to Hellfire.” (Abu Dawud)
Against pollution
Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) forbade that a
person relieve himself in a water source or on a path or in a place of shade or in the
burrow of a living creature. These values highlight Islam’s stress on avoiding pollution of
critical resources and importance of cleanliness.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness counts as half of the faith as per a known Hadith. The companions of the
prophets had great focus on cleanliness. When Abu Musa (RA) was sent to Al-Basrah as
the new governor, he addressed the people saying: “I was sent to you by ‘Umar ibn Al-
Khattab (RA) in order to teach you the Book of your Lord [i.e. the Qur’an], the Sunnah [of
your Prophet], and to clean your streets.”
“The world is beautiful and verdant, and verily Allah, be He exalted, has made
you His stewards in it, and He sees how you acquit yourselves.” Said the Prophet
(SAW). Islam is a religion that provides guidance on every aspect of our daily lives.
Disposing waste appropriately is also mentioned. “Abu Barza once asked Prophet (SAW):
‘Teach me something so that I may derive benefit from it.’ He said, ‘Remove the
troublesome thing from the paths of the Muslims’.” [Muslim]
“Whoever is merciful even to a sparrow, Allah will be merciful to him on the Day of
Judgment.” Prophet (SAW)
“A good deed done to an animal is like a good deed done to a human being, while an act of
cruelty to an animal is as bad as cruelty to a human being.” Prophet (SAW)
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) once passed by a camel that was so emaciated that its back had
almost reached its stomach. He said, “Fear Allah in these beasts who cannot speak.” (Abu
Dawud)
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Humans were created by Allah, the Almighty, to be custodians and guardians of the Earth.
Killing without need- that is killing for fun- is not permissible.
The Companions said,”O Allah’s Messenger! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?”
He replied: “There is a reward for serving any living being.” (Bukhari)
A group of Companions were once on a journey with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, and he left them for a while. During his absence, they saw a bird with its two
young, and they took the young ones from the nest. The mother bird was circling above in the
air, beating its wings in grief, when the Prophet came back. He said, “Who has hurt the feelings
of this bird by taking its young? Return them to her.” (Muslim)
Modesty in Islam
● Modesty has many aspects and clothing is just one aspect of it. A person must be modest
in front of God, modest in front of others and even modest in his own eyes.
● A Muslim must be modest and humble in his dealings with his fellow beings and should
not think of himself superior to them in any respect; he should not behave in an arrogant
or boastful manner.
● The Qu’ran says, “The (faithful) slaves of the Beneficent are they who walk upon the
earth modestly, and when the foolish ones address them they answer: Peace.” (Al
Furqan 25:63)
● Allah commands, “Come not near to shameful deeds whether open or secret.” (6:151)
● The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “Every religion has a distinctive quality and the distinctive
quality of Islam is modesty.”
● The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “Modesty is a part of faith and faith is in Paradise but
obscenity is part of hardness of heart and hardness of heart is in Hell.”
● It is unlawful for a man to wear silk clothes and gold. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Who so
puts on silk in this world shall not put it on in the Hereafter.”
● The Qur’an says, “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard
their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them…And say to the believing
women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty that they should not
display their beauty and ornaments except (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they
should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their
husbands…” (Nur 24:30-31)
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● “O you children of Adam! We have bestowed garments upon you to cover your shame
as well to be an adornment to you but the cloth of righteousness that is the best.”
(Quran: Al-Araf 7:26)
● Hazrat ‘A’ishah(RA) reported that Asama Bint Abu Bakr (RA) came to the Messenger of
Allah, while there were thin clothes on her, he said to her, “O Asma (RA) wen a girl
reaches puberty, it is not proper that anything on her should remain exposed except the
face and hands.” (Abu Dawood).
Example question:
(i) Allah
(ii) Themselves
Allah is the Creator of this universe, and He has created all things for the benefit of mankind.
Allah says, “It is He who has created for you all things that are on earth.”(Al-Baqarah 2:29) Man
is allowed to exploit everything that is on earth for his use.
The economic system of Islam is based on justice and moderation. Man is given freedom to
choose his profession; there is no restriction on him on the basis of his caste, colour and race.
However Islam teaches a man to strike a balance between moral and spiritual values while
pursuing his profession. The Quran says,
“And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with a balance that is just.”
Everyman must work to earn his living and should not be a burden on others, the Qur’an
says, “You may seek bounty from your Lord.” (Al-Isra 17:12)
The Prophet (PBUH) said,
There is no restriction on the amount of wealth a person may accumulate. Man has the
right to own as much as he can, as long as it is earned through lawful means and Zakat
has been paid on it. To ensure wealth isn’t accumulated in few hands and is fairly
circulated minimizing class differences Allah devised the system of Zakat and Sadaqa.
“They ask you what they should spend (in charity). Say: `Whatever exceeds your needs.”
~ Quran
“Piety is that a man should believe in God and the Last Day and the angels and the Book
and the Prophets, and give his wealth for the love of God to his kinsfolk and the orphans
and the needy and the traveller and to those who ask, and for setting the slaves free.” ~
Quran
The Prophet fixed the following rates for Zakat
-On gold, silver, and cash hoardings: 2 1/2 % annually
-On agricultural produce from un-irrigated land : 10 % annually and on artificially irrigated
land : 5 % annually
-Zakat rates are different on livestock, sheep, goats, cows, camels, etc.
Contracts:
All parties involved in a joint business should share profits as well as loss. Commercial contracts
should be written in the presence of two witnesses. “O you who believe! When you deal with
each other in transactions involving future obligations in a fixed period of time, reduce them to
writing”. (Baqarah 2:282)
Prohibitions:
All kinds of activities, which harm the interest of individual or society, are forbidden.
Hoarding of goods to create artificial shortage to raise the prices; monopoly and
profiteering which leads to the deprivation of the majority are forbidden. The Prophet
(PBUH) said, “Whoever monopolizes is a sinner.”
Exploitation of all kinds, including interest (usury) is forbidden. Quran: “And Allah has
allowed trading and forbidden usury.”(Al-Baqarah 2:275).
Islam promotes brotherly love and encourages mutual cooperation amongst all members of
the community. Usury is forbidden in Islam as it exploits the debtor by increasing his
hardship and poverty.
Interest also encourages a person not to make any kind of exertion to earn his living as he
finds it easy to live off interest. It also widens the gap between the rich and the poor. The
poor is exploited and becomes poorer and poorer. The rich become richer.
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All games of chance; lotteries; horse racing, gambling and trading in alcohol are unlawful.
“Intoxicants (wine) and games of chance and idols and foretelling through arrows are
only abominations and Satan’s handiwork. Leave it aside in order that you may
succeed.”(Al-Maidah 5:90)
Taking what belongs to others is also forbidden. “Devour not property among yourselves
by illegal methods except that it may be trading by mutual consent.” (An Nisa 4:28).
Bribery
Begging
Smuggling
Adulteration (mixing good and bad quality goods)
Black Marketing (using brand names falsely to make profit)
______________________________________________________________________________
Paper Two
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Paper Two Notes
Hadiths Teachings & Implementation
HADITH 1
‘Religion is sincerity.’ We said: “To whom?’ The Prophet (pbuh) said: To Allah, His book, His
Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and to their common people.’
The present Hadith carries communal teachings for Muslims. Islam stands for sincerity
which means total submission to Islam.
This means strong belief and perfect obedience to Tauheed, not to indulge in any form of
shirk and believe in His powers as the Only One True God.
A true Muslim also believes Quran is the true word of Allah, obeys all its commandments,
follows all its halal and haram injunctions. He will recite, comprehend, implement and
preach the Quran regularly.
A sincere Muslim believes in the finality of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), follows his Sunnahs
and abstains from what he has forbidden.
A Muslim will be sincere in obedience to his leader, obey his laws and regulations to
maintain discipline in the society. As the Quran says, “Obey Allah and obey the
Messenger and those charged with authority among you.” (An-Nissa:59).
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A Muslim will be sincere to other civilians, promote peaceful coexistence in the society,
help those in need, speak for those being oppressed, not usurp others’ rights and be civil
to everyone.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action. (2)
Sincerity to Allah can be shown by observing the five pillars of Islam including Salat and
Zakat. Sincerity to Prophet (PBUH) can shown by following his Sunnahs like doing Miswak,
eating moderately, speaking only good things.
Sincerity towards civilians should be shown by being kind, respectful and helpful to class
fellows, colleagues and neighbours.
Being Muslims, we should follow the laws of our prime minister and governors, even if we
didn’t vote for them. We should pay our taxes and bills honestly.
We should remember the speech of Abu Bakr (RA) on his election as caliph: “Help me if I
am in the right, set me right if I am in the wrong.” That means, if the leader is doing
something unfair, we should protest but only peacefully. Muslims should not destruct
others civilains’ shops, cars, buildings in protest.
HADITH 2:
None of you believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself.
• This Hadith promotes communal teachings and advocates maintaining unity and
brotherhood in the Muslim community. ‘None of you believes’ means imperfect faith, and
not the absence of faith.
• A heart without love and care for the fellow Muslims is devoid of true faith. Genuine faith
is linked with affection for other members of the community. The Quran says, “Believers
are a single brotherhood” (Al-Hujrat:10). The Holy Prophet (PBUH) also said, “The best
among people is the one who benefits others.”
• A practical example of this was portrayed when the Muhajireen migrated to Madina and
the Ansars shared everything they had with them.
• Muwakhaat is a unique mark of identity of the communal strength of Muslims. With this
spirit, no Muslim will be left helpless and alone in his time of difficulty. Thus, this Hadith
promotes compassion, empathy and fraternity for Muslims all across the globe.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
The Muslims realise they must abandon selfishness and promote a spirit of sacrifice and
love for fellow Muslims.
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They should develop a sense of collective welfare and make efforts to ensure comfort
and benefits for others as much as for themselves. The holy Prophet (pbuh) said, “A true
Muslim is one from whose tongue other Muslims are safe”.
They should give donations to charity organisations like Edhi centres and NGOs. They
should also contribute to tragedy-stricken Muslims such as flood victims or war refugees
like the Syrian Muslims.
Being Muslims, we should raise our voices for the oppressed Uighur Muslim community
in China who do not have freedom to practice Islam. We should also raise the dilemma of
Kashmiri Muslims who have been suppressed with an unfair lockdown for many months.
HADITH 3:
Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day, either speak good or keep silent, and Let him who
believes in Allah and the Last Day, be generous to his neighbour, and let him who believes in the
Last Day, be generous to his guest.
This Hadith carries communal teachings. It shows how a Muslim’s belief can be
implemented into actions. A believer must control one’s tongue, show civility to his
neighbours and his guests as he is accountable to Allah.
Power of speech is a great bounty of Allah and should only be used in a just manner. As
the Prophet PBUH has said, “A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand other
Muslims are safe.” A true believer learns that keeping quiet is better than saying a bad
thing. Several evils, transgression and indecencies originate from misuse of the tongue.
Faith is also linked with good social conduct because Muslims believe being cordial to
others is a sign of one’s faith. The Prophet PBUH always showed hospitality and courtesy
to his guests, whether Muslims or non-Muslims. He would allow non-Muslim delegations
to stay in his house. He also said, “Angel Jabriel continued to advise me to treat
neighbors well until I thought he would make them my inheritors.”
Muslims must be careful about their choice of words in day-to-day matters of life. They
should avoid foul and indecent language. Quran states, “Those (believers) who avoid vain
talk.” (Surah Al-Mominoon:3). They should not curse or swear at any employee who
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makes a mistake. They should not backbite their friends, cousins or neighbours. A Hadith
states, "A true believer does not taunt, curse, abuse or talk indecently."
They should show hospitality to family, neighbors & guests. If a guest arrives
unexpectedly, welcome them warmly and courteously and show pleasure upon their
arrival.
As Muslims, we should not disturb our neighbors by playing loud music, throwing trash in
front of their gate. If there is a calamity in their house, like an illness or death, we should
send them cooked food and also encourage them to remain patient.
HADITH 4:
A man asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace): Do you think that
if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat
as forbidden that which is forbidden, and do nothing further, I shall enter paradise? He said,
“Yes”.
• This Hadith carries individual teachings and reveals the minimum requirements for a
believer to enter Paradise. It emphasizes on the importance of Salat and fasting in Islam.
• Prayer and Fasting are two of the key pillars out of five on which the building of faith is
erected. Hadith states, “He who gives up prayer, has indeed been disbelieved.”
• Fasting is also obligatory on every healthy, adult Muslim. These 2 pillars also help a
believer to stay away from Haraam acts like gambling, stealing, lying, cheating and only
indulge in Halal acts, like being modest, reading lawful books, earning a Halal income etc.
• This Hadith seems simple, but it has actually summarised all of deen by emphasizing on
Salat, Saum, Halal and Haraam. The other pillars of Zakat and Hajj are not obligatory on
every Muslim so they are not mentioned in the minimum requirements to enter paradise.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Muslims should be regular and punctual in daily prayers as Salat keeps them away from
evil. As the Quran states, “Surely prayer keeps (one) away from indecency and evil…”
They should fast in Ramadan to learn self-restraint.
Observance of both these pillars will help in shunning all Haram actions.
Being Muslims, we should not indulge in forbidden acts like cheating people in business,
consumption of wine, being shameless, wasting excessive money on lavish weddings,
backbiting, corruption, bribery etc.
We should earn in lawful ways, speak the truth only, support justice, fulfil the rights of
people, respect our parents and teachers etc.
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HADITH 5:
Every person’s every joint must perform a charity every day the sun comes up: to act justly
between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up
his belongings onto it is a charity; a good word is a charity; every step you take to prayers is a
charity; and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity.
• This Hadith carries multiple communal teachings. It encourages the believers to express
gratitude to Allah for their physical being by indulging in charitable acts every day.
Moreover, the definition of charity has been broadened to a large scale.
• Small acts of goodness e.g. settling disputes among people, helping people with their
luggage, speaking fairly, walking towards the masjid or even clearing a path for others
holds great rewards near Allah.
• It shows that serving mankind is also an act of worship. Islam gives preference to helping
others over worshipping like a hermit. Deen-e-Islam greatly promotes acts which benefit
others, “The best among people is the one who benefits others,” Hadith.
• Thus a believer can show gratitude to God by simple everyday acts of goodness.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
• This Hadith helps Muslims shape their conduct in ways to help their fellows in day-to-day
affairs.
• They should try to make peace between 2 friends who have broken up because the Quran
states, “Believers are a single brotherhood; therefore, make peace between your two
contending brothers” (Al-Hujrat:10).
• Being Muslims, we should pick any banana peels we see on the road, wipe any spilled
water or milk on the floor so no one may slip over it.
• We should help people with their luggage or heavy shopping bags, help them sit in their
cars, open and hold the car door for them as they sit etc. We should advise them to
remain patient and steadfast in prayer if they are suffering an illness, loss of job etc.
HADITH 6:
Whosoever of you sees an evil action, 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.
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This Hadith carries communal teachings. It highlights doing jihad against evil in the
society. It is a believer’s duty to promote goodness and also to discourage bad deeds in
order to establish a true Islamic society based on the teachings of Quran and Sunnah.
The Hadith commands Muslims to defend the society against all possible evils with
whatever available resources e.g. if one is in a position to stop evil physically, it should be
done.
If the believer does not have this authority then he must try to influence the offender
verbally or at least condemn it with heart so his own faith remains intact.
The Quran states, “Let there be among you a community who enjoin good and forbid
evil.” (Al-e-Imran-104).
Thus a believer is not just concerned with his securing his own deen. It is his Islamic
obligation to make sure Islamic teachings are applied in the society to his utmost power.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
They should report it if anyone is stealing electricity in their neighborhood. If they see a
class fellow bullying another, they should defend the oppressed. If a friend uses drugs,
then, according to their capacity, they should advise him to abstain from it. If a family
member is cursing a driver or gardener, they should try to distract him and diffuse the
situation.
On an international level, Muslims across the world should spread awareness for Uighur
Muslims in China, Kashimiri Muslims in India and Palestinian Muslims in Palestine. The
Holy Quran states, “And why should you not fight in the way of Allah and for the
oppressed men, women and children…” (4:26) Consequently, if sufficient resources are
available, and peaceful measures don’t work, then Muslims can also resort to physical
Jihad.
HADITH 7:
It was said: O Messenger of Allah, Who is the most excellent of men? The Messenger of Allah
(may Allah as him and give him peace) said: ‘The believer who strives hard in the way of Allah
with his person and his property’.
This Hadith promotes both communal and individual teachings. Jihad or struggle in the
way of Allah is an act of worship and shows genuineness of faith. Any effort made to
attain God’s pleasure is a form of Jihad. Great rewards have been promised to the
Mujahideen.
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The biggest Jihad, according to a Hadith, is to suppress internal evil desires. The Prophet
(PBUH) said, “The greatest jihad is to fight against the evil passions on oneself.”
Moreover, physical and financial resources granted by Allah should be used to please Him
as they are His blessings. Efforts should be made to strive with tongue, hand and even the
sword to attain Allah’s rewards. A society in which a Muslims indulges in all types of jihad
will be based on Islam and the society will be free of crime and selfishness.
This Hadith also motivates the believers to spend out of their property for the needy and
tragedy-stricken people.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Praying, Quran recitation, fasting, charity are a few ways in which a Muslim should strive
to make Allah happy.
Muslims should be ready to work as volunteers in calamities like earthquakes and floods.
They must donate generously to charity organisations like Edhi centres, orphanages and
to those badly affected by the pandemic.
Donations should also be sent to Syrian and Rohingya refugees who have been displaced
from their homes. Social media must be used to highlight the plight of Uighur and
Palestinian Muslims. The Holy Quran states, “And why should you not fight in the way of
Allah and for the oppressed men, women and children…” (4:26). Evetually, the Muslim
community may have to resort to Jihad by sword if the oppressor remains adamant in his
oppression.
HADITH 8:
The Messenger of Allah (May Allah bless him and give him peace) said ‘Whom do you count to be
a martyr among you?’ They said O Messenger of Allah; whoever is killed in the way of Allah is a
martyr. He said: ‘In that case the martyrs of my community will be very few! He who is killed in
the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies a natural death in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who
dies in the plague in the way of Allah is martyr, he who dies of cholera in the way of Allah is a
martyr.
The Hadith carries individual teachings and expands the scope of martyrdom by including
those not involved directly in any physical fight (Jihad) in Allah’s way.
Muslims believe that there are a number of non-war martyrs like the ones who endure
prolonged pain that eventually kills them e.g. death from plague, cholera, drowning,
woman’s death during childbirth.
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‘In the way of Allah’ means, the believer should be ‘doing something to please Allah’
when death approaches him. Thus if a Muslim died doing something for the sake of Allah
e.g. doing any sort of jihad or going to help the needy or pray his prayers, his death will be
considered martyrdom.
A Hadith states, “Whoever sincerely desires the rank of martyrdom, gets the rank of
martyrdom even if he is not killed”. Thus every Muslim can achieve martyrdom just by
desiring it earnestly and living his life according to Allah’s commands.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Muslims afflicted with incurable diseases today like cancer, schizophrenia, corona must
remain faithful and patient. Muslims must undergo all serious and fatal sufferings with a
strong belief that everything is by the supreme will of Allah Almighty who Alone has
power to give life and death.
The Hadith encourages Muslims to spend every day in the way of Allah, so they are
prepared for death every day of their lives. Those who desire martyrdom must spent each
moment in some sort of Jihad whether it is internal or external. In this way his death
would be elevated to the status of martyrdom.
Being Muslims, we should do different acts of goodness regularly e.g. helping friends,
supporting neighbors, visiting the sick, so that every moment of our lives is spent ‘in the
way of Allah.’
HADITH 9:
No one eats better food than that which he eats out of the work of his own hand.
This Hadith has individual teachings. It advises Muslims to learn about the dignity of
working with their own hands. It shuns the idea of sitting idle.
The Hadith also instructs the believers to work hard and earn with legitimate and fair
means without dependence on others. Every profession is respectable as long as it is
halal. Beggary and dishonesty are easy but evil ways to earn. Instead of resorting to these
easy illegitimate ways, one must work hard and earn lawfully even if it is way less amount
earned.
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “One who works for himself is a friend of Allah”.
There is no shame in working with your own hands. Rather it is shameful to depend on
others to do all your work for you. The Prophet PBUH exemplified this by doing his own
work like mending his shoes, patching his own garments, even digging the trench like a
common labourer.
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(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Muslims should reject all unlawful and undesirable means of earning like bribery, usury
(riba), gambling and beggary because the Prophet (PBUH) has strictly warned his
followers of the consequences of these wrong practices. A Hadith states, “The one who
offers bribe and the one who accepts it will both go in the Fire of Hell”.
Being Muslims, we should not sit idle if we lose our jobs, even in the current pandemic
crisis. One can set up a fruit or vegetable cart, or learn freelancing skills and earn online.
Muslims must have faith that Allah will provide a way for those who hold on to halal ways
of earning.
Professionals like a driver, janitor, gardener should all be given great respect because they
are halal.
HADITH 10:
One who manages the affairs of the widow and the poor man is like the one who exerts himself in
the way of Allah, or the one who stands for prayer in the night or fasts in the day.
This Hadith carries communal teachings and imposes a duty upon believers to fulfill the
rights of underprivileged. The Holy Prophet PBUH announced great merits for acts like
helping the widows and the needy. Helping the needy is a form of jihad and worship.
This Hadith shows that a believer has to strike a balance between the rights of people and
rights of Allah. Islam is not just about fulfilling the 5 pillars and worship but looking after
fellow members in the community is equally important. God has fixed a share for the
destitute in the wealth of the rich and the rich cannot bypass this commandment. The
Prophet said, “If you want to soften your heart, feed the poor and pat the head of the
orphan.”
A society in which the underprivileged are looked after will have a low crime rate as no
one would need to steal, rob or cheat. The community would be based on unity and
brotherhood.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Muslims must help the widows and needy women in their society. It is good to fix a
monthly fund for them so that they never have to resort to begging. In many societies a
stigma is attached with widows. This idea must be shunned.
The weak in the society should be supported and taken care of, just like the Prophet
PBUH emphasized. The holy Prophet PBUH said, “Whoever caresses the head of an
orphan (in affection), solely for the sake of Allah, a good deed will be written in his
account for every hair over which he passed his hand.”
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Being Muslims, we should donate generously. We should keep an eye out for our
employees like drivers and maids who may be struggling due to high bills or an illness in
their family. We can offer to pay their children’s monthly school fees to lessen their
burden. We should not expect them to work more or be grateful in return for our help.
HADITH 11:
I and the man, who brings up an orphan, will be in paradise like this; and he (pbuh) pointed with
his two fingers, the index finger and the middle finger.
This Hadith carries communal teachings. Islam instructs its followers to be caring and
considerate towards the underprevileged with special focus on orphans. It promises great
rewards e.g. earning the pleasure of Allah and closeness to His Messenger.
A person who looks after Allah’s people shows his love for Allah. As the Quran states:
“And they feed for the love of Allah: the indigent, orphan and the captive” (Al-Insan:8).
This Hadith also promises such people the companionship of the Prophet in Paradise. For
a believer, there is no greater success in Hereafter.
If these orphans are looked after in their childhood, they will not turn out to become
criminals when they grow up. The crime rate is directly reduced in a society in which the
underprivileged are given their rights. They do not have to resort to looting and cheating.
Thus a society based on love, unity and discipline is created.
(b)Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Being Muslims, we should adopt orphans in the light of the Prophet’s Hadith, “The best
house is that in which an orphan is well-treated”.
If any orphan children work in our homes, we must treat them with love and kindness and
never scold them. We must try to enroll them in schools. If any child becomes an orphan
in a family, his share of inheritance should be kept safe till it can be handed over to him
when he matures.
For orphan girls, their education and upbringing should be funded till they mature. Then
their marriage should be arranged with pious men. In this way a society based on
kindness, love and empathy will be promoted.
HADITH 12:
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The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him peace and mercy) sent Abu Musa and Mu’adh ibn
Jabal to Yaman and he sent each of them to govern a part. Then he said: ‘Be gentle and do not be
hard, and cause rejoicing and do not alienate’.
This Hadith carries communal teachings and highlights the responsibilities of a Muslim
ruler. Leadership in Islam imposes a huge responsibility and is a great trust of Allah.
This Hadith was stated when the Prophet’s (PBUH) 2 Companions were sent to Yemen as
governors. He instructed them to impart the Islamic teachings gently on the newly
converted Yemenites. He wanted them to promote love for Islam by being gentle, kind
and patient with the people.
A Muslim ruler is the custodian of his people, responsible for their prosperity and
welfare. The holy Prophet PBUH said, “Leader of the community is indeed its servant”.
The leader must have on a strong sense of accountability before the people as well as the
Supreme Lord.
Muslim rulers should try their best to win the hearts of their people by love, avoiding any
degree of harshness. Also they must not have so many security guards that a common
man is unable to access his leader.
Islam will greatly flourish in such a society based on gentleness, kindness and justice.
(b)Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action? (2-Marks)
Muslim leaders must follow the pattern laid down by the holy Prophet (PBUH) and the
Rightly Guided Caliphs.
They should remove all barriers that separate them from their people. They should treat
them kindly so that people do not fear but respect them out of love. Prime ministers and
governors today must not have so much security that a poor man in unable to reach them
with his problems. They must not levy such heavy taxes and bills that people are forced to
resort to haram ways of earning. They should not be harsh in punishing those who steal
out of genuine need. They must have emails through which educated civilians can access
them about their troubles.
Public money should be spent on public welfare and not on the lavish lifestyle of the
leaders. Thus social justice and equality should be provided to all.
Hadith 13:
He who studies the Quran is like the owner of tethered camels. If he attends to them, he will keep
hold of them, but if he lets them loose, they will go away.
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(a) Describe the teachings about what Muslims believe.
This Hadith carries individual teachings. It reinforces Muslims to be regular in reciting and
understanding of Quran as it is the ultimate basis of their success in this world and
Hereafter.
For bedouin Arabs a camel was their most valued asset. They knew that as long as the
camels are supervised and kept tethered, they remain under control.
Muslims need to maintain a strong bond with Quran as it is the word of Allah. They must
not only read it but preach it to others also. One who forgets about Quran has no Noor
(light) of Allah within him. The Prophet (PBUH) has said: “One who has nothing of Quran
within him is like a desolate house.”
(b)Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Muslims must be regular in recitation and learning the Quran so that their relation with
Allah is strengthened.
Today’s Muslims should make a habit to set aside a fixed time to read a certain portion of
Quran everyday. The Quran should be recited respectfully, in the manner prescribed by
the Quran itself: “And recite the Quran with measured recitation.” (Al-Muzzamil:4).They
must also read it with Tajweed so there are no flaws in its pronunciation.
They must enroll in daily or weekly Tafseer classes to understand God’s message for
them. The Quranic teachings should then be implemented in daily lives. Muslims are also
encouraged to Hifz (memorise) the Quran for greater rewards in the Hereafter.
HADITH 14:
May Allah show mercy to a man who is kindly when he sells, when he buys, and when he
demands his money back.
This Hadith carries communal teachings. It sheds light upon the economic teachings in
Islam. Islam promotes civility and kindness, not just in social circles but also in business
matters.
This Hadith links honesty and justice with mercy and lenience. It advises both buyers and
sellers not to exploit or cheat one another. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “One who
cheats is not among us”.
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Allah is Rahman and He wants His men to be merciful is well. This Hadith also encourages
creditors to be kind and sympathetic to those who are in need, give them extra time if
they are unable to return their debt on time.
This Hadith teaches Muslims to be civil and fair in all business dealings. A seller must not
unfairly hide defects in his goods, nor lie about the quality of his products. Water should
not be mixed in milk and items should be weighed out fully. Quran states, “And weigh
with a balance that is just.”
A seller must not be moody and rude if the buyer does not like his product. He should give
good discounts to anyone who seems needy and poor. He may also let needy people pay
for products in installments without any interest.
A buyer should not bargain unfairly, especially from the poor fruit vendors and people
selling small items on the roads. He should observe some limits in bargaining so that the
seller does not feel uncomfortable.
HADITH 15:
Allah will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.
This Hadith carries communal teachings. It encourages Muslims to seek Allah’s mercy by
ultimately extending mercy on others. Allah is ‘Rahman’ and He wants His men to be
merciful as well.
The Holy Prophet himself is called “mercy for all” in the Quran (Surah Al-Anmbiya:107).
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Treat the dwellers of the earth kindly. He who dwells in the
heaven will treat you kindly.”
It advises the believers to keep alive the spirit of mercy so that they are also entitled to
Allah’s mercy in the Hereafter. Mercy can be portrayed through kindness, forgiveness,
compassion, gentleness, sympathy, generosity and humanity. It is not only to be shown to
humans but to all living creatures.
No one is more ill-fated than the one who gets deprived of Allah’s mercy on the Day of
Judgment.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Muslims understand that they are required to follow the footsteps of the Holy Prophet
(PBUH) who never cursed even his enemies in Makkah, Taif and the battlefield.
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Muslims should adopt kind conduct with family, friends and others.
They must not overburden their employees and should have the moral courage to forgive
them for their mistakes because they will receive huge reward from their Lord on the Day
of Judgment e.g. they must be forgiving if a maid breaks a glass or plate. They must be
tolerant and patient if an employee apologises after taking a day off. They must be willing
to give advance in salary if the employee is in need. They must be kind to stray dogs and
cats on the roads. They must not be harsh with children who make mistakes like spilling
ketchup on the furniture or writing on walls. They must be gentle in response if their
sibling is having a bad day and is being unusually rude to them.
HADITH 16:
The believers are like a single man; if his eye is affected, he is affected and if his head is affected,
he is all affected.
Thus all Muslims, regardless of social and geographical background, are united as a single
community on the basis of their religion.
It encourages us to feel pain for others particularly when they are in difficulty. Islam is
promoted only if Muslims are united as a single community.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Muslims all across the world are a single community. Thus voices must be raised for
Muslims oppressed in any part of the world. Speaking up for the plight of Uighur Chinese
Muslims is incumbent upon every Muslim. Helping the Syrians refugees today is also a
part of Muslim faith. Spreading awareness about Israel’s atrocities in Palestine is
obligatory.
We, as Muslims, should soothe Muslim neighbours if there’s a death in their family, help
any employee who is struggling financially, console anyone going through an illness, be
financially supportive to any friend who has lost his job; also help him find a job, be
encouraging, morally supportive; and advise these Muslims in trouble to remain faithful
and steadfast.
Hadith 17:
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Modesty produces nothing but good.
This Hadith carries both individual and communal teachings. Modesty means the shame
or embarrassment one feels in doing something wrong. It is the consciousness that God
or fellow beings will notice your error. It includes a sense of humbleness, simplicity, and
consciousness of God’s presence at all times. A person who has these attributes will be
shy of sinning and will abstain from ostentation. Modest Muslims immediately feel
repentance and shame if they feel they have offended God or His men. Thus modesty is a
shield against all indecencies and evils.
Thus it is no wonder that the Prophet (pbuh) has said: “Modesty and faith are
companions; when one is taken away, the other follows it”.
In this way, a faithful person will always be modest. Also, modesty is not just in attire;
modesty in speech, actions, gait, gaze and in committing sins, all combine to complete a
Muslim’s faith.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
A Muslim can practice modesty by wearing simple clothing. Their clothes should not be
revealing, tight, ostentatious, with intent to attract unlawful attention from opposite
gender. The Quran says, “And tell the believing men that they should lower their gaze…”
If anyone does wear such attire, other believers should lower their gaze.
Muslims should talk and walk modestly. Their manner of speech should be humble.
Vulgar talk, swearing, cursing, shouting, losing temper, all must be avoided. Friends
should not be put down because of lower status or dark skin color.
Muslims should also feel shame in abandoning Salat or Zakat as that is disobeying their
God who blessed them with everything. Muslims should also be aware of God’s
Omniscience at all times. They should feel shame in committing any sin in the darkness of
the night, e.g. indulging in illicit relations, pornography etc. as God is watching them
everywhere.
Hadith 18:
He who has in his heart as much faith as a grain of mustard seed, will not enter hell, and he who
has in his heart as much pride as a grain of mustard seed, will not enter paradise.
This Hadith promotes individual teachings. It gives hope to Muslims that they should
remain firm in their faith in God. Even if they have committed other sins, the Prophet
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(PBUH) has promised that they will eventually be entered into Paradise after they have
been punished for their sins.
The Hadith also shuns pride in the minutest form and warns Muslims that if they feel they
have pride, they should fear hell. Pride is the opposite of submission to Allah. A truly
faithful person will not have pride in him. The Holy Quran says, “Is there not in Hell a
home for the Arrogant?” (Az-Zumr:60)
Satan was also condemned to hell because of his pride. It is believer’s attribute to remain
humble and repent, it is satan’s attribute to be arrogant and adamant in pride. Thus faith
and pride have been shown as opposites.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
A faithful Muslim should always be humble and submissive before the orders of Allah. He
should not lose faith in times of financial difficulty or illnesses. He should remain steadfast
in Salat and hope that Allah is there for him.
We, as Muslims, should not degrade any friend or colleague due to their clothing, status,
skin color. We should not be proud of our wealth, beauty, clothing, status as all these
things are bounties of Allah. Instead we should be grateful and humble for these. We
should not show off our wealth and spend extravagantly on wedding functions and
clothes. We should not be proud of our designer bags, shoes, clothes. We should not
think of gardeners, drivers, maids as inferior to us. We should help them humbly out of
what God has blessed us. Our attitude, words, manner of speaking should display a high
level of humility towards all.
Hadith 19:
This Hadith promotes individual teachings. ‘Believer’s prison’ does not refer to misery and
lack of freedom to do anything. It means the believer is not free to give in to his evil
desires of jealousy, anger, lust, greed, adultery etc. He is not free to commit whatever sins
he likes. Allah has given a code of conduct to follow and a believer will follow it because
he knows it is for his own benefit.
The evil charms of this world are here to test His obedient servants.
The unbeliever, however, does not follow God’s given code of life; hence he suffers both
in the world and in the Hereafter.
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This Hadith further allows a believer to understand the temporariness of this worldly life.
As the Quran states: “What is the life of this world but play and amusement?” (Al-
Inaam:32).
The believer is encouraged to focus on obedience to God so he can earn the eternal joys
of the Hereafter where nothing will be forbidden.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
Muslims must understand that Haraam things are there to test them so they should focus
on staying away from them. Muslims should not complain about the things which are
forbidden, like wine, gambling, pork, interest on loan; instead be grateful for the
uncountable things that are Halal.
Muslims realise the temporary nature of this life; this Hadith helps them focus on the
eternal life. Hence they are encouraged to perform more good deeds like helping their
employees, praying Salat, giving Zakat. They must not indulge in Haraam acts like
adultery, cheating, lying that will ruin their eternal life.
They need to live in this world in the light of this Hadith: “Live in this world as if you
were a stranger or a traveller”. They should not be upset over the freedom of non-
believers to perform all sorts of sins. Loss in business, failing in exam, illness, should not
weaken their relation with God, rather it should strengthen it.
HADITH 20:
Allah does not look at your forms and your possessions, but He looks at your hearts and your
deeds.
This Hadith carries individual teachings. It declares the criteria by which Allah (swt) judges
one’s actions and conduct.
This Hadith shuns racism. It shows that a man will not be rewarded for his status, beauty,
wealth, intelligence by Allah. These things are meaningless near Allah as He Himself
blessed a man with these bounties. Rather he rewards the piety in a believer’s heart and
the actions resulting from that. The Prophet (PBUH) clearly stated in another Hadith,
“Actions are judged by intentions.”
The Hadith depicts the justice and equality of Islam. It gives every believer a fair chance to
excel in Hereafter by keeping their intentions and actions pure for the sake of Allah only.
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action.
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This Hadith helps Muslims refocus their attention towards their deeds, rather than their
beauty, wealth, clothes etc. Beauty, wealth, clothing have no merits near Allah so it is no
use to waste time and money on these. Going to beauty parlours so people can admire
your beauty has no merit near God. Designer clothing, bags, shoes have no importance
near Allah.
Muslims must do all noble deeds with the pure intention of earning Allah’s pleasure.
Donations given to gain praise from people is useless near Allah. Charity given to maids or
drivers should not be done to gain their gratitude and admiration. It should only be for
the sake of Allah. Salat should not be prayed for show off, but only for the sake of Allah.
Clothing should not be bought to be shown off with pride, it should be bought with
intention to cover oneself modestly for the sake of Allah.
Compilation of Hadith
Introduction-Importance of Hadith
The Prophet (PBUH), being the recipient of the Quran, was guided. It was his duty to clarify the
Revelations through his conduct, his words, and his tacit approval. In terms of his authority, the
two sources of guidance are equal, though they are distinct. (e.g. if a Companion went to the
Prophet and asked him, “O Messenger of Allah, is it permissible for me to do something?”, he
might answer by reciting verses of Qur’an, or he might simply say yes it is permissible or no, it is
not. Either way the answer they received is equally authoritative.) The Qur’an itself says,
“He does not speak out of his own wish but what it is revealed upon him (from Allah).” (Al-
Najm 3-4)
Writing Hadiths was discouraged by the Prophet (pbuh) during the Makkan phase as there
was fear of the Quran and Hadith words getting mixed up
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Later, in Madina, when the Prophet (pbuh) felt that the Companions were capable of
differentiating between Quran and Sunnah clearly, he allowed the Companions to write
his Hadiths down, in fact, he advised them to do so.
When a Companion mentioned that he forgets what the Prophet (pbuh) says, the Prophet
(pbuh) said to him,
“Take the help of your right hand (for writing).”
The Prophet (pbuh) said at his Farewell Pilgrimage, “Convey these words (of mine) to
those who are not present.”
The Prophet’s (pbuh) letters, treaties, written instructions are all considered part of
Hadith literature (including the Treaty of Hudaibiyah). Once the Prophet (pbuh) dictated a
complete set of regulations to Ali (ra) regarding Zakat, taxation etc. Ali (ra) also used to
record the Prophet’s (pbuh) orders/commands in his personal book later known as
Sahifah-e-Ali.
The most famous name in narrations of Hadiths is that of Abu Hurairah (ra) who used to
memorise all Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh). (He was one of the As’haab-e-Suffah and got
the opportunity to spend all his time in Masjid-e-Nabi.) He said, “None of the
Companions preserved more Hadiths than myself, except Abdullah ibn Amr (ra). I would
memorise them but he would write them down.”
Abdullah bin Amr (ra) also started noting each and every action and word of the Prophet
(pbuh). Once some Companions told him not to write down everything as the Prophet
(pbuh) was human and sometimes he may say something unintentionally while feeling
tired or upset. Abdullah bin Amr (ra) didn’t write anything for 3 days. When the Prophet
(pbuh) inquired why he had stopped, Abdullah bin Amr (ra) told him what the people had
said. The Prophet (pbuh) pointed to his tongue and said, “By God, who owns my life,
nothing comes out of this mouth except the truth. Therefore, you should write without
any hesitation.” (Abdullah bin Umar’s work is recorded in Sahifa-e-Sadiqa)
After the Death of the Prophet: the Period of Rightly Guided Caliphs & Companions
Booklets of Hadiths narrated by different Companions were written. Some of them had
their personal copies. Some were made by their students.
The largest number of Hadiths are narrated by Abu Hurairah (ra) who is said to have
narrated 5374 Hadiths. He had memorized all of them but later got them written with the
help of Hammam (ra). His booklet was called Sahifa-e-Sahihah.
A large number of Hadiths are reported by Abdullah bin Umar (ra) (son of Umar bin
Khattab ra) who narrated 2630 Hadiths.
They are followed by Anas ibn Malik (ra) with 2,286 narrations. He was a 10 year old boy
when he was brought to the Prophet (pbuh) as a servant in Madina.
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Aisha (ra) (the Prophet’s wife) narrated 2,210 narrations Hadiths. Hazrat Aisha (ra) was an
active critic of badly remembered hadiths. She would reach the root of every religious
issue and had so much knowledge that she would openly oppose any hadith she believed
was unauthentic. She could confidently debate the Companions upon the authenticity of
Hadiths.
Some Companions created learning centres to spread the light of Islam to next
generations e.g. Abdullah bin Abbas (ra) in Makkah, Abdullah bin Masud (ra) in Kufa and
Salman Farsi (ra) in Isfahan.
All wives of the Prophet (pbuh) were also looked upon as vital custodians of Hadiths
especially Hafsa, Umme Salamah, Umme Habibah (ra).
Incidentally, the first four Khalifas, Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and
Ali Ibn Abu Talib (ra) reported very few Hadiths.
Most Companions were very careful not to allow even the slightest deviation in recording
the Prophet's (pbuh) words and actions.
By the time all Companions passed away, it was nearly the end of 100 A.H.
It is to be noted that many narrated Hadiths were in memories of the Companions and
were collected and memorized or written by their students. Some written sahifas
(booklets) were Sahifa-e-Ali, Sahifa-e-Sadiqa, Sahifa-e-Sahihah, Sahifa-e-Aisha.
The followers (Tabaein) of the Companions devoted their entire lives collecting Hadiths
from various learning centres and were able to preserve a large number of Hadith
traditions.
They passed on the Suhuf of the Companions to their students or to their next generation.
(e.g. Sahifa-e-Ali, Sahifa-e-Sadiqa, Sahifa-e-Sahihah, Sahifa-e-Aisha and the memorized
Hadiths were now used to educate the next generation).
A need was felt more than ever to write all the Hadiths as Huffaz of Hadiths were now
passing away. The memorization skills of people also grew weaker because people were
beginning to rely more on written material.
A distinguished effort was made by Imam al-Zuhri who made writing a precondition for
transmitting any Hadith
So far, no effort had been made at government level. Thus the caliph Umar bin Abdul Aziz
(Umar II) feared that the precious treasure of written and memorized Hadiths might be
lost to future generations. Hence, he gave orders for start of proper compilation of
Hadiths from various parts of Muslim empire. He gave this responsibility to the governor
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of Madina, Abu Bakr ibn al-Hazm who travelled extensively collecting and writing hadiths
from Tabaein.
Along with the caliph’s efforts, there rose 4 schools of thought: the Malikis, the Shaafis,
the Hanbalis and the Hanafis. Al-Muwatta (with 1700 Hadiths) was a great compilation
accomplished by Imam Malik (son of Anas bin Malik) and Musnad-e-Ahmad was another
achievement by Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal.
Other Prominent Writers of this Era were : (Students should memorise at least a few of
these if a 10 marks question appears on Second Stage of Compilation)
Abudullah bin Mubarik at Khorasan.
Abu Bakr Rabi Shybah at Kufa
Sufyan bin’Uyaina at Madina
Imam Makhul in Syria
Abu Kilabah
Up till now, no particular effort had been made to separate authentic from weak and
fabricated Hadiths. In the 3rd century of Hijri, the scholars focused upon this issue, which
is why it is called the ‘golden age of hadith compilation’.
6 major compilers made distinguished efforts to verify the authenticity of all existing
Hadiths. A strict criteria was devised with numerous rules to verify the validity of a Hadith.
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Imam Bukhari’s name is the foremost in this field. Imam Bukhari took great measures to
make sure that the Hadith he recorded in his Sahih book was 100% authentic. He
travelled extensively to verify the genuineness of a Hadith. For this, he (and the other
compilers of his time) critically reviewed the 2 parts of every Hadith; the Sanad (chain of
narrators) and the Matn (text of Hadith). If he had the slightest doubt regarding its
authenticity, he would reject that Hadith. He always made sure that the characters of the
people mentioned in the chain of narrators were flawless, completely honest. If he found
that a narrator had ever told a white lie, or cheated even an animal in his life, Bukhari
would not accept his Hadith narration. He spent 16 years of his life in shortlisting the
reliable Hadiths. He chose 7275 Hadiths (including the repetitions) as authentic out of
about 600,000 Hadiths.
Bukhari’s student, Imam Muslim also worked on a very similar pattern as that of his
teacher in compilation of hadiths. The 2 works of Bukhari and Muslim are famously called
the ‘Sahihayn’ (or the 2 sahihs)
With these efforts, the 6 authentic Sunni Works were written with painstaking efforts by 6
prominent scholars. These are famously called the Sihah-e-Sittah:
1. Sahih Bukhari (considered next to Quran in authenticity)
2. Sahih Muslim
3. Sunan Abu Daud (4800 Hadiths)
4. Jami al-Tirmizi (by one of the disciples of Bukhari and Muslim)
5. Sunan al-Nasai (by another student of Bukhari)
6. Sunan Ibn Majah
(the number of chapters in each compilation can also be written if a 10 marks question
appears on 3rd Stage of Compilation)
How were Matn and Isnad checked? (to be written briefly here)
Imam Shafi states the following requirement in order for a Hadith to be acceptable:
The memory skills of these 6 scholars were often rigorously tested by other scholars
among audiences. Their character was also thoroughly scrutinized e.g. if they had ever
told a lie even as a joke in their lives. Theses scholars were very careful in leading pious
lives so no one could tarnish their characters and hence doubt their hard work of
compilation.
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Shia compilers also relied on Matn and Isnad to verify their Hadiths. But their Isnad is
based mostly on narrations of their 12 Imams.
4 major Shia compilations were produced nearly a century after the Sunni Compilations:
1. Al-Istibsar (The Perspective) was compiled by Abu Jafar Muhammad. It has 3 parts (2
parts about worship, 3rd part about legal thinking)
2. Tahzeeb-ul-Ahkam (Revision of Judgment) by Abu Jafar Muhammad.
3. Man la Yahduru al-Fiqh was compiled by Muhammad bin Babuya.
4. Al Kafi fi ilm al-Din (The Sufficient Religion) is the largest Shia compilation by Abu Jafar
Muhammad bin Yaqub.
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Rise of 4 Sunni schools of thought- Maliki, Shaafi, Hanbali, Hanafi
Shift from Masannaf to Musnad compilations
Followers of the Followers/Disciples of the Disciples (Taba Tabaein period -201-300 AH):
Golden age of Hadith Compilation
6 major compilations were Sihah-e-Sitta such as
Sahih Bukhari 7275 Hadiths out of 600,000
Sahih Muslim 9200 “ out of 300, 000
Sunan Abu Dawood 4800 “ out of 500, 000
Jami Tirmizi 3956 “
Sunan Nasai 5700 “
Sunan Ibne Majah 4000+ “
SHIA COMPILATIONS
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Literally thousands of Hadiths were fabricated, especially after the Companions’ deaths, because
of different motives and because the Companions were not alive to invalidate them.
Due to rivalry between the Ummayads and Abbasids, the rise of Kharijites, Shias,
Qadariyas, there were many hadiths fabricated, speaking in favour or against a specific
dynasty or religious sect. They had political and religious motives.
People also fabricated Hadiths to encourage Muslims to do more good, or to scare them
with warnings of fierce punishments for sins. Maudoo (fabricated) hadiths were
fabricated to encourage Muslims to commit good deeds e.g. to give to charity and to
avoid disapproved behavior. These make up a large proportion of Maudoo Hadiths. They
created a large number of formulas for worship e.g the following expression is in nearly all
of them: "One who performs ‘this amount of prayer on such day’ and recites ‘so many
verses this many times’ will be given ‘this much reward’ in the Hereafter."
Some people simply had evil intentions while fabricating hadiths. They wanted to change
the reality of Islam. Thousands of Hadiths were fabricated this way.
Some hadiths were also fabricated to promote Nationalism. Hadiths with merits or
demerits of certain towns or countries sprang up.
Some were fabricated to denounce or promote specific Imams. e.g. “There will be a man
in my Ummah by the name of Abu Hanifa who shall be the lamp of my Ummah.” This is a
fabricated Hadith.
Moreover, some people invented new Hadiths in an attempt to have a spiritual
reputation, allowing them to take up respectable positions in the community.
We can guard the religion only by sound knowledge. Presently it is incumbent upon every such
scholar to make sure that the Hadīth he is relying on is actually the word of the Prophet (pbuh)
and is in accordance with the Qur'ānic teachings.
________________________________________________________________________
As, by the third century of Hijrah, there were many fabricated hadiths due to political and
religious sects, it was very important to find which hadiths were authentic and which were fake.
As the Prophet (pbuh) said,
"Do not tell a lie against me for whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally) then he will surely
enter the Hell-fire."
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Thus the most important period of Hadith collection was started in the third century of Hijrah
which is why it is called the golden period of hadith compilation. The six major collectors of
Hadith (Muhaddith) established a special criteria to check the authenticity of Hadiths before
compiling them in their final compilations. These collectors were Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim,
Imam Tirmizi, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah and Nasai.
These scholarly people checked the 2 parts of every Hadith i.e. words or text (Matn) of the
Hadith and the chain of transmitters (Isnad) very carefully. (Matn example: “Actions are based
on intentions.”) Thus they were able to select only the authentic (Sahih) Hadiths in their
compilations.
The Chain of Narrators/Isnad (singular: Sanad) are all the narrators who forwarded the Hadith of
the Prophet (pbuh) till it reached the compiler. The chain could be short with 2 or 3 narrators or
as many as 6 or more narrators depending upon how much time has passed between the
Prophet’s (pbuh) and compiler’s period e.g. “Imam Malik says he heard his teacher Nafi say that
he heard Abdullah bin Umar (ra) say that he heard his father Umar (ra) say that he heard the
Prophet (pbuh) say…”
Abdullah bin Mubarak (a great Muhadith during compilation of Hadith period) said,
“Isnad is part of religion. Without isnad, any one will say what he desires.”
The great compilers of the third century, including Bukhari, Shafi, Muslim laid down some rules to
check the chain of transmitters:
the first transmitter in the chain of narrators must be a Companion of the Prophet (pbuh)
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The chain should be continuous and unbroken. Dates of birth and death of the
mentioned narrators should be overlapping in order to confirm their possibility of
meeting. (There must be no gaps or weaknesses in the chain.)
Ilm-ur-Rijjal (Knowledge of the Men) was compiled in which the biographies of all the
Companions, Tabaein, Taba Tabaein and other narrators were written in great detail.
Their dates of birth and death, their characters, their known reputes, the main incidents
of their lives were all written in order to judge whether their narration should be accepted
or not.
The narrator must comprehend the contents of the Hadith in depth. He must be of an age
of maturity (Baligh) so that he can fully understand the importance of what he has heard
and what he is reporting. (Aqil)
Character of the Narrators:
must be reputed to be honest and upright. He should never have stolen or cheated from
anyone. e.g. Imam Bukhari did not accept a Hadith of a man who had ever cheated, even
an animal. e.g. Once he travelled very far to collect a Hadith from a certain narrator. Upon
meeting the man, Bukhari saw that the man was pretending to hold food for his donkey,
in order to fool his donkey to come near him. Since he had deceived an animal, Bukhari
did not collect the Hadith from him.
The narrator should never have lied to anyone, even as a joke (Adil). Imam Shafi said,
“In most cases, the truthfulness or lack of truthfulness of a hadith can only be known
through the truthfulness or lack of truthfulness of the transmitter.”
The narrator should not never have committed a major sin.
The narrator should be known to have a good memory. e.g. Imam Bukhari’s memory was
often rigorously tested. Once in Baghdad, some experts chose 100 Hadiths and changed
their Matn and mixed up their Isnads and asked Imam Bukhari about their authenticity.
Imam Bukhari was able to recite the correct versions of each and every Hadith with
absolutely correct Matn and Isnad.
The narrator should have command on Arabic language and grammar, Quran, Hadith and
Fiqh (legal thinking).
The narrator’s repute should be known to all common people as pious.
Imam Bukhari was so cautious in writing each and every hadith, that he used to pray 2
Rakah Nafl before every single Hadith that he wrote in his Sahih compilation. He made
special effort to preserve his own repute as well. e.g. Once while he was traveling on a
ship, a man accused people of stealing his bag of gold coins.
It was announced that everyone would be searched for it. Imam Bukhari threw his own
bag of gold coins in the sea. Even though it was his own bag and he had not stolen it from
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anyone, he did not want people to ever even suspect him of stealing and tarnish his
character. He did not want his years and years of hard work to be wasted.
Thus the Muslim Ummah owes a great deal to these compilers who travelled extensively
and worked relentlessly to preserve the true nature of Hadith and save this nation from
misguidance and Biddah. Their strict criteria has ensured that Muslims today know which
Hadiths can be considered reliable and thus followed without doubt.
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TYPES OF HADITH
Fabricating Hadiths is a grave error as it can misguide generations of Muslims. The Prophet
(pbuh) said,
"Do not tell a lie against me for whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally) then he will surely
enter the Hell-fire."
Why were Hadiths classified?
For the guidance of the Muslim Ummah
To save the image of Islam
To protect the image of the Prophet (pbuh)
To make the process of legal thinking much easier
To save Muslims from burden of fake narrations regarding prayers etc.
Hadith is the second primary source of guidance after Quran; it is also an elaboration and
interpretation of Quran, thus its importance cannot be overemphasized.
There are mainly 4 types of Hadiths:
1. Sahih/Authentic Hadith
‘Sahih is a term used to describe a Hadith whose accuracy is absolutely beyond question. Such
Hadiths are called ‘sound’ or ‘trustworthy’ as they are of the highest level of authenticity and
their authority is next to the Quran only.
This classification was mostly made in the third century of Hijrah after the Hadiths’ Sanad and
Matn were screened through rigorous criteria. The Ilm-ur-Rijjal (biographies) of all the narrators
were thoroughly examined.
(The criteria of checking Matn and Isnad will be written here in some detail)
Examples:
“Actions are judged by intentions”
is a Sahih Hadith because it’s Matn and Sanad are completely verified. Another Hadith classified
as Sahih is,
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“Modesty produces nothing but good.”
2. Hasan/Approved/Good Hadith
A Hasan Hadith is next in authenticity to Sahih Hadith except that it has a minor flaw that has no
effect to the credibility of the Hadith. e.g. The narrators in the chain of narrators are all truthful
and reliable but one narrator may be a degree less in memory than other authentic narrators.
Or it may be a Hadith reported by more than one chain of narrators and the narrators in both
chains are not famous but known to be honest and truthful.
If the compilers had a minor doubt in the validity of Hadith with respect to Isnad or Matn, it was
not added in first category, and instead placed in the second category known as Hasan Hadith.
Example: Imam Ahmad collected this Hadith from a narrator,
“I said to Prophet of Allah, ‘Who deserves more of my services, Father or Mother?’ The Prophet
(pbuh) replied, ‘Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother’, and then he said, ‘To your father,
then, to him who is near of kin one after the other.’ ”
3. Daeef/Weak Hadith
A Daeef Hadith is one that has a major flaw and it fails to reach the status of Hasan Hadiths. It
could be a serious defect in the memory of one of its reporters. It could also mean a prominent
flaw or bad action was reported in the biography of one of its reporters. It could also mean that
the Chain of Narrators is broken and there is no evidence of the missing reporter. Similarly, the
reporter mentioned might never have met the narrator of the Hadith in his life. The reporter may
have spoken against reliable narrators or may have been suspected of religious innovations.
The Hadith of any such narrator will not be accepted as Sahih or Hasan and will be categorized as
Daeef.
A Daeef Hadith with a flaw in the Chain of Narrators is called ‘Daeef-al-Isnad’.
A Daeef Hadith with a flaw in the Text is called ‘Daeef-al-Matn’. e,g. the text of the Hadith does
not make common sense.
Examples: The Prophet (pbuh) said,
“Acquire knowledge, even if you have to go to China.”
There is no evidence of great scholarly skills of the people of China in those days. Thus compilers
have categorized this as a Daeef Hadith.
Another example of a Daeef Hadith is,
‘‘My companions are like stars; whoever you follow, you will find the right path.”
4. Maudoo/Fabricated Hadith:
Maudoo Hadiths are completely rejected because they clash with Quran or Sunnah or common
sense. Literally thousands of Hadiths were fabricated, especially after the Companions’ deaths,
because of different motives and because the Companions were not alive to nullify them.
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Some people had political and religious motives. Due to rivalry between the Ummayads
and Abbasids, the rise of Kharijites, Shias, there were many hadiths fabricated, speaking in
favour or against specific dynasty or religious sect.
People also fabricated Hadiths to encourage Muslims to do more good, or to scare them
with warnings of fierce punishments for sins e.g. they may encourage Muslims to give
charity and to avoid disapproved behavior. These make up a large proportion of Maudoo
Hadiths. They created a large number of formulas for worship e.g. the following
expression is in nearly all of them: "One who performs ‘this amount of prayer on such
day’ and recites ‘so many verses this many times’ will be given ‘this much reward’ in the
Hereafter."
Some people simply had evil intentions while fabricating Hadiths. They wanted to change
the reality of Islam. Many hadiths were fabricated this way.
Some hadiths were also fabricated for Nationalism. Hadiths with merits or demerits of
certain towns or countries sprang up.
Some people invented new Hadiths in an attempt to have a spiritual reputation, allowing
them to take up respectable positions in the community.
Moreover, some were fabricated to denounce or promote specific Imams.
“Allah says, ‘I was a hidden treasure, and I wished to be known. So I created mankind, and then
made Myself known to them and they recognized Me.’ ”
Both of the above examples are classified as completely fabricated Hadiths.
OTHER TYPES OF HADITHS: There are several other types in which Hadiths are divided e.g:
1. Hadith-e-Qudsi : These are words of Allah but conveyed in the Hadith. They have been
communicated to the Prophet (pbuh) either in a revelation or in a dream but they are not part of
Quran. e.g. The Prophet (pbuh) said,
“Allah says, ‘Fasting is for me and I will give its reward.’ “
2. Hadis-e-Nabwi (Marfu) are Allah’s messages but in the Prophet’s words:
“Modesty produces nothing but good.”
3. Mutawatir Hadith is narrated by many narrators so it becomes impossible for them to agree
on a lie (similar to a Mash’hur Hadith narrated by at least 3 narrators at every stage of its chain or
Azeez Hadith narrated by 2 narrators at every point of its chain)
4. Ahad/ Ghareeb Hadith is narrated via only one Isnad (chain of narrators) [opposite of
Mutawatir]
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IS THERE ANY USE OF STUDYING OR COMPILING DAEF HADITHS? (students should read
this for personal insight)
The scholars differ concerning acting upon weak Hadiths which encourage righteous deeds. Some
of them are of the view that it is permissible to act upon them, subject to certain conditions, and
others are of the view that it is not permissible to act upon them.
Some scholars allow incorrect narrations that contain the encouragement about virtue of an act.
But these scholars had set conditions for this case:
• That they are related to the act that was already proven by Quran or Sunnah or Companions
• That one who uses them should clearly know its weakness.
• That they are used only in the case of rewarding acts, such as urging people to righteousness.
• That one should never say about them, “The Prophet said…”
e.g. As in the case of praying on the night of Laila-tul-Qadr, if we find a Daeef Hadith which
speaks of the rewards of praying on Laila-tul-Qadr, some scholars say that there is nothing wrong
with acting upon this weak Hadith. It is narrated in order to encourage people to do this act of
worship.
Thus some scholars think it is permissible to narrate reports that are not proven to be lies in
order to encourage or warn people about matters where it is known that Allah has already
encouraged or warned against them in Quran and Sunnah.
Contrarily, many scholars, including Bukhari, and Muslim insisted that a Daeef (weak) Hadith
must never be related. They said that leniency in the matter of Hadiths means they are acts that
have been proved by either the Qur’an or the Sunnah. The Prophet said,
Therefore, they say that what we have of the correct narrations should be enough for us, rather
than using the unverified ones.
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with the Companions who were closest to the Prophet (pbuh), the 4 caliphs, the Blessed
Companions, wives of the Prophet (pbuh) and other prominent Companions. Therefore the titles
of the chapters are Musnad of Abu Bakr (ra), Musnad of Aisha (ra), Musnad of Abu Hurairah (ra).
A Musnad is valued when the views of a certain Companion are being researched. The most
important of all available musnads is Musnad-e-Ahmad of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, founder of
the Hanbali school of thought. He collected over 300,000 Hadiths.
A Musnad is not as useful as the Musannaf collection when the researcher needs to look up
Hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh) related to a particular issue. ‘Musannaf’ means ‘divided up.’ The
Hadiths are thus arranged according to topics e.g. there is a chapter on purity, then prayers,
fasting, zakat, pilgrimage, marriage etc. The best known Musannaf is the Al-Muwatta (which
contains 1720 Hadiths) compiled by Imam Malik bin Anas, founder of Maliki school of thought.
The Sihah-e-Sitta i.e. the Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan of al-Nasai, Abu Daud, Ibn Majah
and Jami Tirmizi all belong to Musannaf category of Hadiths collection.
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The 6 Sunni Hadith collections were compiled during the 3rd century of Hijrah in the Age of Taba
Tabaein and they are considered the most authoritative Hadith books. Their main features are as
below:
1. SAHIH AL-BUKHARI
2. SAHIH MUSLIM
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consecutive narrators to be contemporaries (of same time period). [Imam Bukhari sought
evidence for the 2 narrators to have actually met each other]
Imam Muslim was very particular about the source and the wordings of the narrators.
He recorded only those traditions which were reported by 2 reliable successors from 2
Companions of the Prophet (pbuh)
Some scholars later simplified the 2 Sahihayn by removing the Isnad and noting the common
Hadiths of both the Sahih compilations
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4. JAME TIRMIDHI
5. SUNAN NASAI
Sunan Ibn Majah contains over 4000 Hadiths divided into 32 chapters
It has a great arrangement of chapters
About 20 of the Hadiths were later declared as Daeef (weak) or Maudoo (fabricated)
________________________________________________________________________
Name of SAHIH SAHIH SUNAN ABU JAME SUNAN NASAI SUNAN IBN
Collection: BUKHARI MUSLIM DAWUD TIRMIDHI MAJAH
Muhammad Muslim bin al Abu Dawud Abu Isa al- Abu Abdur Muhammad bin
bin Abdullah Hajaj Sulaiman Tirmidhi Rahman an Yazid bin Majah
Compiler Ismail Nasai
Bukhari
Years Spent in
Studying Hadiths
40 years (unconfirmed) 20 years 20 years (unconfirmed) (unconfirmed)
Number of 7275 Hadiths 9200 4800 Hadiths 3956 Hadiths 5700 Above 4000
Hadiths out of Hadiths out of out of 500,000 Hadiths
600,000 300,000 Hadiths
Number of
books/Chapters
in Collection 97 43 21 50 52 32
Makkah & all Persia, Syria, Persia, Syria, Iraq, Hijaz, Syria, Iraq, Damascus,
across the Eqypt Eqypt, Hijaz, Khurasan Egypt, Hijaz, Busra, Kufa,
Some of the Muslim Damascus, Kufa Baghdad,
Places Travelled empire Aleppo Makkah, Madina
The book Al-Istibsar (The Perspective) was compiled by Abu Jafar Muhammad. It has 3
parts (2 parts about worship, 3rd part about legal thinking)
The book Tadhib al-Ahkam (Revision of Judgment) by Abu Jafar Muhammad.
The book Man la Yahduru al-Fiqh was compiled by Muhammad bin Babuya.
The book Al Kafi fi ilm al-Din (The Sufficient Religion) is the largest Shia compilation by
Abu Jafar Muhammad bin Yaqub. It’s divided into 3 main parts:
i. Usul al-Kafi (Principles of Religion)
ii. Furu al-Kafi (Legal Thinking)
iii. Rawdat al-Kafi (other religious aspects of Shia school of thought)
_______________________________________________________________________________
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should follow the Shariah themselves. They remained more concerned for the Hereafter than the
world.
Along with that, they took political action where required, to make sure the Muslim state was
safeguarded from external threats. All the Rightly Guided Caliphs made sure Islam was never
forced upon anyone in their conquered areas.
The Rightly Guided Caliphs made sure that the common man had open access to them. They
were confident and firm in all actions they took. They had firm faith in Allah only. They made
their utmost efforts not to ever be cruel, oppressive or unjust with any person under their
leadership. They gave their people the right to criticize them and correct them if they were
wrong. They made sure the rights of the minorities were protected. The 4 Rightly Guided Caliphs
are as follows:
The First Rightly Guided Caliph: HAZRAT ABU BAKR AS-SIDDIQ (RA)
CALIPHATE OF 2 YEARS: June 632 AD – August 634 AD [11 A.H.-13 A.H.]
Election as Caliph
Problems Faced and Overcome: Sending Hazrat Usama’s Expedition to Syria (read from
textbook), Ridda Wars against Apostates, People who refused to pay Zakat, False Prophets
Compilation of Quran (read from textbook)
Campaigns in Persian and Syrian Empires
Administration
Saviour of Islam (read from textbook)
Character and Death (read from textbook)
ELECTION AS CALIPH
The Prophet (pbuh) died without nominating a successor. Several Companions including Hazrat
Umar (ra), were unwilling to accept this death. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had convinced the
Companions of the Prophet’s (pbuh) death by saying,
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“O people. Lo! As for him who worshipped (Prophet) Muhammad (pbuh), Muhammad (pbuh) is
dead. But as for him who worshipped Allah, Allah is alive and dies not.” Then Hazrat Abu Bakr
(ra) recited the following verses of Quran:
“Muhammad (pbuh) is no more than a messenger; many messengers have passed away before
him. If he dies or is slain, will you then turn back on your heels?” (Al-Imran:144)
With this speech, the Companions realised that the Prophet (pbuh) had really departed from this
world. All the Companions knew that they needed a successor to lead the Muslims.
Even before the Prophet (pbuh) had been buried, while Hazrat Ali (ra) and Hazrat Abbas (ra) were
preparing the Prophet’s (pbuh) body for burial, the Ansars held a meeting and decided to choose
a caliph from the Ansars. They discussed how an Ansari should be the successor of the Prophet
(pbuh) as it had been the Ansars who had helped the Muhajireen when they were most in need,
it was them who had stood by the Prophet (pbuh) through thick and thin and sacrificed most for
Islam. They had almost decided that the Ansari Hazrat Sad ibn Ubadah (ra) would be the first
caliph of Islam.
Someone informed Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) that this meeting was taking place and
they also joined the meeting along with Hazrat Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah (ra) to give their
suggestions. When they realized that they were choosing an Ansari as the caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr
(ra) acknowledged all the great services and sacrifices of the Ansars. But he advised them to
allow a Quraishi to become the caliph because (Islam had not imbibed in everyone’s hearts yet
and) the Quraish and other tribes of Arabia would never accept a non-Quraishi to rule over them.
The Ansars then suggested that they should have 2 rulers then, one Ansari and one Quraishi, who
would jointly rule over the Muslims. Hazrat Umar (ra) objected to this idea as 2 rulers were
bound to have differences and that would be detrimental for the Muslim community. Hazrat Abu
Ubaidah (ra) also said,
“O Ansars! You were the first to uphold Islam. Do not be the first to sow the seeds of
disagreement among us.”
The Ansars agreed to the wisdom behind Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar’s (ra) opinion. Hazrat
Abu Bakr (ra) suggested that either Umar (ra) or Abu Ubaidah (ra) be chosen as the leader. But
Hazrat Umar (ra) said to him,
“How can anyone else fill this place when Abu Bakr (ra) is among us? Abu Bakr (ra) excelled at
every occasion during the Prophet’s (pbuh) lifetime. He was the Prophet’s Companion in the
Cave of Thawr. He led the prayers when the Prophet (pbuh) was sick. He is the best person for
this position.”
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And Hazrat Umar (ra) quickly took the hand of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and pledged his allegiance
(Bayt) to him. When the other Companions saw this, they immediately agreed to Umar’s (ra)
opinion and took Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) hand one by one and promised their allegiance to him.
Taken by surprise, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was reluctant to accept the responsibility suddenly given
to him. Nevertheless, this was decided.
The next day, he was officially declared as the First Caliph in Masjid-e-Nabwi and all Muslims
pledged allegiance to him. He made a speech to all the Muslims,
“O People! I have been selected as your Trustee, although I’m no better than any one of you. If
I’m right, obey me. If I’m misguided, set me right.
Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger (pbuh); when I disobey Him and His
Prophet (pbuh), then do not obey me.”
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) wished to be addressed as ‘Khalifa-tur-Rasulullah.’ His inaugural speech
depicts the principles of a democratic government. A Khalifa in Islam must govern according to
the laws of Shariah and he is responsible to his people for his actions.
1. Sending Usamah bin Zaid’s (ra) expedition to Syria (to be done from textbook)
2. Apostasy Movement/ Riddah Wars Against:
i. Tribes who gave up Islam
ii. Those who refused to pay Zakat
iii. False Prophets
Apostasy Movement / Ridda Wars/ (Including Those who Refused to Pay Zakat)
(Apostasy means to denounce religion in any form, either by refusing to pay zakat, or rebel, or
claiming false prophethood)
The Ridda wars, also known as the ‘Wars of Apostasy’ were a set of military campaigns against
the rebellion of several tribes in the almost whole of Arabia (except 3 places: Makkah, Madina
and Taif) and nearby states of Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Hadramaut and Mahrah.
Tribes who refused to Pay Zakat in Arabia: Several tribes in Arabia rejected the central
political authority of Islam after the Prophet’s (pbuh) demise in 632 AD. Many of those tribes had
accepted Islam recently whereas for others Islam was only alive till the Prophet (pbuh) was alive.
Some of these tribes suddenly stopped paying Zakat to Madinah and declared that Zakat was a
deal between them and the Prophet (pbuh) only. Since the Prophet (pbuh) had now passed
away, they said to Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) that some new agreement should now be formed
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between them. They were ready to observe other pillars of Islam. Some of them felt that Islamic
teachings were too imposing and they conflicted with their traditional and tribal freedom.
At the same time, a number of false prophets began attracting these tribes as they presented a
more lenient version of Islam by corrupting its basic teachings. The tribes living near the Persian
Gulf, like those of Oman, Bahrain and Yemen were influenced by the Persians against Islam.
Caliph Abu Bakr (ra) had to deal with the dual challenge of the rebel tribes and the false
prophets.
Soon, a delegation of rebel tribes arrived to seek exemption from payment of Zakat. The Caliph
replied,
“If, with reference to Zakat, you withhold even as much as a string to tie a camel, then, as the
Caliph of the Prophet (pbuh), it will be my duty to fight for it, whatever the consequences.”
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) consulted the Shura (Advisory Council) but they opposed any military action
against the rebels. Hazrat Umar (ra) and some others argued that since those tribes had entered
Islam, they should be spared. Moreover, some of these tribes like Banu Asad, Banu Ghatfan,
Banu Bakr, lived close to Madina where there was no large Muslim army at the moment. Most of
the Muslim soldiers had gone with Hazrat Usamah bin Zaid (ra) towards Syria.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) however, resolved to implement Islamic Shariah law in totality. He declared,
“By Allah, I will fight alone, if others do not support me, against everybody who refuses even a
single she-goat kid due on them as Zakat.”
These tribes organized an army comprising troops from Ghatfan, Bakr, Kinana, ‘Abs, Fazara,
Dhubiyan. Their army was divided into 2 parts, one at Dhu Qissa and the other at Abraq. The
Caliph had already understood their intentions. Acting quickly, he posted an army of Hazrat Ali,
Hazrat Talha, Hazrat Zubair and Hazrat Abdullah bin Masub (ra) on the outlets of Madinah. Then
Caliph went with a small army and attacked the rebels at Dhu Qissa. After a few attacks, the
rebels were defeated at Abraq.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then formed 11 battalions with each battalion having its own army
commander and flag. Although the main Muslim soldiers had left with Hazrat Usamah bin Zaid
(ra) to Syria, Hazrat Abu Bakr divided the remaining manpower among the 11 battalions. Some
commanders were given immediate missions, others were told to leave later.
Before sending the troops, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) sent his envoys to all the apostate tribes in a final
attempt to make them re-embrace Islam. The battalion commanders were given the following
instructions:
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i) To call Azaan, while approaching the target tribes. After the Azaan, they had to ask the
tribe to confirm their submission to Islam, including the payment of Zakat. The tribes
which answered the Azaan and submitted to Islam were not to be attacked.
ii) If they refused to return to Islam, or refused to pay Zakat, then they were to be
fought.
iii) All apostates who had killed the Muslims were to be killed.
(Campaign in Yemen)
Aswad Ansi, a false prophet had risen in Yemen. He succeeded in winning a considerable number
of followers. He was killed during the Prophet’s (pbuh) lifetime. But a former general of Aswad
Ansi called Qais again made an attempt to attain power. Rounding up Aswad’s old followers, he
attacked Sanaa again and captured it, becoming the ruler of Yemen.
2 battalions were sent by Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) who joined hands with Yemen’s Muslims to attack
Qais’s army and recapture Sanaa. This expedition was successful.
(Campaign in Oman )
The people of Oman had received the Prophet’s (pbuh) letter of invitation to Islam. At that time,
their leader had proposed to the Prophet (pbuh) that they would accept Islam if the Prophet
(pbuh) exempted them from Zakat. The Prophet (pbuh) had reassured him that the Zakat they
paid would be spent on their own people and thus the leader agreed and accepted Islam. After
the Prophet’s (pbuh) death, Oman also apostasised and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) despatched forces
to make operations in Oman. The Muslim army was successful and the rebels of Oman gave up.
(Campaign in Bahrain)
The people of Bahrain had accepted Islam during the life of the Prophet (pbuh). When the ruler
of Bahrain died, its people also apostasised and were fully ready to confront the Muslims with
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the help of the Persians. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) sent a battalion under Hazrat Ala bin Hadrami (ra)
to deal with them. They were defeated. Thus Bahrain, was now secured under Muslim rule.
The Kindi tribe in Hadramaut apostasised and broke into revolt in early 633 AD. Hazrat Abu Bakr
directed the Muslim army to march to Hadramaut. A battle took place in which all the rebels
were defeated and killed. The ones who survived laid down their arms and were granted
amnesty.
Some tribes in Mahrah also gave up Islam. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) sent Hazrat Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl
(ra) to fight them. They were able to subdue them and the Muslim army was successful.
The rebels were thus defeated and brought back under the folds of Islam. Eventually, within a
few months, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was able to put down the country-wide uprising caused by the
apostate tribes.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had to face serious challenges immediately after the death of the
Prophet (pbuh)
Some people claimed themselves to be prophetic messengers
They attracted people by crafting verses in poetic diction, demonstrating magical powers
and introducing other versions of ‘Islam’ with minimal restrictions
There were 4 main false prophets:
1. Aswad Ansi
2. Tulayha
3. Sajjah
4. Musailima
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Aswad Ansi
Aswad Ansi was the leader of Ansi tribe in Yemen. He was titled as the ‘veiled prophet’
because he used to veil his face; partly to hide his ugly face and partly to create an aura of
mystery around him. He attracted people by magical tricks and soothsaying. He claimed
prophethood towards the end of the Holy Prophet’s (pbuh) life. Gathering plenty of
followers, he captured Sanaa, the capital of Yemen and many of its other parts. After killing
the governor of Yemen, he forcibly married his widow and became the ruler of Yemen. The
Holy Prophet (pbuh), who was alive at that time, wrote to the Muslims in Yemen to get rid of
this imposter. The recently widowed and now married wife of Aswad Ansi joined hands with
the Muslims and plotted to kill him. This plot was carried out successfully and Aswad Ansi was
killed just one day before the Prophet’s (pbuh) death.
However, trouble again started in Yemen when Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) became the caliph. A
former general of Aswad Ansi called Qais again made an attempt to attain power. Rounding
up Aswad’s old followers, he attacked Sanaa again, captured it and became the ruler of
Yemen.
2 battalions were sent by Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) who joined hands with Yemen’s Muslims to
attack Qais’s army and recapture Sanaa. This expedition was successful. Qais was sent to
Madina but he repented for his sins and was forgiven by Caliph Abu Bakr (ra).
Tulayha
Tulayha was from the Banu Asad tribe, in Najd, to the east of Madinah. He was a rich man
and a renowned warrior. He accepted Islam during the life of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) but
rebelled and claimed prophethood. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) died before he could put an end
to his evil actions.
Tulayha managed to raise a huge number of followers and became a threat to Islam. Hazrat
Khalid bin Waleed (ra) defeated him with an army of 4000 Muslims in the Battle of Buzakha
and he fled. Later he had another war with the Muslims, only to be defeated again. Finally he
escaped to Syria where he accepted Islam. He even joined the Muslim army during the
caliphate of Hazrat Umar (ra).
Sajjah
Sajjah was a Christian woman belonging to the tribe of Banu Tamim. After the death of the
Prophet (pbuh) she also laid claim to being a prophetess. With a force of 4000 soldiers, she
marched from Iraq towards Madina. But on hearing the news of Tulayha’s defeat, she joined
hands with her rival, Musailima. Musailima invited her to Yamamah and he quite cleverly
convinced her to marry him. This made her unpopular among her own tribe. Both Musailima and
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Sajjah decided to raise a joint army against Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (ra). Their army was crushed
by Hazrat Khalid (ra). She did not stay with Musailima for a long time and after he was killed she
returned to Iraq. When Muslims conquered Iraq, she also accepted Islam.
Of all the imposters to have claimed prophethood, Musailima was by far the most dangerous. He
belonged to a tribe of Banu Hanifa in Yamamah in central Arabia. He had visited the Prophet
(pbuh) in Madina in 10 AH and accepted Islam. However, as he returned home, he made a claim
that he was also a prophet who received revelations. He, however, made his religion appear
more attractive than Islam, with less number of daily prayers, no compulsion for zakat and fasting
and permission to gamble, drink, adultery and so on. He composed fake verses and claimed they
were sent to him by God.
Musailima succeeded in gathering a large following on the basis of his fake teachings. He sent a
letter to the Holy Prophet (pbuh) making an offer that half of Arabia could be taken and ruled by
the Prophet (pbuh) and half by Musailima and his followers. The Prophet (pbuh) tore his letter
and wrote him a letter addressing him as ‘Musailima the Liar’ and replied,
After the death of the Prophet (pbuh), Musailima decided to fight the Muslims but before that he
joined hands with the impostress, Sajjah enabling him to have a strong army of 40,000 men.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) sent 2 battalions to counter him in Yamamah. Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl’s (ra)
battalion was to wait for the arrival of Shurabeel (ra) and his battalion and make a joint attack on
Musailima’s army. However, Ikrimah (ra) hurried into the battlefield and was met with a crushing
defeat from Musailima’s men. Shurabeel’s army, which arrived later at the valley of Yamamah,
also met a similar defeat in the hands of Musailima.
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) then wrote to Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (ra) to reach Yamamah at once with
an army of 13,000 Muslims and defeat this imposter. While fighting, Musailima retreated to a
fortified garden with his men but the Muslims chased them there as well. The final part of the
battle was fought in this garden. Finally, victory was achieved by the Muslims. Musailima was
killed by Wahshi and other Muslims. It was a great battle with heavy casualties on both sides. So
many people were killed in this battle that it is called the Battle of Garden of Death. 10,000 of
Musailima’s troops were killed but so were 2000 Muslims. Around 300 of the Muslim Huffaz were
also martyred in this battle.
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Thus, in a short period, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was able to finish off all imposters. He was able to
preserve the Prophet’s (pbuh) Seal of Prophethood and protect Islam from being divided into
various misguided sects.
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Persia/Sassanid Empire
Hostility with the Persians had started in 7 AH when the Persian emperor Chosroe Pervez had
torn the letter of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Later the Persian king ordered his governor in Yemen
to arrest the Prophet (pbuh). During Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) caliphate, the Persians also supported
rebel tribes in Bahrain against Madina.
(1.Battle of Chains/Kazima)
Iraq was a part of the Persian Empire at that time. In 633 AD, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) sent Hazrat
Khalid bin Waleed (ra) to Iraq with 10,000 troops where a Persian convert , Hazrat Musanna bin
Harisa (ra) supported him with 2000 more troops. The first battle which took place between the
Muslims and the Persians took place at Kazima in Iraq. This is also called the Battle of Chains.
Before reaching there, Hazrat Khalid (ra) sent a letter to Hurmuz, the Persian commander,
addressing him in these words,
“Accept Islam and you will be safe. If not, agree to pay Jizya or you will have to repent. I am
bringing against you people who love death more than life.”
Hurmuz ignored the warning and opted to fight. The Persian army had chained themselves to
each other so they would fight persistently and not run away from the battlefield. During the
battle, Hurmuz challenged Hazrat Khalid (ra) for a single combat in which he was slain. With the
death of their leader Hurmuz, the Persian army began to panic. The heavy attack of the Muslims
forced them to retreat but as they were chained, the soldiers fell back. Their chains became a
death trap for them and they were killed in large numbers. Rich booty fell in the hands of the
Muslims and thousands of Persian soldiers were taken as captives.
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(2.Battle of Mazar:) After the Battle of Chains, Hazrat Khalid (ra) moved forward to Mazar. The
remaining army at Kazima had also joined the army at Mazar. Hazrat Khalid (RA) defeated the
contingent of Persian army. They were killed in large numbers. The rest submitted and agreed to
pay jizya.
(3.Battle of Walaja:) Hazrat Khalid (RA) then then inflicted a third blow to the Persians at Walaja.
The Persians had crossed the River Euphrates and made a camp at Walaja where they were again
crushed. This was the Muslims third consecutive victory.
(4.Battle of Ulleis:) The Persians made another attempt to fight the Muslims at Ulleis now. This
was their fourth defeat at the hands of Muslims.
(5.Seige of port of Hira:) Hazrat Khaild (RA) then marched towards the port of Hira. He laid siege
to Hira, the people surrendered peacefully and agreed to pay Jizya.
(6.Towns of En-at-Tamr and Anbar:) From here, the Muslim army moved towards the town of En-
at-Tamr and laid siege. The enemy soon surrendered. Then took place the battle at Anbar where
the Persians had dug a trench around themselves and shut themselves in a fort. The Muslims
managed to cross the trench by dumping the dead bodies of some of their slaughtered camels
and forming a sort of a bridge. As a result the Persians inside the fort surrendered. Hence the
town of Anbar was occupied.
(7.Battle of Firaz:) Finally Hazrat Khalid (ra) proceeded to Firaz on the border of Syria and Iraq
where a great force of Persians and Syrians joined hands to fight him but were again inflicted
with a crushing defeat.
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Syria/Byzantine/Roman Empire
The Arab-Roman rivalry had begun in 8 AH when a Muslim envoy was killed unjustly on the
orders of a Roman prince. Romans also encouraged border tribes against Madina. This led to the
battles of Muta, Tabuk and Hazrat Usama’s (ra) expedition.
At that time, Syria was a part of the great Roman (Byzantine) Empire. The Romans were wary of
the newly achieved victories of the Arabs and were planning to wipe them out. There was a
constant danger of assault from the Romans’ side. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was well aware of these
dangers and divided the 27,000 Muslim army into four battalions. These battallions were
supposed to attack Syria at four different places i.e., Jordon, Homs, Palestine, and Damascus. The
main leaders of these battalions were Hazrat Abu Ubaidah, Shurahbeel, Amr bin al-As and Yezid
bin Abu Sufyan (RA) who were soon joined by Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed (ra). Amr bin al-As had
conquered some part of Gaza in Palestine.
Battle of Ajnadein: The 4 leaders had not gone far in their campaigns when Hazrat Khalid (RA)
requested all commanders to join forces at Ajnadein. Heraclius had also sent large forces to
combat the Muslims. The Muslim army, now 40,000 in number, defeated the Romans in the
historic battle of Ajnadein. The Roman commander was soon killed, the army lost heart and fled.
Many were killed.
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Seige of Damascus: Eventually, the Muslims laid siege to Damascus, a main city. This siege
continued while the news of Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (RA) death arrived in 634 AD. It was during the
caliphate of Hazrat Umar (RA) that Damascus was conquered. [Jordon, Homs, Palestine and
Damascus were all fully conquered during H.Umar’s (RA) caliphate]
_____________________________________________________________________________
Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) caliphate truly represented a ‘government of the people, by the
people and for the people.’
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) divided Arabia into 10 provinces with Madinah as the capital.
For each province, there was appointed a Wali or governor. It was the governor’s duty to
lead the prayers in his area, collect taxes, control the army, administer justice and
maintain law and order in his province
The governor was assisted by an Aamil (revenue collector) and a Qazi (judge).
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) formed a Shura (a council of Advisors); members of the Shura were
not chosen on basis of wealth, colour or tribe; rather, on the basis of piety, character and
record of previous services to Islam. All state decisions were made after consultation
among the Shura, in the light of Quran and Sunnah
Although Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was very humble and gentle by nature, he was a strict
administrator, never allowing his officers to go against the rules
There was no separate department of revenue; the Bait-ul-Mal which was set up in
Madinah fulfilled this purpose. As soon as the Aamils collected the taxes and Zakat, and
sent them to Bait-ul-Mal, the funds were immediately distributed among the needy. A
part of revenue was saved to purchase weapons and horses needed by the army.
He divided the army into different battalions under the orders of a commander-in-chief.
He always instructed the commanders:
not to kill women, children, old people and worshippers
not to be cruel to anyone
not to destroy fruit-bearing trees and crops
not to destroy places of worship
not to harm people who pay Jizya
_______________________________________________________________________________
Q. Write an account of how all four rightly guided caliphs were elected. (10)
Q. Describe how Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) was elected. Write an account of his campaign against the
people who refused to pay Zakat. (10)
Q. Describe Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) campaign against apostate tribes. (10)
Q. Describe the main events of the Caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra). (10)
Q. Describe Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) role as the savior of Islam. (10)
Q. Why is Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) called the savior of Islam? (4)
Q. In your opinion, what was the greatest service performed by Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) during his
caliphate? Give reasons for your answer. (4)
Q. Explain the importance of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) as the First Caliph. (4)
Q. In your opinion, how important was it for Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) to fight the false prophets? (4)
Q. How was the Quran compiled during Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) caliphate?
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The Second Rightly Guided Caliph: HAZRAT UMAR BIN AL-KHATTAB (RA)
Election as Caliph:
Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), while he was on his deathbed, decided to appoint Hazrat Umar (ra) as the
next caliph. He consulted the Shura including some of the prominent Companions like Hazrat
Uthman (ra) and Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra) who all agreed that he was the best among them.
Some Companions expressed their worries that Hazrat Umar (ra) was too harsh and quick-
tempered! But Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) said,
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“The burden of caliphate will soften him.”
Hazrat Umar (ra) had always been a close advisor to the Prophet (pbuh) and Caliph Abu Bakr (ra)
so no one was better suited for this position than him. Some Companions said, "You know that
Umar (ra) has a harsh nature. What will you say if your Lord questions you as to why you
appointed Umar (ra) as caliph?" Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) replied, "I'll say that I made the best of
Allah's servants caliph." And so it happened. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) called Hazrat Uthman (ra) to
write in his will that Hazrat Umar (ra) should replace him. He summoned many Muslims near his
window (which opened in Masjid-e-Nabi) and said, “O people! I have nominated Umar (ra) as my
successor. He is not my relative but he is the best among you.” No one objected to his words.
When Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) passed away in 634 AD, Hazrat Umar (ra) took the responsibility of
the caliphate. Hazrat Umar (ra) made a speech in Masjid-e-Nabi in which he praised Hazrat Abu
Bakr’s (ra) great work in dealing with false prophets and other rebels. He also said,
“In the performance of my duties, I will seek guidance from the Quran and follow the examples
set by the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr (ra). In this task, I seek your assistance. If I follow the
right path, follow me. If I deviate from the right path, correct me, so we are not led astray…”
Once, in Kufa, someone addressed him as ‘Ameer-ul-Momineen.’ Hazrat Umar (ra) liked it very
much and, after consultation with the Shuru, he adopted the title of Ameer-ul-Momineen. Thus,
he was always addressed with this title during his caliphate.
_______________________________________________________________________________
“If a kid goat died on the bank of Euphrates (River), I fear that Allah will question me for that.”
(1.Political Administration): Like Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Hazrat Umar (ra) also divided the Muslim
areas into provinces. Each province was further divided into districts. Each province was under
the charge of a governor or Wali. Usually, the Wali was simultaneously the religious head and
commander-in-chief of the army in that province, but in some other provinces, separate army
officers were appointed for the Muslim army. Other officers who were appointed at the
provincial level were the Qazi (chief judge) and Aamil (revenue collector and financial officer). All
the Walis and Aamils were called to Makkah at the time of Hajj and the Ameer-ul-Momineen
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would hear and decide about any complaints made against any of the officers. If any officer was
found guilty, Hazrat Umar (ra) publicly reprimanded him and dismissed him.
(2.Criteria for Appointment of Governors): Hazrat Umar (ra) was extremely careful in choosing
the governors and other officers. When someone asked him about his criteria for selecting a
governor, he replied,
“I want a man who, when he is a chief, should look as if he is one of his men.”
He always made sure to appoint only eligible people for the posts after consultation with Shura
(Council of Advisors). Every appointment was made in writing. At the time of appointment, every
officer was given a set of instructions (specifying his powers and duties). The appointed man was
also required to make the following promises:
He advised his officers to refrain from the lavish lifestyles of Syrians and Persians. No governor
was allowed to build palaces for himself. At the time of appointment, a list of his belongings was
made and it was checked when they retired. If their wealth had increased after retiring, they
were interrogated and investigated, and if the accumulation of wealth seemed to have been
acquired through corruption, it was submitted to the Bait-ul-Mal.
Despite all these rules, Hazrat Umar (ra) also kept a sharp eye on the activities of all his governors
and officers. He had hired spies who used to give him secret reports about his appointed persons
and the condition of people in all provinces.
(3.Police Department & Jails): Before Hazrat Umar’s (ra) caliphate, people used to look after
their security themselves. Hazrat Umar (ra) appointed guards to patrol the cities at night. He
introduced the police department for maintaining law and order. He was also the first one to
introduce the jail system in different cities. He made sure the conditions in jails were regularly
maintained.
(4.Education Department): Hazrat Umar (ra) developed a proper education system. The
governors and officers were not only supposed to be honest and upright, they were also required
to be educated with great scholarly knowledge. Therefore, it was the responsibility of the
governors and officers, along with other teachers, to impart knowledge of Quran and Sunnah
along with other subjects. Hazrat Umar (ra) made education of Arabic language and literature as
compulsory. Arrangements were made for the education of both children and adults in Masjids.
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Teachers were sent to villages to teach people the Holy Quran. Hazrat Umar (ra) was the first
person to fix salaries for teachers, Qaris and Imams.
(5.Judicial Administration): Hazrat Umar (ra) set up an effective judicial system. Qazis (judges)
were appointed for their integrity and knowledge of Islamic laws. Wealthy men were appointed
as Qazis at high salaries so that they might not be tempted to take bribes, nor be influenced by
anyone’s social status. The Qazi was completely independent of the provincial governor.
Once when Hazrat Umar (ra) entered a courtroom, a Qazi stood up in his respect. Hazrat Umar
(ra) did not like this at all and he reminded the Qazi that everyone should be equal in the eyes of
the law.
(6.Department of Finance-Bait-ul-Maal and Dewan): In the time of the Prophet (pbuh), whatever
arrived as revenues or spoils of war was distributed immediately. There was a lot of poverty and
there was never anything left after distribution. However, during the caliphate of Hazrat Umar
(ra), as the Muslim territories expanded rapidly, money came in great quantities.
Hazrat Umar (ra) reorganized the Bait-ul-Maal (public treasury) in a new way. The Central Bait-
ul-Maal was constructed in Madina as the capital of Muslim empire. Buildings of Bait-ul-Maal
were also constructed in all provinces. The Aamil was in charge of the Bait-ul-Maal. Incomes
arrived from different provinces and cities as Zakat, Jizya (non-Muslim tax), Kharaj (spoils of
war), Fay (income from conquered lands), and Ushr (zakat on agricultural produce, 10% for rain-
fed land, and 5% for artificially-irrigated land). After meeting expenditures of the state, the
surplus money was disbursed among the Muslims. The recipients were classified on the basis of
their relation to the Prophet (pbuh), early conversion to Islam and upon their military services to
Islam. No segment of the community, like the widows, orphans or disabled was forgotten.
Being an innovative administrator, he introduced a new department with the name Dewan to fix
pensions for Muslim troops.
(7.Army): During the Prophet’s (pbuh) time, there was no separate army throughout the year.
People participated in battles from various tribes and returned when the battle was over. Also,
no regular salaries were paid to the troops though they were given the spoils of war. Hazrat
Umar (ra) was the first person to build separate cantonments for soldiers. All people who were
interested in military services were registered and their salaries were fixed. Stipends were given
to families of martyred soldiers. The army was divided into cavalry (mounted soldiers) and
infantry (foot soldiers). Soldiers were not allowed to live in common residential areas, nor were
they allowed to buy new lands in conquered territories (in order to diminish their chances of
moving to other areas.)
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(8.Construction): Hazrat Umar (ra) used public funds to construct roads, highways and rest
houses for travellers. He paid attention to town planning and several cities e.g. Busra and Kufa
were modified according to properly drawn up plans. He announced that whoever would work
on an infertile land and make it fertile would be given ownership of that land as a gift. In this way,
many barren lands were made cultivable. Numerous schools and Masjids were constructed in all
provinces of the Muslim empire. Hazrat Umar (ra) expanded the Kaaba and Masjid-e-Nabwi for
the ever-increasing number of Muslims.
(9.Establishment of Consultative Bodies): Hazrat Umar (ra) continued working with Majlis-e-
Shura (council of advisors), comprising of both Muhajireen and Ansars for general consultation. A
second consultation body was Majlis-e-Aam, comprising of a selection of people from all
communities, so every tribe would get a chance to be heard. Another consultation committee
was Majlis-e-Khas which comprised only of the Muhajireen.
(10.Start of Hijri Calendar and First Census): The Hijri calender was started in Hazrat Umar’s (ra)
caliphate when one of his officers complained that as he sent letters with instructions but they
had no dates, they couldn’t tell which instructions were to be followed first. To keep a proper
record of dates and important events, Hazrat Umar (ra), along with Majlis-e-Shura, decided that
it was best for Muslims to start their own calendar. Hazrat Ali (ra) suggested to start the Hijri
calendar from the time of the Prophet’s (pbuh) migration to Madina. Hazrat Uthman (ra) gave
the idea to start the Islamic calendar with Muharram.
For the first time, Hazrat Umar (ra) also had a census done of the population of the Muslim
empire.
(11.Beginning of Congregational Tarawih Prayers): Once Hazrat Umar (ra) saw 2 or 3 people
praying Tarawih prayers separately in a Masjid, so he joined them as a congregation, saying it
was much better to say it together. From that time, 20 Tarawih prayers have been prayed in
congregation in Masjids all over the world.
(12.Rights of Zimmis / Non-Muslims): A special credit is given to Hazrat Umar (ra) is that he
never forced anyone to convert to Islam in all newly conquered areas of Persia, Syria etc.
(Anyone who did not accept Islam in conquered areas was called a ‘Zimmi.’) He gave special
instructions to protect the rights, liberty and property of Zimmis. He tried his best to create
minimal disturbances and changes in their lives after their lands were conquered. By appointing a
governor (Wali) and making sure they paid Jizya, he would mostly let them do as they pleased, as
long as they didn’t break any laws. Zimmis were also given stipends from Bait-ul-Maal. If any
Zimmi wanted to participate in military department, they were not asked for Jizya. Poor Zimmis
were also exempted from paying Jizya.
A widespread plague gripped the areas of Iraq, Syria and Egypt in 639 AD. Hazrat Umar (ra)
himself set out to visit Syria but he was stopped on his way and begged by people not to enter
the affected area. After consulting his advisors, Hazrat Umar (ra) returned to Madina. Renowned
Companions like Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah (ra) and Muaz bin Jabal (ra) succumbed to the plague.
(Amr bin al-As (ra) was then given control and he tried to control the epidemic by telling Muslim
troops to spread out in the hills and this strategy worked.)
Hazrat Umar distributed relief funds to those families whose bread-earners had passed away in
this plague. After the plague ended, he again went to visit Syria to see the condition of the
people himself.
(14.Efforts to Abolish Slavery): Hazrat Umar (ra) was the first person to question,
“How can you enslave a man who has been born free?”
He made efforts to abolish the evils of slavery as far as possible and he was able to achieve
considerable success in Arabia. He took a very bold step when he declared that no Arab could
be a slave. Therefore, during his caliphate, Arabia became the first country in the world to
abolish slavery. During the apostasy wars many Arabs had been taken captive and made
slaves. Umar emancipated all such slaves.
(Conclusion): Even after taking all these measures, Hazrat Umar (ra) did not sit back relaxed in his
home. He used to wander the streets of Madina at night, to get personal insight into the
condition and well-being of his people. And despite all the wealth and riches that came with
conquests, he lived extremely simply saying,
“Nothing is Halal for me and for my family from Allah’s money, except a dress for summer and
a dress for winter, and a salary equal to the income of an average Quraishi.”
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Egypt in 639- 640 AD and Alexandria in 642, adding lands in Syria, Egypt, Persia and North
Africa.yes
CAMPAIGNS IN PERSIA
Introduction/ Reasons:
1. The predominant religion in Persia was Zoroastrianism. There was hostility between
Muslims and Persians ever since Chosroe Pervez tore the Prophet’s (pbuh) letter in 7 A.H
and ordered the Yemeni governor to arrest him.
2. Persians used to instigate and financially assist Arab tribes on the border to rise against
Muslims, trying to create an uprising against Islam.
3. Persians financially helped the tribes in Bahrain to fight against Muslims when some tribes
in Bahrain apostasised Islam during Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) caliphate
4. Iraq, which was a part of Persia, was a rich, fertile land, with 2 main rivers flowing through
it (River Euphrates and River Tigris). Arabia, being a barren land, depended heavily upon
trading provisions with Iraq, for survival. But the Persians now would not allow Arabs to
continue trading with them. So economic necessity drove the Muslims into bringing Persia
under their control.
The Main Battles with Persian/Sassanid Empire: (battles’ details to be done from textbook)
1. Battle of Namarraq
2. Battle of Jasr (Bridge)
3. Battle of Buwaib
4. Battle of Qadisiyyah
5. Battle of Madain (Ctesiphon) - [the Persian capital]
6. Battle of Jalula
7. Battle of Nahwand
Introduction/ Reasons:
The predominant religion in Roman Empire was Christianity. The Roman Empire comprised of
Syria, Egypt and Jerusalem. Initially, relations between Romans and Muslims were very cordial.
When the Holy Prophet (pbuh) sent his envoy to Heraclius in 7 A.H., he was treated with respect.
But later, as Heraclius’ heart hardened towards Islam, the relations began to deteriorate.
1. A Christian murdered the envoy (Hazrat Harris (ra) ) of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) at Muta,
as he was travelling towards Busra.
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2. During Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (ra) caliphate, Heraclius greatly instigated Arab bedouin tribes
on the border against Muslims. These tribes used to raid Muslim territories with the help
of non-Muslim Arab allies.
3. The Roman Empire was a constant threat to the security of the Muslims and Hazrat Umar
(ra) had to deal with them for the security and defence of Islam.
The Main Battles with Syrian/Roman/Byzantine Empire: (battles’ details to be done from
textbook)
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VfTblhMQ_Q&t=133s
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3JRs9_jvB8
link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwofRK0QSUA
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PAST PAPER QUESTIONS ON INDIVIDUAL BATTLES
Q. Write an account of the Battle of Jasr during Hazrat Umar’s (ra) caliphate. (10)
Answer:
Battle of Jasr/Bridge:
The Persians were naturally infuriated by their successive defeats at the hands of Muslims. In 634
AD Rustam sent an army of around 10,000 soldiers under the command of Bahman. This army
had many war elephants. The army also carried the flag of a panther’s skin, which had been a
symbol of Persian might for about a thousand years. The Muslim army arrived and camped on
the bank of Euphrates river. Bahman challenged the Muslims to cross the river and fight them.
Against the advice of some senior Companions, the commander Hazrat Abu Ubaid bin Saqifa (ra)
decided to cross the bridge and ordered the Muslims to construct a bridge of boats over the
Euphrates river.
As soon as the Muslims landed on ground, they found it difficult to move because the ground was
uneven. The small 10,000 Muslim army seemed to be trapped between the river and the huge
army of Persians. The war elephants of the Persian army shielded the Persians. Soldiers sat in the
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howdahs on top of each elephant, with bows and arrows. The Arab horses, who had never seen
elephants before, got frightened and went out of control.
Hazrat Abu Ubaid (ra) then commanded his men to step down from the frightened horses and
fight on foot. The Muslims were able to pull down some of the soldiers sitting in the howdahs and
killed them. But now the elephants started trampling the Muslims. Hazrat Abu Ubaid (ra) was
trampled to death by a white elephant who was leading the Persians. His brother picked up the
standard and fought with all his might but he too, was killed.
The battle went on and many Muslim commanders were martyred one after another. The
Muslims could not even retreat now because the temporary bridge, which had been constructed
by them, had been broken by one of the Muslim soldiers so that they wouldn’t run away from
the battlefield.
Hazrat Musanna (ra), who was the Muslim commander now, ordered that the bridge be
reconstructed quickly. The Muslims continued to fight as a group of them quickly rebuilt the
bridge. Around 2000 Muslims were killed while fighting, around 2000 were drowned in the river,
some 2000 fled away. Hazrat Musanna (ra) ordered the remaining Muslims to cross back the river
quickly. He, himself, was seriously wounded and the last one to cross the bridge. Hazrat Musanna
(ra) was able to return to safety with only about 3000 remaining Muslims.
When Hazrat Umar (ra) heard the news of the Muslims’ defeat, he was shocked. This was the
only major defeat of Muslims during the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Hazrat Umar (ra).
-Battle of Qadisiyyah
-Battle of Yarmuk
Answer:
(Battle of Qadisiyyah:)
The battle of Qadisiyyah was fought against the Persians. After the defeat at Buwaib, a riot
erupted in Persia which disturbed the rulers. Emperor Yazdgard decided to avenge the defeat.
This battle took place in 636 AD. Fighting mostly from the back lines so far, the famous Persian
commander Rustum, this time decided to fight the next battle himself. He raised a huge army of
60,000 soldiers. Caliph Umar (ra) himself wanted to lead this battle but the Shura did not agree
with his desire. So finally, Caliph Umar (ra) gave the charge to Hazrat Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas (ra)
who led an army of 30,000 Muslims. Notable Companions like Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra),
Hazrat Talhah (ra) and Hazrat Zubair (ra) were also made commanders of different regiments.
Before departure, Hazrat Umar (ra) gave many words of advice to Hazrat Sa’ad (ra).
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As per instructions of Hazrat Umar (ra), the Muslim army camped at Qadisiyyah, a small town,
about 30 miles east of Hira. Hazrat Umar (ra) studied a detailed map of the surrounding areas
and then sent his instructions to Hazrat Sa’ad (ra) about the tactics to be used.
Hazrat Sa’ad (ra) sent many peaceful delegations to the emperor for peaceful surrender and
payment of Jizya, or acceptance of Islam, otherwise they must be ready for war. The emperor
tried to bribe the Muslim delegations but they flatly refused his great offers. In a humiliating
reply, Yazdgard put a basketful of soil and placed it on the head of a Muslim envoy. Upon
receiving the basket, Hazrat Sa’ad (ra) remarked,
“Congratulations! The enemy has himself handed over his soil to us!”
The battle began. Even though Hazrat Sa’ad (ra) was unwell, he kept sending all instructions to
the Muslims from his sick bed. Rustam, along with his Persian war elephants, inflicted a heavy
attack on Muslim forces and the Muslims also fought back valiantly. There was no decision on the
first day, thus it is called the ‘Day of Confusion.’
On the second day Hazrat Umar (ra) sent reinforcements from Syria for Muslims, hence it is
called the ‘Day of Assistance.’ Some Persian commanders like Bahman, were killed but still the
battle remained inconclusive.
The third day of this battle is called the ‘Day of Distress’ as it began with burying of bodies on
both sides. There was great anxiety as who would be victorious in the end. Both armies fought
throughout the fourth night. As the fourth morning descended, victory seemed to be in favour of
the Muslims. This day is called the ‘Day of Clamour’ as the soldiers growled while charging
forward to kill each other. The Muslims were shouting the Takbir and Kalimah, fighting deep
within the enemy ranks. Rustam tried to flee across the river but he was caught and killed. About
two thirds of Persians were killed. Muslims lost one fifth of their men.
Victory at Qadisiyyah paved the way for Muslims to the Persian capital Madain (Ctesiphon),
which was conquered 2 months later. This victory finalized the fate of the Persians in favour of
Muslims.
(Battle of Yarmuk:)
The Battle of Yarmuk was fought against the Romans in 636 AD on the bank of the River Yarmuk
on the border of Syria and Jordon. The Roman emperor Heraclius was infuriated at his defeat at
Damascus, Jordon and Emissa (Homs). Heraclius raised a huge army of about 260,000 soldiers
and sent it against Muslims. The Muslims were only about 30,000. Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) had
already sent 4 battalions to 4 different cities of Roman empire: Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra),
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Shurahbeel (ra), Amr bin al-As (ra) and Yezid bin Abu Sufyan (ra). Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed
hastened to Syria with his 10,000 soldiers after his conquests in Persian empire to assist the
Muslims in this great upcoming battle.
The Roman army was led by Theodorus and the Muslim army was led by Hazrat Khalid bin
Waleed (ra). At one side of the Roman army’s camp was the Yarmuk River and on the other side
there was a mountain. When the Muslims camped right in front of them, there seemed to be no
route for escape for the Romans. Both armies had by now camped face to face. At first, Muslims
offered them the usual 3 options: pay Jizya and accept Muslim rule or accept Islam or be
prepared to fight. An effort was made for negotiations but it failed. Everyone prepared to fight.
Hazrat Khalid (ra) noticed that the Muslim army had no unified command and he clearly saw the
danger of 4 commanders giving orders. So he called together the commanders and gave a
proposal to all the 4 commanders to let him give the orders. All other commanders agreed to this
proposal and the command was handed to him. Meanwhile Ameer-ul-Momineen Hazrat Umar
(ra) sent an additional force of 6000 troops from Yemen.
Hazrat Khalid (ra) divided the army into 38 regiments and further divided them into the left wing,
the right wing and the middle. In this way, Hazrat Khalid (ra) launched a three-pronged attack
with the assistance of gifted commanders like Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra), Shurabeel (ra), Amr bin
al-As (ra) and Yezid bin Abu Sufyan (ra). The battle continued for 6 days. The Muslims were
already blocking the Romans’ way out of the valley. The Muslims showered them with arrows. In
despair, the Roman soldiers tried to flee towards the river. A watery death awaited them here
and upto 120,000 of them were drowned in the river.
Gradually Hazrat Khalid (ra) outsmarted the Romans. He would pretend to withdraw and thus
bring the Romans within the folds of the Muslim army. Hazrat Khalid’s ingenious war tactics
helped achieve victory even though the Muslims were so much lesser in number. On the 6 th day,
the Romans were defeated and began to flee. Nearly two thirds of the Romans were killed or
taken captives. The Muslims, however, lost only 3000 soldiers.
Victory in Yarmuk was decisive for Muslims as they had broken the power of Romans who now
shifted their capital to Constantinople (Turkey). This victory also paved the way for the Muslims
for a peaceful conquest of Jerusalem. As several reinforcements reached Jerusalem, the
Christians there surrendered peacefully.
_______________________________________________________________________________
The Roman commander fled away when he saw the advancing Muslim forces. The patriarch of
the Church of Holy Sepulchre, Sophronius was left behind and he decided to surrender
peacefully. However, he said he would only give the keys of the city of Jerusalem to the caliph
himself. Hazrat Abu Ubaidah (ra) wrote about this proposal of the partriarch to Ameer ul
Momineen (ra). Hazrat Umar (ra) consulted his advisors. At first Hazrat Uthman (ra) said that this
only seemed like a face-saving tactic of the Romans who had always looked down upon the
Muslims. So, it would be better to reject their demand. Hazrat Ali (ra), however, advised the
Caliph to accept this demand, as it would generate a spirit of generosity and respect from the
Muslims. Hazrat Umar (ra) liked Hazrat Ali’s (ra) idea and decided to proceed to Jerusalem. He
left Hazrat Ali (ra) as his deputy in Madina and prepared to leave.
When Hazrat Umar (ra) left Madina, he was wearing his usual rough clothes with patches. He had
only one slave and one animal to ride upon. Both took equal turns to ride upon the animal. When
they were about to enter Jerusalem, it was the slave’s turn to sit on the animal but he wanted to
get down saying that it wouldn’t look appropriate for the Ameer ul Momineen to be walking at
his reception. But Hazrat Umar (ra) stuck to his principles and told the slave to keep sitting. The
patriarch, Sophronius and his subjects along with other people of the city were eagerly
anticipating his arrival to give him a welcome fit for a king. As Hazrat Umar (ra) entered the gates
of Jerusalem, the people were shocked to see him walking in all his simplicity. Some of the
Companions, Abu Ubaidah (ra), Amr bin al-As (ra) etc., (also present there awaiting his arrival)
came up to him and expressed their disapproval at his clothes. But Hazrat Umar (ra) insisted
upon his ways.
Sophronius greeted him and handed over the keys of the city to him. The patriarch then offered
to show Hazrat Umar (ra) around the city. They were visiting the Holy Church of Sepulchre when
it was time for Salah. Sophronius invited him to say his prayers inside the church but Hazrat Umar
(ra) declined the request saying that he didn’t want future Muslims to convert this church
forcibly into a masjid. Hazrat Umar (ra) then said his prayers outside where he heard Hazrat Daud
(as) used to pray. After many years, Muslims constructed Masjid-e-Umar on that spot.
Hazrat Umar (ra) then visited the site of Masjid-e-Aqsa. He also desired to see the stone from
which the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had ascended to the skies (Miraj). It was found and Hazrat Umar
(ra) himself cleaned it with his hands.
Then an agreement was signed between the 2 leaders called the Treaty of Jerusalem. Under this
treaty, full protection of lives, honour, religion and property of the people of Jerusalem was
guaranteed. Jews and Christians were to live together. All citizens were required to pay Jizya, as
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an acknowledgment of the Muslim rule. If any Romans wanted to leave the city, they were
guaranteed a safe departure. Any new people in the town were exempted from Jizya until one
harvest had been gathered. All churches were to be protected by the Muslim rulers and none of
them were to be destroyed, confiscated or turned into dwelling places. The citizens were not to
be subjected to any compulsion. Due to the nobility and justice of Muslims, Jews were able to
visit Jerusalem peacefully after 500 years.
The treaty was signed by the patriarch, Ameer ul Momineen (ra) with Hazrat Khalid (ra) and Amr
bin al-As (ra) as witnesses. Thus the holy city of Jerusalem came under Muslim rule in a very
peaceful way.
Lessons:
____________________________________________________________________________
In late 638, following Khalid bin Waleed’s (ra) invasion of Byzantine areas, Khalid (ra) was
dismissed from commandership by Hazrat Umar (ra). Khalid's (ra) dismissal from army at zenith
of his power was due to the fact that Muslims started having faith in Khalid's (ra) command
rather than Allah, for being victorious which worried Umar (ra) , who saw this as a threat to
religious beliefs of Muslims which say they only rely on Allah.
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Khalid's (ra) removal created a strong wrath among the people on the ground that Khalid (ra), a
national hero, was mistreated by the Caliph and it was unjust to remove him from the army.
Some supporters of Khalid (ra) even tried to embolden him to rebel against Hazrat Umar's (ra)
discriminatory decision but Khalid (ra), though more than able to fight back, chose to accept the
decision. On his dismissal, Khalid (ra) didn't protest with a single word and accepted the decision
of the Caliph by heart. After that Khalid (ra) fought all battles of his life as a soldier.
Hazrat Umar (ra) was highly criticized publicly. Hazrat Umar (ra) thus explained his dismissal of
Khalid (ra) as:
‘I have not dismissed Khalid (ra) because of my anger or because of any dishonesty on his part,
but because people glorified him and were misled. I feared that people would rely on him for
victory. I want them to know that it is Allah who does all things…’
______________________________________________________________________________
His master, Mughira allowed him to live in his own household in the Islamic capital of Madina.
Firoz Abu Lulu worked as a carpenter, a blacksmith and an engraver and paid a daily tax to his
master. Abu Lulu wanted a reduction in the daily tax, 2 Dirhams, that he paid to his master. He
came to Hazrat Umar (ra) in this regard, requesting him a concession in his tax. Hazrat Umar (ra)
asked him about his work. He also wrote to Mughira and inquired about the tax; Mughirah's reply
was satisfactory, and Umar (ra) said that the tax charged to Abu Lulu was justified, owing to his
daily income. This was atypical of Hazrat Umar’s (ra) total impartiality as he was very firm about
the correct observations of all regulations. Upon having his plea rejected, Abu Lulu left angrily,
threatening to kill him in revenge.
The next morning, Abu Lulu hid in one corner of Masjid-e-Nabwi, waiting for the Fajr
congregational prayer to start. As Hazrat Umar (ra) started the prayers and went into Ruku, Abu
Lulu stabbed him six times with a dagger in the stomach. Unable to continue the prayers, Umar
(ra) quickly took the hand of Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra), signaling him to complete the prayers.
Such was his concern, that he did not want the Companions’ prayer to be disturbed under any
circumstance. Some Companions tried to capture Abu Lulu who managed to stab 6 other
Muslims before finally stabbing himself, committing suicide. When Hazrat Umar (ra) found who
had stabbed him, he exclaimed,
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Hazrat Umar (ra) passed away 3 days after this fatal attack. Knowing he had limited time, he
formed a six-panel committee, to decide who would be the next caliph. These were six of the
Blessed Companions, Hazrat Ali, Uthman, Abdur Rahman bin Awf, Talhah, Zubair and Sa’ad bin
Abi Waqqas (ra). Some people asked Umar (ra) to simply make his son, Abdullah (ra) the next
caliph but Hazrat Umar (ra) rejected this idea of nepotism (showing favoritism to your
relatives/friends). He spent his remaining days trying to sort all state matters before he died.
Hazrat Umar (ra) also sent his son, Abdullah bin Umar (ra) to ask Hazrat Aisha’s (ra) permission
for Umar (ra) to be buried in her apartment, next to the Prophet’s (pbuh) and Abu Bakr’s (ra)
graves. (Hazrat Aisha (ra) started weeping and replied, “Even though I had kept this place for my
own grave, but today I prefer Umar (ra) to myself.”)
Even though Hazrat Aisha (ra) had given the permission, Umar (ra) instructed his son to ask her
permission again, after his death. And so it was done. Umar (ra) was laid to rest next to the
graves of the Prophet (pbuh) and Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra).
As he was buried, Hazrat Ali (ra) stood with tears streaming down his face and remarked,
“Umar (ra)! By Allah I knew that no one except you could take this place beside Rasulullah
(pbuh) and Abu Bakr (ra), for I heard the Prophet (pbuh) say it so many times: ‘I, Abu Bakr and
Umar sat…,’ ‘I, Abu Bakr and Umar went….,’ ‘ I, Abu Bakr and Umar entered…’ ”
Lessons from Hazrat Umar’s (ra) martyrdom/ Character of Umar (ra) at the time of his
martyrdom:
1. Simplicity (did not want to waste money on security guards, also wanted his people to
have open access to him)
2. Courageous believer, feared Allah only, faith in Allah only (did not feel the need for
guards)
3. Sense of Responsibility of Imamat, wanted continuation of Salah, even when fatally
stabbed (signaled Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra) to continue the salah)
4. Sense of Justice and Responsibility of Future Arrangements (made a 6-panel committee
to decide the next caliph)
5. Against Nepotism (refused to make his son the next caliph)
6. Love for the Prophet (pbuh) & Abu Bakr (ra) (wanted to be buried next to them)
7. Respect for the Wives of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) (did not want to impose his orders
upon anyone as a caliph, respectfully asked Hazrat Aisha’s (ra) permission to be buried in
her apartment)
_______________________________________________________________________________
(many other things can also be derived about his character from his administrative measures)
Q. Write an account of the administrative measures put in place by Hazrat Umar (ra) during his
caliphate. (10)
Q. Hazrat Umar’s (ra) caliphate is called the ‘golden era’ of Islam. Discuss. (10) [students
will write about his administration and briefly about the expansion of Muslim empire]
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Q. Write an account of the campaigns of Hazrat Umar (ra). or Q. Trace the expansion of the
Islamic empire under the rule of Caliph Umar (ra). (10)
Q. Was Umar (ra) better as a military leader or as an administrator? Give reasons for your
answer. (4)
Q. How does Umar’s (ra) conduct at the surrender of Jerusalem set an example for Muslims
today? (4)
Q. What lessons can Muslims learn from Hazrat Umar’s (ra) conversion? (4)
Al-Farooq: ready to kill someone whom he thought was wrongly causing chaos in his
society
brave and fearless: openly walked the Makkan streets with a bare sword in his hand
A man of principles: not afraid to fight his own family for something he thought was
wrong
Seeker of truth: when he realized there might be something true in it, he insisted upon
reading the verses of Quran that had impressed his sister so much
No pride when it came to truth: one should accept the truth when one sees it
Q. What lessons can Muslims today learn from Umar’s (ra) martyrdom? (4)
Q. What can you tell about Umar’s (ra) character from his martyrdom? (4)
Q. What does the way he died tell us about his character? (4)
Q. ‘Umar’s (ra) unbending attitude led to his assassination.’ What can Muslims learn from this?
(4)
Sample Answer: Hazrat Umar (ra) was a man of strict principles. He did not give undue
concession or favour to anyone. All slaves were to have equal rights and treatment under his
rule. As a consequence of his inflexible and impartial principles, he was targeted by a man who
harboured a personal grudge against him. Even though Abu Lulu threatened to kill him, Hazrat
Umar (ra) did not waver from his decision, because Umar (ra) was sure that he was doing the
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right thing. Hazrat Umar (ra) was very brave, not afraid of anyone. Hazrat Umar (ra) had strong
faith in Allah as his protector at all times. Hazrat Umar (ra) died for maintaining justice and
equality. Umar (ra) achieved martyrdom for his unbending attitude.
(1) Similarly, Muslims today should also not be afraid to live and die for abiding by their
principles. (2) They should also be brave and not be intimidated by cowardly threats. (3) Muslims
today should have faith like Umar (ra) had in Allah. (4) They should also remain firm when it
comes to equal rights and justice for all. (5) His martyrdom is an inspiration for Muslims today, a
leader who died for trying to give equal rights to all, for the pleasure of Allah only!
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The Third Rightly Guided Caliph: HAZRAT UTHMAN BIN AFFAN (RA)
Nomination as Caliph:
When the second caliph, Hazrat Umar (ra) was fatally stabbed by a Persian slave, Firoz Abu Lulu,
he realized that he would not survive, and he formed a six-panel committee, to decide who
would be the next caliph. These were six of the Blessed Companions, Hazrat Ali, Uthman, Abdur
Rahman bin Awf, Talhah, Zubair and Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas (ra). Hazrat Umar (ra) instructed them
to make this decision within 3 days after his death. He further instructed his son, Hazrat Abdullah
bin Umar (ra) to make sure this process was carried out smoothly and fairly. At the same time, he
ordered that Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (ra) himself was not to be elected.
Hazrat Talhah (ra) was not in Madina at that time. After Hazrat Umar’s (ra) burial, the committee
held its first meeting (with the exception of Hazrat Talhah ra). In this meeting, Hazrat Abdur
Rahman bin Awf (ra) gave up his right to be elected but requested the authority to decide who
would be the caliph after all discussion and consultation. Everyone agreed to this idea. The
committee then dispersed to meet again the next day.
Meanwhile Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra) separately consulted Hazrat Ali (ra) and Hazrat
Uthman (ra) who they would choose to be the caliph if they themselves were not chosen. Hazrat
Ali (ra) said, “You should appoint Uthman (ra).” Hazrat Uthman (ra) said, “You should appoint Ali
(ra).” When Hazrat Saad (ra) was asked his opinion he said, “You should appoint either Uthman
(ra) or Ali (ra),” whereas Hazrat Zubair (ra) showed preference for Hazrat Uthman (ra). The
options were narrowed down to two candidates, Hazrat Ali (ra) and Hazrat Uthman (ra). Abdur
Rahman (ra) said to them both,
“Now which of you is willing to give up his right of candidacy so that he may choose the better
of the (remaining) two?”
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But no final decision was yet made. Hazrat Abdur Rahman (ra) said to Hazrat Ali (ra),
“I ask you, by Allah, to promise that if I select you as ruler, you will do justice, and if I select
Usman (ra) as a ruler, you will listen to him and obey him.”
Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra) then consulted many senior Companions of the Prophet
(pbuh) to get advice about whom they thought would be the best caliph. Most Companions were
inclined towards choosing Hazrat Uthman (ra). On the fourth day after Hazrat Umar’s (ra) death,
Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra) addressed the people of Madina and said, “I have consulted
every group on this matter to the best of my ability. All groups have approved of the person I
have chosen to be our next caliph.” Then he called Hazrat Uthman (ra) and pledged allegiance to
him declaring him as the chosen caliph. All Muslims including Hazrat Ali (ra) pledged their
allegiance to him. Hazrat Uthman (ra) said,
“O People! I have been selected as your Trustee, although I’m no better than any one of you. If
I’m right, obey me. If I’m misguided, set me right.”
“When Uthman (ra) swore allegiance, we placed the best amongst us in authority, and we
were not remiss (negligent).”
[The sixth member of the committee, Hazrat Talhah (ra) later returned to Madina. Hazrat
Uthman (ra) said to him, “I was elected Khalifa in your absence. If you wish, I will hand over the
Khilafat to you right now.” But Hazrat Talhah (ra) replied, “I wholeheartedly accept you as
khalifa, just as all the people did. I do not wish to create disunity among the Muslims.” And he
immediately pledged allegiance to Hazrat Uthman (ra).]
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1. Islam weak in Conquered Areas: Most new Muslims in newly conquered areas had not yet
imbibed the true spirit of Islam; the characteristic love, selflessness and sacrifice for all.
Moreover, the Jews (who had lost their religious and economic supremacy, and had been
expelled from Madina) longed to take revenge for all their past grievances. They were looking for
opportunities to divide the Muslims.
2. Conspiracy of Abdullah ibn Sabah: Abdullah ibn Sabah (from Yemen) claimed to have accepted
Islam but he was a shrewd Jew to the core of his heart. He settled in Madina and noticed some
friction between Banu Hashim (the Prophet’s pbuh clan) and Banu Umayyad (Uthman’s (ra) clan).
These 2 clans had been rivals for ages but the rivalry was suppressed during the time of the
Prophet (pbuh) and the first 2 Caliphs. Now Abdullah ibn Sabah highly promoted this rivalry.
Abdullah bin Sabah projected himself as a great lover of the Prophet’s (pbuh) family. He claimed
that since every prophet left behind an inheritor of his mission, Hazrat Ali (ra) was the rightful
inheritor or ‘wasi’ of the Prophet (pbuh) and the caliphate. Abdullah was inciting hostility
between the Hashimites and the Ummayyads and Hazrat Uthman (ra) could have punished or
arrested him. Instead, he expelled him from Madina from where he went to Kufa, Busra, Egypt
and started a movement against Hazrat Uthman (ra). This highlighted rivalry and jealousy
between the Hashimites and Ummayyads weakened the unity among Muslims and it weakened
the power of Hazrat Uthman (ra).
Abdullah bin Sabah criticized the governors and encouraged people to rise against Hazrat
Uthman (ra) over minor issues. He exaggerated, to a great extent, any complaint against Hazrat
Uthman’s (ra) appointed governors. Forged letters were sent to different cities, exaggerating the
problems and the unrest in Byzantine areas, even though, initially, the number of rebels was very
small. This led people to think that there was widespread unrest in the Muslim community when
it was next to nothing. With such tactics, the number of his followers including the Jews,
hypocrites and unsuspecting new Muslims, the Sabaites, grew day by day.
These conspirators were the worst enemies of Islam and their leader was Abdullah ibn Sabah.
They wanted to break the unity of the Muslims so that there would be a civil war.
3. Lenient and Soft Nature of Hazrat Uthman (ra): Where Hazrat Umar (ra) was famous for his
strictness and quick harsh decisions, Hazrat Uthman (ra) was loved for his gentle, soft-hearted
nature and leniency. However, the enemies of Islam took advantage of his soft-heartedness. He
gave more liberty and independence to his governors so they may govern in a better way and he
often overlooked their faults. In this way, some governors got away with corrupt practices. This
caused unrest among the public and this ultimately erupted in protests in different parts of the
Muslim Empire.
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4. Rivalry between Arabs and Non-Arabs: Arabs were not allowed to buy lands in newly
conquered areas of the Muslim Empire during Hazrat Umar’s (ra) caliphate. Hazrat Uthman (ra),
using his own judgment, gave this allowance and Arabs were allowed to settle in other areas. This
increased hostility between the Arabs and non-Arabs.
Hazrat Uthman (ra) dispatched deputations to various provinces to investigate the complaints
against the governors. It turned out that the complaints were false and seemed to be part of a
scheme to create discord and unstability in the community. Hazrat Uthman (ra) then sent letters
to all provinces requesting the people to come forward at the time of Hajj and lodge their
complaints to him directly so he could address them. Not a single complaint was lodged.
Hazrat Uthman (ra) understood the evil schemes of the mischief makers, but being a lenient and
forgiving man, he took no action against the rebels, despite the suggestions of his advisors.
______________________________________________________________________________
1. It was alleged that Hazrat Uthman (ra) had appointed relatives as governors of four provinces
namely, Syria, Egypt, Kufa and Busra. The rebels demanded that the governor of Egypt Hazrat
Abdullah bin Saad bin Sarah (ra) should be removed and Hazrat Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (ra)
should be made the governor of Egypt.
2. It was alleged that Hazrat Uthman (ra) was too lenient with his governors.
3. Hazrat Uthman (ra) was accused of burning sacred copies of the Holy Quran. Some alleged that
there were supposed to be 40 chapters of Quran, which were reduced to 30 by Hazrat Uthman
(ra).
4. Hazrat Uthman (ra) was accused of being extravagant and taking money from the Bait-ul-Maal
and spending it on expensive gifts given to his relatives and friends.
5. The Caliph was also accused of keeping the public pastures (fields) for his personal use and
that he had forbidden the public to graze on them.
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When these allegations were made, Hazrat Ali (ra) and other Companions talked to Hazrat
Uthman (ra) and Hazrat Uthman (ra) gave a convincing clear defense to every accusation:
(Reply to the 1st Accusation:) Although it was true that the 4 governors of the Syria, Egypt, Kufa
and Busra were his relatives, Hazrat Uthman (ra) reminded everyone that the governors of Syria
and Egypt had been appointed by Hazrat Umar (ra) himself during his caliphate. When Hazrat
Uthman (ra) took the reins of the government, he let them continue their roles as they were
working efficiently. [The governor of Syria was Muawiyah, the brother-in-law of Hazrat Uthman
(ra), and the governor of Egypt was Abdullah bin Saad (ra), his foster-brother].
Also, Hazrat Uthman (ra) explained that as long as the governors were able to fulfill the criteria
set by Hazrat Umar (ra), and as long as they were honest and working efficiently, there was no
legal ruling in Islam that it was forbidden to appoint a relative as a governor. (The clan of Uthman
(ra) i.e. the Ummayyads were naturally endowed with great administrative qualities.)
As for the governor of Kufa, at first Hazrat Uthman (ra) had appointed Hazrat Sa’d bin Abi
Waqqas (ra) as its governor. When Hazrat Uthman (ra) felt that he was not able to control the
situation efficiently, he deposed him and made his step-brother the new governor. The step-
brother of Uthman (ra), Walid, proved to be extremely capable during 5 years of his leadership.
In Busra, the previous governor, Abu Musa al-Ashri was deposed at the demand of the public and
the Hazrat Uthman (ra) appointed his cousin in his place in accordance with the wishes of the
people of Busra. He too, proved to be a very successful governor conquering Faras, Sistan etc.
(Reply to the 2nd Accusation:) Hazrat Uthman (ra) agreed that he was lenient with his governors.
But he did this to give them independence in running the provinces and he did not interfere in
their day-to-day affairs. Hazrat Uthman (ra) had confidence in their capabilities. Hazrat Uthman
(ra) did not consider extreme restrictions necessary on governors. So he allowed them the liberty
of doing what they considered best.
(Reply to the 3rd Accusation: ) Hazrat Uthman (ra) had the Quran compiled again to have one
standardized copy of Quran to avoid any possible division among Muslims. Then he had all other
copies from far-off areas burnt. His intentions were pure and praiseworthy. Everything he did
was after consultation with other Companions. He did not take these decisions independently.
Hazrat Ali (ra) later said about him, “Say nothing about Usman (RA) except what is good. For, by
Allah! Whatever he did in connection with the transcription of Quran was done in the presence
of all of us and with our advice and counsel.”
(Reply to the 4th Accusation: ) Hazrat Uthman (ra) was a rich and generous businessman before
he was made a caliph. His business continued to be run by his managers while he fulfilled his
responsibilities as the caliph. He proved to the Companions how he had afforded to give
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expensive gifts to his acquaintances by giving them financial accounts of his income. The
Companions were very satisfied with his explanation.
(Reply to the 5th Accusation: ) It was well known that the previous caliphs Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra)
and Umar (ra) used to reserve separate pastures for grazing of war horses and camels. Hazrat
Uthman (ra) was merely following the practice of previous caliphs; he had no personal interest in
those pastures.
After Hazrat Uthman (ra) gave justifiable explanations for all accusations, he agreed to depose
the current governor of Egypt (Abdullah bin Saad ra) and make Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (ra) the
governor in his place. Hazrat Ali (ra) and other Companions talked to the rebels and the general
public seemed to be satisfied. After lengthy negotiations, the rebels had no other point of
contention, so they agreed to leave.
The rebels now besieged Hazrat Uthman’s (ra) house. At first they did not cause any trouble.
Later they wouldn’t allow Hazrat Uthman (ra) to go to Masjid-e-Nabi for prayers. They ordered
the people of Madina to stay within their homes or else there would be dangerous
consequences. They also started blocking people from bringing any food or water inside his
house. They became increasingly adamant and aggressive. Hazrat Ali (ra) advised Hazrat Uthman
(ra) to use military force against the rebels but Hazrat Uthman (ra) could not agree to Muslim
blood being shed under his caliphate. He remembered a hadith of the Prophet (pbuh), “Once a
sword is unsheathed among my followers, it will not be sheathed until the Last Day.”
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Concerned for Hazrat Uthman’s (ra) safety, Hazrat Ali (ra) asked his 2 sons Hassan (ra) and
Hussain (ra) to guard the house of Hazrat Uthman (ra). Hazrat Zubair (ra) also appointed his son
Abdullah bin Zubair (ra) as a guard outside Uthman’s (ra) house. Things started getting tense and
the rebels would resist anyone who would try to take food inside his house. Not wanting any
violence, Hazrat Uthman (ra) tried to reason with the rebels several times. He reminded them of
all the times he had stood by the Prophet (pbuh), donating enormous amounts for the welfare of
the Muslims, but the rebels were unmoved. The siege lasted for about 40 days. It was the time of
Hajj and the rebels were afraid the pilgrims would return soon and try to relieve Hazrat Uthman
(ra).
It was the day of Friday, 18 Zilhajj 35 A.H. (656 A.D.) Hazrat Uthman (ra) had a dream in which the
Prophet (pbuh), Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) said, “Hurry O Uthman (ra)! We are waiting for you
to join us at Iftar.” Hazrat Uthman (ra) woke up and said, “Today I will taste martyrdom.” He took
a bath and started reciting the Quran. Some of the rebels jumped over the back wall and entered
his house. He had kept a fast and was reciting verse 137 of Surah Baqarah, “So Allah will suffice
you against them, and He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing,” when the rebels struck on his head with
a sword. His wife, Hazrat Naila (ra) tried to protect him and her fingers were cut off in this
pursuit. Hazrat Uthman’s blood dripped on the pages of Quran. He was stabbed several times
until he breathed his last. The Prophet’s (pbuh) prophecy of his assassination had come true,
“This one (Uthman ra) will be wrongly killed.”
No one was allowed to touch his dead body for 3 days. Finally a group of Muslims were allowed
to bury his body without a Ghusl. He lived for 80 years and was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi.
The martyrdom of Hazrat Uthman (ra) sent shockwaves throughout the Muslim Empire. The unity
of the Ummah had been broken. The damage to the relations between Hashimites and
Umayyads became irrevocable. The political parties soon divided into religious sects. What the
Prophet (pbuh) had prophesised proved to be true; Muslims had unsheathed the sword upon
another Muslim and now this pattern would forever continue! Hazrat Uthman’s (ra) patience in
this regard is praiseworthy; he raised no arms against Muslims even if they killed him! He
displayed extreme fortitude and strength of character during the protests.
[Topics: Administration and Character of Hazrat Uthman (ra) to be done from the Textbooks]
Foreign powers felt that it would be easier to contest Hazrat Uthman (RA) in taking back some of
the lands conquered during Umar’s (RA) era. There were several uprisings in the Byzantine
Empire. Uthman (RA) tackled them with a tough attitude organising military campaigns with
great skill. He reestablished a firm grip over the conquered areas. Futhermore, all of North
Africa, including Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco came under his rule. The islands of Cyprus,
Crete, Rhodes were also conquered.
Reconquest of Egypt
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With the death of Umar (RA), the Byzantines seized Alexandria in Egypt, thinking it to be the right
time to take action. Uthman (RA) again sent Amr ibn al-As (RA) to defend Egypt and made him
commander-in-chief of Egypt.
Conquest of North Africa
Abdullah ibn Saad (RA), the governor of Egypt, felt that a regular campaign should be undertaken
for the conquest of North Africa where the Byzantine influence was strong. Uthman (RA) gave
him permission after consulting the Shura and a force of 10,000 soldiers was sent as
reinforcement. The King Gregory was defeated and killed in the battle. After the battle the people
of North Africa submitted in peace and they agreed to pay Jizya.
First Muslim invasion of Iberian Peninsula (modern day Spain)
According to the general books of Islamic history, the conquest of Spain is attributed to Tariq ibn-
Ziyad in 711 – 712 A.D, in the time of the Umayyad Caliph, al-Walid I. However, Spain was first
invaded some sixty years earlier during the caliphate of Uthman (RA). When North Africa had
been duly conquered by Abdullah ibn Saad, two of his generals were commissioned to invade the
coastal areas of Spain by sea. An Arab force landed in Spain, and succeeded in conquering the
coastal areas of Al-Andalus. Presumably the Muslims established some colonies on the coast of
Spain. These Muslims entered into trade relations with the rest of Spain and other parts
of Europe.
Campaign against Nubia (Sudan)
A campaign was undertaken against Nubia during the Caliphate of Umar in 642 AD, but the
campaign was inconclusive and the army was pulled out of Nubia without any success. Since then
there was tension on borders due to Nubian raiding parties.
Ten years later in 652 AD, Uthman’s (RA) governor of Egypt, Abdullah ibn Saad, sent another
army to Nubia. The battle was once again inconclusive, because of the Nubian archers who let
loose a shower of arrows aimed at the eyes of the Muslim warriors. As the Muslims were not
able to overpower the Nubians, they accepted the offer of peace from the Nubian king.
According to the treaty that was signed, each side agreed not to make any aggressive moves
against the other.
Conquest of the islands of Mediterranean Sea
During his reign Uthman (RA) gave Muawiyah permission to build a navy after considering the
matter closely. The Muslim force landed on Cyprus in 649 AD. There was only a small
Byzantine garrison on the island, which was overpowered without any difficulty. The islanders
submitted to the Muslims, and agreed to pay a tribute of 7,000 dinars per year. The conquest of
Cyprus was the first naval conquest of the Muslims. After Cyprus Muslim naval fleet headed
towards the islands of Crete and then Rhodes and conquered them without much resistance. In
652-654, the Muslims launched a naval campaign against Sicily and they succeeded in capturing a
large part of the island. Soon after this Uthman (RA) was murdered, no further expansion was
made.
Controlling the Revolts - Byzantine attempt to re-conquer Syria
After the death of Umar (RA), the Byzantine emperor, Constantine III, decided to re-capture Syria
which had been lost to the Muslims during Umar’s (RA) reign. A full-scale invasion was planned
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and a force of 80,000 soldiers was sent to re-conquer Syria. Muawiyah, the governor of Syria,
called for reinforcements and Uthman (RA) ordered the governor of Kufa to send a contingent,
which together with the Syrians defeated the Byzantine army.
Re-conquest of Faras (Iran)
The province of Faras in Persia was conquered by the Muslims during the Caliphate of Umar (RA).
In Uthman’s (RA) reign, like other provinces of Persia, Faras also broke into revolt. Uthman (RA)
directed Abdullah bin Amir, the governor of Basra, to take immediate steps to retrieve the land.
After a violent battle, the Muslims were able to regain control of the capital once again. All of the
leaders among the Persians who were involved in instigating the revolt were hunted down and
executed. With the fall of the capital, other cities in Faras also submitted unconditionally. Thus
the Muslims once again became the masters of Faras. Uthman’s appointed governor of Faras,
after analyzing the situation, sent Islamic missionaries to various cities of the region to help
convert the people to Islam to avert future revolts. A large number of people embraced Islam.
Re-conquest of Sistan (modern day Iran and Afghanistan)
In the 7th century, the Persian Empire's province of Sistan extended from modern day
Iran to Afghanistan and to the Balochistan (today province of Pakistan.)
Sistan was captured during the reign of Umar (RA), and like other provinces of the Persian
Empire, it also broke into revolt during Uthman’s reign in 649 AD . Uthman (RA) directed the
governor of Basra, Abdullah ibn Amir to re-conquer the Persian province of Sistan. A contingent
was sent to Sistan under the command of Rabiah ibn Ziyad. With the Muslims victorious, the
citizens asked for peace. After they agreed to pay jizya the Muslims left the citizens in peace.
Thereafter the Muslims marched northward into Afghanistan to subjugate the rest of the
province. Rabiah remained the governor of Sistan for two years, then he left for Basra. As soon as
he left the province of Sistan, it broke into revolt once again.
Second Invasion:
This time, after obtaining the approval of Uthman (RA), Abdullah ibn Amir appointed Abdur
Rahman ibn Sumrah to command the army in the invasion of Sistan. The old story of siege,
blockade and surrender was repeated. Abdur Rahman ibn Sumrah made peace with the Persians
undertaking to pay an annual jizya of 20 million dirham.
The Muslim force advanced into the interior of Afghanistan and, after capturing the main town,
most of the towns surrendered without offering resistance. After making these conquests, Abdur
Rahman ibn Sumrah returned to the provincial capital and stayed there as governor till the end of
the caliphate of Uthman.
Re-conquest of Khorasan (modern day Iran, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan)
Khorasan, the province of the Persian Empire expanded from what is now part of Iran,
Afghanistan and southern Turkmenistan. It was conquered during the reign of Umar (RA). After
the death of Umar, Khorasan broke into revolt under Emperor Yazdgard III.
In 651 AD, Uthman (RA) sent Abdullah ibn Amir, the governor of Basra, to re-conquer Khorasan.
Abdullah ibn Amir marched with a large force from Basra to Khorasan. Most cities surrendered
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except one, which was later taken by force. The campaign in Khorasan ended successfully in 654
AD.
Campaign in Uzbekistan
After consolidating the Muslim authority in Khorasan, Abdullah ibn Aamir crossed the Amu
Darya (Oxus River) and invaded Uzbekistan.
Re-conquest of Makran (modern day Pakistan)
Makran was conquered during the reign of Umar (RA). At the western bank of the Indus
River they defeated the Hindu king of Sindh, Raja Rasil.
During the reign of Caliph Uthman (RA), Makran broke into revolt along with other Persian
dominions. Uthman (RA) sent his commander to re-conquer Makran, along with other adjoining
areas of Persia. In 650 AD, the army under his command conquered it after a series of skirmishes,
however no pitched battles were fought.
During Caliph Uthman’s reign in 652 AD, Balochistan was re-conquered. It was the first time that
western Balochistan had come directly under the Laws of the Caliphate and it paid an agricultural
tribute.
Campaign in Sindh (Pakistan)
The army first entered Sindh during the reign of Umar, in 644 AD. In 644 AD, the army
concentrated near the west bank of Indus River and defeated the Hindu king of Sindh, Raja Rasil.
His armies retreated and crossed the river.
In response to Umar’s (RA) question about the Makran (Sindh) region, the messenger from
Makran who brought the news of the victory told him:
It's a land where the plains are stony;
Where water is scanty;
Where the fruits are unsavoury
Where men are known for treachery;
Where virtue is held of little account…
After the death of Umar (RA), these areas, like other regions of the Persian Empire, broke into
revolt and Uthman (RA) sent forces to re-conquer them. Uthman (RA) also sent his agent to
investigate the matters of Indian subcontinent. On his return he told Uthman (RA) about the
miserable conditions of the region. Uthman (RA) avoided campaigning in the Sindh interior, and,
like Umar (RA) he ordered his armies not to cross the Indus river.
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The Fourth Rightly Guided Caliph: HAZRAT ALI BIN ABI TALIB (RA)
Election as Caliph:
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The horrendous murder of Hazrat Uthman (ra) had gripped the city of Madina with terror. People
all across the Muslim Empire were shocked to receive this news. The Muslims were without any
leader for 3 days. There was chaos and anarchy everywhere. The rebels remained in Madina for 4
days. Now that their heinous object of removing Hazrat Uthman (ra) had been achieved, they
wanted to make sure the next caliph was chosen before they left. The rebels themselves were
divided into 3 groups; some wanted Hazrat Ali (ra) to be the next caliph, some wanted Hazrat
Talhah (ra), while others wanted Hazrat Zubair (ra) to take the office. They asked Hazrat Ali (ra) to
take the responsibility but he refused it. The rebels then asked Hazrat Talhah (ra) and Hazrat
Zubair (ra) to be the caliph but both rejected it. No one wanted this responsibility in such chaotic
circumstances. At last, the rebels threatened that if the new caliph was not chosen within 24
hours, they would take drastic action.
The people of Madina were scared and wanted the rebels to leave as soon as possible. They
requested Hazrat Ali (ra) to become the caliph as he seemed the most competent person for this
tough responsibility. Hazrat Talhah (ra) and Hazrat Zubair (ra) also expressed their approval for
Hazrat Ali (ra) to be the new leader. Reluctant and unwilling, Hazrat Ali (ra) saw no better
alternative except to take the position.
On 21st of Zilhajj, 35 A.H., the rebels and the people of Madina took pledge at his hand. The
rebels pretended that their only intention had only been to replace Hazrat Uthman (ra) with
someone better. Hazrat Ali (ra) said, “O People! I have been selected as your Trustee, although
I’m no better than anyone of you. If I’m right, obey me. If I’m misguided, set me right.”
As soon as he took the office, Hazrat Ali (ra) faced great difficulties and tough decision-making
regarding the assassins of Hazrat Uthman (ra), the controversial governors and keeping the
Muslims at bay until he could punish the assassins. It would take tireless work to bring back law
and order. The pressure was immense and Hazrat Ali (ra) knew he had to act fast.
One of the first things Hazrat Ali (ra) did was to shift the capital of the Muslim Empire from
Madina to Kufa. The violent way in which Hazrat Uthman (ra) had been martyred in the City of
the Prophet (pbuh) was blasphemous to the sanctity of the city and he did not want any more
untoward incidents in this peaceful city. Also, Hazrat Ali (ra) would have more control in the
newly conquered lands if he was present there himself. Thus, he shifted there.
People wanted the murderers of Hazrat Uthman (ra) to be punished as soon as possible. Hazrat
Ali (ra), however, started his caliphate with a different approach. Perhaps he wanted to strike at
the root cause of the rebellion i.e. the controversy over the governors. He also thought that the
governors should have controlled the activities of the rebels. This failure on their part had been
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responsible for the atrocious murder of Uthman (ra). Thus, the first action that Hazrat Ali (ra)
took was to dismiss all provincial governors and appoint new governors in their place. Some
Companions, as his advisors, urged him not to take hasty action. They advised him to get the
pledge of loyalty first from the old governors. But Hazrat Ali (ra) did not deem this necessary. As a
result, there were protests in some provinces. The governor of Kufa did not step down. The
greatest opposition came from Muawiyah, the governor of Syria, who completely refused to
accept the orders of Hazrat Ali (ra). He claimed that he had not taken any pledge at Hazrat Ali’s
(ra) hand. The new governor who had been sent to replace Muawiyah was met with an army at
the Syrian border, who told him to go back as they did not acknowledge Hazrat Ali (as) as the
caliph.
Muawiyah bin Abu Suyan (brother of Hazrat Naila) was the brother-in-law of Hazrat Uthman (ra).
He said he would never step down until the assassins of Hazrat Uthman’s (ra) murderers had
been punished under the law of Qisas. He raised hue and cry over this issue and many people
supported him.
When Hazrat Ali (ra) found that Muawiyah had blatantly refused to step down, he was left with
little alternative except to fight him. He was preparing to raise an army when he heard that
Hazrat Aisha (ra) was coming with an army towards Busra. Hazrat Ali (ra) decided to deal with
Muawiyah later and focused on Busra first.
MAIN EVENTS:
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Hazrat Aisha (ra) had gone for Hajj to Makkah when the rebels had killed Hazrat Uthman (ra) in
cold blood. The Hajjis in Makkah felt distraught when they heard what had happened in Madina.
Hazrat Talhah (ra) and Hazrat Zubair (ra) met up with her in Makkah and expressed their
disappointment and concern over how the murderers of Hazrat Uthman (ra) were still roaming
freely. Hazrat Aisha (ra) agreed with Talhah (ra) and Zubair (ra) that revenge for Uthman’s (ra)
ruthless murder was obligatory upon all Muslims. They vowed to do everything in their power to
make sure it was done without delay. Hazrat Aisha (ra) made a speech to the Muslims in Makkah,
expressing a need for their support to march out in protest to get justice for Hazrat Uthman’s (ra)
murder. Hundreds of people responded to her call and a 3000 army under the leadership of
Hazrat Aisha (ra) decided to march towards Busra (near the new capital Kufa) to convince Hazrat
Ali (ra) to attend to this matter first.
Hazrat Aisha (ra) reached Busra with the army. Hazrat Talhah (ra) and Zubair (ra) were with her.
Hazrat Ali (ra) had great regard for the Mother of Believers and he did not wish to confront her in
any way. He sent an envoy from Kufa to Hazrat Aisha (ra) to ask her the object of her arrival.
Hazrat Aisha (ra) replied that they had come to tell Muslims of their duty to avenge the cold-
blooded murder of Hazrat Uthman (ra). The envoy replied that the way she chose for getting
justice for Hazrat Uthman (ra) was inappropriate. He suggested her to have negotiations with
Hazrat Ali (ra). Hazrat Aisha (ra) agreed. Her purpose had always been to convince Hazrat Ali (ra)
to take immediate measures, she never wished to have blood shed among Muslims.
Hazrat Ali (ra) was very pleased at taking matters to the table. He arrived in Busra with his 10.000
soldiers and negotiations began. Both armies camped face to face in peace. Hazrat Ali (ra)
showed Hazrat Aisha (ra), Talhah (ra) and Zubair (ra) how difficult it was to bring the empire
under control at the moment. He promised to punish the perpetrators as soon as he gained
control across the empire. Hazrat Aisha (ra) and the Companions saw his point of view and they
were convinced that Hazrat Ali (ra) would fulfill his promise.
However, when the mischief-makers saw a peaceful negotiation taking place, they knew they
would soon be caught in the unity of the Muslims. This peaceful negotiation meant destruction
for them. They decided to ignite a battle even though none of their leaders had given any orders
to fight. Thus, in the early hours of the morning, as both armies lay asleep, under the cover of
darkness, the mischief-makers attacked a few people of Hazrat Aisha’s army. It was unclear who
started the fight, but before Hazrat Ali (ra) and Hazrat Aisha (ra) could give any command, by
sunrise, a battle was being fought in full swing. Both armies thought the other had initiated the
fight. Hazrat Alisha (ra) entered the battlefield mounted on a camel as a leader. She came to
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order her supporters to stop the fighting but everyone thought she had come to lead her army.
Both sides fought fiercely and thousands of Muslims lost their lives. Hazrat Talhah (ra) and Zubair
(ra) were deeply grieved to see Muslims shedding each others’ blood. They did not wish to
participate in this bloody battle. They were leaving the battlefield individually when some
mischief-mongers martyred them both.
The fighting was especially fierce around Hazrat Aisha (ra). Hazrat Ali (ra) realized the only way to
control this chaos was to disable her camel. The legs of Hazrat Aisha’s (ra) camel were cut off and
it was brought down. Hence the battle is called, ‘The Battle of Camel.’ The battle came to an end
with Hazrat Aisha’s (ra) defeat. About 10,000 Muslims lost their lives in this battle. Both parties
reconciled.
Hazrat Ali (ra) treated Hazrat Aisha (ra) with utmost respect. He gave his own camel for her to
ride back to Madina escorted by her brother, Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (ra). She returned to
Madina. She forever regretted her role in the battle and never took part in politics again.
All of the Muslim Empire now acknowledged the caliphate of Hazrat Ali (ra) except Syria. This was
the first civil war between Muslims. Unfortunately, it set a bad example for Muslims to fight over
political matters in the future. This event took place in 36 A.H. (656 A.D.).
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Battle of Siffin - 657 A.D.
Muawiyah had been appointed as governor of Syria since Hazrat Umar’s (ra) caliphate and he had
done an excellent job to fulfill his responsibilities. As the new caliph, Hazrat Ali (ra) deposed
Muawiyah as the governor of Egypt and sent a new governor in his place. The new governor,
however, was met with armed forces at the Syrian border. They claimed that they did not accept
Hazrat Ali (ra) as the caliph. Under Muawiyah’s leadership, no one in Syria pledged allegiance to
Hazrat Ali (ra).
Muawiyah led a campaign in support of his stance. Hazrat Amr bin al-As (ra), a Companion and
great Muslim general, also supported him. Muawiyah led the people of Syria almost into hysteria.
Hazrat Uthman’s (ra) blood-stained shirt and Hazrat Naila’s chopped fingers were frequently
displayed in the Jami Masjid of Damascus. The martyrdom of Hazrat Talhah (ra) and Zubair (ra)
was also portrayed as a sacrifice to get Uthman’s (ra) perpetrators punished. Muawiyah accused
Hazrat Ali (ra) of disrespecting the Mother of Believers, Hazrat Aisha (ra) in the Battle of Camel.
He further claimed that the election of Hazrat Ali (ra) was unacceptable because the killers of
Uthman (ra) had elected him. Moving stories were told about the horrific way in which Uthman
(ra) was martyred. As a result, there was a storm of anger not only among the Syrians but in Iran
and Iraq also. Within a year, Muawiyah had gained thousands of supporters.
Hazrat Ali (ra) did not want another war among the Muslims. He sent an envoy to Muawiyah
telling him to step down peacefully. Hazrat Ali (ra) sent him the message that the people who
had accepted the previous caliphs Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), Umar (ra) and Uthman (ra) had now
pledged to Hazrat Ali (ra) also, so Muawiyah too should pledge to him as the new caliph,
otherwise there would be a war. Muawiyah however claimed that the assassins of Hazrat
Uthman (ra) had elected Ali (ra) and they should be handed over to him first.
When it was clear that Muawiyah would not back down, war now seemed inevitable. Hazrat Ali
(ra) raised an army of about 90,000 soldiers. Muawiyah also raised an army of about 80,000 (or
more) soldiers. Both armies camped at Siffin, at the border of Syria. So far, these were the largest
armies ever assembled in the history of Islam. No one wanted Muslims to fight against Muslims
and the armies remained face to face for months with no battle except occasional skirmishes.
Hazrat Ali (ra) kept sending envoys to Muawiyah to submit to his orders but Muawiyah would not
waver from his demand to punish Hazrat Uthman’s murderers first. Finally, all efforts at peaceful
negotiations failed and both armies prepared to fight.
The battle began on 8th of Safar 37 A.H. It ravaged for 3 days. On the fourth day, it was clear that
Muawiyah’s forces were losing. Desperate to gain control, on the suggestion of Hazrat Amr bin
al-As (ra), Muawiyah ordered his soldiers to tie pages of Quran on their lances and bodies. The
soldiers raised their lances and declared, “The Book of Allah will decide the solution.” A large
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group of Hazrat Ali’s (ra) soldiers suddenly stopped fighting as the enemy had opted to use Quran
for an agreement. Hazrat Ali (ra) tried hard to convince them that this was merely a trick to avoid
defeat but the men refused to listen to him. Hazrat Ali (ra), now helpless, asked his remaining
soldiers to stop fighting and sent an envoy to Muawiyah to ask his intentions. Muawiyah replied
that a judge would be chosen from each side who would take decision based on Quran. Both
parties would have to accept the decision. After negotiations, it was decided that Abu Musa Al-
Ashari (ra) would be the judge from Hazrat Ali’s (ra) side and Amr bin al-As (ra) would be the
judge from Muawiyah. Together, both would work on a joint solution to this conflict based on
Quran and Sunnah. They would all meet again after 6 months at Dumat-ul- Jandal (between Kufa
and Damascus) to hear the decision of the judges. After finalizing the terms, Hazrat Ali (ra) signed
an agreement. About 90,000 Muslims had lost their lives in this battle.
Hazrat Ali (ra) left Siffin and returned to Kufa with a sense of loss. The death of so many Muslims
grieved him. The loss of unity among the Muslims, only one generation after the Prophet (pbuh),
was heart-wrenching. And still, there was no sign of Muawiyah surrendering.
(The First Sect of Islam:) As a result of the agreement, there was an argument in Hazrat Ali’s (ra)
camp. Some of the people tried to force Hazrat Ali (ra) to go back and fight with Muawiyah till he
was defeated. They claimed that it was divine order by Allah to fight a rebel like Muawiyah.
Hazrat Ali (ra) had already given his word for peace and arbitration and refused to listen to them.
A group of 12,000 people separated themselves from his army and formed a party of their own.
They were called the Kharijites or the ‘separatists.’
The Arbitration
6 months after the Battle of Siffin, Abu Musa Al-Ashari (ra) and Amr bin al-As (ra) met at Dumat-
ul-Jandal (between Damascus and Kufa) and announced their decision. Abu Musa Al-Ashari said,
“We have deliberated at length and we have decided that both Hazrat Ali (ra) and Muawiyah
should step down from the Khilafat and the people should choose a new leader.”
Amr bin al-As (ra) however made a different judgment, “I agree that Hazrat Ali (ra) should be
dismissed from the Khilafat but Ameer Muawiyah, being the rightful ancestor of the martyred
Uthman (ra), should be made caliph of the whole empire.” (Amr bin Al-As (ra) believed that most
of Hazrat Ali’s (ra) supporters were a mixture of Sabaites and Kharijites, who were not at all loyal
to the Muslims and would betray Hazrat Ali (ra) later. Muawiyah’s supporters in Syria, however,
were genuine and he was truly a good leader.) This was a one-sided opinion to which Abu Musa
(ra) had not agreed upon. Everyone was shocked to hear these announcements. Because it was
biased and one-sided, Hazrat Ali (ra) rejected the decision. There were arguments among the
Muslims and the problem was back to square one. Again, the only option left for Hazrat Ali (ra)
was to fight Muawiyah again to make him submit.
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THE KHARIJITES and the BATTLE OF NAHRWAN
The term ‘Kharijites’ literally means ‘separatists’, as they had separated themselves from the
main body of Muslims. Kharijites was the first sect of Islam formed after the Battle of Siffin. They
claimed that Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra) were the only 2 lawful Khalifas. They had initially
taken part in the rebellion against Hazrat Uthman (ra). Later, they allied themselves with Hazrat
Ali (ra). When Muawiyah called for a ceasefire, they were the first to stop fighting. They were
trouble-makers from the very beginning though they worked under the façade of being the only
‘true believers’ and proponents of ‘real Islam.’ They claimed that they had the right to kill the
disbelievers. They claimed that it was their duty to make sure that Allah’s laws are implemented
everywhere. They were extremist Muslims and believed anyone who disagreed with their views
was a disbeliever. They believed it was correct to use brutal force on Muslims to follow the laws
of Islam.
After the Battle of Siffin, when the agreement with Muawiyah had been read out in Hazrat Ali’s
(ra) camp, a conflict broke out in the army. Some of the people tried to aggressively pressurize
Hazrat Ali (ra) to go back to the battlefield and fight against the Syrians. Arguments broke out
amongst the warriors. Hazrat Ali (ra) found it unreasonable to start fighting again when he had
just given his word for a ceasefire. Soon his supporters split into 2 groups. One group stood by
the agreement and the other opposed it vehemently. Believing Muʿawiyah and his supporters
were rebels and disbelievers, they claimed that Hazrat Ali (ra) was duty-bound to fight them. If he
refused to do so, it meant Hazrat Ali (ra) and his supporters were also disbelievers (they claimed
this). They protested that an agreement would be a rejection of the Quranic command, “ If one
of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to the
ordinance of Allah.” (49:9 ) Before Hazrat Ali (ra) had reached Kufa, 12000 of his men left his
army, angry at Hazrat Ali’s (ra) agreement. They formed a party of their own, threatening
everyone of grave consequences. They were known as the ‘Kharijites.’ They claimed their policy,
“We pledge allegiance to Allah alone and base our decision upon Quran and Hadith.”
They withdrew to the village of Harura under the leadership of Ibn Wahb and, later established
their centre near Nahrwan where they started activities against Hazrat Ali (ra).
After the unjust arbitration between Abu Musa (ra) and Amr bin al-As (ra), Hazrat Ali (ra)
prepared to fight Muawiyah and mobilized an army of 65000 soldiers. He also wrote to the
Kharijites that now he was going to attack the Syrians and they may join him. The Kharijites
rejected the invitation.
The Kharijites gave the verdict that Hazrat Ali (ra) was a disbeliever as he had not dealt with
Muawiyah at the right time according to the injuctions of Quran. They wrote to their followers in
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various parts of the Muslim Empire. All Kharijites gathered at Nahrwan under their leader ibn
Wahb, in preparation to attack Hazrat Ali (ra). They killed anyone whom they thought was a
supporter of Hazrat Ali (ra). One of such killings was the barbaric murder of a Companion
Abdullah bin Khubab (ra) and his wife. When Hazrat Ali (ra) heard about their activities, he
realised they were far more dangerous than Muawiyah so he decided to fight them first.
Hazrat Ali (ra) proceeded with his army towards Nahrwan. At first Hazrat Ali (ra) sent them
envoys, in an attempt to reason with them. Then they were warned of an attack by Hazrat Ali
(ra). He promised security to anyone who left Nahrwan. Many of the Kharijites fled. However,
3000 Kharijites were still bent upon opposition. Now Hazrat Ali (ra) attacked them with his army.
He himself slew many of their leaders. The Kharijites army was utterly defeated.
This defeat, however, did not crush them completely. Many escaped to different areas where
they continued their activities underground. They vowed to take revenge. This battle paved the
way for Hazrat Ali’s (ra) martyrdom which took place at the hands of a Kharijite, just 2 years later.
Muawiyah utilized the opportunity and ordered Amr bin al-As to attack neighbouring Egypt which
was under Hazrat Ali’s (ra) control. Hazrat Ali (ra) had appointed Muhammad bin Abu Bakr (ra)
as the governor of Egypt. Egypt was captured and Muhammad bin Abu Bakr was killed by Amr bin
al-As (ra). Muawiyah appointed Amr bin al-As (ra) as the new governor of Egypt. The people of
Egypt were happier to be under Muawiyah, as they also wanted the murderers of Hazrat Uthman
(ra) to be punished. The fall of Egypt was a great loss for Hazrat Ali (ra). Ameer Muawiyah also
tried to capture other cities. He sent envoys in other parts of the Muslim Empire to gather more
support. As he gained popularity, there were uprisings all over the empire.
Hazrat Ali (ra) realized that he would not be able to defeat Muawiyah now. He decided to accept
Muawiyah and sent him a proposition that Muawiyah could rule over Syria and Egypt and the
rest of the Muslim Empire would remain under Hazrat Ali’s (ra) rule. Muawiyah agreed to the
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deal and a treaty was signed. Finally, there was some peace in the Muslim empire.
It was 19th of Ramazan, 40 A.H. (661 A.D.). It was the time for Fajr prayers. Muawiyah was
attacked while he was leading the prayers in Damascus but the attack was unsuccessful.
Muawiyah was unhurt. Amr bin al-As (ra) did not turn up for prayers in Egypt that day as he was
sick. The person who led the prayers in his place was killed accidentally. Hence Amr (ra) survived
as well.
Hazrat Ali (ra) entered the masjid in Kufa to lead the congregational prayer. Abdur Rahman bin
Muljim attacked him with a poisoned sword. He was fatally injured with 21 wounds. He called his
family and said, “Do not let my death be an excuse for further bloodshed among Muslims. Kill
only my murderer. Do not mutilate his body as the Prophet (pbuh) has forbidden that.”
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People asked him if his son, Hazrat Hasan (ra) should be appointed the next caliph. He replied,
‘Do what you deem suitable.” Then he said, “There is no god except Allah,” and breathed his last.
He died on 21st of Ramazan, only 2 days after the attack. He had lived for 60 years. Ibn Muljim
was killed the next day by Hazrat Hasan (ra), as Hazrat Ali (ra) had said in his will.
Most of his caliphate was marred by civil wars, so he did not have the opportunity to take
administrative measures to improve the living standard of his people. However, the same
principles were followed in his caliphate as were followed in last 3 caliphates. A major change
was the shift of capital from Madina to Kufa. Also, he changed all the previous governors. The
great responsibility of caliphate had been forced upon him at tumultuous times and he had tried
his best to unite the Ummah. Unfortunately, the conspiracies of mischief-makers had the upper
hand all along. (May Allah be pleased with him.)
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“I believe in Allah, in His angels, in His books, in His messengers, in the Last Day and that
everything good or bad is decided by Allah Almighty, and in Life after Death.”
“And the believers believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His Messengers,
proclaiming that we do not discriminate in faith about any of His Messengers.” And
And also,
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And he who denies Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers and the Day of Judgment has
gone far far astray.”
Quran: “And the believers also believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His
Messengers, proclaiming that we do not discriminate in faith about any of His Messengers.”
“And your God is One God; there is no god but He, most Gracious, most Merciful.” (2:163)
Categories/Types of Tauheed:
(i) Unity of Existence & Lordship- ‘Rabb”: Creator, Provider, Sustainer, Protector
“Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah the Eternal, Absolute; He does not beget nor is
He begotten; And there is none like Him.” (Surah Ikhlas)
“O people! Worship your guardian Lord who created you and those before you that you
may have the chance to learn righteousness.” (2:21)
“I have created jinn and men that they may worship me.” (51:56)
Signs of Allah
Shirk: 3 categories
“Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else,
to whom He pleases; to setup partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.”
(4:48)
“And who is more astray than he who invokes (gods) besides Allah who will not answer
him in the Day of Judgment and they (the gods) are heedless of their calls.” (46:5)
“Shirk is the greatest of all sins” Hadith
Some Questions:
Q. How does belief in Tauheed affect the daily life of a Muslims? or What is the importance of
Tauheed in the life of a Muslim? (4)
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Quran: “And the believers also believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His
Messengers, proclaiming that we do not discriminate in faith about any of His Messengers.”
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1. Hazrat Mikail: duty to look after the universe, planets, movement of stars, galaxies and
forces of nature; also responsible for rain & providing provisions to people by Allah’s
Command
Allah says in the Quran,
“Whosoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and messengers, to Jibraeel and
Mikaeel – Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith.”
(Al-Fatah: 98)
2. Hazrat Izrael: angel of death, responsible for taking away the souls of all people. Allah
says in the Quran,
“Say, the angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls. Then you shall be
brought to your Lord.” (Al-Sajdah:11)
3. Hazrat Israfeel: duty to blow the trumpet on the Day of Judgement
4. Kiraman Katibeen: The 2 angels Raqib and Aatid who record man’s deeds & words. The
Quran says:
“But verily, over you (are appointed angels) to protect you – kind and honorable,
writing down (your deeds).” (Al-Infitar: 10-11)
5. Ridwan: guardian of Paradise
6. Maalik : Keeper of Hell; has a frightening appearance
7. Munkar & Nakeer : Will question man after death
8. Qarobeen: The 8 angels who hold the Throne of Allah
9. Haroot & Maroot (the angels who were sent as a test to Bani Israel and they were to
teach them magic as a test from Allah. Jews learnt magic from them, the angels advised
them not to indulge in magic but they didn’t listen)
10. Haisum (the angels who helped the Muslims in the Battle of Badr)
11. Significance of Hazrat Jibraeel: Angel entrusted with the job to convey revelations from
Allah to the prophets. (pbuh) saw him in his real form with 600 wings covering all
horizons. Since his mission on earth is now complete, he only visits the earth once a year
now, on the night of Laila-tul-Qadr, bringing Allah’s blessings upon His worshippers.
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Introduction: All Muslims believe that Allah has sent His special books to His messengers
from time to time. A Muslim’s belief in incomplete if he does not believe in Revealed
scriptures. Quran states, “And the believers believe in Allah and His angels and His
books and His Messengers, proclaiming that we do not discriminate in faith about any
of His Messengers.”
1. What is revelation or ‘Wahy’?
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Revelations are the special divine messages sent by God to His prophets. They are a
special gift from Allah, not a figment of imagination, neither acquired through personal
achievements or efforts.
2. Why were Scriptures sent? Why doesn’t God speak to man directly?
Scriptures were revealed for the guidance of mankind. Just as Allah has provided for
man’s physical needs, Allah has also provided for man’s spiritual needs through His Divine
Words and Messages.
In order to convey His message to his men, Allah does not speak to mankind directly, not
even His prophets because of His Supremacy. There are only 2 instances when we know
Allah conversed directly; with H.Musa (AS) frequently and with the Last Messenger
(PBUH) only at Miraj.
The Quran states, “It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by
inspiration or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger…” [42:51]
3. Difference between ‘Nabi’ and ‘Rasool’
Allah did not reveal His book to all prophets. The prophets who were gifted books are
called ‘messengers’ (rasool). The Quran states, “Certainly, We have sent Our Messengers
with clear arguments and have sent down with them the Book and the balance of
equity....” (57:25)
4. Similarities in Books: The main teachings of all books were the same. Fundamental
concepts (like belief in Tauheed, Resurrection, heaven and hell etc) and teachings (e.g.,
Salat, Charity, Fasting, good morals like kindness, honesty, truthfulness) in all books were
the same
5. Differences in Books: There were differences in details of some Commands, like no. of
prayers required, amount of charity to be given, slight differences in method and days of
fasting. Also, the previous books are corrupted whereas the Last book is uncorrupted
(ii) Zabur (Psalms, Old Testament) – Hazrat Daud (AS) (Some of his hymns are still
present in the beginning of the Bible which exists today)
Q. How does belief in Revealed Scriptures affect the daily life of a Muslim? (4)
Muslims get insight of Allah’s love and protection for mankind through His messages, to
save man from Satan and Hell
Muslims also realise how vulnerable they are before evil powers and how needy they are
of divine guidance. God’s scriptures have always connected men with God, guided them
towards the right path and helped them remain focused on their true purpose in life
Similarities in multiple teachings of the Revealed books unite Muslims with Jews and
Christians on a certain level. They soften Muslims’ hearts towards the People of the Book,
making us less judgemental.
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Similarities between the books is a proof that all books were from the same Divine source
and each book was a proof of its predecessor confirming the previous historical events
and prophesizing future events and signs
Signs of the Last Prophet (PBUH) in the previous scriptures are a proof that Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) and Quran are sent by Allah. The Quran says that, “[Isa (AS) said] I
give you the glad tiding of a Messenger who shall come after me, his name being
Ahmad. ” (61:6)
The last book Quran is an uncorrupted book which continues to guide and connect
Muslim generations with God. It’s recitation is a source of peace for them in difficult
times.
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Introduction: The Quran says, “And the believers believe in Allah and His angels and His
books and His Messengers, proclaiming that we do not discriminate in faith about any
of His Messengers.” (2:285)
- Why was there a need to send prophets? For guidance of humanity, for protection from
Satan, for saving mankind from hell… The Quran says,
“We sent not a messenger but to be obeyed…” (4:64)
And the Quran says,
“And for every nation, there is a Messenger.” (Al-Younas: 47)
- Difference between a ‘nabi’ (prophet) and a ‘rasool’ (messenger)
Characteristics:
- Physically normal and mortal human beings (they have needs of eating, drinking, sleep
and rest just like normal people)
- Exemplary character : good, honest, truthful, very wise and intelligent, extremely patient,
e.g. the Holy Prophet PBUH was known as Sadiq and Ameen. The Quran says,
“It is not for a prophet to act dishonestly…” (Al-e-Imran: 161)
- Flawless, sinless… but they can make mistakes as they are human [Hazrat Adam (AS) ate
the forbidden fruit by mistake, Hazrat Yunus (AS) left his people without the permission of
Allah by mistake, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) forgot to say InshaAllah once]
- Allah sent prophets to all nations in their own languages for their guidance. The Quran
says,
“We sent not an Apostle except in the language of his people to make (things) clear to
them.” (Ibrahim: 4)
- All prophets were mocked, abused, mistreated, many were even killed
The message preached by all was the same: Tauheed, belief in Resurrection etc.
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- No prophet can be regarded at an equal or higher level to Allah (that would be shirk)
- All miracles that the prophets displayed were by the power of Allah only; they had no
choice in the powers they had
- Why didn’t Allah send angels? Because a man can serve as the best example and guide
for his own race. Angels or any other beings would not have served as role models for
humans. Allah says,
“If there were angels walking about on earth, securely, We would have sent them an
angel from Heaven as a messenger.” (Al-Isra:95)
Q. Why is belief in messengers important for Muslims today? or How does this belief affect
Muslims today? (4)
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Quran says,
2. “Before them is a partition (Burzakh) till the day they are raised up.” (Al-Mominoon: 100).
3. “Does man think, We cannot assemble his bones? Nay, We are able to put together in
perfect order, the very tips of His figures.” (Al-Qiyama.3-4)
4. “When the sun is folded up, when the stars fall losing their luster, when the mountains
vanish…” (81:1-6)
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5. “But when there comes the deafening blast. The day man will flee from his brother. And
his mother and his father.” (Abbasa:33-35)
6. And when the graves are dug out. Each human soul then knows what it forwarded and
what it left behind.” (82:3-5)
7. The day men will be like scattered moths. And the mountains will be like flying wool.”
(Qariah:4-5)
8. “And he who has done an atom’s weight of good deed shall see it and he who has done
an atom’s weight of bad deed shall see it.” (Al-ZilZal:7-8)
9. “Then, he whose scales are heavy, he shall have a pleasant life; but as for one whose
scales are light, his refuge will be a bottomless pit (of fire).” (Al-Qariya: 6-9)
1. “...He creates what He wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives
to whom He wills, males... (As-Shura: 49, 50)
2. “Verily, We have created all things in proportion and measure.” (Al-Qamr: 49)
3. “Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us.” (9:51)
4. “Verily! With every hardship, there is relief.” (Al-Inshirah-6)
5. “Allah does not compel belief and leaves the people free to believe or disbelieve.”
6. “Man can have nothing but what he strives for.” (Al-Najem: 22)
7. “Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change it themselves.”
8. Prophet (PBUH), “If something befalls you, don’t say ‘if I had done such and such’;
rather say, ‘Allah foreordained this, and whatever He wishes, He does.’ “
9. Prophet (PBUH), “Allah ordained the cases of all creatures 50,000 years before
creating the heavens and the earth.”
10. The Prophet (PBUH), “Shall I teach you a sentence which is from the treasures of
Paradise? ‘There is no might nor power except through Allah.’”
11. “And he who has done an atom’s weight of good deed shall see it and he who has
done an atom’s weight of bad deed shall see it.” (Al-ZilZal:7-8)
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Pillars of Islam
Significance
A Muslim who believes in all articles of faith must show some actions to implement these beliefs
in his/her life. For this purpose, Allah has enjoined certain obligatory acts of worship for all
Muslims to keep him strong in his faith and to differentiate the believer from non-believers.
Additionally, non-believers are inspired when they see the Muslims practicing these pillars with
such discipline, obedience, firmness of faith and patience. These 5 pillars are:
These pillars are the foundations of living a life of piety. The purpose of these pillars is to
strengthen the Muslim faith and give him a sense of submission to Allah; to discipline a Muslim
in his role as an obedient and faithful servant of Allah. These pillars also reinforce the ties of
brotherhood and affection between all Muslims.
These obligatory acts of worship (pillars) require the participation of all aspects of man’s nature –
his soul, mind, body, possessions, time, energy. They demand the worship of Allah through all
faculties of an individual. Thus they are an expression of man’s complete obedience, submission
and humility in front of Allah. The pillars require sacrifice of worldly desire of luxuries and
comfort for the sake of Allah only.
Thus these pillars bring punctuality, orderliness, uniformity and equality in a Muslim
community.
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1. “And your God is One God; there is no god but He, most Gracious, most Merciful.” (2:163)
2. “Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah the Eternal, Absolute; He does not beget nor is
He begotten; And there is none like Him.” (S.Ikhlas)
3. “Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else,
to whom He pleases; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.”
(4:48)
4. “He is the Originator of the Heavens and the earth.” (2:117)
5. “Say: O mankind! Lo! I am the Messenger of Allah to you all.” (7:158)
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6. “This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favours unto you, and
have chosen for you Islam as religion.”(5:3)
7. “Muhammad (pbuh) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of
Allah and the seal of prophets.” (33:40)
8. “The first thing which a person shall be called to account for, on the Day of Judgment, is
Salat.”
Conditions of Prayer
1. “…He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (2:222)
2. “O you who believe! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces and necks and your
hands to the elbows, rub your heads and your feet to the ankles (with water.)” (5:6)
[about Wudu]
3. “…If you are ill or on a journey…And if you do not find any water, then take clean earth
and rub it on your faces, and hands. Allah does not wish to put you in difficulty, but to
make you clean…” (5:6) [about Tayammum]
4. “Cleanliness is one half of faith.” Prophet pbuh
5. “Surely Allah does not accept prayers without purification.” Prophet pbuh
6. “The key to Paradise is Prayer and the key to Prayer is purification (Wudu).” Prophet pbuh
1. “And bow down your heads with those who bow down…” (2:43)
2. “A prayer performed in congregation is 27 degrees more excellent than the prayer
said by a single person.” Prophet pbuh
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3. “Always pray in congregation for a wolf only injures a solitary sheep.”Prophet pbuh
Friday Prayer
1. “O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday, hasten earnestly to
the Remembrance of Allah and leave off business; that is the best for you if you knew, and
when the prayer is finished then you should disperse through land, and seek the Bounty
of Allah.” (Al-Juma, 9-10).
2. “When the Imam is delivering Khutba, and you ask your companion to keep quiet and
listen, then no doubt you have done an evil act.” Prophet pbuh
3. “Allah Almighty sets a seal on the heart of he who misses 3 consecutive Friday prayers
due to laziness.” Prophet pbuh
4. “The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male and the cleaning of teeth
with Siwak and using perfume, if it is available.” Prophet pbuh
1. Anas (ra) reported, “When the Holy Prophet (pbuh) came to Medina, they had two days
of sport and amusement. The Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘Allah, the Exalted, has exchanged
these days for two days better than them, the day of breaking the fast, Eid ul Fitr, and the
day of sacrifice, Eid ul Adha.’ ” (Nasa’i)
2. Anas (ra) reported, “Allah's Apostle never proceeded (for the prayer) on the Day of Eid-ul-
Fitr unless he had eaten some dates.” Anas (ra) also narrated: “The Prophet used to eat
odd number of dates.” (Bukhari)
3. Buraida (ra) reported, “The Prophet (pbuh) would surely take some meal before the Eid ul
Fitr prayer and would always take something after returning from Eid ul Adha prayer.”
4. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the Eid prayer,
should slaughter again."
5. Abdullah bin Umar, “Allah's Apostle used to offer the prayer of Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr
and then deliver the Khutba after the prayer.”
6. Abu Sa’id (ra) said, “On the Eid of breaking the fast and of the sacrifice, the Prophet
(pbuh) would go to the prayer mat and offer the prayer. When he finished, he would face
the audience while they were sitting in rows, and he would admonish them, advise them
and encourage them to do good deeds.”
Masjid
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Quran, “All the Masjids as places of worship, belong to Allah. Therefore do not call upon
anyone except Allah.” (72:18)
ETIQUETTES OF MASJID: It is prohibited to eat anything of offensive smell before entering the
masjid to offer congregational prayers. The Prophet (pbuh) has said,
“Whoever eats garlic or onion should keep away from our masjid and should remain in his
house.”
Congregational prayers are usually performed in a masjid, though in exceptional cases, if there is
no masjid in a place, they may be offered in any large place where Muslims gather, and they can
select an Imam to lead the prayers. Daily obligatory (Fard) prayers (including the Witr), Friday
prayers, Eid prayers, Funeral (Janazah) prayers and Salat-ul-Istisqa (prayers for rain) are all said
in congregation. All Sunnah and Nafl prayers (non-obligatory) are offered alone, either in the
home or the masjid.
All Muqtadis stand in straight rows, shoulder to shoulder, behind the Imam, just before starting
the prayer. The Prophet (pbuh) gave strict instructions for straightening the rows and not leave
any gap between the Muqtadis. According to a hadith, if the rows are skewed, the community
will also stray away from the right path.
METHOD OF DAILY CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER: One of the muqtadis from the front row
declares the Iqamah before the start of the congregational prayer. All Muslims make intention
and the Imam declares the first Takbir called Takbir-e-Tehreema. All begin the prayer by raising
their hands upto their shoulders and fold them across their chest or belly. This posture is called
Qiyam. In Qiyam, all recite Sana, Tawwuz, Tasmiyah in low voices. Then the Imam recites Surah
Fatiha and some other verses from any part of the Quran. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (ra) reported,
“The Imam is to be followed: say Takbir when he says it, bow when he bows, if he says
Tasmeeh, say Tamheed , prostrate when he prostrates.” (Tasmeeh: Sami’a Allaahu liman
hamidah, Tamheed: ‘Rabbana walakal Hamd.)
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This hadith sums up all postures in a single Rakah of prayers in congregation; Qiyam, Ruku,
Quoma (standing upright after Ruku) and the two Sajdas. The brief sitting between two Sajdas is
called Jalsa. In this way, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Rakats are offered in congregation.
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Pillar: FASTING
1. “Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may
learn self-restraint.” (Al-Baqarah: 183)
2. Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran as a guide to mankind…” (Al-
Baqarah: 185)
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3. “So whoever of you lives to see (this month) should fast throughout it...” (Al-Baqarah:
184)
5. “Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadan (Taraweeh) with a firm belief and hoping
for reward, all of his previous sins would be forgiven.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
6. “When the month of Ramadan comes, the doors of Heaven are opened and the doors of
Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” Prophet pbuh
8. “…if anybody fights or quarrels with him (a fasting person), he should reply, ‘I am fasting.’
” Prophet pbuh
9. “If one of you is fasting, he should break his fast with dates; if dates are not available,
then with water.” Prophet pbuh
10. “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his
leaving his food and drink.” Prophet pbuh
11. “(Allah says:) ‘Fasting is for Me and I shall reward it.’ ” (Hadith-e-Qudsi)
12. “The night of Power is better than a thousand months.” (Surah Qadar)
13. “…but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (of fasts should be made up)
by days later.” (Baqarah:185)
Pillar: ZAKAT
1. “Those who believe and do good deeds and establish prayer and pay the Zakat, their
reward is with their Lord.” (2:227)
2. “Take Sadaqah from their property in order to purify and sanctify them.” (Al-
Toba:103)
3. “You cannot attain virtue unless you spend your dearest thing in the way of Allah (swt)…”
(Al-e-Imran-92)
4. “The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of
grain of corn, it grows seven years and each year has a hundred grains.”(Al-Baqarah-261)
5. “If you lend Allah a goodly loan, He will double it for you and He will forgive you…”
(64:17)
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6. “Any wealth that includes the amount of Zakat is destroyed.” Prophet pbuh
7. “And those who hoard up gold and silver, and spend not in the way of Allah – announce
unto them a painful torment.” (9:34)
8. “Alms are for the poor and the needy and those employed to collect them (the funds);
for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled to truth, for those in slavery and
in debt, and in the way of Allah and for the wayfarer.” (At-Toba-60)
9. “Save yourself from Hell fire even by giving half a date in charity.” Prophet pbuh
10. “(Allah says), ‘O son of Adam! Spend; I shall spend on you…’ ” (Hadith-e-Qudsi)
3. “Then let them end their untidiness and fulfill their vows and perform Tawaf around the
ancient House.” (Al-Hajj:29)
4. “Verily! As-Safa and Al-Marwa are the signs of Allah.” (Al-Baqarah-158)
5. “The person who visits the house of Allah, then neither commits an indecent act nor
indulges in disobedience of Allah, he will return home (free of sin) as he was on the day
his mother bore him.” Prophet pbuh.
6. “An accepted pilgrimage has got no reward except paradise.” Prophet pbuh.
8. “There is no day on which Allah sets free more servants from the fire than on the Day of
Arafat.” Prophet pbuh.
Umrah
2. “Then let them end their untidiness and fulfill their vows and perform Tawaf around the
ancient House.” (Al-Hajj:29)
3. “An Umrah in the month of Ramadan is equal (in reward) to performing a Hajj.” Prophet
pbuh.
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4. “From one Umrah to the next is an expiation for any sins committed in between.” Prophet
pbuh.
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JIHAD
1. “Fight in the cause of Allah against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits, for
Allah loves not the transgressors.” (Al-Baqarah:190)
2. “Let there be no compulsion in religion.” (Al-Baqarah-256)
3. “And strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah.” (At-Toba:41)
4. “The greatest Jihad is to fight against the evil passions of oneself.” Prophet pbuh
5. “He is not Muslim from whose hand and tongue the other Muslim is not safe.” Prophet
pbuh
6. “The best fighting in the path of Allah is (to speak) a word of justice to an oppressive
ruler.” Prophet pbuh
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References/Quotes
PAPER I
(Guidelines: In long-answer compulsory Quran questions, 5-10 quotes can be written. The best and most
rewarded quotes are those from Quran. The quotes should be relevant and well-knit between the answers.
The words of Quran and Hadiths and their sequence should be as accurate as possible. Quotes of other
speakers can also be given but they have less credit.)
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Q. Describe Allah’s attributes in the set of passages that you have studied in your syllabus:
Quotes from First 5 Passages:
9. “Allah. There is no god but He, the living, the self-subsisting, eternal.” (Al- Baqarah: Ayatul Kursi)
10. “His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth and He feels no fatigue in guarding and
preserving them…” (Al-Baqarah: Ayatul Kursi)
11. “To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth...” (Al-Ina’am-101)
12. “No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all visions.” (Al-Ina’am-103)
13. “Adore not the sun and the moon, but adore Allah who created them, if it is Him you wish to
serve.” (Fussilat:37)
14. “The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them, and the angels celebrate the praises of
your Lord…” (As-Shura-5)
15. “Say He is Allah, the One and Only.” (Al-Ikhlas)
16. “He does not beget, nor is He begotten.” (Al-Ikhlas)
“The Most Beneficent (Allah)! Has taught (you mankind) the Qur'an. He created man. He taught
him eloquent speech. (Ar-Rahman, 1-4)
“And He taught Adam (as) names of all things in details.” (Al-Baqarah-32)
“Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the
heavens; and by it brought fruits for your sustenance.” (Al-Baqarah-22)
“Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him.” (Al-Isra-23)
“The day when mankind will be like scattered moths. And the mountain will be like flying wool.”
(101:4-5) (For Surah Zilzal Themes)
Say: Lord I seek refuge with You from the promptings of Satan.” (23:97) (For Surah Al-Naas
Themes)
Q. Describe Allah’s Relationship with Mankind from the set of passages that you have studied in your
syllabus:
Quotes from 5 Passages of God’s Relation with His Created World
7. “Master of the Day of Judgement. You we worship and you we ask for help.” (Al-Fatiha)
8. “Who has made the earth your couch and the heavens your canopy.” (Al-Baqarah:22)
9. “Read! In the name of your Lord, Who created. Created man from a clot of congealed blood.” (Al-
Alaq,1-2)
10. “When the earth is shaken to her utmost convulsion.” (Zilzal,1)
11. “And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.” (Zilzal, 8)
12. “Who whispers into the hearts of mankind. Among jinns and among mankind.” (Al-Naas, 5-6)
Hazrat Adam’s (as) Passage: “Said Allah, ‘O Iblis! What happened to you that you stayed apart
from those who prostrated?’ He answered, ‘It does not befit me to prostrate myself to a
human…’” (15:32-33)
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Hazrat Ibrahim’s (as) Passage: “Adore not the sun and moon, but adore Allah, who created them,
if it is Him you wish to serve.” (Fussilaat-37)
Hazrat Isa’s (as) Passage: “We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear (signs) and strengthened him
with the Holy Spirit.” (2:87)
“But they killed him neither, nor crucified him…Allah raised him up unto Himself.” (An-Nisa, 157-
158)
Hazrat Muhammad’s (pbuh) 2 Passages: “So verily, with every difficulty, there is relief.” (94:5)
“Rejected were the Messengers before you, with patience and constancy, they bore their
rejection.” (Al-Inaam-34)
Q. Describe Allah’s Relationship with any TWO of His Messengers [besides the Last Messenger (PBUH)]
from the set of passages that you have studied in your syllabus:
Hazrat Adam’s (as) Passage:
1. “And He taught Adam (as) the names of all things; then He said to the angels, ‘Tell me the names of
these if you are right.’ “
2. “…We said to the angels: ‘Bow down to Adam (as).’ And they bowed down. Not so Iblis.”
3. “Said Allah, ‘O Iblis! What happened to you that you stayed apart from those who prostrated?’ He
answered, ‘It does not befit me to prostrate myself to a human…’” (15:32-33)
Hazrat Ibrahim’s (as) Passage:
1. “When he saw the sun rising in splendor, he said: ‘This is my Lord, this is the greatest’. But when the
sun set, he said: ‘O my people! I am free from giving partners to Allah.’” (Al-Ina’am-78)
2. “For me, I have set my face firmly and truly towards Him who created the heavens and the earth.” (Al-
Ina’am-79)
3.“Adore not the sun and moon, but adore Allah, who created them, if it is Him you wish to serve.”
(Fussilaat-37)
Hazrat Isa’s (as) Passage: 1.
“Behold! I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, so that you spoke to the people in childhood and in
maturity.” (Al-Maiyda-110).
2. “…you make out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird with My permission, then you breathe into it,
and it becomes a bird with My permission…” (Al-Maiyda-110)
3. “…and you heal those born blind and the lepers, with My permission…” (Al-Maiyda-110)
4. “But they killed him neither, nor crucified him…Allah raised him up unto Himself.” (An-Nisa, 157-158)
Q. Describe Allah’s Relationship with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from the set of passages that you
have studied in your syllabus:
Surah Duha and Surah Kausar:
1. “Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?” (Al-Doha-6)
2. “So verily, with every difficulty there is relief.” (Ash-Sharah-5)
3. “And He found you in need, and made you rich (self-Subsistent).” (Al-Doha-8)
4. “And He found you seeking, and He gave you guidance.” (Al-Doha-7)
5. “Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor is He displeased.” (Al-Doha)
6. “To you have We granted abundance. So, pray to your Lord and sacrifice.” (Al-Kausar-1,2)
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7. “Rejected were the Messengers before you, with patience and constancy, they bore their rejection.”
(Al-Inaam-34)
8. “And establish regular prayer in order to remember Me.” (Taha-14)
9. “For he who hates you, he will be cut off.” (Al-Kauser-3)
COMPILATION OF QURAN
1. “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption).”
Quran (Al-Hijr-9).
2. “And We sent down the Quran in pieces so that you (pbuh) may read it to mankind at intervals and We
sent it down gradually bit by bit.” Quran (Bani Israel-106)
3“Jibrael used to repeat the recitation of the Quran with the Prophet (pbuh) once every year, but he
repeated it twice with him in the year he died.” A Companion.
4. “How can I dare the task which Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) did not do during his life time?” Hazrat Abu
Bakr (ra) said.
5. “Umar (ra) went on persuading me to accept his suggestion till I was convinced that he was right so I
accepted his suggestion,” said Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra).
6. “‘How dare you do something, the Messenger (pbuh) of Allah has not done?’ I said to them. Abu Bakr
(ra) said, ‘By Allah, this is good.’ Abu Bakr (ra) did not cease to repeat it to me till Allah opened my
breast…,” said Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (ra).
7. ‘By Allah, if you had put the task of taking away a certain mountain, it would have been easier to me
than what you have asked,” Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit (ra) said to Abu Bakr (ra) and Umar (ra).
7. “Hazrat Huzaifah bin al-Yaman (ra) said to Hazrat Usman (ra), “O Leader of the believers! Save this
nation before they differ about the Book, as Jews and Christians did before.” (Bukhari)
8. “Say nothing about Usman (ra) except what is good. For, by Allah! Whatever he did in connection with
the transcription of Quran was done in the presence of all of us and with our advice and counsel,” Hazrat
Ali (ra)
1. “We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the night of power.” (Al-Qadr-1)
2. “And We sent down the Quran in pieces so that you (pbuh) may read it to mankind at intervals and We
sent it down gradually bit by bit.” (Bani Israel-106)
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3. “And those who disbelieve say: ‘Why is not the Quran 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.” (Furqan 25:32)
8. “It comes to me sometimes as the ringing of a bell and this is hardest on me; then he (angel) leaves me
and I remember from him what he says; and sometimes the angel comes in the shape of a man and he
talks to me and I remember what he says.” (Prophet, Bukhari)
9., “I saw revelation coming down upon him in the severest cold and when the condition was over,
perspiration ran down his forehead,” Hazrat Aisha (ra). (Bukhari)
10. A companion {Zaid bin Thabit (ra)} relates that he was sitting with his leg under the leg of the Prophet
(pbuh). A revelation came at that moment and he felt his leg would crush under the weight. (Bukhari)
12. “This day have I perfected your religion upon you and completed my favour upon you and have
chosen Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maiyda-3) 632-AD. (last revelation)
1. “We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the night of power.” (Al-Qadr-1)
2. “And We sent down the Quran in pieces so that you (pbuh) may read it to mankind at intervals and We
sent it down gradually bit by bit.” (Bani Israel-106)
3. “Read in the name of your Lord and Cherisher, who created. Created man…. taught man what he knew
not.” (Al-Alaq,1-5).610-AD
4. “And warn thy family.” (As-Shura-214) 613-AD. (command to preach to family & tribe)
5. “Declare openly what you are commanded and turn away from those who join false gods with Allah.”
(Al-Hijr-94) 613-AD. (command to preach openly)
6. “Declare openly what you are commanded and turn away from those who join false gods with Allah.”
(Al-Hijr-94) 613-AD.
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7. Surah Al-Doha and Surah Al-Kausar can also be related
8. “They plot and plan and Allah too plans, but the best of planners is Allah (swt).” (Al-Anfal-30) 622-AD.
9. Fasting and Zakat were prescribed in the 2nd Year of Hijrah in Quran,
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may
learn righteousness.” (2:183)
“And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah and do not make your own hands contribute to your
destruction…” (2:195) (Zakat prescribed)
12.“And say the truth has come and falsehood has banished. Surely falsehood is bound to perish.” (Bani
Israel:81).
12. “This day have I perfected your religion upon you and completed my favour upon you and have
chosen Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maiyda-3) 632-AD.
1. “This is the Book; in it is sure guidance without doubt for those who fear Allah.”(Al-Baqarah-2)
2. Political Matters: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger (PBUH) and those charged
with authority along with you.” (Al-Nisa:59)
4. Business Matters: “Devour not each other’s properties unlawfully unless it is through trade by your
consent.” (Al-Nissa-29)
5. Social Matters/Penal Laws: “Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female as
a recompense for that which they committed.” (Al-Maiyda-38)
6. Family Matters: “Men are protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made the one
(men) superior to the other (women) as they spend their means to support them.” (Al-Nisa- 34)
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7. Moral Matters: “Help another in righteousness and piety, but not help another in sin and
transgression.” (Al-Maiyda-2)
1. Quran: “Say: Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger…” (Al-Noor: 54)
2. Hadith: The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “I have been given the Book and some other thing like of it.”
(Tirmizi)
Political matters
1. Quran: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger and those charged with authority
along with you.” (Al-Nisa: 59).
2. Hadith: “You should obey your ruler even if he was an Ethiopian ruler whose head look like raisin.”
(Bukhari)
Religious matters
Trade matters
1. Quran: ”O you who have believed, do not eat one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful]
business by mutual consent…” (Surah An-Nissa-29)
2. Hadith: “One who gives short measure, is not amongst us.” (Tirimdi)
Social Matters
1. Quran: “Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female as a recompense for
that which they committed.” (Al-Maiyda-38)
2. Hadith: The Prophet (PBUH) explained the verse on theft saying the right hand up to the wrist is to be
cut off.
Family Matters
1.Quran: “Men are protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made the one (men) superior
to the other (women) as they spend their means to support them.” (Al-Nisa- 34)
2.Hadith: “You have rights over your wives and your wives have rights over you.” (Last Sermon)
Quran
1. “This is the Book; in it is sure guidance without doubt for those who fear Allah.” (Al-Baqarah-2)
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2. “Give full measure when you measure and weigh balance that is straight.” (Bani-Israel: 35)
1. Quran: “You are the best of the people evolved for the mankind enjoining what is right and forbidding
what is evil.” (Al-Imran-110)
3. “O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and obey those charged with authority among
you.” (4:59)
4. Hadith: “Gather together the righteous from among my community and decide the matter by their
council and do not decide it by any man’s opinion.” (Abu Daud)
6. Quran, “Prohibited to you (in marriage) are: your mother, daughters, sisters, father’s sisters, mother’s
sisters…” (S.Al-Nisa:23)
1.Quran: “O Believers! Wine and gambling and idols and foretelling through arrows are only unclean
things, a work of Satan. So save yourself from them, so that you may prosper.” (Al-Maiyda-90) (Qiyas)
2. Example of Muaz bin Jabal (RA) when he was leaving for Yemen as a Governor. The Prophet said,
“Praise be to Allah, Who has led His Messenger (pbuh) to a solution that pleases Him.”
SEERAH
(Guidelines: In Seerah questions, 2 quotes of reasonable length are enough.)
CONDITIONS OF ARABIA
“The Owner of this House is its Defender, and I am sure He will save it from attack of the
adversaries and will not dishonor the servants of His House,” Abdul Muttalib said, while he left the
meeting with Abraha.
278
“The Jews call Uzair a son of Allah and the Christians call Christ the son of Allah.” (At-Toba-30)
“When the female (infant) buried alive would question, for what crime she was killed.” (At-
Takveer-89)
“Verily! I’m the most perfect Arab among you; my descent is from Quraysh and my tongue is the
tongue of Banu Sa’d.” (Prophet).
“I witnessed a covenant in the house of Abdullah bin Judan which I would not exchange for any
number of fine camels; and if I was asked to take part in it during Islam, I would do so.” (Prophet)
“I used to shepherd the sheep of the people of Mecca for some Qirates.” (Prophet)
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“Bear with patience with what they say, and part with them with a courteous farewell,” Quran
(Allah continually advises the Prophet (pbuh) to be patient.)
“Deal gently with the disbelievers and give them respite (time) for a while.”(Quran)
“Even if you put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand, I will not give up
preaching this message.” [The Prophet (pbuh)]
“He is spoken to from heavens!” “Haven’t you been spoken to from heavens today?” (Quraish’s
Mockery)
MIGRATION TO ABYSSINIA
“O king! We were a wicked and ignorant people who worshipped idols and ate corpses. We
committed all types of disgraceful acts and did not pay our due obligations to neighbors and
relatives. The strong of us suppressed the weak. Then Allah raised a Prophet (pbuh) amongst us
whose nobility, righteousness, good character and pure life were well known to us.”( Jafar (ra)
makes a long speech)
“When we believed in him and acted upon his nice teachings, our people began persecuting us.
When their cruelties became unbearable, we took shelter in your country by the permission of
our Prophet (pbuh).” [Jafar (ra)]
“…then we sent to her our Spirit (Angel Jibrael) and he appeared before her in the form of a man
in all respects.
She said ‘Verily! I seek refuge with the Most Beneficent from you, if you do fear Allah.’
The (angel) said, ‘I am only a Messenger from your Lord (to announce) to you the gift of a
righteous son.’
She said, ‘How can I have a son when no man has touched me nor am I unchaste?’ He said, ’So,
Your Lord said, ‘That is easy for Me…’” [Jafar (ra) recites Quran ayahs from Surah Maryam, the
ayahs about Isa’s (as) birth & miracles with Maryam).
“By God this word and the Bible are two lights of one lamp.” (Negus)
“We say what our Prophet has taught us, ‘Isa is the slave of Allah, His Messenger.’“ (Jafar ra)
THE BAN/BOYCOTT
“How can we eat and drink contentedly when the children of Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib are
dying. I do not agree to this pact & I will not rest until it is torn up.” (said Zuhair, in the morning,
when Abu Jahl & many other Quraishis were present)
VISIT TO TAIF
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“Oh Messenger of Allah, Allah has heard your prayer. He has sent with me the Angel of Mountain.
If you say, we will to crush the people of Taif between 2 mountains.”( says Angel Jibraeel
descending with the Angel of Mountain)
“I rather hope that Allah will raise from among their descendants’, people who will worship one
Allah,” the Prophet (pbuh)
“How do you know Prophet Yunus?” Addas.
“He is my brother. He was a prophet and I am a prophet,” said the Prophet (pbuh)
“Glory to Him who carried His Servant by night from the Sacred Masjid to the distant Masjid - the
precincts of which we have blessed – in order that we might show him some of Our signs.” [Surah
Al-Isra (verse 1)]
“And indeed he (Prophet Muhammad) saw him (Jibrael) at a second descent (another time). Near
Sidrat-ul-Muntaha.” [Quran: Surah Al-Najam]
“I feel shy to ask Allah to reduce them further.” [the Prophet said to Hazrat Musa (as) when he
was given 5 prayers]
“If a woman of people of Paradise appeared onto earth, light and fragrance would fill all space
between heaven and earth.” Prophet
“A piece of Paradise the size of a bow is better than all beneath the sun.” (Prophet)
PLEDGES OF AQABAH
“We will worship none but Allah, we will not steal, we will not commit fornication, we will not kill
our children, we will not utter slander, we will not disobey the Prophet.”[ - Oath taken,
Declaration of Faith by the 12 men]
“If you fulfill this pledge, then Paradise is yours,” said the Prophet (pbuh).
“You know the esteem in which we hold Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). We have protected and
honoured him. Yet he has resolved to join you. If you think you will protect him and fulfill your
promise to him, then take him. But if you think you will betray him, then leave him now,” said
Abbas (ra).
“By God, we will protect you (O Prophet) just like we protect our own women and children,” a
person from Madina responded.
MIGRATION TO MADINA
”They plot and plan and Allah too plans but the best of planners is Allah.” (8:30)
“And we have put a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, and We have covered them
up (from all sides) so that they cannot see.” (Yaseen:9)
“…he had no more than one companion, the two were in the cave and he said to his companion,
‘Have no fear for Allah is with us.’ ” (9:40) [When the Quraish were at the entrance of Cave of
Thawr]
ARRANGEMENTS IN MADINA:
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Emigrants & Helpers Pairs
“And the first and the foremost emigrants and helpers and those who followed them with good,
Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah.” (9:100)
“Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought in the path of Allah, they have the
hope of the mercy of Allah…” (2:218)
“But those who before them had homes and had adopted faith, (they) show their affection to
those who came to them for refuge….” (59:9)
“Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may learn self-
restraint.” Quran
“So turn you face towards the Sacred Masjid (Kaaba) at once, and wherever you are, turn your
face towards it.” Quran
“Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you; but do not transgress limits...” Quran
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so that
you may learn righteousness.” (2:183) [Fasting was prescribed in the 2 nd Year of Hijrah]
“Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you; but do not transgress limits, for God does
not love the transgressors.” (Jihad was prescribed in the Quran)
BATTLE OF BADR
“And remember when Allah brought on you drowsiness, giving you a feeling of peace and security
from Him, and He sent down rain upon you from the sky …” (Surah Al-Anfaal, verse 11)
“O Lord! If this little band of Muslims perishes, there will be no one on earth to worship You.” The
Prophet (pbuh) prayed all night.
“(Remember) when you were calling upon your Lord for help, and He answered you (saying): ‘I
shall assist you with a thousand of the angels following one another.’” (Surah Al-Anfaal, verse 9)
282
“Indeed there was a sign for you in the two hosts, which met together in encounter; one part
fighting in the way of Allah, and the other unbelieving, And Allah strengthens with His aid whom
He pleases…” (3:313)
BATTLE OF UHUD
“And Allah had certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were killing the enemy by His
command until when you lost courage and started arguing about the order [given by the Prophet]
and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you love (booty and riches).” (Surah Al-e-Imran,
verse 152)
“Muhammad (PBUH) is only a messenger and many messengers have died before him. If
Muhammad (PBUH) dies or is slain, will you then turn on your heels?”
(S. Al-Imran, verse 144)
“War goes by turns, this is a day (of revenge) for a day (of Badr).” Abu Sufyan declares.
“We are not equal, our dead are in Paradise, yours in eternal Hell,” Umar (RA) replies from the
top.
BATTLE OF TRENCH
“Remember Allah’s blessing on you when the hosts came against you and sent upon them a wind
and armies (of angels which) you did not see...” (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:9)
“And Allah sent back those that were unbelievers in their rage and they had no good. Allah spared
the believers of fighting. Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty” (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:25)
TREATY OF HUDAIBIYAH
“Certainly has Allah showed His Messenger the vision in truth. You will surely enter al-Masjid al-
Haram, if Allah wills, in safety, with your heads shaved and [hair] shortened, not fearing
[anyone].” (48:27)
“Surely Allah was pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the tree...”
(48:18)
“Surely, we have given you a victory, a very clear (manifest) Victory.” (48:1)
LETTERS TO KINGS
The Prophet’s letter started with “In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, Most Merciful.” Below it
was written, “This letter is from Muhammad (pbuh) the slave and Messenger of Allah to Chosroe
Pervez, the King of Persia.”
“My Lord (Allah) has already killed your Lord (Chosroe).” (Prophet)
“If what he says turns out to be true, we will accept Islam.” (Governor of Yemen)
“If what you have told me is the truth, he (the Prophet) will very soon occupy this place under my
feet, and if I were with him, I would wash his feet.”( Heraclius said to Abu Sufyan)
BATTLE OF KHYBER
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“Allah is Great, Khyber is ruined, Allah is Great, Khyber is ruined…” Prophet PBUH.
“Tomorrow I will give the standard to a man who loves Allah and His Prophet (PBUH) and Allah
and His Prophet (PBUH) also love him.” (Prophet, Bukhari)
“The Prophet (PBUH) made a deal with the People of Khyber that they would have half the fruits
and vegetation of the land they cultivated,” said Ibn Umar (RA).
“We never ate to our fill until we conquered Khyber,” Ibn Umar (RA) said.
BATTLE OF MUTAH
“If Zaid (RA) will be your commander, and if Jafar is martyred then Abdullah bin Rawahah (RA) will
take the command. If he too dies, then you can select a commander from among yourselves.”
[Prophet (PBUH)]
“…Under no circumstances a new born, woman, an aging man or a hermit should be killed.”
[Prophet (PBUH)]
“We have before us the certainty of one of two good things, either victory or martyrdom.”
[Abdullah bin Rawahah (RA)
“One of God’s swords has taken the standard and God has opened the way for
them.” [Prophet (PBUH)]
“They are not runaways but will return again to fight, if God wills.” [Prophet
(PBUH)]
CONQUEST OF MAKKAH
“When comes the help of Allah and victory and you see people entering the religion of Allah in
throngs.” (Al-Nasr, 1-2)
“There is no reproach against you today; God may forgive you too” … (Al-Yousaf:92).
“And say the truth has come and falsehood has banished. Surely falsehood is bound to perish.”
(Bani Israel:81)
BATTLE OF HUNAIN
“Truly! Allah has given you victory in many battles and on the Day of Hunain, when you had
boasted your great number, but it availed you not and the land being so vast, became too narrow
to you; then you turned back fleeting” (At-Tauba-25)
“Truly saying! I am the Prophet and the grandson of Abdul Muttalib.” (Prophet)
“O You Ansar! Who sheltered and helped the Muslims. O You Muhajirin! Who took pledge under
the tree, Muhammad (PBUH) is alive and here by yourside.” (Hazrat Abbas (ra) called out the
Muslims)
“O Allah! Give guidance to tribe of Banu Saqif and send them to me.” (Prophet)
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TABUK EXPEDITION (9 A.H)
“… (they) said, 'Do not go forth in the heat." Say, "The fire of Hell is more intensive in heat…” (At-
Taubah-81)
“Allah has forgiven the Prophet (PBUH), the Muhajirin and the Ansars who followed in the time of
distress.” (At-Taubah-117)
“From this day on, nothing will harm Usman (ra) regardless of what he does,” said the Prophet
(PBUH)
“…and they would swear by Allah, ‘If only we could, we would have certainly come forth with
you.’ They destroy their own selves and Allah knows that they are liars.” (At-Taubah-42)
The Sermon:
“O people! Listen to my words for I do not know if I shall be amongst you next year.
Therefore, listen carefully and convey these words to those who are not present.
Your blood, your property and your honour are as sacred as this day, this month
and this city.
Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners.
Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you.
Allah has forbidden you to take usury therefore, all pending interests shall be left.
Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been
invoked the name of other than Allah...
O people! You have rights over your wives and your wives have rights over you. If
they fulfil your rights, then theirs is the right to be well fed and clothed. Treat them
well and be kind to them for they are your partners. And it is your right that they
do not make friends with anyone whom you do not approve of.
O people! Worship Allah, say your 5 daily prayers, fast during the month of
Ramazan and give your wealth in zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford it.
Every Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. You are all equal. No Arab is
superior to a non-Arab and no non-Arab is superior to an Arab.
And see that you feed your slaves with such food as you eat and clothe them with
such cloth that you wear; and if they commit a crime which you are not inclined to
forgive, then part with them and do not treat them harshly.
Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So do
not be astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.
O people! No prophet will come after me and no new faith will be born after me.
Understand my words that I convey to you.
And if you were asked about me, what would you say?”
People: “We bear witness that you have conveyed the message to us.”
The Prophet (PBUH) raised his forefinger towards the sky & towards the
people & said,
“O Allah, bear witness! Bear witness! Bear witness!”
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Later the last revelation of Quran was revealed,
“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you
Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maiyda-3)
“Verily, Allah gave a servant a choice between this world and what he has with Him
in eternity and that servant chose what is with Allah.” Prophet (PBUH)
“Do not make my grave a place of worship. Take what I owe you. Be good to my
family of Ansars. If I were to make any Khalil (friend) besides Allah, I would have
chosen Abu Bakr (ra). No gate shall be kept open in the masjid except that of Abu
Bakr.”
“The prayer! The prayer! Fear Allah concerning your slaves!” Prophet (PBUH)
“His last act was cleaning his mouth with a brush made of a soft branch of a tree and his last
words were, ‘Oh Allah! With the Highest companions,” Aisha (RA) said.
“O people. Lo! As for him who worshipped (Prophet) Muhammad (PBUH), Muhammad (PBUH) is
dead. But as for him who worshipped Allah, Allah is alive and dies not.” H.Abu Bakr (RA)
“Muhammad (PBUH) is no more than a messenger; many messengers have passed away before
him. If he dies or is slain, will you then turn back on your heels?” (Al-Imran:144)
SEAL OF PROPHETHOOD
1. “Muhammad (PBUH) is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and
seal of Prophets.” (Al-Ahzab:40)
2. “This day, I have perfected religion for you, completed my favours upon you and have chosen for
you Islam as your religion.”(Al-Maiyda:3)
3. “Every Prophet who preceded me was sent especially to his own people, but I have been sent as a
Prophet to all Mankind.” Prophet (pbuh).
4. “There will be no Messenger after me; I’m the seal of Prophets.” Prophet (pbuh).
5. “…I give you the glad tiding of a Messenger who shall come after me, his name being Ahmad.’ ”
The Quran says that H.Isa (AS) said this. (61:6)
6. “A man erected a building and adorned this building with great beauty, but he left an empty space
in the corner where just one brick was missing. People looked around the building and marvelled
at its beauty, but wondered why a brick was missing from that space? I am like that one missing
brick and I am the last in the line of the Prophets." Prophet (PBUH)
286
If I were to tell you that an army was advancing to attack you from the back of hill, would you
believe me?” Prophet (pbuh).
Hazrat Saad (ra) quoted, “I spent 10 years with the holy Prophet (pbuh), I always found him
honest in trade dealings and he also never scolded upon what I did wrong or forgotten.”
“If they place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left, to force me to renounce my
mission, I would not stop until God fulfills my mission or destroys me in the process.” Prophet
(pbuh).
Kindness
“Allah is not kind to him who does not show kindness to others.” Prophet (pbuh).
“Fear Allah! With regard to these animals, ride them in health and leave them in health.” Prophet
(pbuh).
“We sent you not, but as a mercy for all the worlds.” (Al-Anbiya-107)
“There is no reproachment against you today; God may forgive you too...” (Al-Yousaf: 92)
Simplicity
“Do not praise me as Christians praise the son of Mary. I am a servant of God; call me a servant
and Messenger of Allah.” Prophet (pbuh).
Fulfillment of promises
“O Abu Jandal! Be patient, we cannot break the treaty (Hudaibiya). Allah will soon find a way for
you.” Prophet (pbuh).
“Fulfill your promise. No doubt! Fulfillment of promises would be asked (on the final Day).” (Bani-
Israel-34)
Parents
“In good pleasure of the father lies the good pleasure of the Creator, and in his displeasure, lies
the displeasure of the Creator.” Prophet (pbuh).
“My Lord, bestow on them your Mercy as they cherished me in childhood.” (Bani-Israel-24)
Children
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“Your riches and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him the highest Reward.” (Al-
Taghabun: 15)
“No father gives a better gift to his children than good manners and good character.” Prophet
(pbuh).
“Fatima (ra) is a piece of my flesh, whoever causes her anger causes me anger.” Prophet (pbuh).
Poor
“A man has sinned enough if he neglects to feed those in need.” Prophet (pbuh).
“To spend of your substance out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the
wayfarer, for those who ask and for the ransom of slaves.” (Al-Baqara: 177).
Slaves
“And feed your slaves as you feed yourself, and dress your slaves as you dress yourself.” Prophet
(pbuh).
“He who slaps or beats him, expiation for it is that he should set him free.” Prophet (pbuh).
“The prayer! The prayer! Fear Allah concerning your slaves!” The Prophet (pbuh) said before his
death.
Orphans
“I and the person who looks after an orphan and provides for him, will be in Paradise like this,"
said the Prophet (pbuh) putting his index and middle fingers together.
“Treat not the orphans with harshness.” (Al-Doha:9)
“Those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they fill the fire into their own tummies, they
will soon be enduring a blazing fire.” (Al-Nisa:10)
Friends
“The most compassionate member of my people towards my people is Abu Bakr(ra).” Prophet
(pbuh).
“For every Apostle of Allah, there was a constant companion and my companion in Paradise will
be Uthman (ra).” Prophet (pbuh).
“You are my brother in this world and hereafter.” the Prophet (pbuh) to Hazrat Ali (ra)
“Talha (ra) and Zubair (ra) are my neighbours in Paradise.” Prophet (pbuh).
Position of Women
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“To men is allotted what they earn and to women what they earn.” (Al-Nisa: 32)
“The search for knowledge is a duty for every Muslim male and female.” Prophet (pbuh).
As Wife
“And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is equitable,
but men have a degree (of advantage) over them.” (Al-Nisa: 228)
“Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed
helpers.” [Prophet (pbuh) in the Last Sermon]
“If a woman dies while her husband was pleased with her, she will enter paradise.” Prophet
(pbuh).
As Mother
As Daughter
“Whoever has a daughter and does not bury her alive, does not insult her and does not prefer his
son over her, he will be received by God into paradise.” Prophet (pbuh).
“Fatima is a piece of my flesh, whoever causes her anger, causes me anger.” Prophet (pbuh).
Brotherhood
“If two parties among the believers fall into a quarrel, you need to make peace between them.”
(Al-Hujrat:9)
“None of you believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” Prophet (pbuh).
DESCENDENTS
“Fatima (ra) is a piece of my flesh. Whoever anger her, angers me.” Prophet (pbuh)
“The best of people’s women are four: Mariyam bint Imran, Khadija bint Khuwailid, Fatima bint
Muhammad and Aasia, the wife of Pharoh.” Prophet (pbuh)
“She is dearer to me than you, and you are dearer to me than her,” said the Prophet (pbuh) to Ali
(ra).
How he accepted Islam, the first free adult male: The Prophet’s (pbuh) famous words,
“Whenever I invited anyone to Islam, they thought or hesitated before accepting it; but Abu Bakr (ra) is
the only one who accepted my message without any hesitation.”
“The most compassionate member of my people towards my people is Abu Bakr (ra).”
Abu Bakr’s(ra) fear for the Prophet’s (pbuh) life when the Quraish came close to the entrance of
the Cave of Thawr. The Quran says,
“…when the unbelievers drove him out; he had no more than one companion: the two were in the cave,
and he said to his companion, ‘Have no fear, for Allah is with us.’”
His donations at the Battle of Tabuk, brought all his belongings. The Prophet (pbuh) asked,
“Abu Bakr (ra), what did you leave for your family?” Abu Bakr (ra) replied,
The Prophet’s (pbuh) desire for Abu Bakr (ra) to be the Imam in his place even though Hazrat
Aisha and Hazrat Hafsa (ra) tried to convince him otherwise. Finally the Prophet (pbuh) said firmly,
“Tell Abu Bakr (ra) to lead the prayer. Allah and the believers will not have it otherwise.”
Near his death, the Prophet (pbuh) ordered to close all doors entering into Masjid-e-Nabi except
the door of Abu Bakr (ra). He said,
“All doors of Masjid-e-Nabi should be closed except for the door of Abu Bakr.”
Prophet (pbuh),
“If I were to take a ‘khalil’ (closest friend) besides Allah, I would choose Abu Bakr (ra)…”
The unifying and brave role of Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra) at the death of the Prophet (pbuh); Hazrat Abu
Bakr (ra) said to the Muslims,
290
“Those of you who worshipped Muhammad (pbuh), let him know that Muhammad (pbuh) is dead. Those
of you who worship Allah, know that Allah never dies and is Ever-Living.”
“Allah placed truth upon the tongue of Umar (ra) and his heart.”
“If there were a prophet after me, it would have been Umar (ra).”
“I am now migrating to Madina. Whoever wants his mother to cry for him can come and try to stop me.”
The Prophet (pbuh) had made a special prayer to Allah regarding Umar’s (ra) conversion,
“O Allah! Strengthen Islam with Umar bin Al-Khattab or Abu Al Hakm (Abu Jahl).”
“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down
over themselves [part] of their outer garments” (Al-Ahzab-59)
“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers,
merciful among themselves” (Al-Fath-29)
Reaction of Umar (ra) at the death of the Prophet (pbuh), holding a sword in his hand outside the
Prophet’s (pbuh) house, he said:
“I will slay anyone who says that the Prophet (pbuh) has died.”
Helped in strengthening of the Muslim Army at the expedition of Tabuk by giving gold coins,
horses and camels, which earned him the great respect of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, who said:
“From this day on nothing will harm Uthman (ra) regardless of what he does.”
The Prophet (pbuh) said,
When Uthman’s (ra) second wife, Umm Kulthoom (ra) passed away, the Prophet (pbuh) noted the
grief on Uthman’s (ra) face and said:
“If I had a third daughter, surely, I would have given her in marriage to you.”
At one time, when Hazrat Uthman (ra) brought 1000 dinars to the Prophet (pbuh) for charity, the
Prophet (pbuh) prayed,
291
“O Allah! I am pleased with Uthman (ra). You also be pleased with him.”
During Treaty of Hudaibiyah; Uthman (ra) was sent to speak to the Quraish who offered him
permission to perform Umrah but he said,
The Quran says about the Pledge of Ridwan (which was made due to news of Uthman’s murder),
“Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you, [O Muhammad] - they are actually pledging allegiance to
Allah…” (Al-Fath-10)
“For every messenger, there was a constant companion and my companion in Paradise will be Uthman
(ra).”
“You are to me as Haroon (as) was to Musa (as), except that there is no prophet after me.”
At the Battle of Khyber, when the Muslims were unable to conquer a certain fort, the Prophet
(pbuh) said,
“Tomorrow I will give the flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger (pbuh) and Allah and His
Messenger (pbuh) love him.”
At Muwakhat, Ali (ra) questioned the Prophet “Who will be my brother?” The Prophet (pbuh) had
said to him,
“If anyone wants to look at a living martyr, let him look at Talhah (ra).”
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“O Allah’s Prophet! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please do not raise your head and make it
visible, lest an arrow of the enemy may hit you. Let my neck and chest be wounded instead of yours”.
Abu Bakr (ra) used to remember the day of Battle of Uhud and say wistfully,
The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Talhah (ra) and Zubair (ra) are my neighbours in Paradise.”
“May Allah bless you in your family and property; just show me the way to the market.” said
Abdur Rahman (ra).
“O Allah, give Abdur Rahman (ra) the drink from Salsabil spring in Paradise,” said the Prophet
(pbuh).
“A prophet does not die until he has been led in prayer by a pious person among his people,” said
the Prophet (pbuh), after he said Fajr prayers when Abdur Rahman (ra) was the Imam.
“I am the first of Arabs who shot with an arrow in the way of Allah,” said Hazrat Sa’ad (ra) .
“O Sa’ad! May my mother and father be sacrificed for you,” the Prophet (pbuh).
“O Lord, answer Sa’d (ra) when he supplicates You,” the Prophet (pbuh).
“Every nation has an Ameen and the Ameen of this nation is Abu Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah (ra).”
Prophet (pbuh)
“I will send to you an honest man who is really trustworthy,” said the Prophet (pbuh) when
Christians from Najran asked him to send a judge between them.
“You will not find those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, loving those who oppose Allah,
even though they may be their fathers or sons…” (Quran, 58:18)
“Who will come with the news of the people?” Zubair (ra) said. “I” The Prophet (pbuh) said,
“There was a helper for every Prophet and my helper is Zubair.” [Zubair (ra) volunteered to bring
news of Banu Quraiza tribe during the Battle of Trench]
“Talha (ra) and Zubair (ra) are my neighbours in Paradise.” Prophet (pbuh).
1. “I have done Hajj and Umrah as per the commandment of Allah, now I will stay at home,” said Hazrat
Sawdah (ra).
“Once I saw Allah's Apostle at the door of my house while some Ethiopians were playing in the
mosque (displaying their skill with spears). Allah's Apostle was screening me with his Rida' so as to
enable me to see their display.” Hazrat Aisha (ra).
Once a Companion asked the Prophet (pbuh), “Who do you love the most?” The Prophet (pbuh)
replied, “Aisha (ra).”
“O Aisha! Here is Jibrael. He gives you salam.” Prophet (pbuh).
“And why, when you heard it, did you not say, ‘It is not (suitable) for us to speak of this. Exalted
are you (O Allah)! It is the greatest slander!’” (Al-Noor-16)
“Indeed, by Allah, Allah has declared your innocence.” Prophet (pbuh).
“When a tradition appeared doubtful to us, we asked Aisha (ra) about it and we found exposition
of it from her,” Abu Musa (ra) reported.
4. HAZRAT HAFSA BINT UMAR (RA)
“One [i.e.the Prophet] who is better than Uthman (ra) will marry Hafsa (ra); and Uthman (ra) will
marry the one [i.e.the daughter of the Prophet] who is better than Hafsa(ra).” said th Prophet
(pbuh).
“O Prophet (pbuh)! Why do you forbid (yourself) which Allah has allowed you, seeking to please
your wives?” (Al-Tehreem-1)
“She is the one who fasts during the day and stands during the night for worship,” Prophet (pbuh).
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5. HAZRAT UMME-E-SALMA (RA)
“O Allah! Forgive me and him and succeed him for me with which is good.” (her prayer upon the
death of her husband)
“Allah (swt) then succeeded him for me with One who is better than him, Hazrat Muhammad
(pbuh).” She said.
“The wives of the holy Prophet (pbuh) were the store house of Hadith. However, no one was (in
terms of knowledge) like Hazrat Aisha (ra) and Hazrat Umme-e-Salmah (ra)” narrated by a
Companion.
6. HAZRAT UMME HABIBAH (Ramlah binte Abu Sufyan) (ra)
“You are a polytheist and impure. This is the pure and clean mat of the Prophet (pbuh),” said
Hazrat Umme Habibah (ra) to her father Abu Sufyan.
“Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her--We joined her in marriage to Thee
(pbuh)...” (Al-Ahzab-37)
“It is your parents who gave you in marriage; but as for me, Allah gave me in marriage to the
Prophet (pbuh),” Hazrat Zainab used to say.
“My wife with long hands will be the first to meet me after my death,” Prophet (pbuh).
“I have never seen a more righteous woman than Zainab (ra),” said Hazrat Aisha (ra).
“Thus, one hundred households from Al-Mustaliq were freed, and I do not know any woman who
brought more blessings to her people than Jawairiyah (ra), “said Hazrat Aisha (ra).
9. HAZRAT SAFIYAH BINT HAI (RA)
“You are free now. If you like, you can go back to your tribe, or can be my wife.” Prophet (pbuh).
“Indeed, you are a Prophet’s daughter Hazrat Haroon (as), and indeed, your Uncle Hazrat Musa
(as) is a Prophet; and you are married to a Prophet.” Prophet (pbuh).
10. HAZRAT MAIMUNAH BINT HARIS (RA)
“Maimunah (ra) was very God-fearing and had great regard for the rights of her kith and kin”
(Hazrat Aisha ra)
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REFERENCES/ QUOTES
Paper II
HISTORY AND IMPORTANCE OF HADITH
‘So take whatever the Messenger (pbuh) gives you, and refrain from what he prohibits you.’ (Al
Hashr:7).
“You have, indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern of conduct for you…” (Al-Ahzab:21)
“Say: Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger…” (Al-Noor: 54)
“I have been given the Book and some other thing like of it.” Prophet (pbuh)
Political matters
1. Quran: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and Obey the Messenger and those charged with
authority along with you.” (Al-Nisa: 59).
2. Hadith: “You should obey your ruler even if he was an Ethiopian ruler whose head look like
raisin.”
Religious matters
1. Quran: ”O you who have believed, do not eat one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful]
business by mutual consent…” (An-Nisa-29)
2. Hadith: “One who gives short measure, is not amongst us.”
Social Matters
1. Quran: “Cut off (from the wrist joint) the (right) hand of the thief, male or female as a
recompense for that which they committed.” (Al-Maiyda-38)
2. Hadith: The Prophet (pbuh) explained the verse on theft saying the right hand up to the wrist is
to be cut off.
Family Matters
1.Quran: “Men are protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made the one (men)
superior to the other (women) as they spend their means to support them.”
2.Hadith: “You have rights over your wives and your wives have rights over you.”
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COMPILATION OF HADITH
“He does not speak out of his own wish but what it is revealed upon him (from Allah).” (Al-Najm
3-4)
“Take the help of your right hand (for writing).” Prophet.
“Convey these words (of mine) to those who are not present.” The Prophet (pbuh) said at his
Farewell Pilgrimage,
“By God, who owns my life, nothing comes out of this mouth except the truth. Therefore, you
should write without any hesitation.” Prophet (pbuh)
“None of the Companions preserved more hadiths than myself, except Abdullah ibn Amr (ra). I
would memorise them but he would write them down,” said Abu Hurairah (ra).
CRITERIA OF DECIDING THE AUTHENTICITY OF HADITH
"Do not tell a lie against me for whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally) then he will surely
enter the Hell-fire." (Bukhari)
“It is enough evil that one narrates anything he hears,” said the Prophet (pbuh).
Abdullah bin Mubarak said, “Isnad is part of religion. Without isnad, any one will say what he
desires.”
Imam Shafi said, “In most cases, the truthfulness or lack of truthfulness of a hadith can only be
known through the truthfulness or lack of truthfulness of the transmitter.”
Imam Shafi said : “The likeness of a person who seeks a hadith without isnad is like a wood
gatherer who collects wood by night, carrying home with it a snake while he does not realize it.”
Imam Shafi said, “The sahih hadith is our ‘madhab’ (religion).”
Imam Shafi states: "Each reporter should be trustworthy in his religion; he should be known to be
truthful in his narrating, to understand what he narrates, to know how a different expression can
alter the meaning…”
TYPES OF HADITHS
Introduction: "Do not tell a lie against me for whoever tells a lie against me (intentionally) then he will
surely enter the Hell-fire," said the Prophet.
1. Sahih/Authentic Ahadith
2. Hassan/Approved Hadith
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“I said to Prophet of Allah, ‘Who deserves more of my services, Father or Mother?’ The Prophet
(pbuh) replied, ‘Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother’, and then he said, ‘To your father, then,
to him who is near of kin one after the other,’ ” said a narrator.
3. Daeef/Weak Hadith
“Acquire knowledge, even if you have to go to China.”
‘‘My companions are like stars; whoever you follow, you will find the right path.”
4.Maudoo/Fabricated
“There will be a man in my Ummah by the name of Abu Hanifa who shall be the lamp of my
Ummah.”
“Allah says, ‘I was a hidden treasure, and I wished to be known. So I created mankind, and then
made Myself known to them and they recognized Me.’ ”
HADITH-E-QUDSI
AHADITH-E-NABWI (pbuh)
2. “None of you believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself.”
HADITHS WITH COMMUNAL THEME (Memorize any 6 & describe them in your words) Quran, “You have,
indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern of conduct for you.” (Al-Ahzab: 21)
1. “Whosoever of you sees an evil action, 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. “Be gentle, and do not be hard, and cause rejoicing and do not alienate.”
3. “Allah will not show Mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.”
4. “None of you believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself.”
5. “May Allah show mercy to a man who is kindly when he sells, when he buys, and when he
demands his money back.”
6. “The believers are like a single man, if his eye is affected, he is affected, if his head is affected, he
is all affected.” (Muslim).
7. “Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent, and let him who
believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbor, and let him who believes in Allah
and the Last Day be generous to his guest.”
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HADITHS WITH INDIVIDUAL THEME (memorize 6 hadiths & describe them in your words) Quran, “You
have, indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern of conduct for you.” (Al-Ahzab:21)
1. “He who has in his heart, as much faith as a grain of mustard seed will not enter hell and he who
has in his heart, as much pride as a grain of mustard seed will not enter paradise.”
2. “No one eats better food than that which he eats out of the work of his own hand.”
3. “The world is the believer’s prison and unbeliever’s paradise.”
4. “Modesty produces nothing but good.”
5. “Allah does not regard your appearances and your possessions, but he regards your hearts and
actions.”
6. “He who studies the Quran is like the owner of tethered camels. If he attends to them, he will
keep hold of them; but if he lets them loose, they will go away.”
7. “A man asked the Messenger of Allah, ‘Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in
Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat as forbidden that which is forbidden, and
do nothing further, I shall enter Paradise?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ “
“Muhammad (pbuh) is not but a Messenger of Allah, other messengers have died before him. If
he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels?” (Al-e-Imran)
“O People! Lo as for him who worshipped Muhammad (pbuh), Muhammad (pbuh) is dead. But
those who worshipped Allah should know that He is alive and will never die.”
“O People! I have been selected as your Trustee, although I’m no better than any one of you. If I’m
right, obey me. If I’m misguided, set me right.”
“What right do I have to dismiss a man appointed by Allah’s Messenger?”
“If, with reference to Zakat, you withhold even as much as a string to tie a camel, then, as the
Caliph of the Prophet (pbuh), it will be my duty to fight for it, whatever the consequences.”
“I swear by Allah, I will fight alone, if others do not support me, against everyone who refuses a
single she goat-kid due on him in Zakat.”
HAZRAT UMAR (RA) said:
“O People! I have been selected as your Trustee, although I’m no better than any one of you. If I’m
right, obey me. If I’m misguided, set me right.”
“If a kid goat died on the bank of Euphrates, I fear that Allah would me question for that.”
“I want a man who, when he is a chief, should look as if he is one of his men.”
“Nothing is Halal for me and for my family from Allah’s money except a dress for summer and a
dress for winter and a salary equal to the income of an average Quraysh. I am no more than an
ordinary Muslim amongst you.”
“How can you enslave a man who has been born free?”
“Praise be to Allah, that it was not a Muslim who attacked me.”
“O People! I have been selected as your Trustee, although I’m no better than anyone of you. If I’m
right, obey me. If I’m misguided, set me right.”
“The Book of Allah will decide the solution.” soldiers at Siffin.
“ If one of them oppresses the other, then fight against the one that oppresses until it returns to
the ordinance of Allah.” (Quran 49:9 ) : the Kharijites motto.
Do not let my death be an excuse for further bloodshed among Muslims. Kill only my murderer.
Do not mutilate his body as the Prophet (pbuh) has forbidden that.” Ali (ra)
[Guidelines: In Pillars and Articles, it is recommended to write at least 5-6 (and upto 10) quotes. The most
highly regarded quotes are those from Quran.]
Introduction:
“I believe in Allah, in His angels, in His books, in His messengers, in the Last Day and that everything good
or bad is decided by Allah Almighty, and in Life after Death.”
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The Quran says,
“And the believers also believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His Messengers, proclaiming that
we do not discriminate in faith about any of His Messengers.” (2:285)
And also,
And he who denies Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers and the Day of Judgment has gone far far
astray.”
1. “And your God is One God; there is no god but He, most Gracious, most Merciful.” (2:163)
2. “Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah the Eternal, Absolute; He does not beget nor is He
begotten; And there is none like Him.” (Surah Ikhlas)
3. O people! Worship your guardian Lord who created you and those before you that you may have
the chance to learn righteousness.”
4. “I have created jinn and men that they may worship me.”
5. “And there in none unto like Him.”
6. “He Knows the unseen as well as that which is manifested.” (6:73)
7. “He is the Originator of the Heavens and the earth.” (2:117)
8. “Who (Allah) has made the earth a resting place for you and the heaven a canopy, and sent down
rain from the heavens and through it brought forth fruits for your sustenance…” (2:22)
9. “Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to
whom He pleases; to setup partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.” (4:48)
10. “And who is more astray than he who invokes (gods) besides Allah who will not answer him in the
Day of Judgment and they (the gods) are heedless of their calls.” (46:5)
11. “Shirk is the greatest of all sins.” Hadith
1. “And the believers also believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His Messengers,
proclaiming that we do not discriminate in faith about any of His Messengers.” (2:285)
2. “All praise be to Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Appointer of angels as
message-bearers, who have two, three or four wings.” (35:1)
3. “They fear their Lord above them and do what they are commanded.” (16:50)
4. “He does send down angels with inspiration of His command to those of his servants as He
pleases…” (16:2)
5. “Whosoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and messengers, to Jibrael and Mikaeel – Lo!
Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith.” (Surah Al-Fatah,
Verse 98)
6. (Hazrat Izrael: angel of death, responsible for taking away the souls of all people) “Say, the angel
of death, who is set over you, will take your souls. Then you shall be brought to your Lord.” (Surah
Al-Sajdah, verse 11)
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7. (Kiraman Katibeen: The 2 angels who record man’s deeds & words. Quran says:) “And surely
guardians have been appointed over you – The Honored Recorders. Who know what you do.”
(82:10-13)
“And the believers believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His Messengers, proclaiming
that we do not discriminate in faith about any of His Messengers.” (2:285)
“It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration or from behind a
veil, or by the sending of a messenger…” [42:51]
“Certainly, We have sent Our Messengers with clear arguments and have sent down with them
the Book and the balance of equity....” (57:25)
“And before this was the Book of Musa (Torah) as a guide and mercy…” [46:12]
“And We gave him the Bible wherein there is guidance and light, and confirms the Torah that had
come before it.” (5:46)
“And We have revealed unto you [O Muhammad (pbuh)] the Book [Quran] as an exposition of
everything.” (16:89)
“No doubt, We have sent down this reminder (Quran) and indeed We are its Guardians.” (15:9)
1. “And the believers believe in Allah and His angels and His books and His Messengers, proclaiming
that we do not discriminate in faith about any of His Messengers.” (2:285)
3. “We sent not an Apostle except in the language of his people to make (things) clear to them.”
(Ibrahim: 4)
5. “If there were angels walking about on earth, securely, We would have sent them an angel from
Heaven as a messenger.” (Al-Isra:95)
7. “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have
chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maiyda: 3)
8. “Mohammad (pbuh) is not the father of any of your men, but he is the messenger of Allah and the
seal of the Prophets.”(Al-Ahzab: 40)
9. “There will be no Prophet after me; I am the seal of Prophets.”Prophet pbuh.
10. “Every Prophet who preceded me was sent especially to his own people, but I have been sent as a
Prophet to all Mankind.” Prophet pbuh.
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11. The Quran says that “(H.Isa (AS) said) I give you the glad tiding of a Messenger who shall come
after me, his name being Ahmad.’ ” (61:6)
11. “Before them is a partition (Burzakh) till the day they are raised up.” (Al-Mominoon: 100).
12. “Does man think, We cannot assemble his bones? Nay, We are able to put together in perfect
order, the very tips of His figures.” (Al-Qiyama.3-4)
13. “When the sun is folded up, when the stars fall losing their luster, when the mountains vanish…”
(81:1-6)
14. “But when there comes the deafening blast. The day man will flee from his brother. And his
mother and his father.” (Abbasa:33-35)
15. And when the graves are dug out. Each human soul then knows what it forwarded and what it left
behind.” (82:3-5)
16. The day men will be like scattered moths. And the mountains will be like flying wool.” (Qariah:4-5)
17. “And he who has done an atom’s weight of good deed shall see it and he who has done an atom’s
weight of bad deed shall see it.” (Al-ZilZal:7-8)
18. “Then, he whose scales are heavy, he shall have a pleasant life; but as for one whose scales are
light, his refuge will be a bottomless pit (of fire).” (Al-Qariya: 6-9)
12. “...He creates what He wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to
whom He wills, males... (As-Shura: 49, 50)
13. “Verily, We have created all things in proportion and measure.” (Al-Qamr: 49)
14. “Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us.” (9:51)
15. “Verily! With every hardship, there is relief.” (Al-Inshirah-6)
16. “Allah does not compel belief and leaves the people free to believe or disbelieve.”
17. “Man can have nothing but what he strives for.” (Al-Najem: 22)
18. “Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change it themselves.”
19. Prophet (PBUH), “If something befalls you, don’t say ‘if I had done such and such’; rather say,
‘Allah foreordained this, and whatever He wishes, He does.’ “
20. Prophet (PBUH), “Shall I teach you a sentence which is from the treasures of Paradise? ‘There
is no might nor power except through Allah.’”
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21. Prophet (PBUH), “Allah ordained the cases of all creatures 50,000 years before creating the
heavens and the earth.”
22. “And he who has done an atom’s weight of good deed shall see it and he who has done an
atom’s weight of bad deed shall see it.” (Al-ZilZal:7-8)
QUOTES: PILLARS
DECLARATION OF FAITH Allah says in the Quran,
8. “And your God is One God; there is no god but He, most Gracious, most Merciful.” (2:163)
9. “Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah the Eternal, Absolute; He does not beget nor is He
begotten; And there is none like Him.” (S.Ikhlas)
10. “Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to
whom He pleases; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.” (4:48)
11. “He is the Originator of the Heavens and the earth.” (2:117)
12. “Say: O mankind! Lo! I am the Messenger of Allah to you all.” (7:158)
13. “This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favours unto you, and have
chosen for you Islam as religion.”(5:3)
14. “Muhammad (pbuh) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and
the seal of prophets.” (33:40)
9. “Establish regular prayers – at the sun’s decline till the darkness of the night – And pray in the
small watches of the morning…” (17:78-79)
10. “Undoubtedly, the prayer forbids one from indecency and evil thing.” (29:45)
11. “So woe (destruction) to the worshippers who are neglectful of their prayers.” (Al-Maoun:4-5)
12. “What stands between a man and disbelief is the abandonment of prayer.”
13. “Prayer has been made the coolness of my eyes.”
14. “Prayer is the foundation (pillar) of religion. So, the one who gives it up, he demolishes the whole
religion.”
16. “The first thing which a person shall be called to account for, on the Day of Judgment, is Salat.”
Conditions of Prayer
7. “…He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean.” (2:222)
8. “O you who believe! When you prepare for prayer, wash your faces and necks and your hands to
the elbows, rub your heads and your feet to the ankles (with water.)” (5:6) [about Wudu]
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9. “…If you are ill or on a journey…And if you do not find any water, then take clean earth and rub it
on your faces, and hands. Allah does not wish to put you in difficulty, but to make you clean…”
(5:6) [about Tayammum]
10. “Cleanliness is one half of faith.” Prophet pbuh
11. “Surely Allah does not accept prayers without purification.” Prophet pbuh
12. “The key to Paradise is Prayer and the key to Prayer is purification (Wudu).” Prophet pbuh
4. “And bow down your heads with those who bow down…” (2:43)
5. “A prayer performed in congregation is 27 degrees more excellent than the prayer said by a
single person.” Prophet pbuh
6. “Always pray in congregation for a wolf only injures a solitary sheep.”Prophet pbuh
Friday Prayer
5. “O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday, hasten earnestly to the
Remembrance of Allah and leave off business; that is the best for you if you knew, and when the
prayer is finished then you should disperse through land, and seek the Bounty of Allah.” (Al-Juma,
9-10).
6. “When the Imam is delivering Khutba, and you ask your companion to keep quiet and listen, then
no doubt you have done an evil act.” Prophet pbuh
7. “Allah Almighty sets a seal on the heart of he who misses 3 consecutive Friday prayers due to
laziness.” Prophet pbuh
8. “The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male and the cleaning of teeth with Siwak
and using perfume, if it is available.” Prophet pbuh
7. Anas (ra) reported, “When the Holy Prophet (pbuh) came to Medina, they had two days of sport
and amusement. The Prophet (pbuh) said, ‘Allah, the Exalted, has exchanged these days for two
days better than them, the day of breaking the fast, Eid ul Fitr, and the day of sacrifice, Eid ul
Adha.’ ” (Nasa’i)
8. Anas (ra) reported, “Allah's Apostle never proceeded (for the prayer) on the Day of Eid-ul-Fitr
unless he had eaten some dates.” Anas (ra) also narrated: “The Prophet used to eat odd number
of dates.” (Bukhari)
9. Buraida (ra) reported, “The Prophet (pbuh) would surely take some meal before the Eid ul Fitr
prayer and would always take something after returning from Eid ul Adha prayer.”
10. The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Whoever slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the Eid prayer, should
slaughter again."
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11. Abdullah bin Umar, “Allah's Apostle used to offer the prayer of Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr and
then deliver the Khutba after the prayer.”
12. Abu Sa’id (ra) said, “On the Eid of breaking the fast and of the sacrifice, the Prophet (pbuh) would
go to the prayer mat and offer the prayer. When he finished, he would face the audience while
they were sitting in rows, and he would admonish them, advise them and encourage them to do
good deeds.”
Masjid
Quran, “All the Masjids as places of worship, belong to Allah. Therefore do not call upon anyone
except Allah.” (72:18)
FASTING
14. “Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so that you may learn self-
restraint.” (Al-Baqarah: 183)
15. Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran as a guide to mankind…” (Al-Baqarah:
185)
16. “So whoever of you lives to see (this month) should fast throughout it...” (Al-Baqarah: 184)
18. “Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadan (Taraweeh) with a firm belief and hoping for
reward, all of his previous sins would be forgiven.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
19. “When the month of Ramadan comes, the doors of Heaven are opened and the doors of Hell are
closed and the devils are chained.” Prophet pbuh
21. “…if anybody fights or quarrels with him (a fasting person), he should reply, ‘I am fasting.’ ”
Prophet pbuh
22. “If one of you is fasting, he should break his fast with dates; if dates are not available, then with
water.” Prophet pbuh
23. “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his
food and drink.” Prophet pbuh
24. “(Allah says:) ‘Fasting is for Me and I shall reward it.’ ” (Hadith-e-Qudsi)
25. “The night of Power is better than a thousand months.” (Surah Qadar)
26. “…but if anyone is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (of fasts should be made up) by days
later.” (Baqarah:185)
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ZAKAT
11. “Those who believe and do good deeds and establish prayer and pay the Zakat, their reward is
with their Lord.” (2:227)
12. “Take Sadaqah from their property in order to purify and sanctify them.” (Al-Toba:103)
13. “You cannot attain virtue unless you spend your dearest thing in the way of Allah (swt)…” (Al-e-
Imran-92)
14. “The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of grain of
corn, it grows seven years and each year has a hundred grains.”(Al-Baqarah-261)
15. “If you lend Allah a goodly loan, He will double it for you and He will forgive you…” (64:17)
16. “Any wealth that includes the amount of Zakat is destroyed.” Prophet pbuh
17. “And those who hoard up gold and silver, and spend not in the way of Allah – announce unto
them a painful torment.” (9:34)
18. “Alms are for the poor and the needy and those employed to collect them (the funds); for those
whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled to truth, for those in slavery and in debt, and in the
way of Allah and for the wayfarer.” (At-Toba-60)
19. “Save yourself from Hell fire even by giving half a date in charity.” Prophet pbuh
20. “(Allah says), ‘O son of Adam! Spend; I shall spend on you…’ ” (Hadith-e-Qudsi)
9. “Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah for those who can afford the journey.” (Al-e-
Imran:97)
10. And complete the Hajj or Umrah in the service of Allah.” (Al-Baqarah:196)
11. “Then let them end their untidiness and fulfill their vows and perform Tawaf around the ancient
House.” (Al-Hajj:29)
12. “Verily! As-Safa and Al-Marwa are the signs of Allah.” (Al-Baqarah-158)
13. “The person who visits the house of Allah, then neither commits an indecent act nor indulges in
disobedience of Allah, he will return home (free of sin) as he was on the day his mother bore
him.” Prophet pbuh.
14. “An accepted pilgrimage has got no reward except paradise.” Prophet pbuh.
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16. “There is no day on which Allah sets free more servants from the fire than on the Day of Arafat.”
Prophet pbuh.
Umrah
6. “Then let them end their untidiness and fulfill their vows and perform Tawaf around the ancient
House.” (Al-Hajj:29)
7. “An Umrah in the month of Ramadan is equal (in reward) to performing a Hajj.” Prophet pbuh.
8. “From one Umrah to the next is an expiation for any sins committed in between.” Prophet pbuh.
JIHAD
7. “Fight in the cause of Allah against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits, for Allah
loves not the transgressors.” (Al-Baqarah:190)
8. “Let there be no compulsion in religion.” (Al-Baqarah-256)
9. “And strive with your wealth and your lives in the cause of Allah.” (At-Toba:41)
10. “The greatest Jihad is to fight against the evil passions of oneself.” Prophet pbuh
11. “He is not Muslim from whose hand and tongue the other Muslim is not safe.” Prophet pbuh
12. “The best fighting in the path of Allah is (to speak) a word of justice to an oppressive ruler.”
Prophet pbuh
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