ISl Upd Notes 2

Passages of the Holy Quran....................................................................................................................................................................
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History and Importance of Quran..................................................................................................................................................... 12
Life of the Prophet PBUH..................................................................................................................................................................... 22
Life in Makkah............................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Life in Madinah.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
First Muslim Community......................................................................................................................................................................58
Mothers of the Faithful...........................................................................................................................................................................................60
Descendants of the Prophet PBUH....................................................................................................................................................................65
Shia beliefs about Imamat.................................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Family of the Prophet PBUH................................................................................................................................................................................ 68
Ten Blessed Companions.......................................................................................................................................................................................71
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Scribes of Revelation...............................................................................................................................................................................................77
Other Important Personalities............................................................................................................................................................................81
Enemies of the Prophet PBUH............................................................................................................................................................................ 84
Passages of Hadith..................................................................................................................................................................................86
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History and Importance of Hadith.................................................................................................................................................... 92
The Rightly Guided Caliphate............................................................................................................................................................. 98
Abu Bakr RA’s caliphate...................................................................................................................................................................................... 100
Umar RA’s caliphate.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 105
Usmaan RA’s caliphate.........................................................................................................................................................................................114
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Ali RA’s caliphate....................................................................................................................................................................................................118
Practises/Pillars of Islam.................................................................................................................................................................. 122
Testimony/Declaration of Faith/Shahaadah............................................................................................................................................. 122
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Prayer/Salah............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 124
Obligatory Charity/Zakah.................................................................................................................................................................................. 130
Fasting/Sawm......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 133
Pilgrimage/Hajj...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 136
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Beliefs/Articles of Faith..................................................................................................................................................................... 140

Oneness of Allah.....................................................................................................................................................................................................140
Angels..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................141
Books...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................142
Prophets.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................143
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Life after death........................................................................................................................................................................................................145

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Predestination/Taqdeer..................................................................................................................................................................................... 147
Bibliography.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 152
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2
Paper Pattern
Paper 1: 50 marks Paper 2: 50 marks
Question 1: 8 marks (Compulsory) Question 1: 8 marks (Compulsory)
Part (a): 4 marks Part (a): 4 marks
Part (b): 4 marks Part (b): 4 marks
Question 2: 14 marks (Compulsory) Question 2: 14 marks (Compulsory)
Question 3: 14 marks Question 3: 14 marks
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Syllabus
Paper 1 Paper 2
1. Passages of the Quran 1. Passages of Hadith
2. History and Importance of Quran 2. History and Importance of Hadith
3.
4.
Life of the Prophet PBUH
The First Muslim Community
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4.
The Rightly Guided Caliphate
The Articles of Faith and Pillars of Islam
Time Management
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1. The time allowed for each paper is 90 minutes or one and a half hours.
2. The total marks for each paper are 50.
3. In principle, the students have 1.8 minutes per mark (90 minutes divided by 50 marks).
4. However, it is not possible to start the paper immediately and end at the last second. Therefore, students need
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to take five minutes in the beginning to read the questions and choose the questions they want to attempt and
spare five minutes in the end for rechecking. That will leave them with 80 minutes.
5. Hence, the students have 1.6 minutes per mark (80 minutes divided by 50 marks).
6. Hence, the students have 12.8 minutes for the first compulsory question (Question 1).
7. They have 16 minutes for parts (a) of the remaining questions (Questions 2, 3, 4, and 5).
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8. They have 6.4 minutes for parts (b) of the remaining questions (Question 2, 3, 4, and 5).
9. They have 22.4 minutes for a complete question in Questions 2, 3, 4, and 5 (14 marks multiplied by 1.6
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minutes).
How to answer questions

The students must keep the following qualities of answers in mind while attempting the papers. Their answers must be:
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1. Accurate: The names, dates, numbers, etc must be accurate.

2. Structured: The content must follow a logical sequence and structure. The points must not be jumbled up into
a hodge-podge.
3. Clear: The students must use simple and clear terms. They should avoid ambiguous words or long sentences.
4. Coherent: The points must be connected to one another. Just stating the facts without relating them to the
topic would not guarantee marks.
5. Comprehensive: All relevant points must be covered. Important details must not be missing.
6. Detailed: The students must include all necessary and specific details. Broad and general statements do not
convey much.
7. Referenced: All answers must preferably have quotes and references from the Qur’an, hadith, or any other
authentic source. Such references upgrade the level of the answer.
8. Developed/Reasoned: All statements must be supported with reasons. The historical events must be
supported with causes and effects.
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9. Relevant: The points discussed must be relevant to the question. Stating facts that do not contribute to the
answer would just waste your precious time.
Arabic Transliteration
a ‫ع‬ ‘ ‫ذ‬ dh ‫ط‬ t. ‫ا‬ a
i ‫ث‬ th ‫ش‬ sh ‫ظ‬ z. ‫ي‬
u ‫ح‬ h. ‫ص‬ s. ‫غ‬ gh ‫و‬
‫ء‬ ‘ ‫خ‬ kh ‫ض‬ d. ‫ق‬ q
Famous Names
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Umar ‘Umar Saeed Sa’id Aws ‘Aws
Ali Ali Talha Talha Hafsah Hafsah
Usmaan ‘Uthman Ayishah ‘A’ishah Muaaz Mu’adh
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Abdullah ‘Abd Amr ‘Amr
Allah
Abdur ‘Abd Ammar ‘Ammar

Rahman al-Rahm
Saad
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Sa’d Khuzaah
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Khuza’ah
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Marking Standards
Level Mark Mark Description
Question Questions
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1 2-5
4 4 8-10 ● A well-structured, clear, and comprehensive response

● Demonstrates extensive and accurate knowledge relevant to the question
● Points are detailed, well-developed, and relevant
● Likely to quote Quranic verses and hadiths to support points made or other
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relevant quotations
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3 3 5-7 ● A well-structured and clear response

● Demonstrates sound accurate knowledge which is relevant to the question
● Points are elaborated upon and generally accurate
● May quote Quranic verses and hadiths to support points made or other relevant
quotations
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2 2 3-4 ● An attempt to present a structured response to the question

● Response lacks cohesion or is underdeveloped
● Demonstrates some knowledge of the subject covering some of the main points
but without detail
● Points made are sometimes relevant and accurate but limited
1 1 1-2 ● Some attempt to answer the question

● Lacks cohesion and structure
● Demonstrates limited knowledge of the subject
● Responses made are limited with little connection to the question
0 0 0 No creditable content
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Frequent mistakes
1. The students must not use contractions like ‘didn’t, isn’t, can’t, won’t’ in the papers. Instead, the students
should;
a. use ‘did not’ instead of ‘didn’t’
b. use ‘cannot’ instead of ‘can’t’
c. use ‘do not’ instead of ‘don’t’
d. use ‘will not’ or ‘would not’ instead of ‘won’t’
e. use ‘it is’ instead of ‘it’s’
2. The students must use capital letters in the beginning of sentences.
3. The students must use capital letters in the beginning of proper nouns such as Allah, Muhammad, Abu Bakr,
Jibrail, Makkah, Madinah, Islam, Muslim, Ramazan, etc.
4. The students are advised to write short sentences in order to avoid mistakes. The chances of making mistakes
are more in the longer sentences as compared to shorter sentences.
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5. The students are advised to use English terms wherever possible. They should avoid using Arabic terms
because the transliteration of Arabic terms has certain standards which the students do not know. The students
should;
a. use ‘emigrants’ instead of ‘Muhajirun’
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b. use ‘helpers’ instead of ‘ansar’
c. use ‘authentic’ instead of ‘sahih’
d. use ‘non-believers’ instead of ‘kuffar’ or ‘kafir’
e. use ‘angel’ instead of ‘malak’ or ‘farishta’
f. use ‘prayer’ instead of ‘salah’ or ‘namaz’
g. use ‘pilgrimage’ instead of ‘hajj’
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6. The students must use past tense while writing about the events during the life of the Prophet PBUH and
caliphate. They must not write about these events in the present tense.
7. The students must avoid making major grammatical mistakes such as the following;
a. using second form of verb with ‘did’
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b. using the second form of the verb with ‘to’
8. The students must improve the structure of their answers. They should;
a. write in continuous prose
b. write in short paragraphs
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c. not give headings

d. not write in pointers or numbers
9. The students should learn the usage of pronouns. They should;
a. differentiate between his and her
b. not confuse ‘their’ with ‘there’
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c. use capital letter in the beginning of pronouns for Allah such as He, His, Him
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d. not use capital letter in the beginning of pronouns for Prophet PBUH
e. not use plural pronouns for singular nouns out of respect. They should not use ‘they’ for Allah, Prophet
PBUH, companions, etc. Instead, they should use ‘he’, ‘his’, etc.
10. The students must not use short forms of words such as;
a. b/w for between
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b. & for and

c. w/o for without
11. The students must not make spelling mistakes
12. The students must label the answer properly. It is important to label both part (a) and part (b) clearly
13. The students must not address the examiner by using the second person pronouns (you, your, yours, etc).
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Passages of the Holy Quran

Allah in Himself
1 Ayatul Kursi [2:255]
َ‫ض َم ْن َذا الَّ ِذي يَ ْشفَ ُع ِع ْن َدهُ ِإالَّ بِِإ ْذنِ ِه يَ ْعلَ ُم َما بَيْنَ َأ ْي ِدي ِه ْم َو َما خ َْلفَهُ ْم َوالَ ي ُِحيطُون‬ ِ ْ‫ت َو َما فِي اَألر‬ ِ ‫هَّللا ُ الَ ِإلَهَ ِإالَّ هُ َو ْال َح ُّي ْالقَيُّو ُم الَ تَْأ ُخ ُذهُ ِسنَةٌ َوالَ نَوْ ٌم لَهُ َما فِي ال َّس َما َوا‬
.‫ض َوالَ يَُئو ُدهُ ِح ْفظُهُ َما َوهُ َو ْال َعلِ ُّي ْال َع ِظيم‬ َ ْ‫ت َواَألر‬ ِ ‫َي ٍء ِم ْن ِع ْل ِم ِه ِإالَّ بِ َما شَا َء َو ِس َع ُكرْ ِسيُّهُ ال َّس َما َوا‬ ْ ‫بِش‬
Allah: There is no god but He, the Living, the All-Sustaining. Neither dozing overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him
belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth. Who can intercede with Him without His permission?
He knows what is before them and what is behind them; while they encompass nothing of His knowledge, except
what He wills. His Kursiyy (Chair) extends to the Heavens and to the Earth, and it does not weary Him to look after
them. He is the All High, the Supreme (255).
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2 Suratul Anaam [6: 101-103]
‫اعبُد ُۡو ۚهُ َوهُ َو ع َٰلى‬ ُ ِ‫ ٰذ لِ ُك ُم هّٰللا ُ َربُّ ُك ۚمۡ اَل ۤ اِ ٰلهَ اِاَّل هُ َۚو خَال‬.‫َي ٍء َعلِيم‬
ۡ َ‫ق ُكلِّ ش َۡى ٍء ف‬ ْ ‫َي ٍء ۖ َوهُ َو بِ ُكلِّ ش‬
ْ ‫ق ُك َّل ش‬ َ َ‫احبَةٌ ۖ َو َخل‬
ِ ‫ص‬ َ ُ‫ض ۖ َأنَّ ٰى يَ ُكونُ لَهُ َولَ ٌد َولَ ْم تَ ُك ْن لَه‬
ِ ْ‫ت َواَأْلر‬ ِ ‫بَ ِدي ُع ال َّس َما َوا‬
ۡ َ ‫ك ااۡل َ ۡب‬
.‫صا َۚر َوهُ َو اللَّ ِط ۡيفُ ال َخبِ ۡي ُر‏‬ َ ‫ اَل تُ ۡد ِر ُكهُ ااۡل َ ۡب‬.‫ُكلِّ ش َۡى ٍء َّو ِك ۡي ٌل‏‬
ُ ‫صا ُر َوهُ َو ي ُۡد ِر‬
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(He is) the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have a son when He never had a wife? He created
everything, and He knows everything (101). This is Allah: your Lord, there is no God but He, the Creator of
everything; so, worship Him. He is Guardian over everything (102). No vision can comprehend Him, and He
comprehends all visions, and He is Absolutely Subtle, All-Aware (103).
3 Surah Fussilat or Surah Haa Meem Sajdah [41: 37-39] er

‫ك يُ َسبِّح ُۡونَ لَهٗ بِالَّ ۡي ِل‬ ۡ ‫ فَاِ ِن‬. َ‫اس ُجد ُۡوا هّٰلِل ِ الَّ ِذ ۡى َخلَقَه َُّن اِ ۡن ُك ۡنتُمۡ اِيَّاهُ ت َۡعبُد ُۡون‬
َ ِّ‫است َۡكبَر ُۡوا فَالَّ ِذ ۡينَ ِع ۡن َد َرب‬ ۡ ‫س َواَل لِ ۡلقَ َم ِر َو‬ ۡ
ِ ۡ‫َو ِم ۡن ٰا ٰيتِ ِه الَّ ۡي ُل َوالنَّهَا ُر َوال َّشمۡ سُ َوالقَ َم ُ‌ر اَل ت َۡس ُجد ُۡوا لِل َّشم‬
.‫ت اِ َّن الَّ ِذ ۡۤى اَ ۡحيَاهَا لَ ُم ۡح ِى ۡال َم ۡو ٰتى اِنَّهٗ ع َٰلى ُكلِّ ش َۡى ٍء قَ ِد ۡي ٌر‏‬ ۡ ‫َاش َعةً فَاِ َذ ۤا اَ ۡنز َۡلنَا َعلَ ۡيهَا ۡال َمٓا َء‬
‌ۡ َ‫اهتَ َّز ۡت َو َرب‬ ِ ‫ضخ‬ َ ‫ك تَ َرى ااۡل َ ۡر‬ َ َّ‫ َو ِم ۡن ٰا ٰيتِ ٖۤه اَن‬. َ‫ار َوهُمۡ اَل يَ ۡسـَٔـ ُم ۡون‬
ِ َ‫َوالنَّه‬
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Among His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate yourselves to the sun, or to
the moon. And prostrate yourselves to Allah who has created them, if it is Him whom you worship (37). Still, if they
show arrogance, then those who are with your Lord proclaim His purity night and day, and they do not get weary
(38). And among His signs is that you see the land inactive; then, once We send down water thereto, it gets excited
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and swells. Surely, the One who has given life to it is the One who gives life to the dead. No doubt, He is powerful
enough to do everything (39).
4 Suratul Shura [42: 4-5]
‌ِ ‫ن َو ۡال َم ٰلٓ ِٕٮ َكةُ يُ َسبِّح ُۡونَ بِ َحمۡ ِد َربِّ ِهمۡ َويَ ۡست َۡغفِر ُۡونَ لِ َم ۡن فِ ۡى ااۡل َ ۡر‬
‫ض اَاَل ۤ اِ َّن هللا هُ َو‬ ُ ‫ تَـكَا ُد السَّمٰ ٰو‬.‫ض َوهُ َو ۡال َعلِ ُّى ۡال َع ِظ ۡي ُم‬
‌َّ ‫ت يَتَفَطَّ ۡرنَ ِم ۡن فَ ۡوقِ ِه‬ ‌ِ ‫ت َو َما فِ ۡى ااۡل َ ۡر‬
ِ ‫لَهٗ َما فِ ۡى السَّمٰ ٰو‬
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ِ ‫ۡال َغفُ ۡو ُر الر‬

.‫َّح ۡي ُم‏‬
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To him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, and He is the High, the Supreme (4). The
heavens almost burst apart from their above side, and angels proclaim the purity and praise of their Lord, and pray
for forgiveness of those on the earth. Be aware that Allah is the Most-Forgiving, the Very-Merciful (5).
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5 Suratul Ikhlaas [112: 1-4]
َّ ‫ هللا ال‬.‫قُ ۡل هُ َو هّٰللا ُ اَ َح ٌ‌د‏‬

.‫ َولَمۡ يَ ُك ۡن لَّهٗ ُكفُ ًوا اَ َح ٌد‬.‫ لَمۡ يَلِ ۡد َولَمۡ ي ُۡولَ ۡد‏‬.‌‫ص َم ُد‬
Say, The truth is that Allah is One (1). Allah is Besought of all, needing none (2). He neither begot anyone, nor was
He begotten (3). And equal to Him has never been any one (4).
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Allah and the Created World
6 Suratul Faatihah [1: 1-7]

‫هّٰلِل‬
ِ ‫ غ َۡي ِر ۡال َم ۡغض ُۡو‬. ۡ‫ص َراطَ الَّ ِذ ۡينَ اَ ۡن َعمۡ تَ َعلَ ۡي ِهم‬
‫ب َعلَ ۡي ِهمۡ َواَل‬ ِ .‫ اِ ۡه ِدنَا الصِّ َراطَ ۡال ُم ۡستَقِ ۡي ۙ َم‏‬.‫ك ن َۡستَ ِع ۡينُ ؕ‏‬
َ ‫ك ن َۡعبُ ُد َواِيَّا‬ ِ ‫ الر َّۡحمٰ ِن الر‬.‫اَ ۡل َحمۡ ُد ِ َربِّ ۡال ٰعلَ ِم ۡي ۙنَ‏‬
َ ‫ اِيَّا‬.‫ مٰ لِ ِك يَ ۡو ِم الد ِّۡي ِنؕ‏‬.‫َّح ۡي ِمۙ‏‬
.‫الضَّٓالِّ ۡينَ‏‬
Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds (1). The All-Merciful, the Very Merciful (2). The Master of the Day
of Requital (3). You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help (4). Take us on the straight path (5).
The path of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace (6), not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of
those who have gone astray (7).
7 Suratul Baqarah [2: 21-22]
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َ ‫ الَّ ِذ ۡى َج َع َل لَـ ُك ُم ااۡل َ ۡر‬. َ‫اعبُد ُۡوا َربَّ ُك ُم الَّ ِذ ۡى َخلَقَ ُكمۡ َوالَّ ِذ ۡينَ ِم ۡن قَ ۡبلِ ُكمۡ لَ َعلَّ ُكمۡ تَتَّقُ ۡون‬
ِ ‫ض فِ َرا ًشا وَّال َّس َمٓا َء بِنَٓا ًء َّواَ ۡن َز َل ِمنَ ال َّس َمٓا ِء َمٓا ًء فَا َ ۡخ َر َج بِ ٖه ِمنَ الثَّ َم ٰر‬
‫ت ِر ۡزقًا‬ ۡ ُ‫ٰيٓاَيُّهَا النَّاس‬
.‫لَّـ ُك ۚمۡ‌ فَاَل ت َۡج َعلُ ۡوا هّٰلِل ِ اَ ۡندَادًا َّواَ ۡنتُمۡ ت َۡعلَ ُم ۡونَ‏‬
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O people, worship your Lord who created you and those before you, so that you may become God-fearing (21). He
is the One who made the earth a bed for you, and the sky a roof, and sent down water from the sky, then brought
forth with it fruits, as a provision for you. So, do not set up parallels to Allah when you know (22).
8 Suratul Alaq [96: 1-5]
. ۡ‫ عَلَّ َم ااۡل ِ ۡنسَانَ َما لَمۡ يَ ۡعلَم‬.‫ الَّ ِذ ۡى عَلَّ َم بِ ۡالقَلَ ِم‬.‫ك ااۡل َ ۡك َر ُم‬
َ ُّ‫ ۡاق َر ۡا َو َرب‬.‌‫ق‬
ٍ َ‫ق ااۡل ِ ۡنسَانَ ِم ۡن َعل‬ َ َ‫ك الَّ ِذ ۡى َخل‬
َ َ‫ َخل‬.‌‫ق‬ ۡ ِ‫ۡاق َر ۡا ب‬
َ ِّ‫اس ِم َرب‬
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Read with the name of your Lord who created (every thing) (1). He created man from a clot of blood (2). Read, and
your Lord is the most gracious (3), who imparted knowledge by means of the pen (4). He taught man what he did
not know (5).
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9 Suratul Zilzaal [99: 1-8]
‫ فَ َم ۡن‬.‫َّص ُد ُر النَّاسُ اَ ۡشتَاتًا لِّيُ َر ۡوا اَ ۡع َمالَهُمۡ‏‬ ُ ‫ يَ ۡو َم ِٕٮ ٍذ تُ َحد‬.‌‫ َوقَا َل ااۡل ِ ۡن َسانُ َما لَهَا‬.‫ت ااۡل َ ۡرضُ اَ ۡثقَالَهَا‏‬
َ َّ‫ بِا َ َّن َرب‬.‫ِّث اَ ۡخبَا َرهَا‏‬
ۡ ‫ يَ ۡو َم ِٕٮ ٍذ ي‬.‫ك اَ ۡو ٰحى لَهَا‏‬ ِ ‫ َواَ ۡخ َر َج‬.‫ت ااۡل َ ۡرضُ ِز ۡلزَالَهَا‬ ِ َ‫اِ َذا ُز ۡل ِزل‬
.‫ َو َم ۡن ي َّۡع َم ۡل ِم ۡثقَا َل َذ َّر ٍة َش ًّرا يَّ َر ٗه‏‬.‫ي َّۡع َم ۡل ِم ۡثقَا َل َذ َّر ٍة خ َۡيرًا يَّ َر ٗه‏‬
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When the earth will be trembled with its quake (1), and the earth will bring forth its burdens (2), and man will say,
What has happened to it? (3) That day it will describe all its happenings (4), because its Lord will have so
commanded it (5). That day the people will come back (from the place of reckoning) in different groups, so that
they may be shown (the fruits of) their deeds (6). So, whoever does any good act (even) to the weight of a particle
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will see it (7). And whoever does evil (even) to the weight of a particle will see it (8).
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10 Suratul Naas [114: 1-6]

ۡ ۡ ۡ
ِ َّ‫ ِمنَ ال ِجنَّ ِة َوالن‬.‫اس‬
.‫اس‬ ُ ‫ الَّ ِذ ۡى يُ َو ۡس ِوسُ فِ ۡى‬.‫اس‬
ِ َّ‫صد ُۡو ِر الن‬ ِ َّ‫اس الخَـن‬ ِ َّ‫ اِ ٰل ِه الن‬.‫اس‬
ِ ‫ ِم ۡن َشرِّ ال َو ۡس َو‬.‫اس‏‬ ِ َّ‫قُ ۡل اَع ُۡو ُذ بِ َربِّ الن‬
ِ َّ‫ َملِ ِك الن‬.‫اس‬
Say, I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind (1), the King of mankind (2), the God of mankind (3), from the evil of
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the whisperer who withdraws (when Allah‘s name is pronounced) (4), the one who whispers in the hearts of
people (5), whether from among the Jinn or Mankind (6).
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Allah’s Relationship with His Messengers
11 Suratul Baqarah [2: 30-37]
‫ َوعَلَّ َم‬. َ‫ك ۖ قَا َل ِإنِّ ٓى َأ ْعلَ ُم َما اَل تَ ْعلَ ُمون‬ َ َ‫ك َونُقَدِّسُ ل‬ َ ‫ك ٱل ِّد َمٓا َء َونَحْ نُ نُ َسبِّ ُح بِ َح ْم ِد‬ُ ِ‫ض َخلِيفَ ۭةً ۖ قَالُ ٓو ۟ا َأتَجْ َع ُل فِيهَا َمن يُ ْف ِس ُد فِيهَا َويَ ْسف‬ ِ ْ‫ك لِ ْل َملَ ٰـِٓئ َك ِة ِإنِّى َجا ِع ۭ ٌل فِى ٱَأْلر‬ َ ُّ‫وَِإ ْذ قَا َل َرب‬
َ َّ‫ك اَل ِع ْل َم لَنَٓا ِإاَّل َما عَلَّ ْمتَنَٓا ۖ ِإن‬
‫ قَا َل يَ ٰـٓـَٔا َد ُم‬.‫ك َأنتَ ْٱل َعلِي ُم ْٱل َح ِكي ُم‬ ۟ ُ‫ قَال‬. َ‫ص ٰـ ِدقِين‬
َ َ‫وا ُس ْب َح ٰـن‬ َ ‫ضهُ ْم َعلَى ْٱل َملَ ٰـِٓئ َك ِة فَقَا َل َأ ۢنبِـُٔونِى بَِأ ْس َمٓا ِء هَ ٰـُٓؤٓاَل ِء ِإن ُكنتُ ْم‬
َ ‫َءا َد َم ٱَأْل ْس َمٓا َء ُكلَّهَا ثُ َّم َع َر‬
‫ُوا لِـَٔا َد َم فَ َس َجد ُٓو ۟ا ِإٓاَّل‬
۟ ‫ و ْذ قُ ْلنَا لِ ْلملَ ٰـِٓئ َك ِة ٱ ْس ُجد‬. َ‫ت َوٱَأْلرْ ض َوَأ ْعلَ ُم ما تُ ْب ُدونَ َوما ُكنتُ ْم تَ ْكتُ ُمون‬
َ ‫َِإ‬ َ َ ِ ِ ‫ْب ٱل َّس َم ٰـ ٰ َو‬َ ‫َأ ۢنبِْئهُم بَِأ ْس َمٓاِئ ِه ْم ۖ فَلَ َّمٓا َأ ۢنبََأهُم بَِأ ْس َمٓاِئ ِه ْم قَا َل َألَ ْم َأقُل لَّ ُك ْم ِإنِّ ٓى َأ ْعلَ ُم َغي‬
‫ فََأزَلَّهُ َما‬. َ‫ْث ِشْئتُ َما َواَل تَ ْق َربَا هَ ٰـ ِذ ِه ٱل َّش َج َرةَ فَتَ ُكونَا ِمنَ ٱلظَّ ٰـلِ ِمين‬
ُ ‫ك ْٱل َجنَّةَ َو ُكاَل ِم ْنهَا َر َغدًا َحي‬ َ ‫ َوقُ ْلنَا يَ ٰـٓـَٔا َد ُم ٱ ْس ُك ْن َأنتَ َو َزوْ ُج‬. َ‫يس َأبَ ٰى َوٱ ْستَ ْكبَ َر َو َكانَ ِمنَ ْٱل َك ٰـفِ ِرين‬ َ ِ‫ِإ ْبل‬
۟ ُ‫ٱل َّش ْيطَ ٰـنُ َع ْنهَا فََأ ْخ َر َجهُما ِم َّما كَانَا فِي ِه ۖ َوقُ ْلنَا ٱ ْهبط‬
‫َاب َعلَ ْي ِه ۚ ِإنَّ ۥهُ هُ َو‬ ٍ ۢ ‫ فَتَلَقَّ ٰ ٓى َءا َد ُم ِمن َّربِِّۦه َكلِ َم ٰـ‬.‫ين‬
َ ‫ت فَت‬ ِ ْ‫ْض َع ُد ۭوٌّ ۖ َولَ ُك ْم فِى ٱَأْلر‬
ٍ ۢ ‫ض ُم ْستَقَ ۭرٌّ َو َمتَ ٰـ ٌع ِإلَ ٰى ِح‬ ٍ ‫ض ُك ْم لِبَع‬
ُ ‫وا بَ ْع‬ ِ َ
ِ ‫ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلر‬
.‫َّحي ُم‬
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(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to create a deputy on the earth!. They said, Will You
create there one who will spread disorder on the earth and cause bloodshed, while we proclaim Your purity, along
with your praise, and sanctify Your name? He said, Certainly, I know what you know not (30). And He taught ‘Adam
the names, all of them; then presented them before the angels, and said, Tell me their names, if you are right (31).
They said, To You belongs all purity! We have no knowledge except what You have given us. Surely, You alone are
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the All-knowing, All-wise (32). He said, O ‘Adam, tell them the names of all these. When he told them their names,
Allah said, Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the skies and of the earth, and that I know what you disclose
and what you conceal (33). And when We said to the angels: Prostrate yourselves before ‘Adam!. So, they
prostrated themselves, all but Iblis (Satan). He refused, and became one of the infidels (34). And We said, .O ‘Adam,
dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise; and eat at pleasure wherever you like, but do not go near this tree, otherwise
you will be (counted) among the transgressors (35). Then, Satan caused them to slip from it, and brought them out
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of where they had been. And We said, Go down, all of you, some of you the enemies of others; and on the earth
there will be for you a dwelling place and enjoyment for a time (36). Then ‘Adam learned certain words (to pray
with) from his Lord; so, Allah accepted his repentance. No doubt, He is the Most-Relenting, the Very-Merciful (37).
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12 Suratul Anaam [6: 75-79]
‫از ًغا قَا َل‬ ۡ ٰ ۤ ۤ ٰ ۡ

ِ َ‫ فَلَ َّما َرا القَ َم َر ب‬. َ‫ فَلَ َّما َج َّن َعلَ ۡي ِه الَّ ۡي ُل َرا ك َۡو َكبًا‌ قَا َل ٰه َذا َربِّىۡ‌ فَلَ َّما اَفَ َل قَا َل اَل اُ ِحبُّ ااۡل ٰ فِلِ ۡين‬. َ‫ض َولِيَ ُك ۡونَ ِمنَ ال ُم ۡوقِنِ ۡين‬ ‫ك نُ ِر ۤۡى اِ ۡب ٰر ِه ۡي َم َملَـ ُك ۡوتَ السَّمٰ ٰو ِ اۡل‬ َ ِ‫َوك َٰذل‬
ِ ‫ت َوا َ ۡر‬
ٓ ۡ ‫از َغةً قَا َل ٰه َذا َرب ِّۡى ٰه َذ ۤا اَ ۡكبَ ُ‌ر فَلَ َّم ۤا اَفَلَ ۡت قَا َل ٰيقَ ۡو ِم اِنِّ ۡى بَ ِر‬
‫ اِنِّ ۡى‬. َ‫ى ٌء ِّم َّما تُ ۡش ِر ُك ۡون‬ َ ۡ‫ فَلَ َّما َر ٰا ال َّشم‬. َ‫ٰه َذا َربِّىۡ‌ فَلَ َّم ۤا اَفَ َل قَا َل لَ ِٕٮ ۡن لَّمۡ يَ ۡه ِدنِ ۡى َرب ِّۡى اَل َ ُك ۡون ََّن ِمنَ ۡالقَ ۡو ِم الضَّٓالِّ ۡين‬
ِ َ‫س ب‬
.‌َ‫ض َحنِ ۡيفًا‌ َّو َم ۤا اَنَا ِمنَ ۡال ُم ۡش ِر ِك ۡين‬
َ ‫ت َوااۡل َ ۡر‬
ِ ‫ت َو ۡج ِه َى لِلَّ ِذ ۡى فَطَ َر السَّمٰ ٰو‬
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ُ ‫َوج َّۡه‬
Thus We showed Ibrahim the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, so that he might be firm in belief (75). So,
when the night enveloped him, he saw a star. He said, This is my Lord.. But, when it vanished, he said, I do not like
those who vanish (76). Later, when he saw the moon rising, he said, This is my Lord. But, when it vanished, he said,
Had my Lord not guided me, I would have been among those gone astray (77). Thereafter, when he saw the sun
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rising, he said, This is my Lord. This is greater. Again, when it vanished, he said, O my people, I disown whatever
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you associate with Allah (78). I have, indeed, turned my face straight towards the One who created the heavens and
the earth, and I am not one of those who associate partners with Allah (79).
13 Suratul Maaidah [5: 110]
‫ل َواِ ۡذ‬ ‌َۚ ‫ب َو ۡال ِح ۡك َمةَ َوالتَّ ۡو ٰرٮةَ َوااۡل ِ ۡن ِج ۡي‬ َ ‫ك ۡالـ ِك ٰت‬ ‌ ‫اس فِ ۡى ۡال َم ۡه ِد َوك َۡه‬
َ ُ‫الً‌ۚ َواِ ۡذ عَلَّمۡ ت‬ َ َّ‫ُس تُ َكلِّ ُم الن‬ ۡ ‫ك بِر ُۡو‬
ِ ‫ح القُد‬ ِ َ ُّ‫ك اِ ۡذ اَيَّدت‬
‌َۘ ِ‫ك َوع َٰلى َوالِ َدت‬ َ ‫اِ ۡذ قَا َل هللا ٰي ِع ۡي َسى ۡابنَ َم ۡريَ َم ۡاذ ُك ۡر نِ ۡع َمتِ ۡى َعلَ ۡي‬
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ۡ‫ك اِ ۡذ ِج ۡئتَهُم‬ َ ‫ت بَنِ ۡۤى اِ ۡسرٓا ِء ۡي َل ع َۡن‬ ُ ‫ص بِاِ ۡذنِ ۚىۡ‌ َواِ ۡذ تُ ۡخ ِر ُج ۡال َم ۡو ٰتى بِاِ ۡذنِ ۚىۡ‌ َواِ ۡذ َكفَ ۡف‬
َ ‫ط ۡي ِن َكهَ ۡيـَٔـ ِة الطَّ ۡي ِر بِاِ ۡذنِ ۡى فَت َۡنفُ ُخ فِ ۡيهَا فَتَ ُك ۡونُ طَ ۡي ۢ ًرا بِاِ ۡذنِىۡ‌ َو تُ ۡب ِرُئ ااۡل َ ۡك َمهَ َوااۡل َ ۡب َر‬ ُ ُ‫ت َۡخل‬
ِّ ‫ق ِمنَ ال‬
.‫ت فَقَا َل الَّ ِذ ۡينَ َكفَر ُۡوا ِم ۡنهُمۡ اِ ۡن ٰه َذ ۤا اِاَّل ِس ۡح ٌر ُّمبِ ۡي ٌن‬
ِ ‫بِ ۡالبَيِّ ٰن‬
(Call to mind the time) when Allah will say, O Isa, son of Maryam, remember My blessing upon you and upon your
mother; when I supported you with the Holy Spirit. You spoke to people while you were still in the cradle and
when you grew to middle age. I taught you the Book and the Wisdom, the Torah and the Injil. You created from clay
something in the shape of a bird, then you blew on it, and it became a bird by My leave. You cured those born blind
and lepers by My leave. You raised the dead by My leave. I kept the children of Isra‘il away from you when you
came to them with clear signs, and the disbelievers among them said, .This is nothing but a clear magic (110).
14 Suratul Zuhaa [93: 1-11]
.‫ضٓاالًّ فَهَ ٰدى‏‬ َ ‫ َو َو َج َد‬.‫ك يَتِ ۡي ًما فَ ٰا ٰوى‏‬

َ ‫ك‬ َ ‫ اَلَمۡ يَ ِج ۡد‬.‫ضى‏‬
ٰ ‫ك فَت َۡر‬ َ ‫ َولَ َس ۡوفَ ي ُۡع ِط ۡي‬.‫ك ِمنَ ااۡل ُ ۡو ٰلى‬
َ ُّ‫ك َرب‬ َ َّ‫ َولَـاۡل ٰ ِخ َرةُ خ َۡي ٌر ل‬.‫ك َو َما قَ ٰلى‬ َ ‫ َما َو َّد َع‬.‫ َوالَّ ۡي ِل اِ َذا َس ٰجى‏‬.‫َوالضُّ ٰحى‏‬
َ ُّ‫ك َرب‬
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َ ِّ‫ َواَ َّما بِنِ ۡع َم ِة َرب‬.‫ َواَ َّما الس َِّٕٓاٮ َل فَاَل ت َۡنهَ ۡر‬.‫ فَا َ َّما ۡاليَتِ ۡي َم فَاَل ت َۡقهَ ۡر‬.‫َٓاٮالً فَا َ ۡغ ٰنى‬
.‫ك فَ َحد ِّۡث‏‬ ِٕ ‫ك ع‬
َ ‫َو َو َج َد‬
I swear by the forenoon (1), and by the night when it becomes peaceful (2), your Lord (O Prophet,) has neither
forsaken you, nor has become displeased (3). Surely the Hereafter is much better for you than the present life (4).
And of course, your Lord will give you so much that you will be pleased (5). Did He not find you an orphan, and
give you shelter? (6) And He found you unaware of the way (the Shariah ), then He guided you (7). And He found
you in need, then made you need-free (8). Therefore, as for orphan, do not oppress him (9), and as for the beggar,
do not scold him (10). And about the bounty of your Lord, do talk (11).
15 Suratul Kawsar [108: 1-3)
.‫ك هُ َو ااۡل َ ۡبتَ ُر‏‬

َ ‫ اِ َّن شَانَِئ‬.‫ك َو ۡان َح ۡر‏‬
َ ِّ‫صلِّ لِ َرب‬ َ ‫اِنَّ ۤا اَ ۡعطَ ۡي ٰن‬
َ َ‫ ف‬.‫ك ۡالك َۡوثَ َر‏‬
(O Prophet,) surely We have given to you Al-Kauthar (1). So, offer Salah (prayer) to your Lord, and sacrifice (2).
Surely it is your enemy whose traces are cut off (3).
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A quick way to remember the passages
Complete Surahs 6 Surahs (1. al-Fatihah; 2. al-Duha; 3. al-Zilzal; 4. al-Kawsar; 5. al-Ikhlas; 6. al-Naas)
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Other famous units 2 units (1. Ayat al-Kursi; 2. Surah al-Alaq (first five ayahs revealed in first revelation)
Division of Passages 3 groups (1. Allah in Himself; 2. Allah’s relationship with the created world; 3. Allah’s
relationship with His messengers)
Prophets mentioned 4 Prophets (1. Adam AS in Surah al-Baqarah; 2. Ibrahim AS in Surah al-Anaam; 3. Isa AS in
Surah al-Maidah; 4. Prophet Muhammad PBUH in Surah al-Duha and Surah al-Kawsar)
Passages from the Quran

Allah in Himself
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Allah’s relationship with the Allah’s relationship with His messengers
Created world
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1. Ayat al-Kursi 1. Surah al-Fatiha 1. Surah al-Baqarah (30-37) (Adam AS)
2. Surah al-Ikhlas 2. Surah al-Zilzal 2. Surah al-Anaam (75-79) (Ibrahim AS)
3. Surah al-Anaam 3. Surah al-Naas 3. Surah al-Maaidah (110) (Isa AS)

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(101-103)
4. Surah al-Alaq (1-5) 4. Surah al-Duha (Prophet PBUH)
4. Surah Fussilat (37-39)
5. Surah al-Baqarah (21-22) 5. Surah al-Kawsar (Prophet PBUH)
5. Surah al-Shura (4-5)
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Main Themes of Passages

Passage Main Themes
Ayat al-Kursi Allah in Himself
(2:55) Allah is the only one worthy of worship
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Allah is the ever-living and self-subsisting

Allah is free from human needs. He is independent of human needs like sleep and slumber
Allah owns everything in the heavens and Earth
No one can intercede with Him without His permission. No one can interfere in His authority
Allah knows everything. His knowledge is limitless. He is the all-knowing
No one can comprehend the extent of His knowledge. He only gives knowledge to those whom He
wills
His throne (authority, power, sovereignty) prevails over the entire universe. He is the all-powerful
The administration of the affairs of heavens and Earth does not tire Allah almighty. He is not
dependent on any other being
Allah is the most-high and the most-supreme. No one can rival Him. He is matchless
Surah al-Anaam Allah in Himself
(6: 101-103) Allah created everything in the first place without any sample/model/design. He is the
originator/first-creator of everything
Allah has no son/children. He has no wife/consort. The Chrisitan belief about Isa AS and the
Jewish belief about Uzayr AS is wrong.
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Allah is the creator of everything.

Allah knows everything. He is all-knowing. His knowledge is complete
Allah is the only true god. He is the only one worthy of worship. Only He should be worshipped.
No one can comprehend/understand the being and might of Allah almighty. He is beyond our
imagination. Our imagination and knowledge is limited. Allah’s knowledge is unlimited.
Surah Fussilat Allah in Himself
(41: 37-39) The day and night and the sun and the moon are the signs of Allah. They are His creations
The celestial bodies (sun/moon) should not be worshipped. Their creator must be worshipped
Humans should not be arrogant. They must be humble and obedient to Allah
Allah does not need the obedience and worship of human beings. There are countless creations
who adore Him all the time
The land gives yield with Allah’s command. Allah blesses us with crops and fruits for our food
Allah will resurrect us on the Day of Judgement. He will give us life as He gives life to a barren land
Allah is the most-powerful. He can do whatever He wills. Humans must surrender to His authority
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Surah al-Shura Allah in Himself
(42: 4-5) Allah possesses the heavens and the Earth and everything in them.
Allah is the most-High and the Supreme. He is the absolute authority in the universe
The heavens fear Allah’s wrath and the angels glorify Allah almighty all the time
The angels pray for forgiveness of human beings
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Allah is the Most-Forgiving and the Most-Merciful
Surah al-Ikhlas Allah in Himself
(112) There is no god but Allah. Allah is the only one worthy of worship. Oneness of Allah
Allah is absolute. He is self-subsisting. He is self-sufficient. He is independent. He is not dependent
on anyone
Allah begets not. He has no children. Isa and Uzayr are not His sons. Angels are not His daughters
Surah al-Fatihah
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Allah is not begotten. He has no parents. He has no beginning and no end. He is eternal
There is no one equal to Allah. He has no rivals/competitors/equals/partners
Allah’s relationship with the created world
(1) Allah almighty deserves all praise.
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Allah is the Cherisher of the entire universe. He provides for all.
Allah is the Most-Merciful, the Most-Merciful
Allah is the Lord of the Day of Judgement. The Day of Judgement is inevitable
The human beings should submit to Allah, worship Him, and ask Him for help
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Allah should be asked for guidance. Only Allah can guide us to the right path
The precedent of the good and pious people should be followed.
The path of the disobedient and misguided people should not be tread
Surah al-Baqarah Allah’s relationship with the created world
(2: 21-22) Allah almighty commands the human beings to worship Him only
Allah almighty created us and those people who passed before us
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Allah almighty favoured us by making the Earth as a floor and the heavens as roof for us
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Allah almighty sends down rain and grows fruits through it for our sustenance
Allah almighty commands the humans to not associate partners with Him
Surah al-Alaq Allah’s relationship with the created world
(96: 1-5) Allah almighty commands the Prophet PBUH to read which signifies the importance of reading
Allah almighty is the creator of everything
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The humans were created from a clot of congealed blood which shows the humble beginning of
human beings
Allah almighty is the most gracious. He deserves all the praise and glorification
Allah almighty taught human beings with the pen. The significance of pen as an instrument is
highlighted
Allah almighty taught human beings what they knew not. The significance of knowledge is
highlighted.
Surah al-Zilzal Allah’s relationship with the created world
(99) Allah almighty will shake the Earth heavily on the Day of Judgement
The Earth will throw out its burdens including the dead bodies of humans
Human beings will be in a state of confusion and denial. It will be a very hard day for them.
On that day, the Earth will reveal all its secrets. The deeds of human beings on Earth will be
revealed on the command of Allah. The Earth will not be able to disobey Allah’s command.
The human beings will be shown their deeds. They will be made accountable for all major and
minor good and bad deeds. Nothing will remain hidden.
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Surah al-Naas Allah’s relationship with the created world

(114) The Muslims should seek Allah’s refuge. Allah gives protection. He is the Cherisher of the people
Allah is the Lord of the people
Allah is the only one worthy of worship. Only He should be worshipped
The Muslims should seek Allah’s refuge from the evil and devil
The Muslims should also seek Allah’s refuge from the evil whisperers among the devils and human
beings
Surah al-Baqarah Allah’s relationship with His messengers (Adam AS)
(2: 30-37) Allah almighty made human beings His vicegerents/agents/rulers on Earth
The angels objected to this keeping in view the free-will of the human beings
Allah almighty taught Adam AS the names of everything and made him superior to angels because
of his knowledge
Allah almighty knows everything about the seen and unseen realms. Only He gives knowledge to
the humans.
Allah almighty commanded angels to bow down to Adam AS to stamp human beings’ superiority
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over angels
The satan refused to comply to Allah’s command and showed arrogance
Allah favoured Adam AS by entering him into Paradise and allowed him to eat from its fruits
Satan misguided Adam AS and caused his expulsion from Paradise.
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Allah almighty arranged for Adam AS’s abode on Earth and provided for his needs.
Allah almighty taught Adam AS the words of repentance. He also forgave Adam AS as He is the
most-Forgiving and Most-Merciful.
Surah al-Anaam Allah’s relationship with His messengers (Ibrahim AS)
(6: 75-79) Allah almighty shows his power and signs to His prophets to strengthen their faith
Ibrahim AS constantly seeks the truth and the true god
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Ibrahim AS is not adamant on his stance. Instead, he changes his beliefs when he realises his
mistakes. He is not arrogant. He keeps learning from his experience.
Ibrahim AS realises that the sun, moon, and stars cannot be gods as they are bound to set and
disappear
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The prophets of Allah ask for guidance from Allah like Ibrahim AS
The prophets dissociate themselves from the false beliefs and practices of their nations
The Prophets only look up to Allah almighty and do not indulge in shirk
Surah al-Maaidah Allah’s relationship with His messengers (Isa AS)
(5:110) Allah grants favours to the prophets and their families
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Allah helps his messengers through the Holy Spirit (Jibrail AS)
Allah grants miracles to the prophets like he granted miracles to Isa AS such as giving life to dead,
giving life to birds made of clay, healing the blind, and speaking in infancy
Allah teaches the book and wisdom to His messengers so that they may argue with the people
Allah protects His messengers from their enemies like Allah protected Isa AS from the Jews
Surah al-Duha Allah’s relationship with His messengers (Prophet Muhammad PBUH)
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(93) Allah assures His messenger PBUH by pledging that He has not forsaken/left the Prophet PBUH
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Allah consoles the Prophet PBUH by promising to protect him

Allah promises the Prophet PBUH of great favours in the Hereafter
Allah also recounts/reminds the Prophet PBUH about past favours of giving shelter, guidance, and
financial stability to the Prophet PBUH
Allah commands the Prophet PBUH to be kind towards orphans and beggars
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Allah asks the Prophet PBUH to remember and be grateful for the favours of Allah almighty
Surah al-Kawsar Allah’s relationship with His messengers (Prophet Muhammad PBUH)
(108) Allah grants abundance of goodness/followers/favours to his prophets
Allah commands his prophets to offer prayers and make sacrifice signifying the importance of
prayer and sacrifice
Allah commands the Prophet PBUH to offer prayer and sacrifice only for Allah almighty. This
highlights the importance of sincerity and commitment to Allah almighty.
Allah warns the enemies of His prophets of a dreadful ending in this world and a severe
punishment in the Hereafter
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Main Themes of the passages for the compound question (Question 2 in P1)
Section Themes
Allah in Himself 1. Oneness of Allah is emphasised (Ayat al-Kursi, Surah al-An’am, Surah al-Ikhlas)
2. Allah’s absolute knowledge is discussed (Ayat al-Kursi)
3. Allah’s absolute power is highlighted (Ayat al-Kursi)
4. Allah as the creator of everything is discussed (Surah al-Anaam)
5. The human beings are commanded to worship Allah almighty (Surah al-Anaam, Surah
Fussilat)
6. The incomprehensibility of Allah’s being is discussed (Surah al-Anaam)
7. Various attributes of Allah almighty are mentioned (Alim, Wakil, Latif, Khabir, Ali, Azim,
Ghafur, Rahim) (Ayat al-Kursi, Surah al-Anaam, Surah al-Shura)
8. Signs of Allah almighty are mentioned (Surah Fussilat)
9. Proof of life after death are given (Surah Fussilat)
10. Allah’s favours upon humans such as Earth and heavens are highlighted (Surah Fussilat)
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11. The theme that Allah almighty possesses everything is discussed (Surah al-Shura)
12. Wrong beliefs about Allah’s origins and progeny are rejected (Surah al-Ikhlas)
13. Allah’s transcendence from worldly needs is discussed (Surah al-Ikhlas)
Allah’s 1. The importance of praising Allah is discussed (Surah al-Fatihah)
relationship 2. The proof of the day of Judgement is given (Surah al-Fatihah)
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with the created 3. The importance of submission to Allah almighty is discussed (Surah al-Fatihah)
world 4. The importance of guidance to the straight path is highlighted (Surah al-Fatihah)
5. The importance of worshipping Allah is discussed (Surah al-Baqarah)
6. Allah as the creator of all human beings is discussed (Surah al-Baqarah, Surah Alaq)
7. Allah’s favours upon human beings are recounted (Surah al-Baqarah)
8. The oneness of Allah and the rejection of shirk is discussed (Surah al-Baqarah)
9.
10.
11.
12.
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The importance of reading and knowledge is highlighted (Surah al-Alaq)
The humble beginning of human beings is mentioned (Surah al-Alaq)
The proof of the Day of Judgement is given (Surah al-Zilzal)
The absolute power of Allah almighty is discussed (Surah al-Zilzal)
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13. The accountability of human beings is assured (Surah al-Zilzal)
14. The justice and fairness of Allah is highlighted (Surah al-Zilzal)
15. The importance of seeking refuge with Allah is highlighted (Surah al-Naas)
16. The attributes of Allah in terms of his relationship with human beings are mentioned
(Surah al-Naas)
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Allah’s 1. Allah taught Adam AS the names of things (Allah gives knowledge to His messengers)
relationship (Adam AS: Surah al-Baqarah)
with His 2. Allah asked angels to prostrate to Adam AS and made him superior to angels (Adam AS:
messengers Surah al-Baqarah)
3. Allah gives favours to His messengers. He sent AdamAS to heaven. (Adam AS: Surah
al-Baqarah)
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4. Allah forgives His messengers like He forgave Adam AS (Adam AS: Surah al-Baqarah)
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5. Allah’s messengers always seek Him and seek guidance from Him (Ibrahim AS: Surah
al-Anaam)
6. Allah shows His messengers His signs (Ibrahim AS: Surah al-Anaam)
7. Allah guides His messengers to the right path (Ibrahim AS: Surah al-Anaam)
8. Allah protects His messengers from falling astray (Ibrahim AS: Surah al-Anaam)
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9. Allah grants favours to messengers and their parents (Isa AS: Surah al-Maaidah)
10. Allah supports His messengers through miracles (Isa AS: Surah al-Maaidah)
11. Allah teaches His messengers wisdom and knowledge (Isa AS: Surah al-Maaidah)
12. Allah protects His messengers from their enemies (Isa AS: Surah al-Maaidah)
13. Allah consoles His messengers by assuring to protect them (Prophet PBUH: Surah al-Duha)
14. Allah gives glad tidings to His messengers (Prophet PBUH: Surah al-Duha)
15. Allah recounts His favours upon messengers (Prophet PBUH: Surah al-Duha)
16. Allah gives instructions to the messengers (Prophet PBUH: Surah al-Duha)
17. Allah grants favours to His messengers (Prophet PBUH: Surah al-Kawsar)
18. Allah curses the enemies of His messengers (Prophet PBUH: Surah al-Kawsar)
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History and Importance of Quran

Importance of Quran
1. The Quran is the most important source of Islamic law.
2. The Quran is the most important source of guidance, beliefs, thoughts, and actions in Islam.
3. The Quran is guaranteed to be authentic as Allah has taken the responsibility of its safekeeping. Hence, it
cannot be distorted/fabricated/corrupted.
4. The Quran is Allah’s last word for humanity
5. The Quran is the basis of the most important aesthetic art forms in Islam like calligraphy, tajwid, and
architecture.
6. Engaging with the Quran in any capacity results in immense reward like recitation, learning, teaching,
translating, understanding, deriving laws from it, memorising it, looking at it, respecting it, and putting its
injunctions into practice.
7. The second pillar of Islam, prayer, cannot be performed without recitation of the Quran.
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8. The Muslims revere the Quran immensely. They start their ceremonies with its recitation. They make its
amulets for blessing and healing. They only touch the Quran when they are in the state of ritual purity.
Root letters of the word ‘Quran’
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Most words in Arabic have three-letter roots. The word Quran has the following two three-letter roots.
1. q/r/a: The meaning of this root is to read. By this meaning, the Quran means a book that is most read. The word
‘Quran’ is used in this meaning in 17:78 and 75:18 (Surah al-Qiyamah).
2. q/r/n: The meaning of this root is to bring together, to gather, to collect or to join. With this root, the word
Quran means the book that brings people closer to Allah almighty. The word ‘Quran’ in this meaning is used in
75:17 (Surah al-Qiyamah) in the Quran.
Alternate names of the Quran

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The word ‘Quran’ is mentioned 70 times in the Quran. The Quran also mentions some other names for itself. These
include al-Kitaab (the Book), al-Hikmah (the Wisdom), al-Hudaa (the Guidance), al-Nuur (the Light), al-Shifaa (the
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Healing), al-Furqaan (the Distinction between Truth and Falsehood), al-Rahmah (the Mercy), al-Burhaan (The Evident),
al-Tanzeel (the Gradual Revelation), al-Mawizah (the Advice), and al-Zikr (The Remembrance).
Arrangement of the Quran

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1. The arrangement/sequence is not topical.

2. The arrangement/sequence of the Quran is not chronological (according to the sequence of revelation).
3. The arrangement/sequence of the Quran is based on divine guidance. It is called Tawqeefi
sequence/arrangement. Allah almighty instructed the Prophet PBUH through angel Jibrail AS to arrange the
Quran in this sequence. With each revelation, Jibrail AS would indicate the place where the new revelation was
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to be added/placed. The Prophet PBUH and Jibrail AS would recite the entire revealed Quran in Ramazan each
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year to each other in this sequence. In the last year of the Prophet SAW’s life, he and Jibrail AS recited the Quran
to each other twice in the Tawqeefi sequence.
Length of the Quran

The length of the Quran depends on the number of lines per page. Its length varies from 300 pages to 1200 pages
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depending on the number of lines per page. The different versions of the Quran based on the number of lines per page
are standardised. All Quranic copies of 16 lines per page will look the same in all publications. This helps in the
memorization of the Quran as the memorisers can get these pages imprinted in their minds.
● 11 lines per page Quran consists of 1205 pages
Muslims’ beliefs about the Quran

1. The Muslims believe that the Quran is the attribute of Allah. It is the uncreated speech of Allah.
2. The Quran has existed with Allah almighty since pre-existence. It was not created according to circumstances.
The circumstances were created according to it.
3. The Quran is a bridge between the Divine and the human. The Quran has no personhood. It cannot be
worshipped.
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4. It is the biggest miracle of Islam.

5. It is protected from distortion and extinction by Allah almighty.
6. Its commandments are absolute. It cannot be abrogated.
7. It is for the entire humanity till the Day of Judgement.
Difference between Quran and Jewish and Christian texts

1. The Quran was not authored by human beings, the Jewish and Christian books were
2. The Quran was authored by a single being while the Jewish and Christian texts were authored by multiple
people
3. The Quran is preserved in its original form without any distortion while the Jewish and Christian texts are not
preserved in their original form.
4. The Quran is entirely revealed scripture while the Jewish and Christian texts are not entirely revealed
5. The Quran was revealed to one person at one point in time while the Jewish and Christian texts were revealed
to different people in different time periods.
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Etiquettes of engaging with the Quran
1. The Quran must only be touched in a state of purity. Allah almighty commands Muslims not to touch the Quran
in a state of impurity in Surah Waqiah (56:79). Hence, the Quran cannot be touched by a person without
ablution.
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2. The Quran can be orally recited without touching it if someone is in the state of minor impurity (without
ablution).
3. The Quran cannot be touched or even recited by someone in the state of major impurity (when ghusl/shower is
required)
4. It is mandatory to seek refuge from the satan (devil) before the recitation of the Quran. The Quran commands
Muslims to seek refuge from satan before recitation in Surah al-Nahl (16:98) in the following words, “So, when
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you recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with Allah against Satan, the accursed.” (16:98)
5. The Quran must only be understood in the light of the guidance of the Prophet PBUH.
6. The Quran must be learned, recited, understood, and acted upon by all Muslims on a daily basis.
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Divisions of Quran
The Quran is classified into five divisions.
1. Ayahs/Verses: The word ‘ayah’ literally means ‘a sign’. There are 6236 verses (excluding Bismillah) and 6348
verses (including Bismillah) in the Quran. The famous figure of 6666 is wrong. This is a later division of the
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Quran. It is not divinely ordained. The longest ayah/verse of the Quran is Ayatul Mudayanah/Tadaayun (2:282)
while the shortest ayah is difficult to determine because of the difference in parameter for the shortest ayah.
The following three ayahs can be classified as the shortest one based on different criteria:
a. The shortest ayah can be ‘Haa-Meem’ (40:1, 41:1, 42:1, 43:1, 44:1, 45:1, 46:1) which has only one word
comprising only two letters: Haa and Meem. However, the ayah ‘Haa Meem’ is from the Huroof
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Muqattaat (the disjointed letters in the beginning of 29 surahs of Quran), hence, its meaning is
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unknown.
b. The shortest ayah can also be ‘al-Rahman’ (55:1) which has one word and seven letters. However, it is
not a complete sentence syntax-wise.
c. The shortest ayah can also be ‘Summa Nazara’ (74: 21) which has only two words and six letters and is
also a complete sentence syntax-wise.
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2. Rukus/Topical divisions: There are 558 rukus/topical divisions in the Quran. The famous figure of 540 is
wrong. The ruku’s are marked with the Arabic letter ‘ayn. The word ruku refers to the bending posture in
prayer. This is a later division. This division is not divinely ordained. This is the only topical division of the
Quran. The longest ruku in terms of number of ayahs in it is Surah Abasa (80) which has 42 ayahs. The shortest
ruku in terms of length is Suratul Kawsar (108) while the shortest ruku in terms of number of ayah/verses is
the last ruku of Suratul Muzzamil (73) with only one ayah.
3. Surah/Chapters: The word ‘surah’ literally means ‘a fence’. There are 114 surahs/chapters of varying length in
the Quran. This is the original division of the Quran. It is divinely ordained (according to the command of Allah).
The longest surah in the Quran is surah al-Baqarah (second surah) with 287 ayahs and 40 ruku’s while the
shortest surah is suratul Kawsar (108th surah) with 3 ayahs and 1 ruku’. The surah are arranged in roughly
descending order of length with the exception of the first surah (al-Fatihah) which only has 7 ayahs. All surahs
except one (al-Tawbah) start with BasmAllah. 29 surah start with Huruf Muqatta’at (the disjointed letters). The
surahs can be divided into two categories: the Makki surahs and the Madani surahs.
a. 86 Makki surahs were revealed before migration to Madinah
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b. 28 Madani Surahs were revealed after migration to Madinah

i. The Makki surahs are shorter in length while Madani surahs are longer in length
ii. The verses of Makki surahs are shorter in length while the verses of Madani surahs are longer
iii. Makki surahs appear towards the end of the Quran while Madani surahs appear in the
beginning of the Quran
iv. Makki surahs are poetic in style with rhyming endings while Madani surahs are prosaic
v. Makki surahs address the non-believers of Makkah while Madani surahs address the
hypocrites and Jews of Madinah
vi. Makki surahs mostly discuss the beliefs and stories of past nations while Madani surahs
discuss rulings
4. Paras/juz/parts: The Quran is also divided into 30 equal parts for completing the recitation of the Quran in a
month. This is a later division. It is not divinely ordained.
a. Each juz is further divided into four hizbs (quarters). These are marked in the Quran as rubu’ (one
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fourth), nisf (half), sulus (three fourths), and juz (complete part).
5. Manzils: The Quran is also divided into 7 Manzils for completing the recitation of the Quran in a week. This is a
later division. It is not divinely ordained.
Ways of Revelation of Quran
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1. Experiences of Prophet PBUH when he received revelations
a. The revelation of verses was always a very hard experience for the Prophet PBUH. He would hear
sounds of ringing bells before the revelations. This was the most difficult form of revelation.
b. He would also hear sounds of animals before the revelation.
c. His weight would increase. The animal he rode would sit down. The companions around him would
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feel his weight increase and their legs would feel like crushing if he was near them. Zayd b. Sabit has
narrated that once the Prophet PBUH was lying with his head on his thigh when a revelation came.
Zayd narrates that he felt the pressure of it and thought as if his leg would crush with the weight.
d. He would sweat in winters and shiver in summers when he would receive a revelation.
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e. The revelations were not in his control. Revelations came with the will of Allah almighty. He did not
know when and where a revelation might come.
f. The revelations were protected by Allah almighty. He could not err in conveying the revelations nor
could he forget them.
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2. Ways in which the Prophet PBUH received revelations

a. Direct revelation: At the time of ascension/Mairaj where he talked to Allah almighty directly
b. When Jibrail came in his actual form. At the time of first revelation outside the cave of Hira
c. When Jibrail would come in human form like the hadith of Umar RA when Jibrail taught the
fundamentals of Islam. Jibrail would look like Dihyah al-Kalbi RA when he came in human form.
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d. When he would hear the voice of Jibrail. This was very frequent.
e. When revelation would descend upon his heart without any voice. This was the most frequent mode of
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revelation.
f. When he would receive revelation in dreams. The dreams of prophets are always true.
Why was the Quran revealed to someone who could not read and write?
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● The Quran was revealed upon the Prophet PBUH who was unlettered. He had not acquired formal education
and could not read or write. The Quran was revealed to the Prophet PBUH to demonstrate that it was from
Allah as the Prophet could not have written it himself as he was unlettered.
● It was also important to show that the Prophet PBUH had not copied it from some other source as he could not
read.
● In order to be literate, one has to study from a teacher who is superior in knowledge to him. Had the Prophet
PBUH been literate, then his teacher would have been superior to him. Allah almighty did not want him to be
the student of other human beings.
● Prophethood is a special favour of Allah. Allah almighty grants it to those with the best moral character. It is not
necessary for it to be given to people who can read and write.
Circumstances of Revelation (Asbaabun Nuzool)

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Many revelations of the Quran pertain to special circumstances in which they were revealed. Hence, it is pertinent to be
aware of the circumstances of revelation of certain sections of the Quran in order to fully comprehend the meaning of
those sections of the Quran. Some example of the circumstances of revelation are the following;
● Surah al-Zuhaa was revealed after a gap of a few months to console the Prophet PBUH because the Quraysh
mocked him saying that his Lord had forsaken him.
● Surah al-Kawsar was revealed to console the Prophet PBUH after the Quraysh started mocking him after the
demise of his second son.
● Surah al-Ikhlaas was revealed when the Quraysh asked the Prophet PBUH to describe his Lord to them.
Some scholars wrote special books on the circumstances of revelations. The most prominent among such books is the
book of Jalaaluddin al-Suyuti which is named “Lubaabun Nuqool Fi Asbaabin Nuzool”.
First and Last Revelations

1. The first revelation of the Quran included the first five verses of Surah al-Alaq (96:1-5). The second revelation
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included Surah al-Mudassir (Surah 74). Surah Muddassir is also the first complete surah to be revealed. Surah
al-Alaq was completed later.
2. The last revelation of the Quran was the following verse of surah al-Baqarah, “Be fearful of the day when you
shall be returned to Allah, then every person shall be paid, in full, what he has earned, and they shall not be
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wronged.” (2:281). The Prophet PBUH lived for only nine days after the last revelation. The last complete surah
to be revealed was Surah al-Nasr (110). Some people believe that the verse 3 of Surah al-Maaidah (5) which
declared the perfection of religion was revealed after the last sermon of the Prophet PBUH during his last hajj
was the last revelation. This is not accurate. That verse of Surah al-Maaidah (5:3) was the last verse of the
commandment/legal rulings of Islam. Other portions of the Quran were revealed after this verse but these
portions did not include any new legal rulings. Hence, that ayah announced the perfection of religion in terms
of Islamic laws.
Two Revelations of Quran

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The Quran was revealed in two stages.
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1. In the first stage, the entire Quran was revealed at once from the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawhul Mahfooz) in the
highest heaven to Baytul Izzah in the lowest heaven on the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr) in the month of
Ramazaan. Many verses of the Quran (2:175, 44:3, and 97:1) and several narrations from the Prophet PBUH
point to this revelation of the Quran.
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2. In the second stage, the Quran was revealed from the lowest heaven to the Prophet PBUH in a gradual manner
over a period of 23 years. This gradual revelation of the Quran is called Tanjeem (The word tanjeem is derived
from the word ‘najm’ which means ‘a star’) because the gradual revelation of the Quran from the lowest
heavens resembles the gradual and constant breaking of stars from the heavens.
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Why was the entire Quran not revealed at once?

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The Quran was revealed from heaven to the lowest heaven (nearest to Earth) in one night. From the lowest heaven, it
was revealed to the Prophet PBUH gradually over a period of 23 years. This gradual revelation of the Quran is called
tanjeem. This word is derived from the Arabic word najm meaning a star. So the Quranic revelation was like stars
coming down from heaven to Earth. The Quran was revealed gradually because of the following reasons.
● The Quran could have been difficult to learn and memorise for the Muslims if it had been revealed at one time.
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● It was easier to understand the Quran because it was revealed gradually.

● The gradual revelation of the Quran made it easier to act upon the Quranic injunction. Some injunctions of the
Quran could not be acted upon in Makki life such as zakah and jihad because Muslims were poor and weak.
● Some sections of Quran were revealed according to circumstances such as Surah al-Kawthar, al-Lahb, etc. which
could not have been comprehended had the Quran been revealed at one time.
● The revelation of the Quran was a source of constant contact and support for the Prophet PBUH. Had it been
revealed at one time, the Prophet PBUH and Muslims would have been deprived of constant support and
reassurance from almighty Allah.
● The revelation of the Quran was a hard experience for the Prophet PBUH. Had the Quran been revealed at one
time, he might not have borne its weight.
● The gradual revelation also helped the Prophet PBUH in answering the questions asked by Quraysh, Jews, and
Christians.
Compilation of Quran
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Reasons for the compilation of Quran/benefits of written tradition

1. The companions who had memorised the Quran were getting martyred. So there was a fear that the Quran may
become extinct.
2. There was a danger of the Quran getting distorted and fabricated.
3. The Quran could not be compiled in the life of the Prophet PBUH because the Quran was being revealed. Once
the revelation of the Quran was complete, it could be compiled after the life of Prophet PBUH.
4. Allah almighty or the Prophet PBUH had not prohibited the compilation of the Quran. Hence, it could be
compiled.
5. The compiled written Quran is more accessible. Not everyone can memorise the Quran. So, those who want to
read the Quran from a written copy can do so conveniently.
6. The compiled written copies are easy to read and refer to. It is difficult to find memorizers of the Quran
everywhere.
7. The written Quran can be accessed online too. It is also more convenient to search certain themes in an
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electronic written copy of the Quran.
8. The written Quran can also be helpful in translating the Quran into other languages. The translations along
with the actual Arabic text of the Quran can only be possible with the written copies of the Quran.
9. The written copy also enables Muslims to have a uniform text of the Quran which the non-Arabic speakers can
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also recite.
10. The compilation of the Quran was necessarily a good cause as it was carried out with the ijma’/consensus of the
companions. Anything done with consensus will always be right as the Prophet PBUH said, “my ummah will
never agree upon error”.
11. The compilation of the Quran saved the ummah from divisions. Had it not been compiled, the next generations
might have disputed over its dialects, authenticity, and contents.
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12. The compilation of the Quran was not needed in the life of the Prophet PBUH as Muslims could consult the
Prophet PBUH for corrections in their recitation of the Quran. After the demise of the Prophet PBUH, a written
copy was needed to consult in case of confusions about the contents of the Quran.
13. It was necessary to preserve the Quran in written form for the next generations of Muslims and new converts to
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Islam.
Benefits of oral tradition

1. Oral tradition is more resistant against extinction as the people cannot be killed at once while the written
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copies can be destroyed by burning, floods, etc.

2. Oral tradition is less prone to distortion as the written copies can be distorted by changes in the words or
meanings of the Quran in new manuscripts. While the memorizers can easily find out such mistakes.
3. Orally memorising the Quran helps in recitation of the Quran in regular prayers and in tarawih prayers.
4. The oral memorisation is also the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH as he could not read or write so he used to
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memorise the revelations and teach his companions orally.

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Why is it important to recite/memorise the Quran in Arabic without understanding it?

● There is a reward for reciting each word and letter of the Quran. This reward is specific to the Arabic text only.
● There is a reward for listening to the Quran. The Quran instructs Muslims to listen attentively when the Quran
is recited. The Quran here refers to its Arabic text only.
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● The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that the Quran will intercede on behalf of those who read it
frequently and diligently.
● The memorisation of the Quran is also a way of preserving the Arabic text of the Quran.
● The memorisation of the Arabic text of the Quran is also a sunnah of the Prophet PBUH, his companions, and
the pious predecessors of the ummah. Hence, the Muslims become part of that blessed tradition by memorising
the Arabic text of the Quran.
Three stages of the compilation of Quran

1 During the life of the Prophet PBUH
The Quran was not compiled in the life of the Prophet PBUH because its revelation was not complete. The Quran was
preserved orally by the companions as they memorised the portions of the Quran. At that time, the oral tradition was
prevalent in Arabia. Some companions also wrote the revelations of the Quran. They were known as scribes of
revelation. Some of them had their own written copies of parts of the Quran. However, no one had the entire Quran
written in one place. The scribes wrote the Quran on pieces of cloth, stone tablets, wooden tablets, animal skin, and
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parched leaves. In order to ensure the correct preservation of the Quran, the Prophet PBUH used to recite the entire
Quran in Ramazan each year with Jibrail AS.
2 During the caliphate of Abu Bakr RA
There were many battles in the caliphate of Abu Bakr RA against Romans, Persians, apostates, non-payers of zakah,
and false prophets. The companions who had memorised the Quran were getting martyred in large numbers. In the
Battle of Yamamah against the false prophet Musaylimah, more than 70 companions who had memorised the Quran
were martyred.
The Muslims feared that all the memorizers of the Quran may get martyred and the Quran may be forgotten. This
cautioned Umar RA who advised Abu Bakr RA to compile the Quran in book form. Hazrat Abu Bakr hesitated initially
because he did not want to do something that the Prophet PBUH had not done. However, on persistent persuasion of
Umar RA, he was convinced.
He ordered Zayd b. Sabit al-Khazraji to compile the Quran. Zayd was a very good reciter (qaari) of the Quran and had
been one of the primary scribes of the Quran in the life of the Prophet PBUH. He was also relatively young and did not
have other responsibilities in the government or military. Therefore, he was the most suitable choice for this task.
Zayd also hesitated initially because he thought that shouldering such an immense responsibility may not be possible
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for him. He is reported to have said that lifting a mountain would have been easier for him than collecting and
compiling the Quran. However, upon the insistence of Abu Bakr RA and Umar RA, Zayd agreed to compile the Quran.
He collected all the manuscripts of the Quran from companions and started compiling the Quran. Zayd compiled the
Quran by verifying each verse of the Quran and making two witnesses for each verse. Zayd compiled the Quran in the
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sequence dictated by the Prophet PBUH. Prominent companions such as Umar RA and Ubayy b. Kaab RA assisted
Zayd RA in collecting the manuscripts of the Quran and verifying them.
The compiled copy of the Quran was recited in the gathering of prominent companions who approved its
authenticity unanimously. This copy of the Quran remained in the custody of Abu Bakr RA. After his death, it was
passed to Umar RA. After Umar RA’s death, it was passed to Hafsa RA. Therefore, it is called Mushaful Hafsa or the
codex/copy of Hafsa.
3 During the caliphate of Usmaan RA er
The Muslim empire had expanded greatly in the caliphates of Umar and Usmaan RA. People of different languages
and accents had converted to Islam. These people recited the Quran in their own accents. Once, a companion,
Huzayfah b. al-Yaman, observed some people in Armenia, Central Asia, fighting over the accent of the Quran. Huzayfa
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reported this incident to Usmaan RA and urged him to take quick action to prevent the Ummah from disunity.
Usmaan RA feared that differences on the dialects of the Quraan may lead to divisions in the Muslim ummah like the
divisions of Jews and Christians. Therefore, he consulted a large group of companions on this issue. The companions
advised him to compile a standardised version of the Quraan in the Qurayshi dialect and dispatch it to all parts of the
Muslim empire. They also advised him to ban and burn all other versions of the Quraan based on other dialects.
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Usmaan RA asked Zayd b. Sabit, Abdullah b. al-Zubayr, Saeed b. al-Aas, and Abdur Rahman b. al-Haris b. Hisham to
write the Quran in the Qurayshi dialect. Zayd b. Sabit and others compiled the Quran in the Qurayshi dialect. Usmaan
RA sent this version of the Quran to all provincial governors and asked them to make more copies from it. Usmaan
RA asked the governors to burn the other copies of the Quran so that the Muslims do not recite the Quran incorrectly.
Some mischief-mongers accused Usmaan RA for desecrating the Quran.
Thus, Usmaan RA saved the ummah from splitting into factions. Therefore, Usmaan RA is called the Jami-ul-Ummah,
the unifier of Ummah or Jami-ul-Quran, the one who standardised the Quran. This standardised copy of the Quran is
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recited today all over the world. This copy is known as Mushaf-e-Usmaani or the Usmaanic codex/copy.
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Commentary/Interpretation/Exegesis of Quran (Tafseer and Taaweel)

The Quran can be interpreted in the following ways.
1. The Quran can be interpreted with the help of other similar Quranic verses and themes.
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2. The Quran can also be interpreted with the sayings and actions of the Prophet PBUH.
3. The Quran can also be interpreted with the sayings of the companions.
4. The Quran can also be interpreted with the sayings of the followers of the companions of the Prophet PBUH.
5. The Quran can also be interpreted with the help of Arabic language.
6. The Quran can also be interpreted with the help of rational opinion if it does not contradict the first five
sources.
Major commentaries/tafaseer of Quran

Famous Name Full Name Author Speciality
1 Tafsir Tabari Jamiul Bayaan fi Tafseeril Quran Muhammad b. Jarir al-Tabari Based on narrations
(310 AH)
2 Tafsir Ibn Kaseer Tafsirul Quranil Azeem Hafiz Ismaeel b. Umar b. Based on prophetic
Kaseer al-Dimashqi (774 AH) narrations
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3 Tafsir Razi Mafateehul Ghayb Fakhruddin Muhammad b. Based on logic and

Umar b. al-Husayn al-Razi (606 rational reasoning
AH)
4 Tafsir Bayzawi Anwarut Tanzeel Wa Asraarut Nasruddin Abu Saad Abdullah Based on logic and
Taweel b. Umar al-Bayzawi (685 AH) rational reasoning
5 Al-Kashshaaf Al-Kashshaaf an Haqaaiqit Tanzeel Jarullah Abul Qasim Mahmood Based on linguistic
b. Umar al-Zamakhshari (538 beauty of the Quran
AH)
6 Roohul Maani Roohul Maani Shahabuddin Muhammad Based on logic and
al-Alusi al-Baghdadi (1270 AH) rational reasoning
7 Tafseerul Jassaas Ahkaamul Quran Ahmad b. Ali al-Razi al-Jassaas Focused on juristic
(370 AH) rulings
8 Tafseer Suyuti al-Durarul Manshur fi Tafseer Bil Jalaluddin al-Suyuti (911 AH) Based on prophetic
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Maasur narrations
9 Tafsirul Jalalayn Tafseerul Jalalayn Jalaluddin al-Mahalli (864 AH) Brief and Comprehensive
Jalaluddin al-Suyuti (911 AH)
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Themes of the Quran
According to Shah Waliullah al-Dehlawi, the Quran has the following five major themes. He divided the Quranic themes
into these five types in his famous book ‘Al-Fawzul Kabeer Fi Usooli Tafseer’.
1. Ilmul Ahkam: This includes the laws and legal rulings discussed in the Quran. These mostly appear in the first
one-third of the Quran.
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2. Ilmul Mukhasamah: This refers to the refutation of the false beliefs of Jews, Christians, and polytheists.
3. Tazkeer bi Ayyamillah: This refers to the stories of past nations and the lessons that must be derived from their
fates.
4. Tazkeer bi Aalaa Illah: This refers to the bounties and blessings of Allah mentioned in the Quran. The readers
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are expected to realise the beneficence of Allah from these and submit to His authority.
5. Tazkeer bil Mawt wa ma Baadah: This refers to the predictions about the life after death and the description of
the Day of Judgement to instil a sense of accountability in human beings.
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The Inimitability of Quran

The Quran cannot be imitated because of its uniqueness in its distinctive linguistic style, its authoritative and
unapologetic tone, the exquisite hidden numbering patterns, and the accurate knowledge of past and future events in it.
Allah almighty has challenged non-believers to imitate the Quran and guaranteed that they will fail in imitating the
Quran. Allah has challenged the humans in three stages in the Quran.
1. In the first phase, Allah almighty challenges human beings to make only TEN surahs of the Quran if they can.
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2. In the second phase, Allah almighty lowers the bar and challenges human beings to make only ONE surah of the
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Quran if they can.

3. In the third phase, Allah challenges the human beings to make only ONE ayah (verse) of the Quran if they can.
The exquisite hidden numerical patterns in the Quran

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1. The exact opposites are mentioned the same number of times in the Quran. It is important to note that these
opposites are not always used in the same places. These mentions are scattered throughout the Quran. Some
examples are given below.
1 Al-Shita (winter) is used once Al-Sayf (summer) is also used once
2 Muslimeen is used 41 times Muslimaat is also used 41 times
3 Rajul (man) is used 24 times Imraah (woman) is also used 24 times
4 al-Duniya (this world) is used 115 times al-Akhirah (the Hereafter) is also used 115 times
5 al-Malaikah (the angels) is used 88 times al-Shaytan (the devil) is also used 88 times
6 al-Hayat (life) is used 145 times al-Mawt (death) is also used 145 times
7 al-Salihat (the good deeds) is used 167 times Al-Sayyiaat (the bad deeds) is also used 167 times.
8 al-Iman (belief) is mentioned 17 times Al-Kufr (disbelief) is also mentioned 17 times
9 al-Jannah (heaven) is mentioned 77 times Jahannum (Hell) is also mentioned 77 times
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10 al-Bard (cold) is mentioned 4 times al-Harr (hot) is mentioned 4 times

11 Iblis is mentioned 17 times Seeking refuge from Iblis is also mentioned 17 times
12 al-Naas (the people) is mentioned 50 times al-Anbiyaa (the prophets) is also mentioned 50 times
2. Other numerical patterns in Quran

a. al-Alwan is mentioned 7 times which corresponds to the 7 colours in rainbow
b. The word al-sannah (year) is mentioned 7 times too
c. The word al-qibla is mentioned 7 times in reference to the 7 rounds of tawaf (circumambulation
around Kaabah)
d. The phrase ‘sab’a samawat (seven heavens) is mentioned 7 times
e. The word al-qiyamah (the day of Judgement) is mentioned 70 times. The word ‘yawma’izin which is
the alternate name for the day of Judgement is also mentioned 70 times.
f. The word ‘al-barr’ is mentioned 13 times while the word ‘al-Bahr’ (the ocean) is mentioned 32 times.
The ratio between the number of times these words are mentioned is exactly the same as the ratio of
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land and water on the surface of water.
g. Punishment is mentioned 117 times while forgiveness is mentioned 234 times (the exact double of
117) signifying the mercy of Allah almighty.
h. al-Zakah is mentioned 32 times and al-Barakah (the blessing) is also mentioned 32 times. al-Zakah and
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al-Barakah are directly related/proportional according to Islamic beliefs.
i. Isa AS and Adam AS are mentioned 25 times each. Both the prophets are similar in that they were born
without fathers.
j. The word ‘al-Yawm’ is mentioned 365 times which corresponds to the number of days in a solar
calendar
k. The word ‘al-Shahr’ (month) is mentioned 12 times which corresponds to the number of months in
both solar and and lunar calendars
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l. The phrase ‘aqim al-salah’ (establish prayer) is mentioned 5 times which corresponds to the number of
obligatory prayers in a day.
m. The word ‘qaalu’ (they said) is mentioned 332 times while the word ‘qul’ (you say (to them)) is also
mentioned 332 times.
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n. The word ‘insan’ (human being) is mentioned 65 times. The component ingredients of the human
beings are mentioned in such numbers that they add up to 65. Turab (soil) is mentioned 17 times,
Nutfa (sperm) is mentioned 12 times, Alaqah (embryo) is mentioned 6 times, Muzghah is mentioned 3
times, ‘Izam (bones) is mentioned 15 times, and Lahm (meat) is mentioned 12 times. When added up,
these make 65 mentions which matches the number of times al-insan (human being) is mentioned.
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3. The ring structure of the Quran and its component units

a. The ring structure in Suratul Fatiha
b. The ring structure in Suratul Baqarah
c. The ring structure in Ayatul Kursi
d. The ring structure in Surah Yusuf
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The linguistic beauty of Quran

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1. Similar sounds like the following:

a. Musa and Isa
b. Haroon and Qaroon
c. Haroot and Maroot
d. Taloot and Jaloot
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e. Ismaail and Israail

f. Yaajuj and Maajuj
g. Idrees and Iblees
2. Double sounds like the following;
a. RafRaf
b. AsAs
c. DamDam
d. SarSar
e. MazMaz
f. HasHas (Surah Yusuf)
g. WasWas
h. HudHud
3. The sequences of refrains where one line is repeated several times in one surah.
a. In Surah al-Rahman (55), the refrain ‘fa bi ayyi aalaai rabbikuma tukadhdhiban’ is repeated 31 times.
b. In Surah al-Qamar (54), the refrain ‘wa laqad yassarna al-Qur’ana liz zikri fa hal min muddakir?’ is
repeated 4 times.
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c. In Surah al-Mursalat (77), the refrain ‘waylun li al-Mukadhdhibin’ is repeated 10 times.

d. In Surah al-Naml (27), the refrain ‘a illahun ma’a Allah’ is repeated 5 times
e. In Surah al-Shu’ara’a (26), the refrain ‘wa inna rabbaka lahuwa al-’Aziz al-Rahim’ is repeated 8 times
4. Ending rhyming sounds like
a. Duhaa, Sajaa, Qalaa, Ulaa, Awaa, Hadaa, Aghnaa in Surah al-Duha (93)
b. Duhaahaa, Talaahaa, Jallaahaa, Yaghshaahaa, Banaahaa, Tahaahaa, Sawwaahaa, Taqwaahaa, Zakkaahaa,
Dassaahaa, Taghwaahaa, Ashqaahaa, Suqyaahaa, Sawwaahaa, Uqbaahaa in Surah al-Shams (91)
c. Qiyaamaa, Muqaamaa, Qawaamaa, Asaamaa, Kiraamaa, Imaamaa, Salaamaa, Lizaamaa in Surah
al-Furqan (25)
d. Kabeeraa, Baseeraa, Aseeraa, Naseeraa, Tafseeraa, Wazeeraa, Tadmeeraa, Kaseeraa, Tatbeeraa,
Yaseeraa, Nazeeraa, Qadeeraa, Dhaheeraa, Khabeeraa, Muneeraa in Surah al-Furqan (25)
e. Hawaa, Ghawaa, Yuhaa, Quwaa, Istawaa, A’laa, Adnaa, Awhaa, Ra’aa, Yaraa, Ukhraa, Muntahaa, Ma’waa,
Yaghshaa, Taghaa, Uzzaa etc in Surah al-Najm (53)
f. Rahmaan, Quraan, Insaan, Bayaan, Husbaan, Meezaan, Rayhaan, Tukazzibaan, Saqalaan, Sultaan,
Dihaan, Afnaan, Zawjaan, Marjaan, Rummaan, Hisaan, etc in Surah al-Rahman (55)
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g. Qaariah, Taaghiyah, Aaatiyah, Khaawiyah, Baaqiyah, Khaati’ah, Raabiyah, Jaariyah, Waa’iyah, Waaqi’ah,
Samaaniyah, Khaafiyah, Kitaabiyah, Raadiyah, Aaliyah, Daaniyah, Khaaliyah, Qaadiyah, Maaliyah, etc in
surah al-Haqqah (69)
h. Qaleela, Tarteela, Saqeela, Taweela, Tabteela, Wakeela, Jameela, Qaleela, Maheela, Wabeela, Sabeela, etc
in surah al-Muzzammil (73)
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i. Kuwwirat, Inkadarat, Suyyirat, ‘Uttilat, Hushirat, Sujjirat, Zuwwijat, Su’ilat, Qutilat, Nushirat, Kushitat,
Su’’irat, Uzlifat, Ahzarat in Surah al-Takwir (81)
j. Mutaffifeen, Yastawfoon, Yukhsir00n, Mab’uthoon, ‘Alameen, Sijjeen, Mukadhdhibeen, Awwaleen,
Yaksiboon, Mahjuboon, Tukadhdhib00n, ‘illiyyeen, ‘illiyyoon, Muqarraboon, Yandhuroon,
Mutanaafisoon, Muqarraboon, Yadhakoon, Yataghamazoon, Fakiheen, Dalloon, Hafizeen, Yandhuroon,
Yaf’aloon in surah al-Mutaffifin (83)
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k. Maw’ood, Mashhood, Ukhdood, Waqood, Qu’ood, Shuhood, Hameed, Shaheed, Shadeed, Yu’eed,
Wadood, Majeed, Yureed, Junood, Thamood, Majid in Surah al-Buruj (85)
l. Fajr, ‘Ashr, Watr, Yasr, Hijr and ‘Ad, ‘Imad, Bilad, Wad, Awtad, Fasad, Mirsad in surah al-Fajr (89)
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Sources of Islamic Law
There are four sources of Islamic law. Two of these sources are primary (Quran and Sunnah). The primary sources do
not depend on other sources. They are sources of law in their own right. The other two (Ijma and Qiyas) are secondary
sources of Islamic law. They depend on the two primary sources of Islamic law. The primary sources of Islamic law are
also revealed sources of Islamic law while the secondary sources are not revealed by Allah almighty.
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1. Primary/revealed/transmitted
a. Quran
b. Sunnah
2. Secondary/non-revealed/rational
a. Ijma
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b. Qiyas
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The students are advised to follow the following structure while writing about each source of Islamic law.
1. Definition
2. Explanation
3. Proof of validity
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4. Examples
Quran
1. Definition: The word of Allah revealed upon the Prophet Muhammad PBUH through angel Jibrail AS which is
written in codices (masahif).
2. Explanation: There are three scenarios of laws mentioned in Quran
a. For some subjects, there are detailed rulings in the Quran like marriage, inheritance, divorce etc.
b. For some subjects, there are only general guidelines in the Quran without explanation like prayer and
zakat where the Quran only gives commands to pray salah and pay zakah.
c. For some subjects, there are no rulings mentioned in the Quran. For example, the types of water for
purification.
3. Proof of validity: The Quran asks believers to obey Allah almighty multiple times. Hence, the laws mentioned in
the Quran must be obeyed.
4. Examples: Detailed laws on inheritance, marriage, divorce, veil, etc.
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Sunnah
1. Definition: The sayings, actions, and implied consent or silent approval of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH
2. Explanation: Implied consent or silent approval refers to sayings and actions said or done in front of the
Prophet PBUH to which the Prophet PBUH did not object.
a. The sunnah has three functions in relation to the Quran.
i. It reiterates/repeats the rulings of the Quran
ii. It explains the general guidelines of the Quran like prayer and zakah
iii. It gives new rulings in cases where the Quran is silent.
3. Proof of validity: Allah has commanded Muslims to obey and follow the Prophet Muhammad PBUH multiple
times in the Quran.
4. Examples: Detailed rulings related to prayer and zakah.
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Ijma
1. Definition: The consensus (agreement of opinion) of Muslim scholars of any one generation on any issue of
Islamic law. It is not mandatory for all of them to meet in one place. Ijma is just the agreement of opinion. The
actual meeting and verbal consent is not necessary.
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2. Explanation: There are several opinions about the nature of ijma
a. According to Imam Abu Hanifa, the ijma is the consensus of Muslim scholars
b. According to Imam Shafi, the ijma is the consensus of the entire Muslim community
c. According to Imam Malik, the ijma is the consensus of the people of Madinah as they closely observed
the first generation of Muslims
d. According to Shia Muslims, the ijma is the consensus of the Ahlul Bayt (the family of the Prophet
3. Proof of validity:
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PBUH) and the 12 imams.
a. Allah almighty says in the Quran that the affairs of Muslims are decided through consultation (Surah
al-Shura).
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b. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said, “My ummah will never agree upon error”.
4. Types of Ijma
a. on the basis of topic
i. Ijma on issues of belief
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ii. Ijma on issues of law

b. On the basis of mode
i. Ijmaa Qawli
ii. Ijma Fiili
iii. Ijma Sukuti
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5. Examples of Ijma
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a. In the lifetime of Prophet PBUH: Digging of trench around the northern side of Madinah in the Battle of
Trench in 5AH
b. In the caliphate of Abu Bakr RA: Compilation of Quran
c. In the caliphate of Umar RA: 20 Rakaah tarawih in Ramazan
d. In the caliphate of Usmaan RA:
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i. Compilation of Quran according to the Qurayshi dialect;

ii. two aazaans for Juma prayer
e. Recent examples
i. The use of loudspeakers in prayer
ii. The permissibility of social distancing in congregational prayer during Covid-19
Qiyas (analogy)
1. Definition: Qiyas refers to deriving the ruling for a new problem by comparing the newer problem to an older
case and applying the ruling of an older case to a new case on the basis of a common cause. Qiyas is also called
I’tibar or Tamthil.
2. Explanation: There are four components of qiyas
a. Older case (asal): The case about which ruling is found in the first three sources.
b. New case (fara): The case about which there is no ruling in the first three sources.
c. Common cause (illah): A common attribute or feature between the old and new case.
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d. New ruling (hukm): The ruling of the older case which is applied to the new case on the basis of the
common cause.
3. Proof of validity:
a. Allah almighty enjoins Muslims in the Quran to use intellect.
b. The hadith of Muaaz b. Jabal RA: The Prophet PBUH sent Muaaz to Yemen as governor and asked him
how he would decide the matters. Muaaz RA replied that he would consult the Quran to find solutions
to problems. The Prophet PBUH asked him what he would do if he did not find the ruling in the Quran.
Muaaz RA replied that he would then consult the sunnah. The Prophet PBUH asked him what he would
do if he did not find the solution in the sunnah either. Muaaz RA replied that he would apply his own
judgement in that case. The Prophet PBUH appreciated his response. Hence, the Prophet PBUH
approved the use of reason/intellect/aql in deriving Islamic laws.
c. Some scholars do not prefer the use of qiyas for the following reasons.
● They believe that qiyas is based on human intellect. Human intellect is prone to error. Hence,
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there is a chance of error in the laws arrived at through qiyas.
● They also argue that since qiyas is based on human decision, there is a chance that humans
may derive laws keeping in view their desires and interests. Hence, qiyas is a doubtful source
of Islamic law.
● They also argue that since qiyas is based on the legal opinion of individuals, hence, the
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individuals may arrive at different conclusions. There would be varying or even opposite
opinions on one issue of law which will lead to divisions among the Muslims.
● The Hanbalis among the Sunni Muslims discourage the use of qiyas. The Akhbaris among the
Twelver Shias also reject the use of qiyas in legal matters. However, these scholars are in
minority. The majority of the Muslim ummah agree on the use of qiyas as a source of Islamic
4. Examples:
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a. The impermissibility of date wine and opium on the basis of grape wine
b. The permissibility of the milk and meat of buffalo based on analogy with the cow
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c. The impermissibility of the increase in return on currency notes and coins based on analogy with gold
and silver coins of the past
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Life in Makkah
Conditions of Arabia
1. Paganism/idol-worshipping was common. Believers in the oneness of Allah were very few. The Arabs
believed in Allah but associated partners with Him. They made idols of these supposed partners of Allah and
worshipped them. There were 360 idols in Kaabah alone which was a place meant for the worship of Allah
almighty only. Idol worshipping was introduced in Arabia by Amr b. Luhayy of Banu Khuzaah tribe. There
were famous temples of major idols in important towns of Arabia.
a. Hubul was the greatest idol placed in the Kaabah in Makkah. The Quraysh worshipped it.
b. Al-Lat was the greatest idol whose temple was in Taif. All clans of the Hawazin tribe worshipped it.
c. Manat was another idol whose temple was made in the outskirts of Yathrib. Aws, Khazraj, and Banu
Khuzaah worshipped it.
d. Al-Uzza was another major idol whose temple was situated in Najd. Banu Ghatafan were its
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guardians.
2. Tyranny/oppression/persecution was common. The weak, poor, women and animals were oppressed. No
one’s rights were secure. The Arabs would cut out meat from alive animals. They would practise archery on
alive animals.
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3. Prolonged rivalries: They would start enmities on small issues and these enmities/rivalries would drag on for
centuries.
4. Prejudice on the basis of language and tribe was common. The members of one group discriminated against
the members of other groups. Others were ridiculed, mocked, and looked down upon.
5. Moral evils such as drinking, gambling, stealing, etc were common. Very few upright individuals refrained
from these evils. The vast majority indulged in these evils.
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6. Adultery, fornication, obscenity, indecency, and immodesty was common. People used to circumambulate
around Kaabah while being naked. Prostitution was not considered a moral evil.
7. The Arabs buried their daughters alive. They considered women inferior and preferred sons over daughters.
Women were considered as objects. Women’s rights were not guaranteed.
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Locations mentioned in the life of the Prophet PBUH
Name Distance and direction from Makkah or Madinah
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1 Syria 1000 miles north of Madinah; 1300 miles north of Makkah

2 Mu’tah 650 miles north of Madinah
3 Tabuk 400 miles north of Madinah
4 Khaybar 70 miles north of Madinah
5 Uhud 10 miles east of Madinah
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6 Madinah 300 miles north of Makkah

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7 Quba 13 miles south of Madinah

8 Badr 100 miles southwest of Madinah
9 Makkah 300 miles south of Madinah
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10 Hudaybiyyah 10 miles north of Makkah

11 Hunayn
12 Taif 50-75 miles southeast of Makkah
13 Yemen 900 miles south of Madinah; 650 miles south of Makkah
14 Abyssinia
Famous tribes in Arabia

Place Region Tribes and their clans
1 Iraq and North Banu Asad b. Khuzaymah (tribe of Zaynab b. Jahsh RA and false prophet Tulayha al-Asadi)
Syria Arabia Banu Tamim (tribe of false prophetess Sajjah)
Banu Kalb (tribe of Zayd b. al-Harisa RA and Dihyah al-Kalbi RA)
Banu Ghassan (tribe of Shurahbil b. Amr al-Ghassani who martyred the Prophet’s envoy)
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2 Najd Central Banu Hanifah (tribe of false prophet Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab)

Arabia Banu Ghatafan
1. Banu Saalabah
2. Banu Muharib
3 Madinah Hijaz Banu Aws
1. Banu Abdul Ashhal (clan of Saad b. Muaaz)
2. Banu Harisah
Banu Khazraj
1. Banu Awf (clan of Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul)
2. Banu Najjar (clan of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari)
3. Banu Saaidah (clan of Saad b. Ubadah RA)
4. Banu Salamah
4 Between Hijaz Banu Bakr b. Waail
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Makkah and Banu Khuzaah
Madinah 1. Banu Kaab
2. Banu Mustaliq
3. Banu Aslam
5 Makkah Hijaz Banu Quraysh
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Banu Hilal (tribe of Zaynab b. Khuzaymah and Maymunah b. al-Haris RA)
6 Taif Hijaz Banu Hawazin
1. Banu Saqeef
2. Banu Nasr (clan of Malik b. Awf RA)
3. Banu Jusham
7 Yemen South
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4. Banu Malik
5. Banu Saad b. Bakr (clan of Halima Saadiah)
Banu ‘Ans (tribe of false prophet Awad al-’Ansi)
Arabia Banu Ash’ar (tribe of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari RA)
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Banu Kindah
Banu Daws (tribe of Abu Hurayrah RA and Tufayl b. ‘Amir al-Dawsi RA)
Banu Himyar
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Clans of Quraysh
Wives of the Ten Blessed Pre-Islam
Clans Other Muslims Non-Muslims
Prophet PBUH Companions Persons
Descendants of the
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Prophet PBUH
Abdullah
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Jafar b. Abi Talib

Banu Abdul Muttalib Abu Talib
Ali b. Abi Talib Ubaydah b. al-Haris
Hashim al-Haris Abu Lahab
Abu Sufyan b. al-Haris
al-Zubayr
Safiyyah b. Abdul
Muttalib
Ab
Utbah b. Rabia
Abu Huzayfah b. Utbah
Shaybah b. Rabia
Banu Umm Habibah b. Muawiyah
Usmaan b. Affan al-Waleed b. Utbah
Umayyah Abi Sufyan Abu Sufyan
Uqbah b. Abi Muayt
Hind b. Utbah
Nazr b. al-Haris
Khabbab b. Aratt Fatimah

Arqam RA (Paternal Abu Jahl b. Hisham
Banu
Umm Salamah Zayd b. Arqam grandmother of al-Waleed b.
Makhzum
al-Waleed b. al-Waleed the Prophet Mughirah
Khalid b. al-Waleed PBUH)
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Wives of the Ten Blessed Pre-Islam

Clans Other Muslims Non-Muslims
Prophet PBUH Companions Persons
Abu Bakr b. Abi Asma b. Abi Bakr

Ayishah b. Abi Abdullah b.
Banu Taym Quhafa Qasim b. Abi Bakr
Bakr Judaan
Talha b. Ubaydillah Abdullah b. Abi Bakr
Umar b. al-Khattab Zayd b. al-Khattab

Banu Adi Hafsa b. Umar
Saeed b. Zayd Fatimah b. al-Khattab
Saad b. Abi Waqqas Amina b. Wahb

Banu
Abdur Rahman b. Abdullah b. Masud (Mother of the
Zuhrah
Awf Prophet PBUH)
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Khadijah b. Waraqah b.
Banu Asad Zubayr b. al-Awwam
Khuwaylid Nawfil
Banu Abu Ubaydah b.
al-Haris al-Jarrah
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Banu Abdu
Musab b. Umayr
Darr
Suhayl b. Amr
Banu Sakran b. Amr
Aamir
Sawdah b. Zamah er Abdullah b. Suhayl
Abu Jandal b. Suhayl
Amr b. al-Aas
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Banu Sahm al-Aas b. Wail
Abdullah b. Amr
Banu Usmaan b. Mazoon

Umayyah b. Khalf
Jumaah Safwan b. Umayyah
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The four calendars used in the life of the Prophet PBUH

The scholars of sirah use different calendars for stating the dates of the events of the life of the Prophet PBUH. They use
the following calendars most often because these calendars are convenient for the different phases of the Prophet
PBUH’s life.
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1. Common Era (CE): This calendar can be used for all events of the Prophet PBUH’s life. This is a solar calendar
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that starts with the advent of Christianity.

2. Age of the Prophet PBUH: This calendar starts from the birth of the Prophet PBUH and is mostly used for the
events of the first 40 years of the Prophet PBUH’s life that occurred before he was granted prophethood.
3. Prophethood: This calendar starts from the year of the first revelation and is used for the 13 years of his life
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after Prophethood in Makkah before the migration to Madinah.

4. After Hijrah: This calendar is used for the last 11 years of his life after his migration to Madinah.
The following table lists the dates of all significant events of the Prophet PBUH’s life according to all four calendars.
Dates of all events of the life of Prophet PBUH according to all four calendars
Common Era
Event Prophet's Age Prophethood (PH) Hijrah
(CE)
40 Years Before 53 Years Before
Birth 570 CE 1
Prophethood (BPH) Hijrah (BH)
Mother’s death 576 CE 6 34 BPH 47 BH
Grandfather’s death 578 CE 8 32 BPH 45 BH
Journey to Syria 582 CE 12 28 BPH 41 BH
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Common Era
Event Prophet's Age Prophethood (PH) Hijrah
(CE)
Harbul Fujjar and Halful Fuzool 585 CE 15 25 BPH 38 BH
Marriage with Khadijah 595 CE 25 15 BPH 28 BH
Fixing of Black Stone 605 CE 35 5 BPH 18 BH
Cave of Hira, First Revelation and Call to 1st Year of
610 CE 40 13 BH
Prophethood Prophethood (PH)
Open preaching 613 CE 43 3 PH 10 BH
Migration to Abyssinia 615 CE 45 5 PH 8 BH
Boycott 617 CE 47 7 PH 6 BH
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Visit to Taif, Year of Grief, Mairaj 620 CE 50 10 PH 3 BH
Meeting with pilgrims of Yathrib 620 CE 51 11 PH 2 BH
1st Pledge of Aqabah 621 CE 52 12 PH 1 BH
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2nd Pledge of Aqabah, Migration to
622 CE 53 13 PH Year of Hijrah
Madinah, Cave of Thawr
aazaan, Brotherhood, Charter of 1st Year After Hijrah
622 CE 53 13 PH
Madinah, Construction of Masjid (AH)
Fasting, Zakat, Change of Qiblah, Battle
of Badr, Banu Qaynuqaa
Battle of Uhud
er 623 CE
624 CE
54
55
14 PH
15 PH
2 AH
3 AH
Banu Nazeer Expelled 625 CE 56 16 PH 4 AH
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Battle of Trench, Banu Qurayzah 626 CE 57 17 PH 5 AH
Treaty of Hudaybiyyah 627 CE 58 18 PH 6 AH
Letters to the Kings, Battle of Khaybar,
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628 CE 59 19 PH 7 AH
First Umrah
Battle of Mu’tah, Conquest of Makkah,
629 CE 60 20 PH 8 AH
Battle of Hunayn, Siege of Taif
Tabuk Expedition 630 CE 61 21 PH 9 AH
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Last Hajj and Last Sermon 631 CE 62 22 PH 10 AH

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Illness and Death 632 CE 63 23 PH 11 AH
Birth and Upbringing of the Prophet PBUH

The Prophet PBUH was born on Monday, the 9th, or 12, or 17th of Rabiul Awwal in the year of the elephant in 570 CE.
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His father had died 6 months before his birth. His mother, Aminah b. Wahb, looked after him till he was 6 years old.
During this period, she sent him with Halima al-Saadiah of the Banu Saad clan of Hawazin tribe of Taif as per the
tradition of Arabs. The Arabs used to send their children to the countryside for better nourishment and better command
of language. He was sent with Halima to Taif where he remained for 4 years.
While with Halimah, the Prophet PBUH herded her sheep. Once while herding sheep, two angels came and laid him
down and opened his chest and washed his heart. Halimah’s children rushed to their home to tell their mother. Halimah
came running to the spot where the Prophet PBUH was sitting calmly. He narrated the event to her. She was afraid that
harm may befall him. So she returned him to his mother. Soon after his return, his mother took him on a journey to
Yathrib (Madinah) to visit the grave of Abdullah (the Prophet PBUH’s father). While returning from Madinah, Aminah
got ill on the way and died in Abawah near Madinah. She was buried in Abawah by the Prophet PBUH and Umm Ayman
(the maid of Aminah). The Prophet PBUH was only 6 years old when his mother died.
Abdul Muttalib (his grandfather) started looking after the Prophet PBUH after Aminah’s death. He loved him more than
his sons Abbas and Hamza who were of the same age as the Prophet PBUH. He used to take the Prophet PBUH to the
meeting of tribal leaders where the Prophet PBUH got exposure to leadership and communication skills from a very
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young age. Unfortunately, Abdul Muttalib could not live long enough. He died only 2 years later when the Prophet
PBUH was still a minor of 8 years.
Abu Talib, the Prophet PBUH’s compassionate uncle, shouldered the responsibility of raising the Prophet PBUH. He
proved to be a great support to the Prophet PBUH before and after Prophethood. He loved the Prophet PBUH more than
his sons Talib, Aqeel, Jafar, and Ali. He took the Prophet PBUH to Syria when the Prophet PBUH was 12 years old. He
also read the marriage sermon of the Prophet PBUH with Khadijah RA. After the announcement of the prophethood,
Abu Talib resisted the intense pressure from Quraysh and shielded the Prophet PBUH from their persecution.
Family of the Prophet PBUH

Uncles of the Prophet PBUH
1. Al-Harith: He was the eldest son of Abdul Muttalib. He was the father of Ubaydah b. al-Harith RA who was
martyred in the battle of Badr. He died before the arrival of Islam.
2. Al-Zubayr: He also died before the arrival of Islam. He took the Prophet PBUH to the Harbul Fijar and Halful
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Fudool.
3. Abu Talib: He was the greatest support to the Prophet PBUH in Makkah after the pronouncement of Islam. He
also looked after the Prophet PBUH after the death of his parents and Abdul Muttalib. He did not prohibit his
sons (Jafar and Ali RA) from accepting Islam. There are conflicting reports about his conversion to Islam.
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However, his services to the Prophet PBUH and Islam are innumerable.
4. Abu Lahab: He was one of the staunchest enemies of the Prophet PBUH and Islam. He was the only one of Banu
Hashim to openly oppose the Prophet PBUH. He also mocked the Prophet PBUH when the Prophet PBUH
offered Islam to Quraysh at the mount of Safa. He also commanded his sons (Utbah and Utaybah) to divorce the
daughters (Ruqayyah and Umm Kulsoom) of the Prophet PBUH. He used to follow the Prophet PBUH in the
streets of Makkah and warn people not to listen to his message. He also called names to the Prophet PBUH such
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as magician (saahir), poet (shaair), and fortune-teller (kaahin). Allah almighty condemned him in a chapter of
Quran (Suratul Lahab) and foretold about his tormentation in Hell. He died an ignominious death due to a
contagious disease. He was not given a bath nor was he shrouded because people were afraid of touching his
body due to the infectious disease. He was shovelled into a pit with wooden rods.
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5. Hamza: He was two years elder to the Prophet PBUH. He was a strong wrestler and spent most of his time in
wrestling, hunting, and archery. He accepted Islam in the 6th year of Prophethood.
6. Abbas: He was also two years older to the Prophet PBUH. He accepted Islam in 6 AH after the treaty of
Hudaybiyyah. He was the last person to migrate to Madinah.
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Paternal Aunts of the Prophet PBUH

1. Umm Hakim al Bayda was the eldest daughter of Abdul Muttalib. She was also the maternal grandmother of
Usmaan b. Affan RA. According to some narrations, she accepted Islam.
2. Umaymah was married to Jahsh of Banu Asad of North Arabia who had settled in Makkah and become an ally
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of Harb b. Umayyah (the father of Abu Sufyan RA). Jahsh also owned a house in Makkah and lived with Quraysh.
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Umaymah’s two sons (Abdullah b. Jahsh and Ubaydullah b. Jahsh) and a daughter (Zaynab b. Jahsh) were among
the earliest converts. She is also reported to have accepted Islam. She later became the mother-in-law of the
Prophet PBUH when the Prophet PBUH married Zaynab b. Jahsh RA.
3. Atika was married into Banu Makhzum. She had two sons named Abdullah and Zuhayr. She is also reported to
have accepted Islam.
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4. Barrah was married into Banu Makhzum. She was the mother of Abu Salamah (the first husband of Umm
Salamah RA). After the death of her first husband, she was married into Banu Amir and had a son named Abu
Sabrah who accepted Islam and was the son-in-law of Suhayl b. Amr RA. She and Maymunah RA (one of the
mothers of the faithful) were married to the same person. She also accepted Islam.
5. Arwa accepted Islam at the insistence of her sisters and her 15 years old son Tulayb.
6. Safiyyah was younger to the Prophet PBUH. She was married to al-Awwam of the Banu Asad clan of Quraysh.
She was the mother of al-Zubayr b. al-Awwam. She also migrated to Madinah. In the battle of Uhud, she guarded
the Muslim women and children in Madinah while the Muslim men were outside Madinah. She also killed a
Jewish spy who attempted to inspect the security of Muslim camp. She also shrouded Hamza RA after his
martyrdom in the battle of Uhud.
Role of his family in preparing him for prophethood

1. He belonged to a family of tribal leaders which enhanced his position in his society.
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2. He was sent to Taif (with Halima Saadia of Banu Saad clan of Hawazin tribe of Taif) so that he could learn the
pure Arabic dialect required for oratory and eloquence.
3. His grandfather Abdul Muttalib took him to the meetings of elders where he learned how to interact with the
elders.
4. His uncle Abu Talib took him to Syria. He got exposure to the most advanced cultures of the time at a very
young age.
5. His uncle al-Zubayr took him to Harb ul Fijar and Half al-Fuzool where he experienced the war and peace and
realised their impact and significance.
6. His wife Khadijah provided him financial independence and exposure to trade.
7. His uncles Abu Talib, Hamza, and Abbas RA protected him against the persecution of the Quryash.
8. His clan (Banu Hashim)persevered through the Boycott by the Quraysh but did not desert him.
9. His uncles and cousins fought for him in battles and sacrificed their lives like Ubaydah b. al-Haris in Badr,
Hamza in Badr and Uhud, Jafar in Mu’tah, Abbas in Hunayn, and Ali in Badr, Uhud, Trench, Khaybar, and
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Hunayn.
10. His paternal aunt Safiyyah b. Abdul Muttalib supported his mission in her own right by protecting the women
and children in Uhud when the Muslims were on the battlefield. She killed a Jewish spy with a wooden rod.
11. His adopted son, Zayd b. al-Harisa al-Kalbi, supported him and fought for him in battles. He protected the
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Prophet PBUH in Taif in the 10th year of prophethood and laid his life for Islam in the battle of Mu’tah in 8 AH
against the Romans.
12. His daughters stood by him in all difficulties. Zaynab washed his wounds after the visit to Taif. Fatimah
washed his wounds in the battle of Uhud.
13. His wives spread his teachings after his demise. Ayishah and Umm Salamah taught his teachings and narrated
his conduct in the household to the new converts of Islam.
Journey to Syria
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When the Prophet PBUH was 12 years old, his uncle, Abu Talib, took him on a trade journey to Syria. When they
reached Basra (the Roman capital in the Arabian peninsula), they met a Christian monk named Georges who was
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known as Buhayra or Bahira. Buhayra recognised the Prophet PBUH as the last prophet from the signs mentioned in
the Jewish and Christian texts. To honour the Prophet PBUH, he hosted the entire caravan of Abu Talib. After the meal,
he told Abu Talib that he had seen the stones and trees bow down to the Prophet PBUH which is a sign of prophethood.
He also said that he recognised the Prophet PBUH from the apple-shaped seal of prophethood between his shoulders.
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He also advised Abu Talib to send the Prophet PBUH back to Makkah because he feared that the Jews of Syria may
recognise the Prophet PBUH and harm him. Abu Talib accepted his advice and sent the Prophet PBUH back to Makkah.
Harbul Fujjar
When the Prophet PBUH was 15 years old, a war broke out between Banu Quraysh and Banu Qays. Quraysh were
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supported by Banu Kinanah and Qays were supported by Banu Aylan. Quraysh were led by Harb b. Umayyah (the
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father of Abu Sufyan). This war is called sacrilegious war or Harb al-Fujjar for two reasons:
1. It was fought in the sacred month of Zul Qaadah (The Arabs considered Rajab, Zul Qaadah, Zul Hajj, and
Muharram as sacred and did not fight in it).
2. It was fought in the sacred territory of al-Haram (The Arabs honoured the sanctity of Kaabah and did not fight
in its vicinity).
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Banu Qays initially overpowered the Quraysh but the Quraysh turned the tide of the battle by the afternoon of the day
and won it. The Prophet PBUH went to this battle with his uncle, al-Zubayr b. Abdul Muttalib. He did not take an active
part. He just collected arrows for his uncles. He experienced war at a young age.
Halful Fuzool
Half means oath/pledge/commitment/treaty. Fuzool is the plural of Fadl. It is named the pledge of Fuzool because the
name of three of its key participants was Fazl. This oath was taken after the Harb al-Fujjar in Zul Qaadah. The leaders of
the following four clans of Quraysh gathered in the house of Abdullah b. Judaan of Banu Taym clan and took the pledge:
1. Banu Taym
2. Banu Hashim
3. Banu Asad
4. Banu Zuhrah.
The participants of this pledge took oath on the following two points:
1. To prevent fighting in the sacred months and in the sacred territory
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2. To help the weak and oppressed against the strong and oppressor even if the oppressor is from our tribes and
clans.
The immediate cause of this pledge was that a man from the Banu Zabeed tribe came to Makkah. al-Aas b. Waail
purchased some goods from him but refused to pay him the price. The man went to the clans of Makhzum, Jumaah,
Sahm, ‘Adi, and Abd Darr but no one helped him. Then the man climbed on the mount of Abu Qubays and called the
Quraysh for help. Al-Zubayr b. Abdul Muttalib (The Prophet PBUH’s uncle) gathered the leaders of Taym, Hashim,
Asad, and Zuhrah clans in the house of Abdullah b. Judaan to help this stranger. They took this pledge and forced
al-Aas b. Waail to give the man his due price.
The Prophet PBUH was 15 years old when he attended this meeting with his uncle, al-Zubayr. He liked this pledge for
its noble objectives. He is reported to have said later that if I were given red camels in return for violating this pledge, I
would refuse the camels but uphold the treaty. He is also reported to have said that if someone invited me to take that
pledge again, I would do so happily.
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Reputation as al-Sadiq (the Truthful) and al-Amin (the Trustworthy)
Before the age of 25, the Prophet PBUH had earned a reputation for his truthfulness and honesty. He was given the
titles of al-Sadiq meaning ‘the Truthful’ and al-Amin meaning ‘the Trustworthy’ by the Quraysh. He did not indulge in
cheating, lying, slander, breaking promises, betraying trusts, or any moral evil. He also spoke truth, fulfilled promises,
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and returned trusts. Even his bitter enemies could not point out a flaw in his moral character.
Marriage with Khadijah RA

Khadijah b. Khuwaylid of Banu Asad clan of Quraysh was a successful trader of Makkah. She was 40 years old and was
widowed twice. She was known in Makkah as ‘Tahira’ or ‘the pious lady’ because of her outstanding and upright moral
character. She wanted a trustworthy person to take her trade caravan to Syria. She asked the Prophet PBUH to work for
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her when she came to know of his reputation as a truthful and trustworthy person. The Prophet PBUH accepted this
offer as he wanted to support Abu Talib whose financial position had weakened over the years. Khadijah sent her slave
Maysarah with the Prophet PBUH to Syria as his assistant. The Prophet PBUH dealt with the traders honestly
throughout the journey. Maysarah was observing him keenly and was impressed with his dealings. The Prophet PBUH
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returned to Makkah with profit margins that were more than any of Khadijah’s caravans in the past. Besides the huge
profit margins, Khadijah RA was also greatly impressed when Maysarah narrated the stories of Prophet PBUH’s honest
and expert dealings during the journey.
Khadijah RA had a noble family lineage, was a successful and wealthy trader, and enjoyed a great reputation for her
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chastity. Therefore, several leading men of Quraysh had wished to marry her but she had refused these proposals.
After knowing the Prophet PBUH, she decided that he was the most suitable person for her. She discussed her wish of
marrying the Prophet PBUH with her friend Nafisa b. Munabbih who conveyed her message to the Prophet PBUH. The
Prophet PBUH accepted the proposal after discussion with Abu Talib. Hence, the Prophet PBUH’s marriage with
Khadijah RA was solemnised two months after his return from Syria. The sermon of marriage was pronounced by Abu
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Talib who praised the Prophet PBUH’s character in the sermon. Hamza RA and other elders of Banu Hashim also
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attended the ceremony. Khadijah RA’s father (Khuwaylid) had been killed in Harb al-Fujjar so her uncle Amr b. Asad
attended the ceremony as her elder. 20 camels were set as mahar of the marriage. The Prophet PBUH was 25 years
old at the time of marriage. He spent the next 25 years of his life with Khadijah RA and did not marry again in her life.
He had 4 daughters and 2 sons with Khadijah RA. Khadijah RA supported him throughout his prophetic mission. She
was the first person to believe in his message and supported him morally and financially. They both loved each other
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immensely. The Prophet PBUH fondly remembered her after her death.
Fixing of Black Stone

The Kaabah was the greatest site of worship in Arabia. It was first constructed by Adam AS and later by Ibrahim AS.
The Arabs traced their lineage to Ibrahim AS. Therefore, they honoured Kaabah and made the annual pilgrimage to it in
the month of Zul Hajj. The Quraysh enjoyed a special prestige among the Arabs because they were the servants of
Kaabah and pilgrims. Since the times of Ibrahim AS, the Kaabah had not been reconstructed. Hence, its building was
dilapidated. It was in dire need of reconstruction. The Kaabah was situated in the shallow centre of Makkah. Due to its
location, it was often flooded heavily in the rainy season. Hence, its building was damaged. Its walls were shorter. It had
no roof. Therefore, the Quraysh wished to reconstruct it, raise its walls, and add a roof.
For reconstruction, it was necessary to first break the existing building. However, the Quraysh feared divine wrath if
they started breaking the walls. Hence, they were hesitant to break the wall. Al-Walid b. Mughirah, the father of Khalid
b. al-Walid and the leader of Banu Makhzum clan of Quraysh, argued that Allah’s wrath will not descend upon the
Quraysh as they did not mean to desecrate the Kaabah and that they broke the wall with good intentions. Hence, he
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initiated breaking the walls. The rest of Quraysh waited to see if divine wrath descended upon al-Walid. They only
joined the next day when they saw that al-Walid was safe and sound and Allah’s wrath had not befallen him.
After breaking the walls, they started rebuilding the Kaabah. At the suggestion of Abu Wahb b. Amr of the Makhzum
clan, they decided not to use money earned through unlawful means in the construction of Kaabah. Each clan was given
a specific part of the Kaabah to build. They had hired a Roman engineer named Baqum for the supervision of the
project. The rebuilding of the building progressed smoothly until the time to place the black stone or the al-Hajr
al-Aswad came. All clans wanted the honour to place the black stone in its place. Hence, a dispute arose among the
Quraysh on who should place the black stone. Due to this dispute, the work remained stalled for three to five days.
There were fears that the dispute may result in bloodshed among the clans. Finally, Abu Umayyah b. Mughirah (the
father of Umm Salamah RA) of the Banu Makhzum clan suggested that the first person to enter the vicinity of Kaabah
the next day should decide this matter.
The Prophet PBUH had not been in Makkah that day. The next morning, Makkans were hesitant to enter the vicinity of
Kaabah as they did not know the solution to the problem. Unaware of the last evening’s events, the Prophet PBUH
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entered the vicinity of Kaabah. The Quraysh were overjoyed at seeing him enter the mosque because they knew the
wisdom and character of the Prophet PBUH very well. They told him about the last evening’s resolution and asked him
to resolve the dispute. The Prophet PBUH spread his mantle on the ground, put the black stone on it, and asked the
elders of all the clans to hold the sides of the mantle and lift it. When they had raised the mantle, the Prophet PBUH
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lifted the black stone and placed it in its place with his own hands. The members of all the clans were satisfied that
they had attained the honour of lifting the black stone. The Prophet PBUH attained the extraordinary honour of
placing the black stone with his own hands. Hence, he resolved this dispute with his wisdom and prevented potential
bloodshed. This event happened five years before the call to Prophethood when the Prophet PBUH’s age was 35 years.
Call to Prophethood/The First Revelation

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The Prophet PBUH started retreating to the Cave of Hira near Makkah for seclusion in his late 30s. He was increasingly
perturbed by the turbulent and violent nature of Arab society. He was particularly concerned at the injustice against the
weak, poor, women, slaves, strangers, and animals. He did not feel a part of a morally degraded society. Hence, he
preferred seclusion over socialisation in Arab society. He would go to the Cave of Hira with minimal supplies of food and
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water and spend several days in the cave meditating about his relationship with God and the conditions of Arabia. On
one such visit in the cave of Hira, in the month of Ramazan in the 40th year of his life, he received the first revelation of
the Quran. Jibraail AS (the Chief-Angel responsible for conveying Allah’s messages to the prophets) came to him in
human form and commanded him to read. The Prophet PBUH was scared to see a stranger come suddenly and
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command him to read. He replied that he could not read as he was unlettered. Jibraail AS squeezed him so hard that the
Prophet PBUH could not breathe. After this, Jibraail AS again commanded him to read. The Prophet PBUH’s response
was the same that he could not read. Jibraail AS squeezed him for the second time and repeated the command for the
third time. The Prophet PBUH replied for the third time that he could not read. Jibraail AS pressed him for the third time
and repeated the command to read for the fourth time. Being afraid of getting squeezed for the fourth time, the Prophet
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PBUH asked what to read. Jibraail AS then recited the first five verses of Surah Alaq (96: 1-5) which were engraved on
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his mind. Jibraail AS disappeared after the Prophet PBUH had recited these verses. The Prophet PBUH was scared after
experiencing something so profound all of a sudden and was shivering from fear and cold. He left the cave for his house
immediately after Jibraail AS disappeared.
On his way to his home, he saw Jibraail AS again but in his actual form covering the entire horizon. It was here that
Jibraail AS informed the Prophet PBUH that he was chosen as the Prophet by Allah almighty. The Prophet PBUH reached
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his home and asked Khadijah RA to cover him in a blanket. While at his house, he received the second revelation (surah
al-Muddassir, 74:1-7) in which Allah almighty commanded him to warn the people.
Phases of preaching
1. Preaching to closer circles
a. The Prophet PBUH preached to his closer circles including his immediate family members and close
friends. He started preaching to his closer circles after the revelation of the third verse of surah
al-Muddassir (74:3) in which Allah almighty commanded him to warn the people.
b. This phase of preaching continued for the first three years.
c. 40 Muslims accepted Islam in this period. Khadijah, Ali, Zayd b. al-Haris, and Abu Bakr RA were the
first to accept Islam at this stage.
d. Khadijah RA took the Prophet PBUH to her cousin Waraqah b. Nawfil who approved his prophethood
and predicted that Quraysh would turn against him and expel him from Makkah.
e. The Muslims kept their faith secret in this period due to fear of persecution.
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f. They prayed secretly and met in the house of Arqam b. Abi Arqam al-Makhzumi RA of the Banu
Makhzum clan of Quraysh.
2. Preaching to his own clan-Banu Hashim
a. Allah commanded the Prophet PBUH to invite his closer relative to Islam in Surah 26 verse 214.
b. The Quran said, “And warn your closest clan members”.
c. Prophet PBUH asked Ali RA to arrange for a dinner for Banu Hashim. The Prophet PBUH invited Banu
Hashim to Islam after the dinner.
d. After the Prophet invited his clan, no one accepted Islam except Ali who had already converted and
stood up for his support.
e. Abu Lahab mocked the Prophet PBUH and misbehaved with him.
3. Open preaching in Makkah at the mount of Safa
a. Allah commanded the Prophet PBUH to preach openly to Makkans in Surah al-Maaidah (5:67), Surah
al-Hijr (15: 94), and Surah al-Nahl (16:125).
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b. In the third year of Prophethood, the Prophet PBUH started preaching openly.
c. He gathered Quraysh at mount of Safa and got approval of his truthfulness from them before inviting
them to Islam. The Quraysh approved his truthfulness but refused to accept Islam.
d. Abu Lahab misbehaved with the Prophet PBUH again. Surah Lahab (111) was revealed to condemn
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him.
e. The persecution of Muslims started after this event.
4. Preaching to people outside Makkah
a. After the dismissive response from Quraysh, the Prophet PBUH thought of finding new avenues for
Islam. For this purpose, he visited Taif in the 10th year of Prophethood. Taif was the nearest town to
Makkah.
5.
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b. He also preached to the pilgrims from Yathrib in 11th, 12th, and 13th years of Prophethood. Most of
them accepted Islam and spread Islam in Yathrib which later became the center of Islam.
Sending the message of Islam to nearby kingdoms and tribes
a. In the 7th year after hijrah, the Prophet PBUH wrote letters to the nearby kingdoms and their rulers.
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Most of them gave favourable response but few accepted Islam.
Quraysh’s response to preaching

1. Rejection and Denial
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The Quraysh did not accept Islam. They denied the Prophet PBUH. They mocked and ridiculed him.
They also called him names such as poet, sorcerer, fortune teller, madman etc.
2. Torture, persecution, oppression, tormentation
The Quraysh started persecuting the Muslims. The weak and poor Muslims were persecuted more.
Khabbab b. Aratt, Abdullah b. Masud, Bilal b. Rabah, Ammar b. Yasir, Yasir, Sumayya, etc were
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persecuted. The strong and affluent Muslims were also persecuted occasionally like Usmaan RA, Abu
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Bakr RA, and many others.

3. Offers of leadership, marriage, and wealth
When the Quraysh realised that the Prophet PBUH could not be hindered by the persecution, they
started making offers. They sent Utbah b. Rabeeah of Banu Umayyah clan of Quraysh to Abu Talib, the
uncle and protector of the Prophet PBUH, to ask him to stop his nephew from preaching. They offered
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that they were ready to make him the leader of Quraysh, marry him to whoever he wanted, and make
him wealthy. The Prophet PBUH outrightly rejected these offers.
4. Boycott
When the Quraysh realised that the Muslims were not backing down from their religion, they decided
to pressurise the clan of the Prophet PBUH because they had been protecting the Prophet PBUH. The
boycott started in 7th year of prophethood and remained enforced for three years till 10th year of
prophethood.
5. Plan to murder the Prophet PBUH
When even the boycott failed, the Quraysh decided to murder the Prophet PBUH as a last resort. They
made a committee of hundred men from all clans of Quraysh except Banu Hashim so that the Banu
Hashim could not take revenge later from any particular clan. They deputed this committee outside the
house of the Prophet PBUH. However, the same night, the Prophet PBUH miraculously escaped their
siege.
6. Expulsion from Makkah
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The persecution of Muslims by Quraysh grew so severe that the Muslims could no longer sustain it.
Furthermore, the hope of Quraysh accepting Islam had died down as their opposition to Islam kept
growing with each passing day. Hence, the Prophet PBUH ordered his followers to migrate to Madinah.
The Muslims left Makkah with heavy hearts as Makkah had become impossible to live in due to the
attitude of pagan Quraysh.
7. Wars and Battles
The Quraysh did not leave Muslims in peace even after migration. They kept plotting against the newly
established society of Madinah. In order to deal a final blow to the growing Muslim power in Madinah,
the pagans of Makkah fought battles with the Muslims. They fought the Muslims in battles of Badr,
Uhud, and Trench. The Quraysh were finally overcome by the Muslims at the conquest of Makkah.
8. Acceptance of Islam
The Quraysh finally accepted Islam in the 8th year after hijrah when Makkah was conquered by the
Muslims.
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Persecution of the Prophet PBUH by non-Muslims
1. His daughters (Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum) were divorced by the sons (Utbah and ‘Utaybah) of Abu
Lahab at Abu Lahab’s behest. This caused immense trauma to the Prophet PBUH as daughters’ divorce is an
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unbearable emotional suffering.
2. Abu Lahab mocked and abused him when the Prophet PBUH invited Banu Hashim to Islam at a dinner hosted
by Ali RA. Abu Lahab abused him again at mount of Safa when the Prophet PBUH called the Quraysh to Islam for
the first time.
3. Al-Aas b. Waail and others called him al-abtar after his second son, Abdullah, passed away. Al-abtar means
the one whose family lineage is cut-off due to the demise of male off-spring.
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4. Uqbah b. Abi Muayt of the Banu Umayyah clan would put the filth of camel on his back when the Prophet
PBUH would pray in the vicinity of Kaabah. Zaynab and Fatimah RA would help in removing it from him. Once,
Uqbah tried to strangle the Prophet PBUH while he was prostrating in Kaabah. He was taken captive in Badr
and killed later.
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5. Nazr b. al-Haris of the Banu Umayyah clan would play musical instruments to disturb the Prophet PBUH
during his worship in al-Masjid al-Haram. He was taken captive in Badr and killed later.
6. Banu Hashim, the clan of the Prophet PBUH, was boycotted socially, commercially, and politically by the
Quraysh with the exception of Abu Lahab to pressurise Banu Hashim to stop supporting the Prophet PBUH.
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Banu Hashim persevered through this boycott for three years with extreme hunger and poverty but did not
waver in their support of the Prophet PBUH.
7. Abu Lahab would follow the Prophet PBUH wherever he went to preach Islam. He would tell people not to
listen to the Holy Prophet PBUH.
8. The Prophet PBUH was called disparaging names such as madman (majnun), sorcerer or magician (sahir),
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fortune-teller (kahin), and poet (shaair).

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9. The Quraysh tried to test his faith by offering him bribes including wealth, tribal leadership, and marriage with
fairest women in Arabia. The Prophet PBUH refused these offers and remained steadfast in his mission.
10. The Prophet PBUH was tortured physically too. He was injured several times for preaching Islam.
11. The people of Taif refused to listen to him, called him names, dishonoured him, hurled stones at him, injured
him to an extent that his shoes filled with his blood, and asked children to mock him.
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12. The Quraysh expelled him from his beloved homeland through excessive persecution and opposition.
13. The Quraysh attempted to murder him on the night of his migration to Madinah but Allah saved him through
a divine plan.
14. The Quraysh fought wars (Badr, Uhud, Trench, etc) against him to destroy his growing might. Several of his
beloved companions and family members were martyred in these wars.
15. The Jews constantly betrayed him by breaking treaties, conspiring against him in wars, and planning to kill
him through poison and black magic (Labid b. Asim).
Persecution of Muslims by Quraysh

1. Abdullah b. Mas’ud was one of the earliest converts. He was a shepherd by profession. He was persecuted by
Abu Jahl. Abu Jahl would mock him by calling him ‘the little shepherd’.
2. Bilal b. Rabah was the slave of Umayyah b. Khalf who would torture him severely. Umayyah would lay him on
hot sand and put a heavy stone on his chest. Umayyah would force Bilal to denounce Islam. However, Bilal
would respond by saying “Ahad, Ahad” (Allah is one).
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3. Khabbab b. Aratt was from the Banu Makhzum clan of Quraysh. After accepting Islam, the Quraysh would lay
him on burning coals. He would persevere through such heinous torture until the coals would extinguish with
his melting fat. Once Umar RA asked Khabbab about the torture he faced. Khabbab showed him his back which
had deep pockets of fleshless spots. The flesh from these spots had melted due to the burning coals that he was
laid upon.
4. Ammar b. Yasir, his father Yasir, and his mother Sumayya were the slaves of Banu Makhzum. Abu Jahl would
persecute them very often. He would bury them in hot sand and put nails in their hands. He would persecute
them at once so that they also witness the suffering of each other and take the mental and emotional toll.
However, none of them waivered. Sumayya RA was martyred by Abu Jahl by hitting her with a dagger. She was
the first martyr of Islam.
5. The Prophet PBUH and the Banu Hashim were boycotted for three years from the 7th year of Prophethood to
the 10th year of prophethood. Banu Hashim spent these three years in hunger and disease. The Muslims of
other clans including Abu Bakr RA tried to supply food and clothes but these were not enough for the entire
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clan of Banu Hashim. This was a time of dire deprivation.
6. The Prophet PBUH was also persecuted, mocked, ridiculed, and labelled as sorcerer, madman,
fortune-teller, poet, liar, etc. His daughters Ruqayya and Umm Kulthum were divorced by Utbah and Utaybah,
the sons of Abu Lahab. While praying in the holy mosque, the Quraysh would put animal waste on his back. The
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Quraysh would clap and sing while he prayed in order to disturb him. He was also pressurised by boycotting
him and his clan for three years. The Quraysh even planned to murder him.
7. The Muslims were forced to migrate to Abyssinia and Yathrib leaving behind their homeland, belongings and
loved ones.
8. Usmaan RA was also tortured by his uncles. His uncle would tie him in chains. However, Usmaan RA did not
forgo Islam.
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9. Abu Jahl also chained his half-brother Ayash b. Abi Rabeeah and his cousin Salamah b. Hisham. He would
deprive them of food and water. Despite such persecution, both the young men of Banu Makhzum did not give
up their faith. They remained chained for five years. They were released by al-Walid b. al-Walid through a secret
mission in 5 AH.
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10. Suhayl b. Amr chained his sons (Abdullah and Abu Jandal) when they accepted Islam. They were not allowed
to migrate to Madinah. They spent years chained in a dark room in their own house.
11. Abu Dhar al-Ghiffari came to Makkah when he heard about the Prophet PBUH. He accepted Islam and
announced his conversion in Makkah. The Quraysh tortured him badly. Abbas RA rescued him by warning the
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Quraysh that his tribe will not allow the Qurayshi trade caravans to pass through their lands on their route to
Syria.
12. The emigrants to Abyssinia were pursued to bring them back from Abyssinia. They were not allowed to stay
in peace even in Abyssinia.
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Migration to Abyssinia
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The Muslims migrated to Abyssinia with the permission of the Prophet PBUH because of the following reasons.
1. The Muslims wanted to escape the persecution by the Quraysh which had become unbearable.
2. The Muslims wanted to find a safe heaven for Islam where they could practise Islam without fear.
3. The Abyssinian ruler (Negus Ashama) was a Christian. The Muslims hoped that he may give them shelter
because he was also from the people of the book (Ahl al-Kitab) like the Muslims.
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The Muslims migrated to Abyssinia in two groups in the 5th and 6th years of Prophethood.
1. Group 1 migrated to Abyssinia in Rajab in the 5th year of Prophethood. It included 11 men (or 15 men) and
4 or 5 women. These were the prominent members of this group: Usmaan, Ruqayya, Abu Salamah, Umm
Salamah, al-Zubayr, Abdur Rahman, Usmaan b. Maz’un, Musab b. Umayr, Abu Huzayfah b. Utbah, his wife
Sahla b. Suhayl, etc. They left Makkah secretly. The Quraysh traced them but they had boarded ships for
Abyssinia from Jaddah fort before the Qurayshi contingents arrived at the fort. The Abyssinian ruler allowed
them to reside in his kingdom and gave them protection. Four months after their arrival in Abyssinia, they
received fake news that the Quraysh had accepted Islam. Therefore, they returned to Makkah in Shawwal to
find that the news of the conversion of Quraysh to Islam was wrong. They spent the next few months in Makkah
and went back to Abyssinia in the second group of migrants. However, Usmaan RA, Ruqayya RA, and Usmaan b.
Maz’un stayed in Makkah.
2. Group 2 migrated to Abyssinia a year after the first group towards the end of the 6th year of Prophethood.
This group included 79 men and 15 women. They were joined by some members of the first group which
increased their number to 88 men and 19 women. Jafar b. Abi Talib RA was the leader of this group. Other
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prominent members of this group were Abu Ubaydah, Miqdad b. Aswad, Abdullah b. Masood, Sakran b. Amr,
Sakran’s wife Sawdah b. Zamaah, ‘Ubaydullah b. Jahsh, Ubaydullah's wife Umm Habibah b. Abi Sufyan, etc.
Quraysh sent Amr b. al-Aas and Abdullah b. Abi Rabeeah to Najashi’s court with gifts to bribe the courtiers of
Najashi. Amr asked Najashi to hand the Muslims over to them without questioning them. He feared that they
may impress Najashi with their talk. However, Najashi was a just ruler so he rejected Amr’s request and called
Muslims to his court. When the Muslims came to the court, they only greeted Najashi without bowing their
heads. Najashi asked the reason behind not bowing to him. The Muslims replied that they only bowed to Allah
and no one else. Najashi then inquired about their beliefs. At this, Jafar RA recited some verses of Surah
Maryam which impressed Najashi who remarked that this speech and the speech of ‘Isa AS are lights of the one
lamp. He then returned the gift of Quraysh to Amr and allowed the Muslims to stay in Abyssinia. Najashi
accepted Islam in 7 AH when the Prophet PBUH sent him a letter. He also arranged the Prophet PBUH’s nikah
with Umm Habibah and hosted the walimah.
The emigrants to Abyssinia returned in groups to Makkah and Madinah.
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1. Some returned to Makkah before migration to Madinah including al-Zubayr, Abu Ubaydah, Abu Salamah,
Umm Salamah, Sakran, and Sawdah RA.
2. Some returned to Madinah soon after migration to Madinah including Abdullah b. Mas’ud in 2 AH, Umm
Habibah and Shurahbil b. Hasanah in 6 AH.
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3. Some returned to Madinah during the Khayber expedition in 7 AH. These included Jafar RA and his wife
Asma’.
Boycott of Banu Hashim

Islam had grown steadily in the first 6 years in Makkah which worried the elders of Quraysh. They were particularly
worried because of the following reasons.
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1. In the 6th year of Prophethood, the second group of Muslims comprising 88 men and 15 women had migrated
to Abyssinia. The Abyssinian ruler (Negus/Najashi Ashama) had given them shelter. The Quraysh’s efforts to
bring them back had failed.
2. Umar RA and Hamza RA had accepted Islam in the 5th or 6th year of Prophethood which had strengthened the
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Muslim community in Makkah.
3. The Banu Hashim clan had stood by the Prophet PBUH after he had declared the prophethood. The support of
Banu Hashim had meant that the Quraysh could not prevent the Prophet PBUH through intimidation from
preaching Islam.
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Hence, Islam had grown steadily over the years. The Quraysh were worried that their social prestige may be harmed by
this new religion. Their persecution of Muslims had not borne fruit either. Therefore, they came up with the idea of
boycotting Banu Hashim. They hoped that through boycott they would be able to pressurise Banu Hashim to stop
supporting the Prophet PBUH. The boycott remained enforced for 3 years from the 7th year of prophethood till the
10th year of prophethood. The Quraysh decided that they will:
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1. Not sell anything to Banu Hashim

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2. Not purchase anything from Banu Hashim

3. Not marry with the men and women of Banu Hashim
4. Not have any other contacts with Banu Hashim.
These terms of the boycott were written in a document by Mansur b. Ikrimah whose hands got paralysed after writing
this document. All the clans of Quraysh except Banu Hashim agreed to it. This document was hung inside the building of
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Kaabah and the door of Kaabah was locked. The Muslims and non-Muslim members of Banu Hashim were forced to
reside in a plot of land owned by Abu Talib in the vicinity of Makkah known as Shiab Abi Talib. For the next three years,
Banu Hashim suffered from severe hunger and disease. They had to survive on dry animal skin, leaves, and water.
The Quraysh did not allow them to buy food or clothes from nearby markets. It was a time of excessive hardships. The
children of Banu Hashim would wail due to hunger but the Quraysh would not relent. Only Abu Lahab from Banu
Hashim did not support the Prophet PBUH. He sided with the Quraysh in the boycott of his own clan.
Some Muslims and kind-hearted non-Muslim Qurayshis supplied basic necessities to Banu Hashim secretly. If the
Quraysh saw them, they would force them to return.
1. Abu Bakr RA was one such person who helped Banu Hashim.
2. Hakim b. Hizam (paternal nephew of Khadijah RA) also supplied food and other necessary items whenever he
could.
3. Hisham b. Amr used to supply camels laden with grains to Banu Hashim at night.
After 3 years of suffering, Allah almighty softened the hearts of some men from Quraysh. These included Hisham b.
Amr, Zuhayr b. Abi Umayyah (son of ‘Atika b. Abdul Muttalib), Mut’im b. ‘Adi (who later gave protection to the Prophet
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PBUH after his return from Taif), Zamaah b. al-Aswad, and Abu al-Bukhtari. They objected to the boycott in the
meeting of Quraysh and demanded it be repealed. Meanwhile, the Prophet PBUH had a dream in which he saw that the
document of the boycott hanging inside Kaabah had decayed except the name of Allah. He narrated his dream to Abu
Talib who went to the meeting place of Quraysh and narrated the Prophet’s dream. He proposed that if the Prophet
PBUH’s dream was wrong, then he would handover the Prophet to them but if it was true then the Quraysh must end
the boycott. The Quraysh agreed to this proposition as they were already under pressure from the kind-hearted people
within them. When the door of the Kaabah was opened, it was found that the document had actually decayed and the
Prophet PBUH’s dream was true. Hence, the Quraysh ended the boycott of Banu Hashim in the 10th year of
Prophethood after three years.
Year of Grief
In the 10th year of Prophethood, the Prophet PBUH lost two of his ardent supporters (Khadijah RA and Abu Talib).
Khadijah RA passed away in Ramazan in 10th year of Prophethood, 6 months after the end of boycott. Abu Talib
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passed away in Shawwal (35 days after Khadijah RA) in the same year. Both had suffered from disease and hunger in
very old age during the boycott. Both had been strong moral, emotional, and financial supports to the Prophet PBUH.
Hence, the Prophet PBUH was immensely grieved at their death. He called this year Aamul Huzn (the year of Grief).
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Visit to Taif
The Prophet PBUH visited Taif for the following reasons.
1. He had lost support of his uncle Abu Talib so the persecution from Quraysh had increased. He wanted to
escape persecution of Quraysh.
2. He wanted to explore a new and safe avenue for Islam.
3. Taif was a prosperous and populous town. Its support could have provided Islam with a safe haven for its
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4. He had lived in the Banu Saad clan of Taif with Halima al-Saadiah. He expected them to listen to him because
of this connection.
Taif was a prosperous town situated about 50-75 miles southeast of Makkah. It was known as the garden of Hijaz
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because of its fertile land and dense gardens. Many Makkans owned gardens and castles in this town. Taif hosted the
temple of al-Lat which was one of the major idol-temples in Arabia. Taif was inhabited by the pagan Hawazin tribe.
Banu Nasr, Banu Saqeef, Banu Saad b. Bakr, Banu Jusham, and Banu Malik clans of Hawazin lived in their fortified
houses in Taif.
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The Prophet PBUH visited Taif in Shawwal in the 10th year of Prophethood with Zayd b. al-Harisa, his adopted son.
He stayed in Taif for 10 days and invited all sections of society to Islam including the tribal chiefs. The people of Taif
refused to accept Islam and misbehaved with the Prophet PBUH. They asked their rowdy children to hurl stones at the
Prophet PBUH and verbally abuse him. The children pelted the Prophet PBUH and Zayd b. al-Harisa with so many stones
that their shoes were filled with blood. Zayd b. al-Harisa tried his best to shield the Prophet PBUH from stoning but
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failed to do so because the stoning was excessive.

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The Prophet PBUH and Zayd RA took refuge from the children in a grape garden owned by two brothers from Makkah
(Utbah b. Rabeeah and Shaybah b. Rabeeah of the Banu Umayyah clan of Quraysh) who were incidentally present in
the garden. Both Utbah and Shaybah were bitter enemies of Islam but they felt pity at the condition of the Prophet
PBUH and sent their slave name ‘Addas with some grapes for the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH talked with ‘Addas
hoping that he might accept Islam. ‘Addas was from Ninavah (the town of Yunus AS). The Prophet PBUH told him that
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Yunus AS was his brother in Islam. ‘Addas was impressed with the wisdom of the Prophet PBUH and kissed his hands.
Jibrail AS came to the Prophet PBUH on his way back to Makkah and offered to crush the people of Taif between two
mountains if the Prophet PBUH wished so. The Prophet PBUH demonstrated utmost compassion and sympathy and
forgave the people of Taif. He told Jibrail AS that he hoped the people of Taif or their next generations will accept Islam
one day. The Prophet PBUH’s wisdom and sincerity resulted in the people of Taif accepting Islam in 9 AH after the
conquest of Makkah and the battle of Hunayn.
On return from Taif, the Prophet PBUH feared the Quraysh may harm him. So, he sent a message to Mutim b. Adi to give
him protection. Mut’im was an honourable tribal elder. He agreed to give protection to the Prophet PBUH. Thereafter,
the Prophet PBUH returned to Makkah and spent the next three years in Makkah preaching to the pilgrims of tribes of
other regions.
Al-Isra wal Mairaj (The night journey and ascension)

The Prophet PBUH was taken to heavens in one night by Jibrail AS on an animal from heaven called Burraq which
travelled as fast as the eye could see. There are multiple accounts of the date, month, and year of this event. The most
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famous date is 27 Rajab in the 10th year of Prophethood after the death of Khadijah and Abu Talib and the visit to Taif.
However, circumstantial evidence does not support this date. Other dates include the 27 of Rajab in 11th and 12th years
of Prophethood and 27th of Ramazan in 11th and 12th years of Prophethood. The Prophet PBUH was asleep in the
house of Umm Hani when Jibrail AS woke him and took him to al-Masjid al-Haram. From there, Jibrail AS took him to the
heavens. They visited the heavens in two stages: the night journey and ascension.
1. al-Isra (the night journey): In this journey, the Prophet PBUH went with Jibrail AS on Burraq from al-Masjid
al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, Palestine. In Jerusalem, he led all prophets in a prayer of two
Rakaahs. He was presented with two bowls: one containing milk and the other containing wine. The Prophet
PBUH chose milk. Jibrail remarked that you have chosen human nature (fitrah).
2. al-Mairaj (Ascension): From al-Masjid al-Aqsa, the Prophet PBUH went with Jibrail AS on Burraq to the
heavens. He met 8 prophets on the 7 heavens in the following sequence
a. Adam AS on the first heaven
b. Yahya AS and Isa AS on the 2nd heaven
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c. Yusuf AS on the 3rd heaven
d. Idris AS on the 4th heaven
e. Harun b. ‘Imran AS on the 5th heaven
f. Musa b. ‘Imran AS on the 6th heaven
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g. Ibrahim AS on the 7th heaven
Jibrail AS also showed him heaven and hell. He heard the sound of the footsteps of Bilal RA in heaven. He also observed
some of the punishments of hell. From there, Jibrail AS took him to al-Sidratul Muntaha which is the highest station to
which Jibrail AS has access. Beyond that point, the Prophet PBUH went alone to al-Baytul Maamur and met Allah
almighty. Their conversation is recited by Muslims in tashahhud in prayer. Allah almighty gifted the five daily obligatory
prayers to the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH returned to Makkah on Burraq with Jibrail AS.
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This entire journey took place in one night. The Prophet PBUH went on this journey with his body. The Prophet PBUH
went on this journey while he was awake. It was not a dream of the Prophet PBUH even though the dreams of the
prophets are always true. This is one of the great miracles of the Prophet PBUH.
The next morning, the Prophet PBUH narrated this event to the people of Makkah. No one believed him. The Makkans
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mocked the Prophet PBUH. Only Abu Bakr RA approved of this event. The Prophet PBUH gave him the title of al-Siddiq
(the truthful).
Pledges of Aqabah
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After his disappointment in Taif, the Prophet PBUH looked towards other places for the propagation of Islam. Yathrib
was the most important city after Makkah and Taif in the Arabian peninsula. Hence, he started meeting the pilgrims of
Yathrib at the occasion of Hajj. He met these pilgrims in Aqabah in Mina near Makkah in the 11th, 12th, and 13th
years of Prophethood.
1. In the 11th year of Prophethood, the Prophet PBUH met 6 men from the Khazraj tribe of Yathrib and invited
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them to Islam. All of them accepted Islam and promised to preach Islam in Yathrib and bring more people to
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Makkah next year. No pledge was taken in this meeting. These were the 6 people:
a. Asaad b. Zurarah
b. Awf b. al-Haris
c. Rafi b. Malik b. ‘Ajlan
d. Qutbah b. Amir
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e. Uqbah b. Amir
f. Jabir b. Abdullah or Ubadah b. al-Samit
2. In the 12th year of Prophethood, the Prophet PBUH met 12 people from Yathrib in ‘Aqabah. 6 of these 12 men
were the participants of the first meeting. The other 6 men also accepted Islam. They pledged to preach Islam
to people in Yathrib and bring more people to Makkah next year. The Prophet PBUH sent Musab b. Umayr of
Abd Darr clan of Quraysh with them to Yathrib as their teacher. This is known as the First Pledge of ‘Aqabah.
The 6 new participants of this meeting were the following:
a. Muaaz b. al-Haris
b. Zakwan b. Abd Qays
c. Yazid b. Saalabah
d. Abbas b. Ubadah
e. Abu al-Haytham Malik b. Tihan
f. Uwaym b. Saidah
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3. In the 13th year of prophethood, the Prophet PBUH met 75 people from Yathrib on 12 Zul Hajj at night in
‘Aqabah. These included 73 men and 2 women (Umm Ammarah Nusaybah b. Kaab of Banu Mazin b. Najjar and
Umm Mani Asma b. Amr of Banu Salamah). Abbas RA took a pledge from these people to assure complete
protection for the Prophet PBUH. They pledged to protect the Prophet PBUH and fight for him till death. This is
known as the Second Pledge of Aqabah or the War Pledge. These people invited the Prophet PBUH to Yathrib.
The Prophet PBUH appointed 12 men from this group as Naqibs (plural: Nuqaba) or supervisors over the
others. The supervisors were:
a. Asaad b. Zurarah
b. Saad b. Rabi
c. Saad b. Ubadah
d. Usayd b. Hudayr
e. Abdullah b. Rawaha
f. Bara b. Marur
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g. Ubadah b. Samit
h. Rafi b. Malik
i. Abdullah b. Amr
j. Mundhir b. Amr
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k. Saad b. Khaythama
l. Abu al-Haytham Malik b. Tihan RA
Other participants of this pledge included Ubayy b. Kaab, Abdullah b. Jubayr, Abu Ayub al-Ansari, Abu Talha
al-Ansari, Muaaz b. Jabal, Zayd b. Asim, his wife Umm Ammarah, and his two sons (Habib and Abdullah).
Causes of migration to Madinah

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1. The persecution by the Quraysh had become unbearable.
2. The Quraysh had planned to murder the Prophet PBUH.
3. The Prophet PBUH wanted to explore new avenues where Islam could flourish after his disappointment in
Makkah and Taif.
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4. The people of Madinah had started accepting Islam at a fast pace in the 11th, 12th, and 13th years of
Prophethood.
5. The people of Madinah invited the Prophet PBUH and promised his uncle, Abbas, to protect him.
6. The Jews of Madinah were eager to meet the Prophet PBUH because they believed that he would support them
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against the pagan Arabs.

7. Allah almighty commanded the Prophet PBUH to migrate to Madinah.
8. The Prophet PBUH had a very strong personal connection to Madinah. The people of Madinah knew his
family for the last four generations. He had visited Madinah with his mother when he was 6 years old.
a. His great-grandmother was from Madinah. His great-grandfather, Hashim, had married Salma b. Amr
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of Banu Najjar from Madinah.

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b. His father Abdullah had passed away in Madinah and was buried there.
c. His mother Amina had passed away in Abawaa near Madinah 6 years after the death of Abdullah. He
was with his mother in Madinah on this trip. So, he knew Madinah and its people very well.
Events of migration to Madinah

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1. The Quraysh met in Dar al-Nadwa (their house for assembly) and pledged to kill the Prophet PBUH. They
formed a committee for this purpose which was led by Abu Jahl. Other members of the committee included
Abu Lahab, Umayyah b. Khalf, Nadr b. al-Haris, Uqbah b. Abi Muayt, and Zam’ah b. Aswad etc. This committee
surrounded the house of the Prophet PBUH and spent the night guarding the door of his house. However, the
Prophet PBUH miraculously left his house in front of them and sprinkled a fist full of earth at them. They were
blinded by this and could not see the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH asked Ali RA to lie in his bed and put
his green Hazrami mantle over him. The Quraysh thought that the Prophet PBUH was still lying in his bed. The
committee was stunned when Ali RA emerged from the house of the Prophet PBUH the next morning. They
asked Ali RA about the Prophet PBUH. Ali RA said that he knew nothing about the Prophet PBUH.
2. The Prophet PBUH left Makkah for Madinah on 27th Safar in the 13th year of Prophethood with Abu Bakr
RA. The Prophet PBUH went to Abu Bakr RA’s house and they left for Madinah and moved as fast as they could.
They did not take the normal northern route. Instead, they went southwards towards Yemen in order to dodge
the Quraysh. They reached the mountains about 5 miles from Makkah and took refuge in the cave of Thawr for
three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Abu Bakr RA cleaned the cave, filled the holes in the cave, and asked
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the Prophet PBUH to enter. During their stay in the cave, Abdullah b. Abi Bakr RA would bring them news of
Quraysh at night. Asma b. Abi Bakr RA would bring food for them. Amir b. Fuhayrah RA (the freed slave of
Abu Bakr RA) would bring his goats near the cave at night and serve them milk. Amir RA would also take his
goats on the route of Abdullah to remove his footsteps. Abu Bakr RA had hired Abdullah b. Urayqit who knew
the secret routes well to take them from a relatively unknown route to Madinah. Abdullah took them through
the coastal route.
3. Allah almighty devised a divine plan for their protection. A spider spun its web around the entrance of the cave.
A pigeon made its nest and laid eggs next to the entrance of the cave. Some fresh shrubs also grew around the
cave. When the Quraysh reached the cave, they did not get into the cave because they assumed that someone
could not have got into the cave without breaking the spider web. Hence, Allah almighty saved them through
divine intervention. Allah almighty mentioned and praised the Prophet PBUH in surah al-Tawbah (9:40). Abu
Bakr RA was given the titles “al-Yar fil Ghar” and “Thani Ithnayn” because of his stay with the Prophet PBUH
in the cave of Thawr.
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4. The Quraysh, meanwhile, decided that whosoever brings the Prophet PBUH and Abu Bakr alive or dead would
be rewarded with 100 camels. Several people attempted to trace them but none could succeed. Only Suraqah b.
Malik b. Jasham al-Mudlaji RA (he accepted Islam later) was able to find them. He tried to get near them but
his horse could not move ahead. He understood that it was a divine power that prevented him from reaching
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the Prophet PBUH. He requested the Prophet PBUH to forgive him. The Prophet PBUH forgave him and
promised to reward him with the bracelets of the Persian emperor when the Muslims captured Persia if he did
not tell anyone about their whereabouts. This promise was fulfilled by Umar RA in his caliphate.
5. The Prophet PBUH stayed at the tent of a woman from Banu Khuzaah named Umm Maabad RA. The Prophet
PBUH asked her for something to eat. She replied that nothing edible was available in her tent. The Prophet
PBUH pointed to a weak and diseased goat beside her tent and asked if he could milk her. After her permission,
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the Prophet PBUH milked the goat and filled two large utensils. Umm Maabad and her husband Abu Maabad
were impressed with this miracle and the blessings of the Prophet PBUH and accepted Islam.
6. On the way to Madinah, the Prophet PBUH met Burida al-Aslami RA who was the chief of Banu Aslam clan of
Banu Khuzaah tribe. He had come out in search of the Prophet PBUH after hearing of the reward put on him by
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the Quraysh. But when he met the Prophet PBUH and listened to his message, he accepted Islam with 70 men of
his tribe.
7. The Prophet PBUH reached Quba (a town near Madinah) on Monday, 8 Rabiul Awwal. Quba was inhabited by
Banu Amr b. Awf. The inhabitants of Quba came out in large numbers to welcome the Prophet PBUH and
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chanted slogans of “Allah is the Greatest”. The Prophet PBUH stayed at the house of Kulthum b. Hadam RA in
Quba for four or ten days. During this stay, he constructed the first mosque of Islam in Quba. Ali RA and
al-Zubayr b. al-Awwam RA also joined him in Quba and stayed at Kulthum RA’s house.
8. The Prophet PBUH left Quba for Madinah alongwith the swordsmen of Banu Najjar (a clan of Khazraj who
were the maternal uncles of the Prophet PBUH). On their way to Madinah, the Prophet PBUH stopped in the
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settlements of Banu Salim b. Awf and prayed the Friday prayer in congregation with more than 100 men. This
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was the first Friday prayer in Islam. A mosque was later constructed on the place where the Prophet PBUH led
the Friday prayer.
9. The Prophet PBUH reached Madinah on the same day after offering the Friday prayer. He was warmly
welcomed by the people of Madinah. The children of Madinah sang the famous anthem upon his arrival (talaa
al badru alayna). It was a day of great jubilation for the people of Madinah. The name of the city was changed
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from Yathrib to Madinatun Nabi meaning the city of the Prophet PBUH. The name was later shortened to
Madinah only. Every household in Madinah wanted to have the honour of hosting the Prophet PBUH. However,
the Prophet PBUH asked people to let his she-camel sit wherever she wanted to. The she-camel sat at the place
where the mosque of the Prophet PBUH was constructed later. This was the dwelling place of the Banu Najjar
clan of Khazraj tribe. Abu Ayub al-Ansari’s house was nearest to this place, so the Prophet PBUH consented to
residing in his house. The Prophet’s she-camel was taken by Asaad b. Zurarah to his house.
10. A few days later, the Prophet PBUH’s wife Sawdah, his daughters Umm Kulthum and Fatimah, and his adopted
son Zayd and Zayd’s wife Umm Ayman reached Madinah with Abdullah b. Abi Bakr RA. His daughter Ruqayyah
had already reached Madinah with Usmaan RA. Only Zaynab remained in Makkah because her husband Abu
al-Aas had not yet accepted Islam.
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Life in Madinah
Community of Madinah
The community of Madinah consisted of three groups.
1. Muslims
a. Emigrants: Emigrants were those Muslims who had migrated to Madinah from Makkah. They
belonged to the Quraysh tribe of Makkah.
b. Helpers: The helpers were the Muslim inhabitants of Madinah. They had started accepting Islam after
the first meeting with the Prophet PBUH at the Aqabah in Makkah. They belonged to the following two
tribes;
i. Aws: Their leader was Saad b. Muaaz of the Banu Abdul Ashhal clan.
ii. Khazraj: Their leader was Saad b. Ubadah of the Banu Saidah clan.
2. Jews: The Prophet PBUH signed the Charter of Madinah with them. All three Jewish tribes of Madinah betrayed
it.
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a. Banu Qaynuqaa: They were the allies of Khazraj and had supported Khazraj in the battle of Buaas
against Aws. They lived inside Madinah. They were goldsmiths, blacksmiths, and potters by profession.
Hence, they were well-equipped with armour as they were the manufacturers of arms in Madinah.
They had 700 trained warriors and were the most-feared of the Jews in Madinah. They betrayed the
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Muslims after the battle of Badr. The Prophet PBUH exiled them from Madinah and did not order their
execution on the intercession of Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul al-Khazraji.
b. Banu Nazeer: They were the allies of Aws and had fought alongside Aws in the battle of Buaas. They
lived in the outskirts of Madinah. The Prophet PBUH’s wife, Safiyyah b. Huyay b. Akhtab belonged to
this tribe. His concubine, Rayhana b. Zayd also belonged to this tribe. They betrayed the Muslims in the
battle of Uhud and were exiled from Madinah after the battle of Uhud. They settled in Khaybar and kept
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plotting against Muslims from there.
c. Banu Qurayzah: They were also the allies of Aws and had supported Aws against Khazraj in the battle
of Buaas. They lived in the outskirts of Madinah. They betrayed the Muslims in the battle of Trench. The
Prophet PBUH besieged them after the battle. When they surrendered, the Prophet PBUH asked Saad b.
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Muaaz RA of Aws tribe who was their ally to decide their fate according to Jewish texts of the Old
Testament. Saad b. Muaaz RA decided that their men be executed and their women and children be
taken captive.
3. Hypocrites
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The hypocrites were those inhabitants of Madinah who had outwardly accepted Islam because of its might but
had not accepted Islam by heart. They belonged to the Aws and Khazraj tribes of Madinah. Abdullah b. Ubayy b.
Salul was their leader. They are condemned in several verses in Quran. 300 of them left the Muslim army before
the start of the battle of Uhud on the pretext that their suggestion of fighting within Madinah was not accepted
by the Prophet PBUH.
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Template of Battles
1. Basic details
a. Name of the battle
b. Date, Month, Year, Duration
c. Location
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d. Opponent
e. Leader of Muslims
f. Number of Muslims
g. Leader of non-Muslims
h. Number of non-Muslims
i. Casualties on both sides
2. Causes
3. Events
4. Results
First Year after Hijrah

1. Election of the Prophet PBUH as the leader of Madinah
The Battle of Buath was fought 4 years before Hijrah in Madinah between Aws and Khazraj in
which the top leadership of both tribes had been killed. Aws was supported by the Jewish tribes of Nazeer and
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Qurayzah. The battle was won by Aws but both tribes suffered heavy losses. They wanted to settle this dispute
and wanted a leader acceptable to both. Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul was an ideal candidate who was from
Khazraj but had remained neutral in the battle of Buath. But a leader from Aws and Khazraj was not fully
acceptable to Jews who were an important force in Madinah. Hence, the Prophet PBUH assumed that role of
leadership. He was acceptable to both Aws and Khazraj because they had accepted Islam and to Jews because
he was not from Madinah and followed the religion of Ibrahim AS who was revered by Jews also. Hence, the
Prophet PBUH became the undisputed leader of Madinah.
2. Construction of al-Masjid al-Nabawi

The Prophet PBUH constructed al-Masjid al-Nabawi soon after reaching Madinah on the spot where his
she-camel had stopped at the time of his arrival in Madinah. The land belonged to two orphans (Sahl and
Suhayl) who dried their dates in this plot. The two orphans wanted to donate the land for the mosque but the
Prophet PBUH insisted on purchasing it. The uncle of the orphans negotiated a price of 10 gold coins for the
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land which was paid by Abu Bakr RA. There were a few date palm trees and graves of pagans on the plot. The
Prophet PBUH ordered Muslims to cut the trees and flatten the graves. The wood from these trees was used as
pillars of the mosque and the leaves were used to cover the roof. The walls of the mosque were made of
unbaked bricks and mud. The mosque had three doors, only the side facing qibla (al-Bayt al-Maqdis) did not
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have a door. The length and width of the mosque was nearly 100 yards. Sand and small pebbles were laid in
the courtyard of the mosque. Small one-room apartments were also constructed for the wives of the Prophet
PBUH. The Prophet PBUH shifted from the house of Abu Ayub al-Ansari into these apartments. This mosque
was extended in 7 AH after the battle of Khaybar. The land for the extension was bought by Usmaan b. Affan
RA from an ansari companion for 10,000 dirhams. The Prophet PBUH and his companions worked like
labourers in the construction of the mosque which shows the importance of manual and physical labour. This
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mosque served the following functions.
1. It was a place of worship. The Muslim prayed the five daily congregational prayers in this mosque.
2. It served as a place of teaching and learning. The Prophet PBUH taught the injunctions of Islam to his
companions and the deputations from other places here.
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3. It served as a house for consultation and assembly. The Prophet PBUH consulted the companions in
this mosque before making decisions.
4. It served as a guest house for the deputations of neighbouring tribes and kingdoms in the life of the
Prophet PBUH and during the rule of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
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5. It served as a prison for the captives of the battles. The captives were tied to the pillars of the mosque.
6. It served as a residence for the scribes of the revelations. Companions from outside Madinah like Abu
Hurayrah RA resided in the mosque and learned the teachings of Islam.
3. Establishment of Brotherhood
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The Prophet PBUH established brotherhood among Muslims in order to help the emigrant Muslims from
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Makkah in settling in Madinah. The brotherhood was established in two stages.

1. In the first stage, the Prophet PBUH established brotherhood among the Muslims in Makkah before
migration. It was aimed at helping the emigrants in reaching Madinah safely. The following were some
pairs.
a. al-Zubayr and Abdullah b. Masud RA
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b. Umar and Abu Bakr RA

c. Prophet PBUH and Ali RA
d. Usmaan and Abdur Rahman RA
e. Hamza and Zayd b. al-Harisa RA
f. Ubaydah b. al-Haris and Bilal RA
g. Musab and Saad b. Abi Waqqas RA
h. Said b. Zayd and Talha b. ‘Ubaydillah RA
i. Abu Ubaydah and Salim Mawla Abi Huzayfah RA
2. In the second stage, the Prophet PBUH established brotherhood between emigrants and helpers five
months after migration in Rajab 1 AH to help the emigrants in settling in Madinah. The brotherhood
was established among 90 Muslims in the house of Anas b. Malik RA. The following were some pairs.
a. Abu Bakr and Kharijah b. Zayd RA
b. Umar and Utban b. Malik RA
c. Abu Ubaydah b. al-Jarrah and Saad b. Muaaz RA
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d. Abdur Rahman and Saad b. Rabi’ RA

e. Usmaan and Aws b. Sabit RA
f. Talha and Kaab b. Malik RA
g. Said b. Zayd and Ubayy b. Kaab RA
h. Ammar b. Yasir and Huzayfah b. al-Yaman RA
i. Salman al-Farasi and Abu al-Darda RA
j. Miqdad b. Aswad and Abdullah b. Rawaha RA
The Prophet PBUH established brotherhood between emigrants and helpers with the following objectives in
mind:
1. To give a sense of common purpose to the Muslims of Madinah
2. To help the Muslims of Makkah settle in Madinah easily
3. To help fulfil the basic needs of the emigrants of Madinah
4. To unite the Muslims by binding them together in brotherhood
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5. To remove discord and divisions among the Muslims of Madinah
The helpers set outstanding examples of generosity and sacrifice in helping their emigrant Muslim brother.
1. They shared their belongings, residence, and other wealth including dirhams (silver coins) and dinars
(gold coins) with the emigrants.
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2. They preferred the needs of emigrants over their own needs.
3. They even offered to divorce their wives and marry them to their emigrant brothers.
4. In the initial years, the emigrants and helpers inherited each others’ property (Anfal: 57). This
injunction was later abrogated.
The establishment of brotherhood greatly helped the Muslim community of Madinah.
a. The brotherhood resulted in a peaceful settlement of emigrants in Madinah. The emigrants did not
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suffer from hunger like other refugees around the world.
b. It gave a common sense of purpose to Muslims which thwarted the rivalry between Aws and Khazraj.
c. It established a strongly-knit community in Madinah which helped in fighting the external enemies
effectively.
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4. Charter of Madinah/Treaty with the Jews
After assuming the leadership of Madinah and establishing brotherhood among Muslims, the Prophet PBUH
thought of establishing relations with the Jews of Madinah who were the second largest group in Madinah
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after Muslims. The Jews had eagerly awaited the arrival of the Prophet PBUH as they expected him to support
them against the pagan Arabs. The Prophet PBUH thought it was necessary to make an alliance with them for
the security of Madinah. Therefore, he signed a treaty with the Jews of Madinah on the following terms;
1. The Prophet PBUH will be leader of all groups of Madinah. His decision will be final.
2. The Muslims and Jews will have the freedom to act upon the teachings of their religion.
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3. The Muslims and Jews will fight the enemies of each other in case of attack on any one group in
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Madinah.
4. In case of attack on Madinah, both the Muslims and the Jews will defend it collectively.
5. The signatories of the treaty (Muslims and Jews) will not fight each other or any third party in the
boundaries of Madinah.
6. The Quraysh and their allies will not be given refuge in Madinah.
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All three clans of Jews (Banu Qaynuqaa, Banu Nazeer, and Banu Qurayzah) willingly signed this treaty. This
treaty is considered as the first charter of human rights and freedom. The Prophet PBUH and Muslim upheld
the terms of this treaty. On the other hand, the Jews did not remain loyal to this treaty. All the clans of Jews
betrayed the Muslims by breaking the treaty one by one.
5. Aazaan
After the construction of the mosque, there was a need to gather Muslims for congregational prayer. Since the
Muslims prayed secretly and individually in the Makkan period, the aazaan was not needed there. In Madinah,
the Muslims had grown stronger. They could pray openly. Hence, they needed a method of calling people to
prayer.
The Prophet PBUH gathered the Muslims and discussed the ways in which the Muslims could be called to
prayer. The following three suggestions were discussed.
1. A bell should be rung to call the Muslims to prayer. The Prophet PBUH rejected this suggestion because
of its similarity with the Christians.
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2. A trumpet should be blown to invite the Muslims to prayer. The Prophet PBUH rejected this too
because it resembled the Jews.
3. Some suggested that fire should be burnt at the roof of the mosque or at any high place so that
Muslims may see it and come to the mosque. The Prophet PBUH rejected this too because of its
resemblance with the fire-worshippers.
The meeting ended without any conclusion.
Abdullah b. Zayd b. Asim al-Ansari had a dream in which he heard the words of the aazaan for three
consecutive nights. He reported this to the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH immediately approved this
suggestion and asked Abdullah b. Zayd to teach these words to Bilal b. Rabah RA because Bilal RA had a louder
voice. Bilal then pronounced the aazaan. Umar RA came to the mosque and said that he had heard the same
words in a dream too. The Prophet PBUH said that I had heard the same aazaan on the night journey to the
heavens.
Bilal b. Rabah, Abdullah b. Umm Maktum, and Abu Mahdhurah RA became the muazzins of the mosque of
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the Prophet PBUH.
Second Year after Hijrah

1. Battle of Badr
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Name Battle of Badr
Basic The Battle of Badr was fought on Friday, 17 Ramazan in 2 AH against the Quraysh of Makkah in the ground
Details of Badr situated 100 miles southwest of Madinah. The Prophet PBUH commanded 313 Muslims (82
emigrants, 170 from Khazraj, and 61 from Aws) while Abu Jahl (Amr b. Hisham of the Makhzum clan of
Quraysh) commanded 1000 pagan Quraysh. The Qurayshi army had numbered 1300 initially but 300 men
of Banu Zuhrah left the army at the advice of al-Akhnas b. Shurayq. The Muslims won this battle. 14
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Muslims (6 emigrants and 8 Ansar) were martyred and 70 Qurayshis were killed and 70 were taken
captive. Musab b. Umayr RA held the standard of Muslims in this battle. He was from Banu Abd Darr clan of
Quraysh who were the ancestral standard-bearers of Quraysh.
Causes The Muslims had grown in power in Madinah. The Quraysh wanted to stop the growing power of Muslims.
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The trade caravans of Quraysh passed through Madinah on their northern route to Syria in summer. The
Quraysh were afraid of the constant threat posed by Muslims to their trade caravans. The Quraysh wanted
to secure their trade route by dealing with the Muslim power once and for all.
Abu Sufyan of the Umayyah clan was passing through Madinah on his way from Syria to Makkah. He feared
an attack from Muslims so he requested the Quraysh to help him take his caravan safely.
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Events The Prophet PBUH prayed all throughout the night before the battle. He asked Allah to protect the small
band of Muslims against Quraysh. He feared that there may not remain a person to remember Allah if the
Muslims lost in the battle. On the night before the battle, the Prophet PBUH pointed to places where the
leaders of Quraysh would be slain the next day.
It rained during the night which helped Muslims collect water while also making the terrain of Quraysh
slippery and muddy which gave Muslims an advantage.
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The Muslim army was poorly armed. They had only two horses. Al-Zubayr b. al-’Awwam mounted one of
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the two horses and commanded the right wing of the Muslim army. Miqdad b. Aswad mounted the other
horse and commanded the left wing of the Muslim army. The next morning, Allah sent 1000 angels to
support the Muslims during the battle.
The battle started with individual combats between Hamza RA and Shaybah b. Rabeeah, Ubaydah b.
al-Haris RA and Utbah b. Rabeeah, and Ali RA and al-Walid b. Utba. Hamza and Ali killed their opponents
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while Ubaydah was injured by Utbah. After killing their opponents, Hamza and Ali joined Ubaydah to kill
Utbah. Ubaydah succumbed to his injuries and became the first Muslim martyr in the battlefield.
After individual combats, the general fight began in which Quraysh suffered heavy losses.
Prominent Quraysh leaders including Abu Jahl, Utbah, Shaybah, al-Walid b. Utbah, Hanzalah b. Abi Sufyan,
and Umayyah b. Khalaf were killed by Muslims.
70 pagan Quraysh were killed and 70 were captured. Only 14 Muslims embraced martyrdom. Of these, 8
were helpers while 6 were emigrants. The captives of Quraysh included prominent men such as Suhayl b.
Amr, al-Walid b. al-Walid b. Mughirah al-Makhzumi, Abbas b. Abdul Muttalib al-Hashimi, and Abu al-Aas b.
al-Rabi’ (the son-in-law of the Prophet PBUH).
On the suggestion of Abu Bakr RA, the captives were later released by the Prophet PBUH on the condition
that they should either pay ransom or teach the children of Madinah. The ransom of the captives ranged
between 4000 to 10000 dirhams. Umar RA had suggested killing the captives. The subsequent Quranic
revelation condemned the release of captives thus approving the suggestion of Umar RA.
The Prophet PBUH sent Abdullah b. Rawaha and Zayd b. al-Harisa RA to give glad tiding of victory to the
people of Madinah. When they reached Madinah, they met Usmaan RA and Usamah b. Zayd who had just
buried Ruqayyah RA. Usmaan RA had not participated in Badr on the command of the Prophet PBUH as he
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had to tend to Ruqayyah RA during her illness. The Prophet PBUH gave a share of the spoils of war to
Usmaan RA also.
Results This was the first major battle of Muslims. Victory in this battle strengthened the confidence of Muslims in
the truthfulness of Islam and the divine help of Allah.
The might and arrogance of Quraysh was dealt a heavy blow by the Muslims.
The Muslims were recognized as a power to be reckoned with in Arabia.
It also paved the way for future battles with the Quraysh.
Surah al-Anfal (Chapter on the Spoils of War) was revealed on this occasion.
The celebration of the Eidul Fitr was started on 1st of Shawwal following this manifest victory.
2. Battle of Banu Qaynuqaa

Banu Qaynuqa was the most fearsome of the Jewish tribes of Madinah. They lived inside of Madinah in
a locality named after their tribe. They were gold-smiths, ironsmiths, and potters by profession. Abdullah b.
Salam RA (a Jewish scholar who converted to Islam) was from this tribe of Jews. They betrayed the Muslims in
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the battle of Badr and kept plotting against Muslims after the battle. They were proud of their military and
financial strengths (being the traders of gold and the manufacturers of arms). They also had a fleet of 700
trained soldiers. The Prophet PBUH tried to convince them not to fight the Muslims but they mocked the
sermons of the Prophet PBUH. Hence, attacking them became inevitable. The Prophet PBUH attacked them on
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15 Shawwal, 2 AH. They enclosed themselves in their forts. The Prophet PBUH laid a siege to their forts. On the
16th day of the siege, they surrendered. The Prophet PBUH pardoned their lives on the request of Abdullah b.
Ubayy and exiled them from Madinah after taking their belongings. The Prophet PBUH took one fifth of the war
booty and distributed four fifths among the Muslims. The Prophet PBUH had deputed Abu Lubabah b. Abd
al-Mundhir al-Ansari as the governor of Madinah.
Third Year after Hijrah

1. Battle of Uhud
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Name Battle of Uhud
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Basic The battle of Uhud was fought on Friday and Saturday, 6 and 7 Shawwal in 3 AH near the mount of Uhud
Details (10 miles east of Madinah) against the pagan Quraysh of Makkah. The Quraysh had secured the support of
the tribes of Kinanah and Tihamah and some other Bedouin (Ahabish) tribes.
The Quraysh army numbered 3000 and were led by Abu Sufyan (Sakhr b. Harb of the Umayyah clan of
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Quraysh) while the Muslim army numbered 700 and was led by the Prophet PBUH himself. The Muslims
lost this battle. 70 Muslims were martyred in this battle. 22-37 non-Muslims were also killed including 6
standard-bearers of Quraysh from Banu Abd Darr clan of Quraysh. The Muslims’ standard was held by
Musab b. Umayr RA from Banu Abd Darr clan of Quraysh. Musab RA was martyred in this battle.
Causes The Quraysh wanted to take revenge for the battle of Badr and restore their pride.
The descendants of those killed in Badr wanted to avenge the killing of their loved ones. Prominent among
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these were Ikrimah b. Abi Jahl, Safwan b. Umayyah, and Abu Sufyan b. Harb.
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The Quraysh wanted to secure their trade route with Syria as their caravans had to pass through Madinah
on their route to Syria. The Muslims posed a threat to their trade and economy.
The elders of the Jewish tribes of Banu Nazeer (like Kaab b. Ashraf) in Madinah instigated the Quraysh
against Muslims and promised them complete cooperation.
Events When the Prophet PBUH got the news of an imminent attack from Quraysh, he consulted his companions
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on the most suitable way of fighting. The Prophet PBUH and Abdullah b. Ubayy (the leader of the
hypocrites of Madinah) were of the opinion that the Muslims should defend Madinah from within while the
majority of the companions wanted to fight outside. Hence, the Prophet PBUH decided to fight outside
Madinah. Abdullah b. Ubayy left the Muslim army with 300 followers on the pretext that his suggestion of
fighting within Madinah had not be accepted by the Prophet PBUH.
The Qurayshi army was 3000 strong with the support of Tihamah and Kinanah tribes. They spent the
profits of Abu Sufyan’s caravan on preparation for the war. They purchased 1000 camels and raised 50000
dinars for the war. They also hired poets and singers to entice their men into fighting the Muslims.
When the battle started, the Muslims overpowered the pagan Quraysh. Six of the standard bearers of
Quraysh from Banu Abd Darr clan were killed one after another until there was no one to hold their
standard.
The Prophet PBUH had deputed 50 archers on a mount called Jabal al-Rumah under the command of
Abdullah b. Jubayr. These archers were clearly instructed by the Prophet PBUH to not leave their position
under any circumstances. However, when these archers saw the Muslims winning, they left their posts
despite insistent prohibition from Abdullah b. Jubayr. Khalid b. al-Walid who had not yet accepted Islam
saw the mount poorly defended and attacked from the rear of the Muslim army and killed the 10 archers
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who had remained on the mount. Khalid’s army wreaked havoc on the Muslim army. The Muslims were
sandwiched between the Quraysh. The Muslims started running in panic. During this period, many
Muslims were martyred.
The non-Muslim came very near to the Prophet PBUH who was guarded by a group of 14 companions. The
disbelievers spread the rumour that the Prophet PBUH had been martyred. This rumour disheartened the
Muslims. Upon hearing this rumour, many Muslims stopped fighting. The disbelievers benefitted from this
situation and started martyring the Muslims.
However, the Prophet PBUH called the Muslims back to the battlefield. In the counter attack by the
Muslims, the Qurayshi attack was repelled.
In this battle, 70 Muslims were martyred while about 30 disbelievers were killed. Khalid’s attack had
turned the tide of the battle in the favour of Quraysh. The Muslims’s initial victory was turned into a defeat
due to non-compliance to the orders of the leaders.
Results The Muslims realised that they won in Badr due to Allah’s help.
The Muslims realised the importance of obeying the Prophetic instructions.
The Muslims recognized the hypocrites among themselves.
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The Quraysh were encouraged by this victory. They started preparations for another battle.
Fourth Year after Hijrah

1. Battle of Banu Nazeer
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The Jewish tribe of Banu Nazeer had also signed the charter of Madinah with the Prophet PBUH.
However, they did not honour the terms of the treaty. They planned to murder the Prophet PBUH twice after
the battle of Uhud. Once, the Prophet PBUH went to their fortified settlement to negotiate on a matter with
them along with Abu Bakr, Umar, Usmaan, Ali, Saad b. Muaaz, and Saad b. Ubadah RA. The leaders of Banu
Nazeer attempted to throw rocks at them from the roofs of their fortresses. However, Allah almighty informed
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the Prophet PBUH through revelation. A few days later, they challenged the Prophet PBUH to a dialogue with
their scholars. However, they asked their representative scholars to hide daggers in their cloaks and kill the
Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH came to know of their plans. After two successive plans of murder of the
Prophet PBUH, the Prophet PBUH decided to fight them as they posed a threat to the peace of Madinah. He laid
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a siege to their fortresses in Rabiul Awwal 4 AH. He appointed Abdullah b. Umm Maktum as the governor of
Madinah in his absence. The siege lasted for 15 days after which they surrendered. They were secretly
supported by Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul (the leader of hypocrites). After their surrender, the Prophet PBUH
gave them 10 days to leave the city of Madinah. They were allowed to take their belongings with them except
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their weaponry. Hence, they were exiled from Madinah. Most of them settled in Khaybar including Huyay b.
Akhtab and Kinanah b. al-Rabi’. Some of them went to Syria. The Prophet PBUH distributed their belongings
among the emigrant companions in order to reduce their dependence on the helpers.
Fifth Year after Hijrah

1. Battle of Trench
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Name Battle of Trench/Ditch/Khandaq/Allies/Confederates/Ahzab

Basic The Pagans of Makkah and their allies put a siege to Madinah in Shawwal and Zul Qaadah in 5 AH. This
Details siege lasted for fifty days. The leader of Makkans was Abu Sufyan al-Umawi al-Qurashi. They numbered
10,000. Out of these 10000, 4000 belonged to Quraysh while the rest belonged to the tribes of Tihamah,
Murrah, Sulaym, Asad, Kinanah, Ghatafan, Ashja’, etc. The Muslims numbered 3000 and were led by the
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Prophet PBUH. These 3000 Muslims worked in digging the Trench for a week. The trench was about 5
kilometres or 3 miles long. The battle is named the battle of Khandaq/Trench/Ditch because of this trench.
The battle is also called the battle of Ahzab/allies/confederates because the Quraysh allied with other Arab
tribes against the Muslims.
Causes The Quraysh were encouraged by their victory in Uhud. They wanted to deal with the Muslims once and for
all.
The Quraysh were heartened by the support from allies and the Jewish tribes of Madinah.
The growing influence of Islam was a cause of concern for the Quraysh and other Arab tribes whose
influence was diminishing considerably.
Events Abbas RA sent the news of the preparation of Quraysh to the Prophet PBUH. He held a meeting with his
companions. The Muslims agreed upon defending Madinah from within. Salman al-Farisi suggested that
the Muslims should dig a trench around Madinah to prevent the enemy from entering the city.
Madinah was secure from three sides because of the date orchards, houses, and mountains. Only the
northern side leading to Syria needed to be safeguarded. The Muslims dug a trench on the Northern side.
The siege lasted over 50 days. There were no major clashes or direct general fighting. However, there were
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minor skirmishes. Some pagans attempted to cross the trench. However, they were dealt with by the
Muslims. The Allies could not enter Madinah as a combined force because of the Trench. The Muslims were
able to resist their assaults. One pagan wrestler and commander named Amr b. Abd Wadd crossed the
trench. Ali RA killed him in one blow.
The morale of Quraysh started declining with each passing day. On the 50th night, Allah almighty sent a
strong storm which uprooted the tents of Quraysh, overturned their utensils filled with food and water,
sent waves of shiver among the pagans due to the cold breeze, and further dented their morale. The
Quraysh and their allies started fleeing the battlefield.
The Prophet PBUH sent Huzayfah b. al-Yaman to the camp of Quraysh to bring intelligence. Huzayfah
returned with the good news that the Quraysh and their allies were contemplating withdrawal. The next
morning, the Muslims woke up to an empty battlefield. The Quraysh and their allies had fled during the
night.
This battle ended with a victory for Muslims.
Results The Quraysh’s confidence, arrogance, and esteem were shattered.
The Muslims’ determination and steadfastness were observed by the entire Arabia.
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This turned out to be the last battle between Muslims and pagans of Makkah.
The Quraysh realised that they were no match for the Muslims.
The Quraysh also realised that their numerical strength and alliances were not a solution to tackling the
Muslim state of Madinah.
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2. Battle of Banu Qurayzah
According to the charter of Madinah, the Jews had to support the Muslims in defending Madinah in
case of attack on Madinah from outside. However, the Jews betrayed this treaty and supported the Quraysh in
the battle of Trench. Hence, Allah almighty commanded the Prophet PBUH to attack Banu Qurayzah on the day
the battle of Trench ended. The Prophet PBUH left for the settlements of Banu Qurayzah after Dhuhr on the
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same day. The Prophet PBUH gave the banner of war to Ali RA. The Muslims besieged their fortresses for 25
days. A Jewish leader, Kaab b. Asad, advised the Jews to accept the Prophet PBUH’s message. The Jews refused
this advice. They asked for Abu Lubabah b. Abd al-Mundhir RA to negotiate on their behalf with the Prophet
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PBUH. Abu Lubabah also advised them to accept Islam. However, they refused this advice too. After 25 days,
they agreed to surrender on the condition that their allies of Aws tribe should decide their fate like Khazraj did
for Banu Nazeer. They chose Saad b. Muaaz RA as the person most suitable from Aws to decide their fate. Saad
b. Muaaz RA decided that their men be killed and their women and children be taken captives. He made this
decision according to the teachings of the Old Testament which was the religious scripture of Jews. Hence, this
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decision was acted upon and Banu Qurayzah were punished for their betrayal.
Sixth Year after Hijrah

1. Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
Name Treaty of Hudaybiyyah
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Basic The Prophet PBUH left for Makkah to perform a minor pilgrimage (Umrah) with 1400 unarmed
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Details companions in Zul Qaadah, 6 AH. The treaty was signed between the Prophet PBUH and Suhayl b. Amr of
Banu Amir clan of Quraysh in Hudaybiyyah (A few miles south of Makkah). The Prophet’s three envoys
during this treaty were: Budayl b. Warqa, Khirash b. Umayyah al-Khuzaai, and Usmaan b. Affan RA.
Causes The Prophet PBUH and the emigrant Muslims were longing to visit the Holy Kaabah. They had not been to
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Makkah for 6 years.

The helper Muslims also wanted to visit al-Masjid al-Haram in the company of the Prophet PBUH as they
had done so in the age of ignorance.
The Prophet PBUH had a dream in Shawwaal, 6 AH, in which he was performing a minor pilgrimage. The
dreams of the Prophets are always true. Hence, he ordered his companions to start preparations for a
minor pilgrimage.
Events The Prophet PBUH left Madinah for Makkah with 1400 unarmed companions on Monday, 1 Zul Qaadah in
6 AH. He appointed Abdullah b. Umm Maktum the incharge of Madinah. He was riding his she-camel
Qaswa. His wife, Umm Salamah, accompanied him on this journey. The Prophet PBUH took 70 camels with
him for sacrifice. When they reached Dhu al-Hulayfah, they put on the ihram for Umrah and sent Khirash b.
Umayyah of Banu Khuzaah tribe to bring intelligence about Quraysh. The Quraysh had dispatched Khalid b.
al-Walid with 200 men to stop the Muslims. The Prophet PBUH changed the route to dodge Khalid’s men
and stayed at Hudaybiyyah in the south of Makkah.
He sent Budayl b. Warqa from Banu Khuzaah to Quraysh to inform Quraysh of his peaceful intent. The
Quraysh detained him and sent Mukriz b. Hafs, Hulays b. Alqamah of Banu Kinanah, and Urwah b. Masud
al-Saqafi one by one for negotiations with the Prophet. However, negotiations with these men failed. Then
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Prophet PBUH sent Usmaan b. Affan RA to Quraysh as his envoy because Usmaan was respected in Makkah
because of his character and the strength of his clan. The Quraysh detained Usmaan RA and allowed him to
perform Umrah. Usmaan RA refused this offer saying that he could not perform Umrah without the
Prophet PBUH. Usmaan RA’s detention caused rumours to spread in the Muslim camp that he had been
martyred by the Quraysh. Upon hearing these rumours, the Prophet PBUH took a pledge from his
companions that they will fight till death to avenge Usmaan RA’s martyrdom. The Prophet PBUH pledged
with both hands saying that one of his hands was the hand of Usmaan RA. This pledge was taken under a
tree. This is called ‘Bay’ah al-Ridwan’. This pledge and the resolve of Muslims is praised by Allah in Surah
al-Fath (48:18) in the Quran.
When the Quraysh heard of this pledge, they realised the gravity of the situation and sent Suhayl b. Amr of
Banu Aamir clan of Quraysh to negotiate a treaty with the Prophet PBUH. As a result, an agreement was
reached upon which had the following terms:
1. The Muslims would return to Madinah without performing Umrah this year and will come next
year for three days only without arms except sheathed swords.
2. The Muslims and Quraysh will not fight for 10 years. No one will be harmed.
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3. The neighbouring tribes and clans will be allowed to form alliances with the Muslims and Quraysh.
The allies will be considered a part of this treaty. The Muslims and Quraysh will not attack each
other’s allies.
4. If a Makkan accepts Islam and goes to Madinah, he will be returned to Makkah. If a Muslim
apostatises and goes to Makkah, he will not be returned to Madinah.
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The Prophet PBUH agreed to all these terms. Many Muslims including ‘Umar RA were not pleased with
these humiliating terms. However, they surrendered to the will of the Prophet PBUH. While the treaty was
being signed, a Muslim named Abu Jandal b. Suhayl b. Amr came to the Muslim camp shouting for help.
Coincidently, Abu Jandal was the son of Suhayl b. Amr who signed the treaty with the Prophet PBUH on
behalf of Quraysh. Abu Jandal had accepted Islam. He had been chained by his father and imprisoned in a
dungeon in his house. The Muslim felt pity for him. However, his father insisted that he be returned
wait for Allah’s help.

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otherwise the treaty will not take effect. At this, the Prophet PBUH asked Abu Jandal to stay patient and
Following the conclusion of this treaty, the Prophet PBUH sacrificed his camel and shaved his head. The
companions followed him in sacrifice and shaving of their heads. Allah almighty revealed surah al-Fath at
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this occasion which praised the Muslims and declared this treaty as a manifest victory for Muslims. The
companions realised the wisdom of the Prophet PBUH behind accepting the harsh terms of the treaty.
After this event, a Muslim named Abu Baseer al-Saqafi came to Madinah from Makkah. The Prophet PBUH
returned him as per the terms of this treaty. On their way back to Makkah, Abu Basir killed one of the two
men who had come to take him to Makkah. The other fled and took refuge in the mosque of the Prophet
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PBUH. Abu Basir went to the coast of the Red Sea and started attacking the caravans of Quraysh. When the
Muslims of Makkah came to know about his adventures, they started joining him until he had a large group
of Muslims. This group included Abu Jandal RA, Salamah b. Hisham, Iyaash b. Rabeeah, and al-Walid b.
al-Walid b. Mughirah of Banu Makhzum clan of Quraysh (the brother of Khalid b. al-Walid). The group
became so powerful that the Quraysh had to request the Prophet PBUH to call them to Madinah in order to
secure their trade route with Syria.
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This treaty also allowed the Muslims to preach Islam without fear of attacks from Quraysh. As a result of
preaching, many people converted to Islam. Prominent leaders of Quraysh including Khalid b. al-Walid RA,
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Amr b. al-Aas RA, and Usmaan b. Talha RA accepted Islam in this period.
Results The Quraysh recognised the Muslims as an equal military and political power.
The ten year truce enabled Muslims to focus on preaching which resulted in the acceptance of Islam of
Khalid b. al-Walid and Amr b. al-As RA.
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The Muslims from Makkah who were barred from Madinah took refuge near the Red sea and endangered
the trade route of Quraysh. The pride of Quraysh was dented by this small group.
This treaty paved the way for the conquest of Makkah.
This treaty also enabled the Muslims to perform Umrah peacefully in the following year (7 AH).
Seventh Year after Hijrah

1. Letters to the Kings
The Prophet PBUH decided to invite the rulers of neighbouring states in Dhu al-Hijjah, 6 AH and
dispatched these letters in 7 AH. He designed a special silver stamp for these letters with the words
“Muhammad Rasul Allah” inscribed on it such that the word ‘Allah’ was at the top, the word ‘Rasul’ was in the
middle, and the word ‘Muhammad’ was inscribed below. Some of these letters were dispatched in 8 AH before
the conquest of Makkah.
Name Kingdom Envoy Response
Heraclius Roman Dihya Heraclius respected the Prophet’s envoy. He called Abu Sufyan to his court
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Name Kingdom Envoy Response

Empire al-Kalbi RA who was visiting the Roman capital at the time. He questioned Abu Sufyan
about the Prophet PBUH. Abu Sufyan spoke the truth about the Prophet PBUH.
Heraclius was impressed with the Prophet PBUH. However, he did not accept
Islam because he was afraid of a reaction from his courtiers.
Khusraw Persian Abdullah b. Parwaiz disrespected the Prophet PBUH’s envoy. He tore the letter of the
Parwaiz Empire Hudhafa Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH predicted that his kingdom will be torn
al-Sahmi RA apart. This prediction proved true as Khusraw Parwaiz’s son, Siros, overthrew
and killed him. Siros himself later drank poison and died. Hence, Khusraw’s
kingdom fell apart as per the Prophet PBUH’s prediction. The Persian empire
was conquered by the Muslims in the caliphate of Umar RA.
Negus or Abyssinia Amr b. Negus accepted Islam. He had previously allowed the Muslims to stay in his
Najashi Umayyah kingdom when the Muslims had fled from Makkah in the 5th year of
Ashamah al-Damri RA Prophethood to escape from the persecution of Quraysh. Najashi not only
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accepted Islam, but he also arranged for the Prophet PBUH’s marriage with
Umm Habiba (Ramlah) bint Abi Sufyan b. Harb al-Qurashi al-Umawi. The
Prophet PBUH led his funeral prayer in absentia when he came to know of
Negus’s death.
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Muqawqis Egypt Hatib b. Abi Muqawqis respected the Prophet’s envoy but he did not accept Islam. He sent
Baltaa three gifts to the Prophet PBUH. These gifts included a horse or a mule named
Duldul, two concubines named Maria and Sirin (Maria became the concubine
of the Prophet PBUH while Sirin became the concubine of Hassaan b. Sabit
RA), and a doctor who was returned by the Prophet PBUH saying that we only
eat when we have to and we do not eat excessively.
Haris b. Abi
Shimr
Syria
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Shujaa b.
Wahb
Muqawqis also called Mughirah b. Shu’bah to his court and was impressed
with what Mughirah told him about the Prophet PBUH.
Haris disrespected the envoy of the Prophet PBUH. He was infuriated at the
terms of the letter. He also vowed to fight the Prophet PBUH. He did not accept
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al-Asadi Islam.
Mundhir b. Bahrayn Aala b. He accepted Islam and corresponded with the Prophet PBUH several times.
al-Sawa al-Hadrami The Prophet PBUH appreciated his positive behaviour. The Prophet PBUH
RA allowed him to continue ruling Bahrayn.
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Abd and Oman Amr b. They were the sons of al-Julandi who had abdicated the throne to his sons due
Jayfar al-Aas b. to old age. Both of them accepted Islam after initial hesitation. Amr b. al-Aas
Waail RA met them several times and engaged in prolonged debates with them. He
al-Sahmi was able to convince them to accept Islam.
Hawzah b. Yamamah Salit b. Amr He respected the envoy of the Prophet PBUH and sent gifts for the Prophet
Ali RA PBUH. However, he did not accept Islam.
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2. Battle of Khaybar
Name Battle of Khaybar
Basic The Prophet PBUH launched a campaign against the Jews of Khaybar with 1600 companions in the month
Details of Muharram in 7 AH.
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The Jews closed themselves in their fortresses. The Muslims laid a siege which lasted for 20 days.
The Jews had a standing army of 10,000 fully armed soldiers led by Kinanah b. al-Rabee. Their allies, Banu
Ghatafan, had promised to send 4000 troops but they did not fulfil their promise.
Causes The Jewish tribe of Banu Nazeer was expelled after the battle of Trench. They settled in the fortress city of
Khaybar, 70 miles north of Madinah. However, they kept plotting against the Muslims from Khaybar. The
Prophet PBUH wanted to deal with the threat posed by the Jews of Khaybar. Therefore, he launched this
campaign against them.
Events The Jews of Khaybar enclosed themselves in their forts. They expected help from their ally tribe of
Ghatafan. But the Ghatafan did not come to their help. The Muslims put a siege to their fortresses which
lasted for 20 days. There were 20 forts in Khaybar including Qamus, Naaim, Sullalim, Sumwan, Nazar, Sa’b,
Watih, Qulla, Ubayy, and Barri. The forts were conquered one by one by different companions including
Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali, Muhammad b. Maslamah, Saad b. Ubadah, and Hubab b. al-Munzir RA. Of these forts,
Qamus was the strongest which provided very stiff resistance. Several Muslim commanders including Abu
Bakr RA and Umar RA launched offensives against Qamus but failed.
One night, the Prophet PBUH said that he will give the command tomorrow to someone who will conquer
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the fort of Qamus. The next day, he gave the command to Ali RA who was able to conquer the fort of Qamus.
He single-handedly rooted out the heavy door of the fort. He also fought the strongest Jewish commander
named Marhab and killed him. The killing of their strongest commander weakened the morale of the Jews.
Hence, they surrendered.
The leader of the Jews, Kinanah, negotiated a treaty with the Prophet PBUH. He promised the Prophet
PBUH that he would hand over all the gold and treasure of Khaybar to the Muslims without hiding
anything. However, Kinanah betrayed his promise and hid some reserves of gold. Upon finding his
treachery, the Prophet PBUH ordered his execution. The Muslims got all the treasure of the Jews of
Khaybar. The Jews were expelled from Arabia.
The Prophet PBUH also married Safiyyah b. Huyay RA after Khaybar. Safiyyah RA was the wife of Kinanah,
the Jewish leader. She accepted Islam and accepted the offer of marriage with the Prophet PBUH.
Results The Muslim state of Madinah was secured from the constant threat of Jewish conspiracies.
Muslims received unparalleled amounts of war booty which improved the financial standing of the state of
Madinah.
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3. Umrah
As per the terms of the treaty of Hudaybiyah, the Muslims were allowed to perform umrah (minor pilgrimage)
in the next year (7AH). The Prophet PBUH commanded his companions in the beginning of the month of Zul
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Qaadah in 7 AH to prepare for umrah. He particularly instructed those 1400 companions who had
participated in the pledge of Rizwaan to not stay behind. Hence, about 2000 companions left Madinah for
umrah with 70 camels for sacrifice. They carried weapons with them for protection but left those weapons in
Jujj or Batn (a place 8 miles north of Makkah) and appointed 100 men for their safekeeping. The Prophet
PBUH entered Makkah and performed umrah by making the tawaf of umrah, performing sai (walking briskly
between Safa and Marwa seven times), and sacrificing the camels. The 100 people safeguarding the weapons
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were replaced by 100 others to allow the first group to perform umrah. The Muslims stayed in Makkah for
three days while the pagan Makkans had vacated the city for the Muslims. During his stay in Makkah, the
Prophet PBUH married Maymunah b. al-Haris al-Hilaaliyah RA and hosted the marriage feast in Saraf near
Makkah because the pagans of Makkah did not allow him to stay in Makkah longer than 3 days. This umrah is
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known as Umratul Qazaa (the umrah of compensation) and Umratus Sulh (the umrah of peace treaty)
Eighth Year after Hijrah

1. Battle of Mutah
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Name Battle of Mutah

Basic The Prophet PBUH sent an army of 3000 men under the command of his adopted son, Zayd b. al-Harisah
Details al-Kalbi, to Mu’tah, 650 miles north of Madinah near the Syrian border, in present-day Jordan. This battle
took place on 1 Jumadil Ula in 8 AH. After Zayd’s martyrdom, Jafar b. Abi Talib al-Hashmi and Abdullah b.
Rawaha commanded the Muslims. After their martyrdom, the Muslims chose Khalid b. al-Walid
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al-Makhzumi al-Qarashi who led the Muslims to safe withdrawal from the battlefield.
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Causes When the Prophet PBUH sent letters to emperors in 7 AH, one such letter was sent to the Egyptian ruler.
The envoy to Egyptian ruler, Haris b. Umayr al-Azdi, was intercepted and martyred by Shurahbil b. Amr
al-Ghassani, the governor of Mutah.
The killing of an envoy is considered a direct attack on the state in diplomatic norms.
Therefore, the Prophet PBUH wanted to take revenge for Haris RA’s martyrdom in order to restore the
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prestige of Islamic state of Madinah.

Events The Prophet PBUH dispatched this army under the leadership of his adopted son, Zayd b. al-Harisah. He
instructed the soldiers that after the martyrdom of Zayd, Jafar b. Abi Talib should assume leadership. After
Jafar’s martyrdom, Abdullah b. Rawaha should command the Muslims. In case of Abdullah’s martyrdom, the
Muslim army should choose a leader among themselves through consultation. The three commanders
mentioned by the Prophet PBUH knew that they would embrace martyrdom because the Prophet PBUH
never said something unnecessarily.
In the battle, the Muslims were completely overpowered by the Romans. The Romans were
better-equipped and well-trained. They had a standing army which was paid for full-time professional
military service while the Muslim army was made up of part-time volunteer soldiers. Hence, the Romans
won the war. The Muslims were martyred in large numbers. Only one third of the Muslim army was rescued
by Khalid b. al-Walid RA.
Jafar RA fought very bravely in this battle. This was his first battle as he had recently returned from
Abyssinia. He sustained 90 wounds on his body. Both his arms were severed while fighting. The Prophet
PBUH said that he will be given two wings in Paradise in place of his two arms. The Prophet PBUH also gave
him the title of al-Tayyar, the flyer with two wings.
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Khalid RA was mocked in Madinah for fleeing from the battlefield. When Prophet PBUH heard of this, he
defended Khalid’s strategy saying that it was wise to escape when there was no path to victory. He also gave
Khalid the title of ‘Sayfullah’ meaning ‘the sword of Allah’ because Khalid had fought very bravely in the
battle and had broken 9 swords.
Results Muslims got exposure to the military tactics and strategies of the Roman empire which helped them in
preparing better for wars with Romans during the rightly guided caliphate.
The military genius and acumen of Khalid b. al-Walid was recognized which benefited the Muslims a lot in
the subsequent battles against Romans and Persians.
The Arab tribes of the north witnessed the strength and commitment of Muslims and accepted Islam. These
included Banu Ashjaa, Sulaym, Ghatafan, Zabyan, and Fazzarah.
2. Conquest of Makkah
Name Conquest of Makkah
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Basic The Prophet PBUH left Madinah for Makkah with 10,000 companions on the 10th of Ramazan in 8 AH and
Details reached Makkah on 20th of Ramazan. The Muslim army was divided into four battalions/regiments led by
Khalid b. al-Walid, Saad b. Ubadah RA, Abu Ubaydah b. al-Jarrah RA, and Prophet PBUH.
Causes Following the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Muslims had aligned with Banu Khuzaah and the Quraysh had
aligned with Banu Bakr. One of the terms of the treaty stated that the Quraysh and Muslims will be free to
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align with any tribe and that allies would not be harmed.
One night, some men of Banu Bakr attacked Banu Khuzaah and killed many of their men. Some men of
Quraysh also helped Banu Bakr.
Banu Khuzaah sought the help of Muslims on account of their alliance. The Prophet PBUH wrote to Quraysh
and gave them three alternatives. These included: a) pay the bloodmoney of the men of Khuzaah, b) break
your alliance with Banu Bakr so that Muslims could fight them alone, c) break the treaty of Hudaybiyyah
Events
planned to attack them.
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and be prepared for a battle. The Quraysh chose the third option in arrogance. Hence, the Prophet PBUH
When the Prophet PBUH entered Makkah, the Makkans provided no resistance. Only a small group of
youngsters attempted to stop the Muslims. This group was led by Ikrimah b. Abi Jahl and Safwan b.
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Umayyah. Khalid RA’s squadron dealt with them. In this encounter, 28 Makkans were killed while four
Muslims embraced martyrdom. Besides this minor encounter, the conquest of Makkah was peaceful.
The Prophet PBUH did not enter Makkah like a worldly conqueror. Instead of pride and arrogance, he
displayed humility and simplicity. His head was bowed down so low that it was about to touch the camel he
was riding. He also displayed utmost compassion and mercy by forgiving the Makkans. He pardoned even
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those who had persecuted the Muslims a lot. He announced that whoever takes refuge in his own house, or
in Abu Sufyan’s house, or in the holy Kaabah will not be harmed. He also announced a general pardon for
the entire Makkah.
He ordered the destruction of all idols in the House of Allah. He ordered the companions to destroy the
idols while reciting the Quranic verse, “Indeed, the truth has prevailed, and the falsehood has perished, for
falsehood is bound to perish.” He also ordered Bilal RA to pronounce aazaan at the rooftop of Kaabah.
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After the destruction of idols and the pronouncement of aazaan, the Prophet PBUH addressed the Quraysh
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who had gathered in the holy sanctuary. He told them that he will treat them the way Yusuf AS had treated
his brothers. He then told them that all of them were free. This is the greatest example of pardon in human
history.
Results The authority of Islam over the entire Arabia was established.
The Holy Kaabah came under the influence of Islam.
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The might of the biggest enemy of Islam was crushed forever.

The glad tiding given at the time of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah was fulfilled.
3. Battle of Hunayn
Name Battle of Hunayn
Basic The Battle of Hunayn was fought between Muslims and the Hawazin tribe of Taif. The Muslims numbered
Details 12,000 (10,000 from Madinah and 2000 from the newly converts of Makkah) while the Hawazin numbered
20,000 who were led by Malik b. Awf of Banu Nasr clan of Hawazin. Durayd b. Sammah, the chief of the
Jusham clan of Hawazin, was also among the leaders of Hawazin. The battle was fought in the Hunayn
Valley in the south of Makkah and in the north of Taif.
Causes The Hawazin tribe and their fortress city of Taif with the al-Lat temple was the last bastion of paganism in
Arabia. The Hawazin knew well that the Prophet PBUH would attack them sooner or later. Hence, they
wanted to tackle this imminent threat. Therefore, they brought a huge army to Hunayn valley near Taif.
The Hawazin feared for the demolition of the temple of al-Lat in Taif.
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Events The Prophet PBUH came to know of the preparations of the Hawazin tribe of Taif. He left for Hunayn on 6th
of Shawal, 8 AH and reached Hunayn on 10th of Shawal. The Hawazin tribe had already stationed their
archers on both mounts of the narrow Hunayn valley. The Hawazin force numbered 20,000 and consisted
of all five clans of the Hawazin tribe, namely: Banu Saqeef, Banu Malik, Banu Saad b. Bakr, Banu Nasr, and
Banu Jusham. They were commanded by the relatively young Malik b. Awf of Banu Nasr clan of Hawazin.
When the Muslims reached Hunayn valley, they were showered with arrows by the archers of the Hawazin.
The sudden attack sent the Muslims in panic who started fleeing to safety. Upon seeing the state of
Muslims, the Prophet PBUH called them back to the battlefield. Abbas b. Abdul Muttalib RA called the
Muslims back to the battlefield upon the instructions of the Prophet PBUH because he had a loud voice. The
Prophet PBUH himself was protected by a group of 100 companions who were mostly from the Banu
Hashim clan of Quraysh.
The Muslims responded to the call of the Prophet PBUH and returned to the battlefield. Upon returning to
the battlefield, the Muslims launched a counter attack on Hawazin. The Muslims’ attack was so strong that
the Hawazin were pushed back. The tide of the battle soon turned and the Muslims started overpowering
the Hawazin. The Hawazin soldiers, despite their numerical strength, started fleeing the battlefield. Hence,
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the Muslims turned out victorious in this battle.
The leader of Hawazin, Malik b. Awf al-Nasri, had used a war strategy that fired back. He had brought the
children, women, and cattle of Hawazin to the battle despite prohibition from the elders of the tribe. Malik
had thought that the soldiers of Hawazin would fight bravely if they knew that their children, women, and
cattle were at stake. The Muslims captured the children, women, and cattle of Hawazin after their soldiers
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ran away. The Muslims captured 6000 prisoners, 24,000 camels, and 40,000 goats.
The Prophet PBUH kept the captives and the cattle in the valley of Jiranah for ten days. He expected the
Hawazin to come to take their captives. However, after ten days, he distributed the captives and the cattle.
On the 12th day, and after the distribution of the booty, the deputation of Hawazin comprising 9 men
arrived. They requested that the booty be returned. The Prophet PBUH asked the Muslims to return the
captives. All the captives were returned immediately by the Muslims. One of the captives was Sheema, the
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foster sister of the Prophet PBUH from Halima al-Saadia. The Prophet PBUH honoured her and gave her
three slaves, a slave-girl, and a few camels and goats. She also accepted Islam.
The fleeing soldiers took refuge in the fortresses of Taif. The Muslims besieged their fortresses. However,
the siege was lifted after twenty days. The Muslims returned to Madinah afterwards. A deputation of the
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people of Taif came to Madinah in 9 AH and accepted Islam. With their acceptance of Islam, the entire
Arabia came under the banner of Islam.
Results The Muslims realised that numerical strength is not sufficient for winning a battle. They realised the
importance of Allah’s help in overpowering their enemies.
The might of Hawazin was destroyed. Hence, the entire Hijaz came under the influence of Islam.
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This battle paved the way for the acceptance of Islam by Hawazin tribe of Taif a few months later.
4. Siege of Taif
The fleeing soldiers of Taif under the leadership of Malik b. Awf al-Nasri took refuge in the fortresses of Taif.
They accumulated enough supplies of basic necessities that could last them for months. When the Muslims
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arrived, they found the fortresses well guarded by archers. The Muslims, therefore, laid a siege of the fortresses
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and fired at the walls with catapults. During the siege, the Muslims also attempted to climb over the walls but
were deterred by the showers of arrows which martyred 12 Muslims. After a siege of 20 days, the Prophet
PBUH decided to lift the siege after consultation with Abu Bakr, Umar, and Nawfal b. Daylami RA. The Muslims
left Taif on the 5th of Zul Qaadah and returned to Jaaranah where they had kept the prisoners and cattle of
Hawazin. Upon his return from Taif, the Prophet PBUH prayed for the conversion of the Hawazin to Islam. The
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people of Taif under the leadership of Malik b. Awf accepted Islam a few months later and send a deputation to
Madinah to pay allegiance to the Prophet PBUH.
Ninth Year after Hijrah

1. Tabuk Expedition
Name Tabuk Expedition
Basic The Prophet PBUH marched towards Tabuk (400 miles north of Madinah near present-day Jordan) with an
Details army of 30,000 Muslims (the greatest ever that he commanded) in 20 Rajab and returned on 10 Ramazan,
9 AH. This campaign lasted for 50 days including 30 days’ journey and 20 days’ stay in Tabuk. This
campaign was against the Romans who did not come for the battle. The Prophet PBUH remained in Tabuk
for 20 days. During his stay in Tabuk, the deputations of North Arabian tribes accepted Islam and pledged
allegiance to the Prophet PBUH.
Causes The Prophet PBUH wanted to take revenge for the battle of Mu’tah from the Romans.
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The Prophet PBUH also wanted to secure the Muslim frontiers against the Romans.
The Northern Arab Christian tribes were also a threat to Islam, so the Prophet PBUH wanted to deal with
this imminent threat too.
There were rumours that the Roman emperor was preparing for an attack on Madinah. The Prophet PBUH
wanted to tackle this threat preemptively.
Events The Tabuk expedition is also called the battle of straitness because it was during a time of severe
hardships. The date crop in Madinah was ready to be plucked. The weather was extremely hot. The fear of
the mighty empire also flinched the spirits of Muslims. The Muslims also faced shortage of food and
armaments required for such a huge campaign. Therefore, this expedition is called the battle of straitness.
The Prophet PBUH called Muslims to donate for the cause of the battle.
The Prophet PBUH stayed in Tabuk for 20 days. In Tabuk, the Muslims realised that the rumours of a
Roman army attacking Madinah were false. There was no Roman force to be seen. During his stay in Tabuk,
the nearby tribes came in deputations and pledged allegiance to the Prophet PBUH and accepted Islam.
Hence, this expedition proved to be a huge success for Islam in spite of Muslims not fighting a regular war.
Only three true Muslims did not participate in this battle. Their names are Kaab b. Malik, Murarah b. Rabee,
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and Hilal b. Umayyah RA.
Results The Christian Arab tribes of North Arabia including Banu Kalb, Banu Ghassan, and Banu Tamim accepted
Islam.
The might of the Muslims was observed by the entire north Arabia.
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It set the tone for the relationship between the Muslims and Romans which ultimately resulted in the fall of
the Roman territories.
Tenth Year after Hijrah/Last Year of Prophet PBUH’s life

1. Year of Deputations
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The conquests of Makkah, Taif, Yemen and the Tabuk and Mu’tah expeditions had demonstrated the
might of Muslims to the entire Arabia. The tribes of the entire Arabian peninsula realised that they had to
surrender to the state of Madinah. Therefore, the Arab tribes started sending their deputations to Madinah to
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pledge allegiance to the Prophet PBUH. These deputations started coming in 7 AH and continued coming till
the death of the Prophet PBUH in 11 AH. However, the most frequent visits happened in 10 AH. Hence, this
year is called the year of deputations (Aamul Wufud). The following tribes sent their delegations to Madinah to
pledge allegiance to the Prophet PBUH.
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1 Banu Hawazin from Taif 2 Banu Saqeef from Taif

3 Banu ‘Amir b. Sa’sa’ 4 Banu Abd al-Qays from Bahrayn
5 Banu Hanifa from Central Arabia 6 Banu Tayy
7 Banu Kindi from Yemen 8 Banu Ash’ar from Yemen
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9 Banu Azd 10 Banu al-Haris clan of Najran

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11 Banu Hamadan from Yemen 12 Banu Muzayna

13 Banu Daws from Yemen (tribe of Tufayl b. Amr al-Dawsi and Abu Hurayra RA) 14 Christians of Najran
15 Banu Hudhaym 16 Banu Fazarah
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17 Banu Asad from North Arabia 18 Banu Bahra’ from Yemen

19 Banu ‘Udhrah from Yemen 20 Banu Khawlan from Yemen
21 Banu Murrah 22 Banu Muharib
23 Banu Ghassan 24 Banu Salaman
25 Banu ‘Abas 26 Banu Ghamid from Yemen
27 Banu Muntafiq 28 Banu Nakha’
2. Appointment of Muaaz b. Jabal RA as the governor of Yemen

The Prophet PBUH appointed Muaaz b. Jabal as the governor of Yemen in 10 AH. He sent Abu Musa
al-Ashari RA with Muaaz RA. He instructed them to be lenient towards the people of Yemen and not be harsh
to them. He also instructed them to cause ease to the people and not distress the people. The Prophet PBUH
accompanied Muaaz to the outskirts of Madinah and kept instructing him. He also told Muaaz that he may not
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see him when he returns to Madinah. This made Muaaz cry as he realised he was seeing the Prophet PBUH for
the last time. The Prophet PBUH’s last conversation with Muaaz RA is also significant because this approves the
use of qiyas as a source of Islamic law. When the Prophet PBUH asked Muaaz how he would make decisions.
Muaaz replied that he would consult the Quran first, then the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH, and then he would
apply his own judgement. The Prophet PBUH was pleased with Muaaz’s response and prayed for him.
3. Recitation of the Quran with Jibraeel AS

In the month of Ramazan each year, the Prophet PBUH and Jibra’il AS would recite the Quran revealed
till that time to each other. In the last year of his life (Ramazan, 10 AH), both the Prophet PBUH and Jibra’il AS
recited the Qur’an to each other twice. This was also an indication that the revelation of the Quran was nearing
its end.
4. The Last Pilgrimage and the Farewell Sermon
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The Hajj was made obligatory in 9 AH. Abu Bakr RA led the Hajj in 9 AH. Upon the Prophet PBUH’s
instructions, he abolished the undesirable rituals and rites of the times of ignorance.
In Zul Qaadah 10 AH, the Prophet PBUH announced that he would himself lead the pilgrimage. He commanded
his followers from all parts of Arabia to prepare for the Hajj. The Prophet PBUH left Madinah for Makkah after
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Zuhr on Saturday, 25 Zul Qaadah and reached Makkah on Sunday, 4 Zul Hajj with 90000 to 114000 Muslims.
Muslims from all parts of Arabia joined him on this journey. The Muslims’ strength was a massive testimony of
the success of the Prophet’s mission. He was also accompanied by all his wives (except Khadijah and Zaynab b.
Khuzaymah who had died), Fatimah RA (the other three daughters had died), prominent companions, and
deputations of all tribes of Arabia. Ali RA joined him in Makkah as he had been sent by Prophet PBUH on a
military mission to Yemen.
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The Prophet PBUH put on the Ihram in Zul Hulayfah near Madinah. When he reached near Makkah,
he stayed in Dhu Tuwa valley and entered Makkah on 4 Zul Hajj. He performed Umrah (minor pilgrimage) by
doing the tawaf around Kaabah and performing Sai. He did not put off the ihram as he had made intention of
doing both Hajj and Umrah with one ihram. He stayed in a place named Jahun till the 8th of Zul Hajj. On the 8th
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of Zul Hajj, he went to Mina and stayed there till the next morning (9th Zul Hajj). He left Mina for Arafah on 9th
Zul Hajj and stayed there till Maghrib. In ‘Arafah, he delivered his last sermon to 124,000 companions on
Jabalur Rahmah (the mount of Mercy) in which he outlined the perfect human conduct and summarised the
teachings of Islam. Some important teachings of his sermons were;
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1. You should fear Allah in relation to consuming the wealth of other Muslims or spilling their blood.
2. The rivalries of the days of ignorance must be forgotten and the killings of those days must be
forgiven. He forgave the killing of Rabeeah b. al-Haris, his close relative.
3. The usury/interest is forbidden. All interest due to people was waived off. He waived off the interest
owed to his uncle Abbas b. Abdul Muttalib RA.
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4. He asked Muslims to fear Allah in matters of slaves and women. He asked Muslims to feed and clothe
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their slaves and women as they fed and clothed themselves.

5. He also told the Muslims that the prophethood had ended. There can be no prophet after him.
6. He also instructed Muslims to offer prayer, pay zakah, observe fast in Ramazan, perform pilgrimage,
and obey the leaders.
At the end, he asked Muslims if he had conveyed Allah’s message to them. The Muslims affirmed this. Then he
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pointed toward the heavens and said: ‘O Allah, bear witness. O Allah, bear witness. O Allah, bear witness.’ This
sermon was repeated after him by Rabeeah b. Umayyah b. Khalf who had a loud voice. After the address, the
following verse was revealed, “Today, I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you
and chosen for you Islam as your religion.” This was a clear indication of the completion of his mission.
After Maghrib, he went to Muzdalifah and stayed there for the night. The next morning (10th of Dhu al-Hijjah,
he reached Mina and sacrificed 63 camels with his own hands (one for each year of his life). Ali RA also
sacrificed 37 camels on his behalf. In Mina, he delivered a sermon similar to the one in Arafah a day earlier.
After the sacrifice, he shaved his head and distributed his hair among the companions. Thereafter, he
performed the tawaf al-Wada’ (the farewell tawaf) which marked the completion of the pilgrimage.
Eleventh Year after Hijrah/Last Year of Prophet PBUH’s Life

1. Expedition to Syria
The Prophet PBUH dispatched Usamah b. Zayd RA to Syria with an army of 3000 men in the last days
of his life. This was the last military campaign organised by the Prophet PBUH. He asked Usamah to attack the
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regions of Balqaa and Darum in order to stamp the Muslim authority on the border regions with the Roman
empire. Usamah’s army left Madinah and camped in Jaraf about 3 miles from Madinah. There they heard
about the illness of the Prophet PBUH so they did not proceed further. This army was later sent by Abu Bakr RA
in his caliphate. It returned victorious from Syria. The Prophet PBUH appointed Usamah b. Zayd who was about
20 years old in order to honour the sacrifice of his father, Zayd b. al-Harisa RA, who had been martyred in the
battle of Mu’tah against the Romans.
2. Excessive Worship
In the last year of his life, he did not participate in any military campaign. He spent most of his time in
worship and seeking forgiveness from Allah almighty. After the revelation of Surah al-Nasr, he spent most of
his time in glorifying his Lord and seeking his pleasure. In the last Ramazan of his life, he spent the last twenty
days of the month in seclusion (Itikaf) instead of the last ten days.
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3. Illness
The Prophet PBUH got ill on 29 Safar in 11 AH after returning from a funeral prayer in Jannah al-Baqi’.
He remained ill for the next 13 days. During this time, his wives gladly gave up their time with him in favour of
Ayishah RA so he stayed in her apartment during illness. He kept leading prayers despite illness in the first 9
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days. However, he became too weak and asked Abu Bakr RA to lead prayers in al-Masjid al-Nabawi. Abu Bakr
RA led the Muslims in 17 times in prayers in the life of the Prophet PBUH.
4. Death
The severity of the illness increased gradually. On Monday, 12 Rabiul Awwal, 11 AH, the Prophet
PBUH saw Muslims in fajr prayer but could not join them due to weakness. This was the last prayer that he
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witnessed. He met Fatimah RA and whispered in her ear that he was about to leave this world which made her
cry. Then he whispered in her ear again telling her that she will be the first among his family to join him in
paradise which made her smile. He also met Hasan and Husayn RA and prayed for them. He also advised the
Muslims about prayer and good conduct with slaves. He passed away before Zuhr on Monday, 12 Rabiul
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Awwal in the lap of Ayishah RA in her apartment.
5. Funeral and Burial

The body of the Prophet PBUH was washed with clothes by the immediate family members of the
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Prophet PBUH including Abbas RA, Ali RA, Fadl b. Abbas RA, Qutham b. Abbas RA, and Usamah b. Zayd RA
on Tuesday, 13 Rabiul Awwal. He was buried on the spot where he had passed away in the apartment of
Ayishah RA. His funeral prayer was not offered in congregation as the apartment of Ayishah RA was small so it
could not accommodate many people. The funeral prayer was offered individually by 10 people at a time in the
apartment of Ayishah RA. After the funeral prayer, he was buried at night on Tuesday, 13 Rabiul Awwal.
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Table of Battles/Campaigns of the Prophet PBUH

Name, Number,
Date Number, Leader, Which Jewish
Leader, and
Name Month Location and Casualties of tribe was Result
Casualties of
Year Muslims expelled?
Opponent
Ground of Badr, Pagans of Makkah 313
17 Banu Qaynuqaa
100 miles 1000 Prophet Muslims
Badr Ramazan expelled from
Southwest of Abu Jahl Muhammad PBUH won
2AH Madinah
Madinah 70 killed, 70 captured 14
Pagans of Makkah 700
6 Mountain of Banu Nazeer
3000 Prophet Muslims
Uhud Shawwal Uhud, 10 miles expelled from
Abu Sufyan Muhammad PBUH lost
3AH East of Madinah Madinah
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21-37 70
Pagans of Makkah and
50 days 3000
their allies Banu Qurayzah
Shawwal, Zul Prophet Muslims
Trench City of Madinah 10,000 expelled from
Qaadah Muhammad PBUH won
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Abu Sufyan Madinah
5AH 6
10
Hudaybiyyah, 9 1400
Zul Qaadah Muslims
Hudaybiyyah miles North of Pagans of Makkah Prophet NA
6AH won
Makkah Muhammad PBUH
Khaybar
20 days
Muharram
7AH
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Fortresses of
Khaybar, 70
miles North of
Jews of Khaybar
10,000-20,000
Kinanah b. al-Rabi
1600
Prophet
Muhammad PBUH
Banu Nazeer
expelled from
Khaybar and
Muslims
won
Madinah 93 15 Arabia
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3000
Mutah, 650 miles Zayd b. al-Harisa,
1 North of Romans Jafar b. Abi Talib,
Muslims
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Mutah Jumadil Ula Madinah, on the 200,000 Abdullah b. NA

lost
8AH Syrian border, in Theodore Trithyrius Rawaha, Khalid b.
Jordan al-Waleed
12
Quraysh of Makkah
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10 Entire Makkan 10000

Muslims
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Makkah Ramazan City of Makkah population Prophet NA

won
8AH Abu Sufyan Muhammad PBUH
28
Hawazin tribe of Taif
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20,000 12000
10
Valley of Hunayn, Malik b. Awf of Banu Prophet Muslims
Hunayn Shawwal NA
South of Makkah al-Nasr clan of Muhammad PBUH won
8AH
Hawazin tribe 4
70+
10 30000
400 miles North Romans
Tabuk Ramazan Prophet NA No war
of Madinah Roman Emperor
9AH Muhammad PBUH
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Qualities of Prophet PBUH

1. Honesty/trustworthiness
a. He was known in Makkah as ‘al-Amin’ (the trustworthy) because he always safeguarded and returned
the trusts of the people.
b. He returned the trust of the Makkans when he was migrating from Makkah even though the Makkans
were planning to murder him.
c. Khadija RA was impressed with his honesty when she hired him for her trade caravan. She was so
impressed when her slave, Maysarah, narrated about his fair dealings that she decided to send him a
proposal of marriage.
2. Truthfulness
a. He always spoke the truth. Due to his truthfulness, he was called ‘al-Sadiq’ (the truthful) in Makkah.
b. The Makkans approved of his truthfulness at the mount of Safa when he called them to Islam.
c. Abu Sufyan testified in the court of Heraclius that Muhammad PBUH was never found lying even
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though Abu Sufyan was his staunch enemy. He was so truthful that even his bitterest enemies could not
accuse him of speaking lies.
d. Abu Bakr RA approved the incident of Mairaj because he knew the Prophet PBUH could not speak a lie.
3. Humility
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a. The people of Madinah could not distinguish between him and Abu Bakr RA at their arrival in Madinah
because the Prophet PBUH did not distinguish himself through his demeanour or attire.
b. Whenever a stranger would come to Madinah, he would have to ask people who the Prophet PBUH was
among his companions because he did not reserve any protocols for himself.
c. He did not enter Makkah as a worldly conqueror with pomp and splendour but entered with his head
bowed down because of his humility. He was not prideful like the worldly conquerors.
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d. He participated in the construction of Masjid Nabawi and carried out laborious tasks. He did not
distinguish himself from common Muslims.
e. He also participated in digging the trench as a common man before the pagans of Makkah and their
allies besieged Madinah in 5 AH.
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f. Most of his companions were poor, weak, and slaves. He never turned them away.
4. Simplicity
a. Throughout his life, he lived in a simple hut-like apartment which was made of mud and date palm
trunk and leaves. He did not build fortresses or castles for himself despite having the means to do so.
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b. He always wore simple clothes.

c. He always ate simple food. Ayishah RA is reported to have said that they would sustain on water and
dates only for months.
5. Modesty
a. The Prophet PBUH never indulged in immodest and immoral acts or talk.
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b. He never gazed upon non-mahram women.

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c. Several companions are reported to have said that the Prophet PBUH was more modest than an
unmarried woman.
6. Forgiveness
a. He forgave the people of Taif who had injured him severely in the 10th year of Prophethood. If he
wanted, he could have gotten them crushed between mountains.
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b. He forgave the prisoners of war after the Battle of Badr.

c. He forgave the pagans of Makkah after the conquest of Makkah who had persecuted the Muslims
severely.
d. He forgave Wahshi and Hind who had martyred his uncle Hamza in the Battle of Uhud.
e. He forgave Abu Sufyan who had fought wars against Muslims.
f. He forgave Abdullah b. Ubayy, led his funeral prayer, and gave his shirt to Abdullah’s son to shroud
Abdullah in it.
g. He forgave the captives of the Hawazin tribe of Taif after the battle of Hunayn in 8 AH.
7. Gratefulness/thankfulness
a. He always remained grateful to almighty Allah.
b. He also thanked the people who did good to him.
c. He is reported to have said that whoever is not grateful to people cannot be grateful to Allah almighty
d. Despite the trials, he always remained grateful to Allah almighty and never complained about his trials
and tribulations.
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8. Compassion/kindness/mercy
a. He always took care of orphans, widows, elderly, women, slaves, needy, poor, travelers, weak, animals,
and strangers.
b. In his last sermon, he stressed upon the rights of women and subordinates.
9. Courage/Bravery
a. He led the Muslims bravely in all battles despite his army being lesser in number in most of the battles.
b. In the battle of Uhud, he did not run away despite getting injured himself. Instead, he rallied the
Muslims and launched a counterattack.
c. In the battle of Hunayn, he called the Muslims back to the battlefield when Muslims were in a state of
panic because of the sudden attack of the Hawazin tribe.
d. He challenged the Roman empire which was the strongest power in the region in the Tabuk expedition.
10. Wisdom
a. He resolved the issue of the fixing of black stone through his wisdom without allowing for bloodshed.
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b. He deputed fifty archers on the mount in the battle of Uhud because he knew that the enemy may
attack from behind which speaks of his military acumen.
c. He signed the treaty of Hudaybiyyah despite its humiliating terms because he foresaw the benefits of a
10 years-long truce.
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11. Leadership
a. He led the Muslims in the battles bravely and wisely.
b. By establishing brotherhood among Muslims in Madinah, he gave them a common sense of purpose
and made them forget their internal rivalries and hostilities.
c. He led the community of Madinah by initiating cooperation among the groups of Madinah through the
Charter of Madinah.
12. Piety
strong leader.
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d. He interacted and corresponded with the tribal chiefs and neighbouring kings with the confidence of a
a. The Prophet PBUH never disobeyed Allah almighty.

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b. He abstained from all social and moral evils even before receiving his first revelation.
c. He always fulfilled the rights of people out of fear of Allah.
d. Despite being guaranteed success in the Hereafter, he always asked Allah for protection from Hellfire
and for guidance and paradise.
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13. Sincerity
a. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said, “Religion is sincerity”.
b. He was concerned about the eternal success of everyone and wept for his ummah all night.
c. He was sincere to his cause. He sacrificed his comfort and loved ones for Islam.
14. Punctuality
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a. He always offered prayers on time except in journeys and wars.

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b. He never delayed his commitments with people and always reached the location before time.
15. Obedience to Allah almighty
a. He always obeyed Allah almighty and never disobeyed Allah almighty.
b. He demonstrated to his followers the way to obey Allah almighty.
c. Despite being guaranteed forgiveness, he used to seek forgiveness from Allah multiple times in one
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sitting.
d. Although he was promised the highest rank in paradise, he still spent his nights in prayer and worship.
16. Helpfulness
a. The Prophet PBUH always helped the people in need.
b. He would take part in his household chores to help his wives.
c. He helped the poor, needy, and weak in times of need.
17. Cheerfulness
a. The Prophet PBUH always cheered his close one.
b. He never promoted despair and hopelessness. In fact, he discouraged despair and hopelessness.
c. He instructed Muadh b. Jabal and Abu Musa al-Ashari when he sent them to Yemen to cheer people up
and not cause despair among people.
18. Justice/Fairness/Equality/Equity
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a. When some people interceded with him for Fatimah al-Makhzumi who had been punished by him for
adultery, he remarked that he would give the same punishment to his daughter Fatimah had she
committed the same crime.
b. He did not prefer his family over other Muslims. He presented his closest ones for sacrifice in battles
like Badr, Ahzab, Khaybar, and Mu’tah. He did not give high ranks to his family members.
19. Generosity
a. He distributed whatever he received among the people.
b. He distributed huge amounts of booty among Muslims after wars.
20. Patience/tolerance/forbearance
a. He remained patient throughout the three daunting years of boycott.
b. Two of his daughters were divorced by Abu Lahab’s sons but he did not waiver.
c. Three of his daughters and all three sons passed away in his life but he never complained to Allah nor
did he wail at their demise.
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d. His uncle Hamza was martyred and his body mutilated in Uhud, his first cousins, Ubaydah b. al-Haris,
was martyred in Badr, and Jafar was martyred in Mutah, but he remained patient.
e. Two of his wives (Khadija and Zaynab bint Khuzaymah) passed away in his lifetime but he remained
patient.
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f. He sustained personal injuries during his visit to Taif and in the battle of Uhud but he did not lose
heart.
g. He bore the persecution of himself and his companion by the Quraysh patiently without cursing the
persecutors. Instead, he prayed for their guidance.
21. Politeness/Respect
a. The Prophet PBUH never misbehaved with anyone.
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b. He respected everyone including women, children, slaves, and poor.
c. He instructed his companions and followers to respect others and be polite.
d. He asked his followers not to disrespect the religious symbols of other religions.
22. Determination/Steadfastness
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a. Despite hard times in Uhud and Hunayn, he remained committed and steadfast.
b. He did not give in to the pressure from Quraysh in Makkah despite severe persecution and oppression.
c. When he resolved to do something, then nothing and no one could dissuade him.
23. Strong Decision-Making power
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a. The Prophet PBUH had a strong decision-making power. He made tough decisions in difficult times like
in the battle of Trench, treaty of Hudaybiyyah, and battle of Khaybar.
24. Eloquence/oratory
a. The Prophet PBUH is known as Jami’ al-Kalim, the comprehensive speaker.
b. His words stored in hadith collections are models of excellence in eloquence and oratory
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c. He would give sermons while the audience would be spellbound and in awe of his speaking skills.
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Prophet PBUH as a role model or model of excellence

1. As a father
a. He did not bury his daughters alive.
b. He loved and respected his daughters and fulfilled their needs.
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c. He groomed his children and gave them education.

d. He regularly visited his daughters and looked after their needs even after their marriages.
e. He would stand up to greet his daughter, Fatima, when she would come to see him.
2. As a husband
a. He treated his wives fairly and did not discriminate among them.
b. He fulfilled their rights.
c. He loved and respected his wives and did not torture them.
d. He taught the teachings of Islam to his wives and did not hinder their learning.
e. He urged his followers to be compassionate towards their wives.
f. He helped his wives with the household chores.
3. As a friend
a. He remained loyal to his friends and companions.
b. He did not call them names nor bullied/ridiculed them.
c. He respected his friends and cared for their sensitivities.
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d. He always looked after the well-being of his companions both in this world and in the Hereafter.
4. As a servant of Allah
a. He would spend the night in prayer and the day fasting in order to please Allah.
b. He never disobeyed Allah in public or private.
c. He delivered Allah’s message to humanity with complete dedication and honesty.
d. He remained sincere to Allah and Islam throughout his life.
5. As a leader
a. He led the community in Madinah very wisely.
b. He established brotherhood between emigrants and helpers in order to bind them together.
c. He signed a treaty with the Jews of Madinah in order to ensure peace and cooperation in Madinah.
d. He signed the treaty of Hudaybiyyah despite its humiliating terms because he foresaw its benefits
because of his exceptional forward-looking capabilities.
e. He wrote letters to the kings of several states and corresponded with them as their equal without
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compromising the interests of his state and people.
6. As a military commander
a. He led his men very bravely despite being lesser in number in all battles.
b. He did not run away from the battlefield even in the challenging battles such as Uhud and Hunayn.
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c. He rallied his soldiers and called them back after difficult moments in battles.
d. He led from the front during wars and was injured in Uhud but he remained steadfast.
e. He did not spare his closest relative in the battles. He sent his uncle and two first-cousins for individual
combat in Badr, his first-cousin, Jafar, and adopted son, Zayd b. al-Harisah al-Kalbi to Mu’tah, and his
adopted grandson, Usamah b. Zayd b. al-Harisah, to Syria.
7. As a statesman/political leader
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a. He had gained experience of statesmanship from his grandfather and his uncles who took him to the
meetings of tribal elders.
b. He corresponded with the kings of powerful states as an equal and invited them to Islam.
c. He interacted with the elders of Quraysh and other Arab tribes throughout his life and convinced them
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with his wisdom and eloquence.
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First Muslim Community

While answering questions on First Muslim Community, the students should follow the following structure.
1. Basic Details:
a. Name
b. Father’s name
c. Kuniyyat: The Arab tradition of naming people by their parents or children’s names like Ibn Abbas (the
son of Abbas), Abu Ubaydah (the father of Ubaydah), Umm Salamah (the mother of Salamah)
d. Title. Why was this title given?
e. Tribe
f. Clan
g. Date of birth
h. Place of birth
2. Relationship with the Prophet Muhammad PBUH and other companions
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3. Acceptance of Islam: Date, number, age, place, event
4. Battles: In the life of the Prophet PBUH and during the Rightly Guided Caliphate
5. Important contributions: Other than the battles
6. Attributes/Qualities: Piety, generosity, bravery, simplicity, forgiveness, etc.
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7. Death:
a. Date
b. Place of death
c. Mode of death (martyrdom/natural death)
d. Cause of death (illness/martyrdom in a battle/persecution/pandemic, etc)
Clans of Quraysh
Clans Wives
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Ten Blessed
Companions
Other Muslims
Pre-Islam
Persons
Non-Muslims
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Descendants of the
Prophet PBUH
Abdullah
Jafar b. Abi Talib
Banu Abdul Muttalib Abu Talib
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Ali b. Abi Talib Ubaydah b. al-Haris

Hashim al-Haris Abu Lahab
Abu Sufyan b. al-Haris
al-Zubayr
Safiyyah b. Abdul
Muttalib
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Utbah b. Rabia
Abu Huzayfah b. Utbah
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Shaybah b. Rabia
Banu Umm Habibah b. Muawiyah
Usmaan b. Affan al-Waleed b. Utbah
Umayyah Abi Sufyan Abu Sufyan
Uqbah b. Abi Muayt
Hind b. Utbah
Nazr b. al-Haris
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Khabbab b. Aratt Fatimah

Arqam RA (Paternal Abu Jahl b. Hisham
Banu
Umm Salamah Zayd b. Arqam grandmother of al-Waleed b.
Makhzum
al-Waleed b. al-Waleed the Prophet Mughirah
Khalid b. al-Waleed PBUH)
Abu Bakr b. Abi Asma b. Abi Bakr

Ayishah b. Abi Abdullah b.
Banu Taym Quhafa Qasim b. Abi Bakr
Bakr Judaan
Talha b. Ubaydillah Abdullah b. Abi Bakr
Umar b. al-Khattab Zayd b. al-Khattab

Banu Adi Hafsah b. Umar
Saeed b. Zayd Fatimah b. al-Khattab
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Ten Blessed Pre-Islam

Clans Wives Other Muslims Non-Muslims
Companions Persons
Saad b. Abi Waqqas Amina b. Wahb

Banu
Abdur Rahman b. Abdullah b. Masud (Mother of the
Zuhrah
Awf Prophet PBUH)
Khadijah b.
Banu Asad Zubayr b. al-Awwam Waraqa b. Nawfil
Khuwaylid
Banu Abu Ubaydah b.
al-Haris al-Jarrah
Banu Abdu
Musab b. Umayr
Darr
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Suhayl b. Amr
Banu Sakran b. Amr
Sawdah b. Zamah
Aamir Abdullah b. Suhayl
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Abu Jandal b. Suhayl
Amr b. al-Aas
Banu Sahm al-Aas b. Wail
Abdullah b. Amr
Banu Usmaan b. Mazoon

Umayyah b. Khalf
Jumaah er Safwan b. Umayyah
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Mothers of the Faithful

1. They are called ‘Ummahat al-Mu’mineen’ or the mothers of the faithful because the Quran declares them to be
the mothers of all believers in Surah Ahzab.
2. They are also called ‘al-Azwaj al-Muttahharaat’ or ‘the pure wives’ because of their upright moral character.
3. Allah almighty prohibited them from marrying again after the death of the Prophet PBUH as they are the
mothers of the faithful.
4. The Muslims are allowed to have only four wives at a time while the Prophet was given special permission by
Allah to have more than four wives.
5. Prophet PBUH married all the wives with the will and command of Allah. He did not marry them out of his
sexual desire.
6. He did not marry again after Allah almighty prohibited him from marrying again. His last marriage was with
Maymunah b. al-Haris RA in 7 AH.
7. He spent his entire youth upto the age of 50 with Khadijah RA who was 40 years old, 15 years older than him,
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twice-widowed, and had 4 children before marrying him. He spent 25 years of his youth with her and did not
marry again in her lifetime. If he wanted to marry out of his sexual desire, he would not have married an older
woman and spent his youth with her.
8. He married all other wives after he was more than 50 years old. If he were driven by his desire, he would have
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married more often in his youth. Hence, it cannot be argued that he married many times out of his desire. All
his marriages had some divine wisdom.
9. He married many times because of the following reasons:
a. In order to strengthen alliances with neighbouring tribes. He married Juwayriyah b. al-Haris, Safiyyah
b. Huyay, and Zaynab b. Khuzaymah for this reason.
b. In order to support and honour Muslim women like Umm Habibah, Sawdah, Maymunah, and Hafsah
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who were widowed and needed support and protection.
c. In order to break ignorant Arab traditions. When he married Zaynab b. Jahsh, he outrooted the wrong
Arab tradition of treating adopted children as real children.
d. In order to demonstrate justice and fairness among wives
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e. In order to disseminate knowledge about the affairs of households and women. Hence, his wives have
transmitted a treasure of knowledge and rulings about issues of domestic life and marital relations.
Ayishah and Umm Salamah transmitted a treasure of knowledge about household matters from him.
10. Some critics object to his marriage with Ayishah on account of her being a minor. However, when he married
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her, she was 10 years old. She was already one year past the female biological age of puberty. Hence, there was
no biological harm in marrying her.
11. If the Prophet PBUH were driven by desires, he would have accepted the offer of Quraysh to stop preaching in
return for marriage with the fairest women in Arabia.
12. Despite being bitter enemies of the Prophet PBUH, the Quraysh could not point a flaw in his moral character.
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They called him poet, fortune-teller, madman, and magician, but they could not accuse him of moral
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wrongdoings. Hence, the claims that the Prophet PBUH married out of his desire are completely baseless and
biased.
Mothers of the Faithful

1. All wives of the Prophet PBUH were Makkan except four
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a. Juwayriyyah bint al-Haris from Madinah

b. Safiyyah bint Huyayy from Madinah/Khaybar
c. Ryhanah bint Zayd from Madinah
d. Mariah al-Qibtiyyah from Egypt
2. All wives were Qurayshi except the following
a. Zaynab bint Jahsh from Banu Asad tribe of North Arabia
b. Juwayriyyah bint al-Haris from Banu Mustaliq clan of Banu Khuzaah tribe
c. Safiyyah bint Huyayy from the Jewish Banu Nazeer tribe of Madinah and Khaybar
d. Zaynab b. Khuzaymah from the Banu Hilal tribe
e. Maymunah b. al-Haris from the Banu Hilal tribe
f. Ryhanah bint Zayd from the Jewish Banu Nazeer tribe. She was married into Banu Qurayzah
g. Mariah was al-Qibtiyyah, a Coptic Christian from Egypt, was sent by Muqawqis, the ruler of Egypt, as a
gift for the Prophet PBUH.
3. All wives outlived/survived him except two
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a. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid died in 10th year of Prophethood at the age of 65, three years before
migration to Madinah
b. Zaynab bint Khuzaymah died in 4 AH
4. All wives were married after migration to Madinah except two
a. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. Prophet PBUH married her in Makkah
b. Sawdah bint Zam’ah. Prophet PBUH married her in 10/11th year of Prophethood in Makkah
5. All wives died in Madinah except two
a. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid died in Makkah in 10th year of Prophethood
b. Maymunah b. al-Haris died in Saraf near Makkah
6. All wives were widowed/divorced before marriage with the Prophet PBUH except one
a. Ayishah bint Abi Bakr RA
7. Only two of his wives gave birth to his children
a. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid: 4 daughter (Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatima) and 2 Sons
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(Qasim and Abdullah)
b. Maria, the Coptic: 1 son (Ibrahim)
Mothers of the Faithful: Basic Details
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Tribe
Place of Date of Death
Name Clan Date of Marriage Age
Marriage Place of Death
Place of Birth
Quraysh 10th year of
Khadijah b. Khuwaylid Banu Asad Makkah 15 years BPH 65 prophethood
Sawdah b. Zamah
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Makkah
Quraysh
Banu Aamir Makkah
Ramazan
3 years BH
80
Makkah
22/23AH
Madinah
Makkah
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Quraysh
Shawwal 17 Ramazan 58 AH
Ayishah b. Abi Bakr Banu Taym Madinah 67
1 AH or Shawwal 2 AH Madinah
Makkah
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Quraysh
45 AH
Hafsah b. Umar Banu Adi Madinah 3 AH 59
Madinah
Makkah
Quraysh
Umm Salamah (Hind) b. Abi Shawwal 64 AH
Banu Makhzum Madinah 84
Umayyah b. al-Mughirah 4 AH Madinah
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Makkah
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Quraysh
Umm Habibah (Ramlah) b. 44 AH
Banu Umayyah Madinah 7 AH 73
Abi Sufyan Madinah
Makkah
Banu Asad Zul Qaadah 21 AH
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Zaynab b. Jahsh Madinah 51

Makkah 5 AH Madinah
Banu Hilal 4 AH
Zaynab b. Khuzaymah Madinah Ramazan 3 AH 30
Makkah Madinah
Banu Hilal Zul Qaadah 51 AH

Maymunah b. al-Haris Makkah
Makkah 7 AH Saraf, Makkah
Banu Khuzaah
56 AH
Juwayriyyah b. al-Haris Banu Mustaliq Madinah 5 AH 65
Madinah
Madinah
Ramazan
Banu Nadir
Safiyyah b. Huyay b. Akhtab Madinah 7 AH 60 50 AH
Madinah
Madinah
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Tribe
Place of Date of Death
Name Clan Date of Marriage Age
Marriage Place of Death
Place of Birth
Banu Nadir 21 AH
Ryhana b. Zayd Madinah 6 AH
Madinah Madinah
Mariah b. Shamoon Coptic Christian 16 AH
Madinah 7 AH
al-Qibtiyyah Egypt Madinah
Mothers of the Faithful: Contributions/Other Details

Contributions/Other Details
Khadijah b. Khuwaylid al-Asadiyyah, al-Qarashiyyah, al-Makkiyyah RA
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She was 40 years old at the time of marriage while the Prophet PBUH was 25 years old. The Prophet PBUH did not
marry again in her life. They spent 25 years together. They had four daughters and 2 sons.
She was known as 'Tahira' or 'the pious lady' because of her excellent moral character.
She was widowed twice before marrying the Prophet PBUH. Her first two husbands were 'Atiq b. 'A'iz of the Makhzum
clan of Quraysh and Abu Hala b. Zurarah al-Tamimi. Abu Hala was killed in Harb al-Fujjar.
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She hired the Prophet PBUH for her trade caravan to Syria and sent her slave (Maysarah) with him. She was immensely
impressed with the honesty and expertise of Prophet PBUH in trade as told by Maysarah.
The Prophet PBUH accepted her proposal of marriage. Abu Talib recited the sermon of their nikkah.
She supported the Prophet PBUH financially, morally, and emotionally. She was the first convert to Islam. She also
assured him after the first revelation by taking him to her cousin, Waraqah b. Nawfil, who approved his experience in
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the light of his knowledge of Christianity and Judaism.
She supported the Prophet PBUH and Banu Hashim financially in the boycott.
The Prophet PBUH loved her dearly, fondly remembered, and respected her friends and relatives.
She died 6 months after the boycott. The Prophet PBUH was immensely grieved at her death. He buried her in Jahun
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graveyard. He laid her body in the grave himself.
Sawdah b. Zamaah al-Aamiriyyah al-Qarashiyyah al-Makkiyyah RA
She was married to Sakran b. Amr from Banu Aamir clan of Quraysh. She had a son named Abdur Rahman with Sakran
who was martyred in the battle of Jalula during the caliphate of Umar RA.
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She accepted Islam along with her husband and migrated to Abyssinia in the second group in the 6th year of
prophethood.
Sakran passed away in Abyssinia and Sawdah returned to Makkah.
Prophet PBUH married her after the death of Khadijah RA. Khawlah b. Hakim (the wife of Usmaan b. Mazoon) arranged
her marriage with the Prophet PBUH.
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In the last years of the Prophet PBUH's life, she gave up her time with the Prophet PBUH to 'Ayishah RA.
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She was very pious. She did not leave her house even for Hajj after the death of the Prophet PBUH.
Ayishah b. Abi Bakr al-Taymiyyah al-Qarashiyyah al-Makkiyyah RA
Her mother was Umm Rumman. Khawlah b. Hakim RA arranged her marriage with the Prophet PBUH.
Her nikah was arranged in Shawwal in 10th year of prophethood while her marriage was consummated in Shawwal in 1
Ab
AH (seven months after migration to Madinah).

She was very knowledgeable. Many companions consulted her on religious matters.
She was an authority on geneology, poetry, medicine, and jurisprudence. She has narrated 2304 hadiths.
6 verses of the Qur'an in Surah Nur (11-16) were revealed to approve her chastity when the hypocrites of Madinah
attempted to malign her on the basis of false charges.
The Prophet PBUH spent the last days of his life in her apartment. He passed away in her apartment with his head in her
lap. He was buried in her apartment.
The Prophet PBUH suggested that she be called 'Umm Abdillah' because of her nephew Abdullah b. al-Zubayr (the son of
her sister Asma). The Prophet PBUH also called her 'Humayra'.
The Prophet PBUH loved her the most among his wives. She was the only wife of the Prophet PBUH who was not
widowed or divorced.
She fought against Ali RA in the battle of Camel in 36 AH because she wanted immediate revenge from Usmaan RA's
assassins while Ali RA wanted to consolidate his rule first.
Abu Hurayrah RA led her funeral prayer. She is buried in Jannatul Baqi in Madinah.
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Hafsah b. Umar al-Adawiyyah al-Qarashiyyah al-Makkiyyah RA
She was born five years before prophethood. Her parents were Umar RA and Zaynab b. Mazoon RA.
She was married to Khunays b. Hudhafah from Banu Sahm clan who died after the battle of Badr.
She was the custodian of the first copy of the Quran which was compiled by Zayd b. Sabit in the caliphate of Abu Bakr
RA. This copy was known as Mushaf al-Hafsah. She has narrated 60 hadiths.
She died in the caliphate of Ameer Muawiyah RA. Marwan b. al-Hakam led her funeral prayer.
Umm Salamah b. Abi Umayyah b. al-Mughirah al-Makhzumiyyah al-Qarashiyyah al-Makkiyyah RA
Her name was Hind. She was first married to Abu Salamah Abdullah b. Abd al-Asad from Banu Makhzum clan who was
also her paternal first cousin. They had a son named Salamah who was born in Abyssinia.
She migrated first to Abyssinia in the 1st group with Abu Salamah and then to Madinah.
Abu Salamah was wounded in the battle of Uhud and died on 8 Jumadiul Oola in 4 AH due to these wounds.
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She accompanied the Prophet PBUH on his campaigns to Hudaybiyyah in 6 AH and Khaybar in 7 AH.
She has narrated 378 hadiths from the Prophet PBUH.
She was the last of the Prophet PBUH's wives to die. Her sons (Salamah and Umar) laid her in grave.
Abu Hurayrah RA led her funeral prayer. She was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
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Zaynab b. Jahsh al-Asadiyyah al-Makkiyyah RA
She was the daughter of the Prophet's paternal aunt (Umaymah b. Abdul Muttalib). Her father was from the Banu Asad
tribe of North Arabia and had settled in Makkah.
She was first married to Zayd b. al-Harisah, the adopted son and freed slave of the Prophet PBUH.
Their marriage could not succeed because Zaynab was a free woman and Zayd was a former slave which caused issues
of equality and status between the spouses. Ultimately, Zayd divorced her.
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The Arabs considered the adopted children as real children. The adopted children were given a share in inheritance.
Marrying the spouses of adopted children was considered unlawful.
To break this custom, Allah announced her marriage in a revelation of the Quran (Surah Ahzab: 37).
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Zaynab b. Khuzaymah al-Hilaaliyyah al-Makkiyyah RA
She was known as 'Umm al-Masakin' or the mother of the needy because of her generosity.
She was married to Abdullah b. Jahsh RA who was martyred in the battle of Uhud.
She passed away three months after her marriage with the Prophet PBUH.
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The Prophet PBUH led her funeral prayer. She was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
She was the only wife whose funeral prayer was led by the Prophet PBUH. Khadijah RA had passed away before the
commandment of the funeral prayer.
Umm Habibah b. Abi Sufyan al-Umawiyyah al-Qarashiyyah al-Makkiyyah RA
She was the daughter of Abu Sufyan b. Harb. She was born 17 years before Prophethood.
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She accepted Islam along with her husband (Ubaydullah b. Jahsh) and migrated to Abyssinia in the second group in the
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6th year of prophethood where they had a daughter named Habibah.

Ubaydullah converted to Christianity in Abyssinia and died soon after.
The Prophet PBUH sent her a proposal of marriage while she was in Abyssinia. She accepted the offer.
Najashi arranged her nikah, read the sermon, hosted the marriage feast, and sent her to Madinah.
She was 37 years old at the time of marriage. Khalid b. Said b. al-As al-Umawi was her agent of nikah.
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When Abu Sufyan visited her before the conquest of Makkah, she refused to allow him to sit on the bed of the Prophet
PBUH saying that he (Abu Sufyan) was impure.
She has narrated 65 hadiths.
Safiyyah b. Huyay b. Akhtab al-Nazeeriyyah al-Madaniyyah RA
She was the daughter of Huyay b. Akhtab (the chief of Banu Nazeer). She was from the lineage of Harun AS.
She was married to Salam b. Mishkam from Banu Qurayzah who divorced her. After Salam, she married Kinanah b. Rabi'
(the chief of Banu Nadir). Kinanah was killed in Khaybar.
She enjoyed a high social standing because of her lineage. Both her father and husband were tribal chiefs.
She was one of the captives of Khaybar. She fell in the lot for Dihya al-Kalbi RA who gifted her to the Prophet PBUH
because of her noble lineage. The Prophet PBUH married her after setting her free.
She accepted Islam before her marriage to the Prophet PBUH. She had had a dream days before the battle of Khaybar in
which she had seen the moon fall in her lap.
She was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
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Juwayriyyah b. al-Haris al-Mustaliqiyyah al-Khuzaayiyyah al-Madaniyyah RA
She was the daughter of al-Haris b. Darrar (the chief of Banu Mustaliq clan of Banu Khuz'ah tribe).
Her husband (Musafih b. Safwan of Banu Mustaliq) was killed in the battle against Banu Mustaliq in 5 AH. She was taken
captive in the same battle. She accepted Islam before the Prophet PBUH married her.
The Muslims freed all 700 slaves of her clan (Banu Mustaliq) after the Prophet PBUH married her.
Marwan b. al-Hakam led her funeral prayer. She was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
Maymunah b. al-Haris al-Hilaaliyyah al-Makkiyyah RA
The Prophet PBUH married her after performing the minor pilgrimage in 7 AH.
Abbas RA arranged her marriage with the Prophet PBUH. She was the sister of the wives of Abbas, Hamza, and Jafar RA's
wives. She was also in marriage with …………… alongwith Atka (the Prophet PBUH’s paternal aunt).
The Prophet PBUH married her in Saraf, near Makkah, after the Quraysh refused to let him marry in Makkah. The
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Prophet PBUH was in the state of ihram when he married her.
She was the last wife of the Prophet PBUH. He did not marry again after marrying her.
She died in Saraf near Makkah (the place where the Prophet PBUH had married her) and was buried there. Abdullah b.
Abbas RA led her funeral prayer.
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Mariyah b. Shamoon al-Qibtiyyah al-Misriyyah RA
The ruler of Egypt (Muqawqis) sent her and her sister (Sirin) as gifts to the Prophet PBUH in 7 AH.
The Prophet PBUH made her his concubine. Hassan b. Sabit RA married her sister (Sirin).
She is the only woman after Khadijah RA to give birth to Prophet PBUH's child (Ibrahim in 8 AH).
Rayhanah b. Zayd al-Nazeeriyyah al-Madaniyyah RA
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She was taken captive after the siege of Banu Qurayzah. The Prophet PBUH took her as concubine. As per some
accounts, the Prophet PBUH married her after setting her free. She was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
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Descendants of the Prophet PBUH

Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Name Date of Death Contributions/Other Details
Place of Death
Age
12 YBPH
al-Qasim The Prophet PBUH was called 'Abul Qasim' because of him.
Makkah
(Son, from He was the first son of the Prophet PBUH.
10 YBPH
Khadijah He was born before Islam.
Makkah
RA) He died before the call to Islam.
About 2 Years
She was married to Abu al-As Laqit b. Rabi who was the maternal nephew of Khadijah RA
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(the son of her sister Hala). They had a son named Ali who died at a young age and a
10 YBPH
Zaynab daughter named Umamah who was married to Ali RA.
Makkah
(Daughter, She sustained the most trials for Islam. She would wash the Prophet PBUH's wounds.
from Abu al-As was taken captive in Badr. She sent her necklace as his ransom. The necklace had
8 AH
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Khadijah been gifted to her by Khadijah RA. The Prophet PBUH wept at seeing the necklace. He
Madinah
RA) released Abu al-As on the promise that he would send her to Madinah. Abu al-As fulfilled
31 years
his promise and sent her to Madinah. She was injured by some pagan Qurayshis on the
way. She migrated to Madinah with Zayd b. Harisah after the battle of Badr.
She was engaged to Utbah b. Abi Lahab. The marriage had not consummated. Abu Lahab
8 YBPH asked Utbah to divorce her after the revelation of Surah Lahab. The Prophet PBUH then
Ruqayyah
(Daughter,
from
Makkah
Ramazan 2 AH
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married her to Usmaan RA. They had a son (Abdullah) who passed away at the age of 6.
Usmaan RA who was called 'Zun Nurayn' (the possessor of two lights) because of his
marriage with two daughters of the Prophet PBUH (Ruqayyah and Umm Kulsum).
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Khadijah Madinah She migrated to Abyssinia in the 5th year of Prophethood with Usmaan RA.
RA) She died on the day the Muslims won the battle of Badr. Usmaan RA did not take part in the
22 years battle of Badr because the Prophet PBUH asked him to tend to her as she was sick.
Usmaan RA led her funeral prayer. He and Usamah b. Zayd RA buried her in Jannatul Baqi.
Qa
She was engaged to Utaybah b. Abi Lahab who divorced her after the revelation of Surah
6 YBPH Lahab. Utaybah also misbehaved with the Prophet PBUH after divorcing her. The Prophet
Umm
Makkah PBUH supplicated against him. He was attacked by a lion in Zarqa in Syria while he was
Kulsum
with his father on a trade journey.
(Daughter,
Shaban 9 AH She was married to Usmaan RA in Rabiul Awwal, 3 AH.
from
Madinah Usmaan RA who was called 'Zun Nurayn' (the possessor of two lights) because of his
l
Khadijah
marriage with two daughters of the Prophet PBUH (Ruqayyah and Umm Kulsum).
du
RA)
28 years The Prophet PBUH led her funeral prayer. He is reported to have said, "If I had 10
daughters, I would have married them to Usmaan one after another".
She was married to Ali RA in 2 AH at the age of 16 or 19.
5 YBPH
The Prophet PBUH taught her 'Tasbih Fatimi'.
Ab
Fatimah Makkah
He loved her a lot. She is also known by her titles 'Zahrah' and 'Batool'.
(Daughter,
He gave her the glad tidings that she will be the first one to join him in Paradise.
from Ramazan 11 AH
He would stand up for her to honour her when she came to see him.
Khadijah Madinah
The Prophet PBUH has reportedly said, "Fatimah is the leader of the women in Jannah".
RA)
She was the mother of Hasan, Husayn, Muhsin, Zaynab, and Umm Kulsum RA.
29 years
The Prophet PBUH's lineage continued through her.
Abdullah Quraysh called the Prophet PBUH 'al-abtar' after Abdullah's death.
also known al-Abtar means the one whose family lineage is cut-off or the one who does not have a
Makkah
as Tahir male descendant behind him to carry his name.
and Tayyab al-As b. Wail was the most prominent Makkan to call him by this name.
Makkah
(Son, from Surah al-Kawthar was revealed after his death to console the Prophet PBUH.
Khadijah Allah Almighty promised to give the Prophet PBUH from all kinds of good abundantly.
17 months
RA) Allah Almighty called the enemies of the Prophet PBUH 'al-abtar'.
67
Dhu al-Hajj 8
The Prophet PBUH sacrificed 2 sheep and gave silver equal to the weight of his hair as
AH
charity seven days after his birth.
Ibrahim Madinah
The Prophet loved him a lot and used to visit him daily before noon.
(Son, from
The Prophet PBUH wept at his demise. When the Muslims objected, the Prophet PBUH
Maria b. 10 Rabi
clarified that natural and silent expression of grief is not forbidden. Loud wailing and
Shamoon al-Awwal 10 AH
ungrateful words of grief are forbidden.
RA) Madinah
There was a solar eclipse on the day of his death. The Muslims associated it with his
demise. The Prophet PBUH clarified that the eclipses are not caused by someone's grief.
About 2 years
Ramazan 3 AH The Prophet PBUH loved him dearly. He resembled the Prophet PBUH in character and
Hasan Madinah appearance. He would often play with the Prophet PBUH in his house and mosque.
(Grandson, The Prophet PBUH once said, "Hasan and Husayn are the leaders of youth in paradise".
from 50 AH He was the fifth caliph. He assumed the caliphate after Ali RA. He abdicated the caliphate in
an
Fatimah Madinah favour of Muawiyah RA seven months after becoming caliph.
RA) He guarded Usmaan RA and supplied food when the rebels besieged his house.
48 years He was poisoned by his wife in 50 AH. He passed away at the age of 48.
Kh
Shaban 4 AH The Prophet PBUH loved him a lot and often played with him in his house and mosque.
Husayn Madinah The Prophet PBUH once said, "Hasan and Husayn are the leaders of youth in paradise".
(Grandson, The Prophet PBUH's lineage continued through him. The 12 Shia Imams are his progeny.
from 10 Muharram He guarded Usmaan RA and supplied food when the rebels besieged his house.
Fatimah 61 AH He fought against the cruel, unjust, and illegitimate rule of Yazid al-Umawi and was
RA) Karbala, Iraq mercilessly martyred by Yazid's army at Yazid's command.
Zaynul
57 years
36 AH
Madinah
er
He is a symbol of uprightness and resistance against falsehood and tyranny.
He was the son of Husayn RA and the great-grandson of the Prophet PBUH.
He witnessed the tragedy of Karbala. His life was spared by Yazid's army because he was
de
Abideen Ali ill. He was taken as captive by Yazid's army and was later released.
b. Husayn b. 83 AH He spent most of his time in worship. He was given the titles 'Zaynul Abideen' (the
Ali Madinah ornament of worshippers) and 'al-Sajjad' (the one who prostrates to Allah excessively).
47 years He was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
Qa
57 AH
Madinah He is the 5th Imam of the Twelver Shia Muslims.
Muhammad
114 AH He was the son of Imam Zaynul Abideen and the great-grandson of Ali RA.
al-Baqir
Madinah He was the maternal grandson of Imam Hasan RA. His mother was Fatimah b. Hasan RA.
57 years
l
80 AH
du
He is the 6th Imam of the Twelver Shia Muslims.

Madinah
He was the son of Imam al-Baqir and the great-grandson of Husayn RA.
Jafar He was a very learned scholar. Many of the famous Muslim scholars were his students
148 AH
al-Sadiq including Abu Hanifah RA and Jabir b. Hayyan.
Madinah
He is also the founder of the only Shia legal school of thought known as Jafariyah fiqh.
Ab
He was buried in Jannatul Baqi.

68 years
Shia beliefs about Imamat

The Shia Muslims believe that the Prophet PBUH was followed by 12 Imams from his progeny who were entrusted with
the mission to lead the Muslims after the death of the Prophet PBUH. The Shia give a special place to the Prophet PBUH
and his family. The Shias believe that;
1. The Prophet PBUH was followed by 12 Imams from his progeny
2. These imams were divinely appointed and were not elected by the people
3. These imams were innocent. They were protected from sins through divine intervention
4. The imams are superior to all other prophets except Muhammad PBUH
5. The Muslims are bound to follow the teachings of these imams
6. The 12th imam (al-Mahdi) went into occultation and will reappear near the Day of Judgement
7. The 12th imam initially ruled through his agents
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8. The 12th imam currently rules through the rule of the jurists of the community who must be followed
The 5 blessed souls

These were the people that the Prophet PBUH took with himself for mubahalah with Christians in 9 AH.
1. The Prophet PBUH
2. Ali b. Abi Talib al-Murtaza RA
3. Fatimah bint Muhammad al-Zahrah RA
4. Hasan b. Ali al-Mujtaba RA
5. Husayn b. Ali al-Shaheed RA
The 14 innocent souls

1. The Prophet Muhammad PBUH
an
3. Fatimah bint Muhammad al-Zahrah RA
6. Zaynul Abideen Ali b. Husayn al-Sajjad
Kh
7. Muhammad b. Ali al-Baqir
8. Jafar b. Muhammad al-Sadiq
9. Musa b. Jafar al-Kazim
10. Ali b. Musa al-Riza
11. Muhammad b. Ali al-Taqi
12. Ali b. Muhammad al-Naqi
13. Hasan b. Ali al-Askari
14. Hujjatullah b. Hasan al-Mahdi
er
The 12 Imams
de
4. Zaynul Abideen Ali b. Husayn al-Sajjad
Qa
5. Muhammad b. Ali al-Baqir

6. Jafar b. Muhammad al-Sadiq
7. Musa b. Jafar al-Kazim
8. Ali b. Musa al-Riza
9. Muhammad b. Ali al-Taqi
l
10. Ali b. Muhammad al-Naqi

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11. Hasan b. Ali al-Askari

12. Hujjatullah b. Hasan al-Mahdi
Ab
69
Family of the Prophet PBUH

Name Other details
He was the son of Hashim b. Abd Manaf. He was the chief of Quraysh. His real name was Shaybah.
Abdul He had 12 sons and 6 daughters. He died when the Prophet PBUH was 8 years old.
Muttalib b. He was called Abdul Muttalib because he was raised by Muttalib (his uncle and the brother of Hashim).
Hashim He negotiated on behalf of Quraysh with Abraha (the governor of Yemen) in the year of the elephant.
He took care of the Prophet PBUH after the death of his mother for two years.
Paternal He would take the Prophet PBUH to the meetings of tribal elders to help him learn leadership skills.
Grandfather He rediscovered the well of ZamZam which had been lost for years.
He also set the blood-money of a person at 100 camels when he had vowed to sacrifice his son Abdullah.
Abdullah b. He was the father of the Prophet PBUH. His mother was Fatimah b. Amr of the Makhzum clan of Quraysh.
Abdul He was born in Makkah in 546 CE and died in 570 CE in Madinah at the age of 24.
an
Muttalib He married Aminah b. Wahb of Banu Zuhrah clan of Quraysh. The Prophet PBUH was their only son.
She was the mother of the Prophet PBUH. She looked after the Prophet PBUH for six years till her death in
576 CE.
She was the daughter of Wahb b. Abd Manaf who was the chief of Banu Zuhrah clan of Quraysh.
Kh
She was married to Abdullah b. Abdil Muttalib (the father of the Prophet PBUH). Both Abdullah and
Aminah did not marry again in their lives. They only had one child from their marriage (Prophet PBUH).
Aminah b. Her husband passed away in Madinah soon after their marriage. She looked after the Prophet PBUH for six
Wahb years as a single parent. She also sent the Prophet PBUH to Taif with Halima Saadiyah for better
nourishment.
er
She took the Prophet PBUH to Madinah to visit the grave of Abdullah in 576 CE. On their return journey,
she died in Abawa near Madinah. She was buried in Abawa' by Umm Ayman (her maid) and the Prophet
PBUH.
Umm Ayman brought the Prophet PBUH to Makkah. Abdul Muttalib started looking after him.
de
He was the paternal uncle and foster brother of the Prophet PBUH. He was two years older to the Prophet
PBUH. He had a strong physique and was fond of wrestling, hunting, and archery.
Hamza b. His kunniyyat was Abu Ammaarah.
Abdul After conversion to Islam in the 6th year of prophethood, he became a devout follower and supporter of
Qa
Muttalib the Prophet PBUH. His conversion reassured the Muslims and enabled them to worship openly in Makkah.
He once struck Abu Jahl in front of Quraysh with a bow when Abu Jahl disrespected the Prophet PBUH.
Paternal He was one of the three combatants along with Ali and Ubaydah b. al-Haris RA who challenged the
Uncle Qurayshi in one-on-one combat. He killed Shaybah b. Rabiah of Banu Umayyah clan.
He was martyred by Wahshi in Uhud at the behest of Hind (the daughter of Utbah b. Rabiah) who wanted
l
to avenge the death of her father. The Prophet PBUH called him 'Sayyidu Shuhada' (the chief of martyrs).
du
He was two years older than the Prophet PBUH. He accepted Islam after the treaty of Hudaybiyyah. He was
Abbas b. the last person to migrate from Makkah to Madinah just before the conquest of Makkah in 8 AH.
Abdul Despite being a non-Muslim in the Makkan period, he did not oppose Islam and the Prophet PBUH.
Muttalib He persevered through the boycott but did not leave the Prophet PBUH.
Ab
He took a pledge from Ansar to protect the Prophet PBUH at Aqabah in the 13th year of prophethood.
Paternal He participated in the battle of Badr alongside Quraysh. The Muslims took him captive.
Uncle He defended the Prophet PBUH in Hunayn. He also called the Muslims to rally around the Prophet PBUH.
He washed the body of the Prophet PBUH and laid his body in the grave. Abbas RA died in 32 AH.
Abu Talib b. His real name was Imran. He was known as Abu Talib because Talib was his eldest son.
Abdul He was the greatest support for the Prophet PBUH against the oppression of Quraysh.
Muttalib He allowed his sons (Ali and Jafar RA) to accept Islam and support the Prophet PBUH.
He gave his property to Banu Hashim to stay in during the three year boycott by Quraysh.
Paternal He also ensured that Banu Hashim did not disown the Prophet PBUH.
Uncle He died in the 10th year of prophethood. The Prophet PBUH was immensely grieved at his death.
70
She was born in Makkah. She was from the Banu Hashim clan of Quraysh.
Safiyyah b.
She was the first of Prophet PBUH's paternal aunts to accept Islam.
Abdul
She served Islam the most among women other than the Prophet PBUH's wives and daughters.
Muttalib
She was married to al-Awwam of the Banu Asad clan of Quraysh. Al-Zubayr b. al-Awwam was her son.
She was the only one among the Prophet PBUH's aunts to migrate to Madinah.
Paternal
She saved the Muslim camp from Jewish conspiracies by killing a Jewish spy in the battle of Uhud who had
Aunt
come to spy on the Muslim camp. She died in Madinah.
He was one of the earliest converts to Islam (al-Sabiqun al-Awwalun). He was the elder brother of Ali RA.
He migrated to Abyssinia in the 2nd group in 6th year of Prophethood. He was the leader of the 2nd group.
Jafar b. Abi
He spoke on behalf of Muslims to Negus. Negus was impressed with his words. He also recited verses of
Talib
Surah Maryam in Negus's court in defence of Islamic beliefs about Isa AS and Maryam AS.
The Prophet PBUH expressed happiness on his return from Abyssinia during the battle of Khaybar in 7 AH.
The Prophet PBUH made him the 2nd commander in the battle of Mu'tah against Romans in 8 AH.
an
Paternal First
He displayed matchless bravery and military skills in Mu'tah and received 90 wounds and lost both arms.
Cousin
He was martyred in this battle. The Prophet PBUH called him al-Tayyar (the flyer). The Prophet PBUH also
said that he will fly with his wings in Paradise.
Kh
Halimah Saadiyah RA was from the Banu Saad clan of Hawazin tribe of Taif. Her clan lived in rural areas
between Makkah and Taif.
The Arabs used to send their children to nearby villages for better nourishment and command on
language. Aminah RA sent the Prophet PBUH with her. She noticed immense blessings in her household
with the coming of the Prophet PBUH. Her sheep and goats started giving more milk. Her camels became
Halimah
healthy and fast.
Saadiyah er
She looked after the Prophet PBUH for 3-4 years. She loved him like her own children. The Prophet PBUH
used to play with her children (his foster siblings) and herd her sheep.
Foster
During this time, while the Prophet PBUH was once herding sheep with his siblings, two angels suddenly
Mother
appeared and tore his chest open and washed his heart with water from Zamzam and placed it back.
de
Halimah’s children informed her about this which frightened her so she returned him to his mother.
Her daughter, Sheemah, was brought to the Prophet PBUH as captive with other captives of Hawazin tribe
after the battle of Hunayn. The Prophet PBUH honoured her by setting her free along with many captives
of her clan. Sheemah accepted Islam in 9 AH when the entire Hawazin tribe of Taif embraced Islam.
Qa
He belonged to the Banu Kalb tribe in North Arabia. He was captured and sold as a slave in Makkah.
Hakim b. Hizam (nephew of Khadijah) bought and gifted him to Khadijah RA who gifted him to the
Prophet PBUH at the time of their marriage. The Prophet PBUH freed him and made him his adopted son.
People would call him Zayd b. Muhammad. A Quranic revelation (Surah Ahzab) discouraged this practice.
Zayd b.
He preferred to stay with the Prophet PBUH and refused to go home with his father and uncle.
l
al-Harisa
He was the third person and first freed slave to accept Islam. He supported the Prophet PBUH throughout.
al-Kalbi
du
He accompanied the Prophet PBUH on the visit to Taif and shielded him from stones with his body.
He married Umm Ayman and Zaynab b. Jahsh. He was blessed with a son (Usamah b. Zayd) from Umm
Adopted Son
Ayman. His marriage with Zaynab could not succeed so he divorced her.
and Freed
He is the only companion whose name is mentioned in the Quran in Surah Ahzab.
Slave
Ab
Due to him, the legal rulings about adopted children were revealed.
He was the one to bring the news of victory in Badr to Madinah with Abdullah b. Rawahah.
He was sent to Makkah by the Prophet PBUH to bring his daughter Zaynab to Madinah after Badr.
He took part in all battles. He led the Muslims in the battle of Mutah in 8 AH where he was martyred.
She was a woman of African origin. She was the maid of Abdullah (the father of Prophet PBUH).
The Prophet PBUH inherited her after the death of his parents.
She helped Aminah in looking after the Prophet PBUH in his childhood. She accompanied Aminah on
Umm Ayman journey to Madinah where Aminah died. She brought the Prophet PBUH back to Makkah.
The Prophet PBUH married her to his adopted son Zayd b. al-Harisah. They had a son named Usamah
whom the Prophet PBUH loved a lot.
She accepted Islam along with her husband and was one of the earliest converts.
71
Usamah b. He was the son of Zayd RA and Umm Ayman RA. Umm Ayman was the slave-girl of the Prophet's father.
Zayd The Prophet PBUH loved him like his own grandsons. The companions used to ask him for intercession
with the Prophet PBUH because of the Prophet PBUH's love for him.
Adopted He participated in all battles except Badr when the Prophet PBUH asked him to tend to Ruqayyah RA.
Grandson The Prophet PBUH made him the commander of the expedition to Syria. He returned victorious.
Ubaydah b. He was the son of the Prophet PBUH's eldest uncle (al-Haris). He was one of the earliest converts.
al-Haris He was more than 10 years older to the Prophet PBUH. He migrated to Abyssinia and Madinah.
He was one of the three combatants who initiated the battle of Badr. He fought Utbah b. Rabiah who
First Cousin injured his leg. He succumbed to this injury and became the first martyr in the battlefield for Islam.
an
Kh
er
de
l Qa
du
Ab
72
Ten Blessed Companions

The Ten Blessed Companions refer to the most devoted followers of the Prophet PBUH. Their services for Islam are the
greatest among all companions of the Prophet PBUH. They are called Ten Blessed Companions because the Prophet
PBUH gave them glad tidings of paradise in this world. There are other companions too who were given glad tidings of
paradise. But the Ten Blessed Companions are distinguished because they were given the glad tiding in one sitting by
the Prophet PBUH.
All ten of these companions are among the earliest converts to Islam (al-Sabiqun al-Awwalun) except Umar RA (who
accepted Islam in the 6th year of prophethood). They are all from Makkah and belong to the Quraysh tribe. The Prophet
PBUH remained happy with them throughout his life till his death. They are the greatest individuals in the ummah of the
Prophet PBUH.
Ten Blessed Companions: Basic Details

Age
an
Tribe
Islam Date of Death
Clan
Name Title Relationships Place of Death
Place of Birth
Battles Mode and
Date of Birth
Cause of Death
Kh
First year of
Father-in-Law of the Prophet PBUH 63 years old
Abu Bakr b. al-Siddique Prophethood
Quraysh (Ayishah) 13 AH
Abu Quhafa al-Yar fil Ghar First Free
Banu Taym Father-in-Law of Talha (Umm Kulsum b. Madinah
(Abdullah, Sani Isnayn Adult Male
Makkah Abi Bakr)
Abdul Arhamuhum bi Muslim
572 CE Father-in-Law of al-Zubayr (Asma b. Abi Natural death
Kabah) Ummatier Bakr)
Father-in-Law of the Prophet PBUH

All Battles
due to Illness
61 years old
de
(Hafsah) 6th Year of 23 AH
Abu Hafs Quraysh al-Faruq
First cousin of Said b. Zayd Prophethood Madinah
Umar b. Banu Adi Ashadduhum fi
Brother-in-Law of Said b. Zayd (Fatimah
al-Khattab Makkah Amrillah
b. al-Khattab) All Battles Martyred by Abu
Son-in-Law of Ali RA Lulu Firoz
Qa
al-Ghani 82 years old

First year of
Quraysh Zun Nurayn 35 AH
Abu Amr Son-in-Law of the Prophet PBUH Prophethood
Banu Jamiul Quran Madinah
Usmaan b. (Ruqayyah and Umm Kulsum)
Umayyah Jamiul Ummah
Affan Brother-in-Law of Ali RA All Battles
Taif Asdaquhum Martyred by
l
except Badr
Haya'an Egyptian rebels
du
First year of 62/63 years old

First Cousin of the Prophet (Abu Talib)
al-Murtaza Prophethood 40 AH
Quraysh Son-in-Law of the Prophet (Fatimah)
Abul Hassan al-Haydar First Male Kufa, Iraq
Banu Hashim First Cousin of al-Zubayr (Safiyyah b.
Ali b. Abi Asadullah Muslim
Ab
Makkah AbdulMuttalib)
Talib Abu Turab Martyred by
601 CE Brother-in-Law of Usmaan RA
Aqzaahum All Battles Abdur Rahman
Father-in-Law of Umar RA
except Tabuk b. Maljim
First year of 58 years old
Abu
Prophethood 18 AH
Ubaydah b.
Quraysh One of the Syria
al-Jarrah
Banu al-Haris Aminul Ummah earliest
Amir b.
Makkah converts Martyred in
Abdullah b.
epidemic named
al-Jarrah
All Battles Amawas in Syria
73
Abdur 75 years old

Rahman b. First Year of 32 AH
Quraysh
Awf Prophethood Madinah
Banu Zuhrah
(Abd Amr,
Makkah
Abdul All Battles Natural death
Kabah) due to illness
One of the 73 years old
First Cousin of Umar b. al-Khattab b. earliest 56 AH
Saeed b. Quraysh
Amr converts Madinah
Zayd b. Amr Banu Adi
Brother-in-Law of Umar RA (Fatimah b.
b. Nufayl Makkah
al-Khattab RA) All Battles Natural death
except Badr due to illness
an
82 years old
Saad b. Abi First Year of 56 AH
Quraysh
Waqqas Maternal Uncle of the Prophet PBUH (A Prophethood Madinah
Banu Zuhrah
(Saad b. cousin of Amina b. Wahb)
Makkah
Kh
Malik) All Battles Natural death
due to illness
Brother-in-Law of the Prophet PBUH 64 years old
All four of his wives were the sisters of 36 AH
First Year of
the Prophet PBUH's wives (Umm Camel, Iraq
al-Fayyaz Prophethood
Talha b.
Ubaydillah
Quraysh
Banu Taym
Makkah
er
al-Jawwad
al-Khayr
The Living
Kulsum b. Abi Bakr, Hamna b. Jahsh,
Fari'ah b. Abi Sufyan, Ruqayyah b. Abi
Umayyah)
8th Person to
accept Islam
Martyred by
mischief-monge
Son-in-Law of Abu Bakr RA (Umm rs in the battle
de
Martyr All Battles
Kulsum b. Abi Bakr) of Camel in the
except Badr
Brother-in-Law of al-Zubayr RA (Umm caliphate of Ali
Kulsum b. Abi Bakr) RA
First Cousin of the Prophet PBUH (Son 64 years old
Qa
of Safiyyah RA) 36 AH
Brother-in-Law of the Prophet PBUH Camel, Iraq
(Asma b. Abi Bakr)
First Year of
Quraysh First Cousin of Ali RA (Safiyyah b. Abdul Martyred by a
Zubayr b. Prophethood
Banu Asad Muttalib) mischief-monge
al-Awwam
l
Makkah Son-in-Law of Abu Bakr RA (Asma b. r Amr b. Jarmuz

All Battles
du
Abi Bakr) in the battle of

Brother-in-Law of Talha RA (Asma b. Camel in the
Abi Bakr) caliphate of Ali
Nephew of Khadijah RA (Banu Asad) RA
Ab
74
Ten Blessed Companions: Contributions

Abu Bakr b. Abu Quhafah RA

His real name was Abdul Kaabah. The Prophet PBUH changed it to Abdullah after his conversion to Islam.
He accepted Islam without any hesitation. He invited 5 of the Ten Blessed Companions to Islam: Usmaan, Abdur Rahman,
Talha, al-Zubayr, and Saad.
He freed many Muslim slaves from the persecution of Quraysh including Bilal RA, Aamir b. Fuhayrah RA, Zinnayrah RA,
Umm Umays RA, and her daughter.
He supported Banu Hashim during the boycott. He was also the first to approve the event of Mi'raj.
He migrated with the Prophet PBUH to Madinah. They spent three days and nights in the cave of Thawr.
He paid 10 gold coins as the price for the plot of al-Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah after migration.
He was one of the 14 companions to protect the Prophet PBUH from the Quraysh in the battle of Uhud.
an
He accompanied the Prophet PBUH on journeys to Hudaybiyyah, the conquest of Makkah, and the Last Hajj.
He spent generously for the cause of Islam, especially in Tabuk where he donated his entire wealth.
He was Imam of the 1st Hajj in 9 AH. He led the prayer 17 times in the last days of the Prophet PBUH's life.
He became the 1st caliph, established the Muslim state on strong foundations and dealt with all the issues.
Kh
Abu Hafs Umar b. al-Khattab b. Nufayl RA
He was also known by these kunniyyats: Ibn Khattaab, Ibn Hantamah, Abu Hafs, and Abu Abdillah.
He had set out to kill the Prophet PBUH when Nu'aym b. Abdillah RA told him that his sister Fatimah and her husband
Saeed b. Zayd had also accepted Islam.
The Prophet PBUH prayed for his conversion. He announced Islam openly and dared the Quraysh to stop him. After his
acceptance of Islam, the Muslims started worshipping openly.
er
He gave the suggestion of aazaan and the killing of the captives of Badr. Allah approved of his suggestions.
de
He donated half of his wealth to the cause of Islam before the Tabuk expedition.
He proposed Abu Bakr RA for caliphate. He convinced Abu Bakr RA to compile the Quran.
He was nominated by Abu Bakr RA for caliphate. Hence, he became the second caliph.
He strengthened the Muslim caliphate and defeated the Persian and Roman empires.
Qa
He was buried beside the Prophet PBUH and Abu Bakr RA. Suhayb al-Rumi RA led his funeral prayers.
Abu Amr Usmaan b. Affan RA
He was invited to Islam by Abu Bakr RA. He was one of the earliest converts (al-Sabiqun al-Awwalun).
He migrated to Abyssinia in the 1st group in the 5th year of Prophethood. He also migrated to Madinah.
His uncle (Hakam b. al-As) persecuted him after his conversion to Islam.
l
He bought the well of Ruma in Madinah for Muslims from a Jew who used to sell its water to Muslims at a very high price.
He did not take part in the battle of Badr because the Prophet PBUH asked him to look after Ruqayyah RA.
du
He served as the governor of Madinah in the battle against the Bani Ghatafan tribe of Najd in Shawwal, 2 AH.
He was an envoy of Muslims in Hudaybiyyah. The pledge of Ridwan was taken to avenge his death.
He paid 10,000 dirhams as the price of the land required for the extension of al-Masjid al-Nabawi in 7 AH.
Ab
He donated 10000 dinars, 900 laden camels, and 100 horses for the Tabuk expedition.
As the 3rd caliph, he expanded the Muslim state to North Africa, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Central Asia.
He was a very modest and generous person. The Prophet PBUH praised his modesty and generosity.
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Abul Hasan Ali b. Abi Talib RA

He hosted the dinner for Banu Hashim when the Prophet PBUH had to invite them to Islam. He was the only one from
Banu Hashim to support the Prophet PBUH in this meeting.
The Prophet PBUH looked after him due to the poor financial position of Abu Talib.
Ali RA supported the Prophet PBUH when he invited the Quraysh to Islam at the mount of Safa.
He persevered through hunger during the boycott of Banu Hashim, but did not leave the Prophet PBUH.
He killed al-Waleed b. Utbah b. Rabiyah of the Umayyah clan in the battle of Badr in one-on-one combat.
He killed the renowned wrestler Amr b. Abdu Wadd in the battle of Trench who had crossed the trench.
He was the scribe of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah with Quraysh in 6 AH.
He killed the greatest Jewish commander and wrestler, Marhab, in the battle of Khaybar in 7 AH.
He captured the Qamus fort in Khaybar which had provided the strongest resistance to Muslims.
He was one of the few companions to defend the Prophet PBUH in the battle of Hunayn.
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The Prophet PBUH deputed him as the governor of Madinah during the Tabuk expedition.
He washed and laid the body of the Prophet PBUH in grave.
He was advisor to the 1st 3 caliphs. Umar RA nominated him for caliphate along with 6 other companions.
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He became the fourth caliph of Islam and served Islam and Muslims till his martyrdom.
He was a matchless warrior in the battlefield. He led a very simple life. He was extremely pious.
Abu Ubaydah b. al-Jarrah RA
His name was Aamir b. Abdullah b. al-Jarrah. Abu 'Ubaydah was his kunniyah. Al-Jarrah was his grandfather.
He was one of the earliest converts (al-Sabiqun al-Awwalun).
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He migrated to Abyssinia in the 2nd group in the 6th year of Prophethood. He also migrated to Madinah.
He was one of the 14 companions to protect the Prophet PBUH from the Quraysh in the battle of Uhud. He took the iron
nail out of Prophet PBUH's jaws and broke two of his front teeth in this battle.
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The Prophet PBUH sent him with 300 men in Rajab 8 AH to attack the Juhaynah tribe in Sayf al-Bahr.
The Prophet PBUH sent him to the Christians of Najran to teach the people there and govern the region. The Prophet
PBUH gave him the title 'Amin al-Ummah at this occasion.
He was the commander of one of the 4 squadrons in the conquest of Makkah in 8 AH.
Qa
Abu Bakr RA proposed him and Umar RA for caliphate after the death of Prophet PBUH.
He led the Muslims to victory in the battle of Yarmouk and many other campaigns against the Romans.
Umar RA made him the first army chief of Islam by appointing him the commander of all Muslim forces.
He remained an important advisor to the Prophet PBUH and the first two caliphs.
Umar RA wanted to nominate him for caliphate after himself but he passed away before Umar RA. Umar RA used to say,
"Had Abu Ubaydah lived longer, I would have made him the caliph after me."
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He lived a simple life despite being the chief of the armed forces. He was very courageous and trustworthy.
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Abdur Rahman b. Awf RA

His real name was 'Abd 'Amr and 'Abd al-Kaabah. The Prophet PBUH changed his name to 'Abdur Rahman.
He was invited to Islam by Abu Bakr RA. He was one of the earliest converts (al-Sabiqun al-Awwalun).
Ab
The Prophet PBUH made him the commander of the campaign to Dummah al-Jandal in 5 AH.
He once led the Fajr prayer during the Tabuk expedition. The Prophet PBUH also prayed behind him.
He was an advisor to the Prophet PBUH and the first 3 caliphs. He died in the caliphate of Usmaan RA.
He was one of the six companions nominated by Umar RA for caliphate. However, he excused himself from the burden and
volunteered to help the other five in choosing the next caliph.
Being a wealthy and successful trader, he spent a lot in the way of Allah. He was very generous. He even hosted the entire
Madinah a few times. He spent very generously on the mothers of the faithful.
Usmaan RA led his funeral prayer. He was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
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Saeed b. Zayd b. Amr b. Nufayl RA

He was the first cousin and brother-in-law of Umar RA (he was married to Fatimah b. al-Khattab RA).
He was one of the earliest converts to Islam (al-Sabiqun al-Awwalun). His father was a monotheist, refrained from the
evils of Arabia, and died before Islam. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that his father would be forgiven on the
day of Judgement.
He and his wife (Fatimah b. al-Khattab) were the first to accept Islam from Banu Adi. Zayd b. al-Khattab (Umar RA's
brother) accepted Islam at his invitation. Umar RA accepted Islam in his house.
He participated in all battles in the life of the Prophet PBUH except the battle of Badr.
He did not fight in the battle of Badr as he was sent with Talha RA to spy on the caravan of Abu Sufyan.
He fought in the battle of Yarmuk, conquest of Damascus, and other battles against Romans and Persians.
He was so pious that Umm Salamah RA and Maymunah RA wanted him to lead their funeral prayers.
He was not nominated by Umar RA for caliphate because of his kinship with him.
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He led a retired life in Madinah and Kufa after the martyrdom of Usmaan RA.
Abdullah b. Umar led his funeral prayer. Saad b. Abi Waqqas RA and Abdullah b. Umar laid him in grave.
Saad b. Abi Waqqas (Saad b. Malik) RA
He accepted Islam at the age of 17 at the invitation of Abu Bakr RA. He was one of the earliest converts.
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He was the maternal uncle of the Prophet PBUH. He was a close relative of Aminah b. Wahb (the mother of the Prophet
PBUH). The Prophet PBUH once proudly called him his maternal uncle.
His mother vowed not to eat and drink until Saad reverted from Islam. Despite this, he did not revert.
He was the first Muslim to shed the blood of a non-Muslim for the cause of Islam. He injured a pagan who was ridiculing
him while he was worshipping in Makkah.
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He suffered from hunger and disease during the boycott even though he was not from Banu Hashim.
In the battle of Uhud, he displayed his exceptional skills in archery. According to some accounts, he shot more than 1000
arrows. The Prophet PBUH gave all his arrows to him to shoot at the Quraysh. The Prophet PBUH also prayed for him for
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his utmost dedication to protect the Prophet PBUH.
He was a member of the consultative council for the first three caliphs.
He fought a major role in the wars against the Persians. He led the Muslim army to victory from his sick bed against the
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Persians in the great battle of Qadisiyyah.

He built the city of Kufa and remained its governor in the caliphate of Umar RA. Usmaan RA deposed him.
He was one of the six companions nominated by Umar RA for caliphate.
He retired from politics after the martyrdom of Usmaan RA. He outlived the ten blessed companions.
Talha b. Ubaydillah RA
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He accepted Islam as a teenager at the invitation of Abu Bakr RA. He was one of the earliest converts.
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He was persecuted by his clansmen along with Abu Bakr RA.

He could not participate in Badr because the Prophet PBUH had sent him to spy on Abu Sufyan's caravan.
He was one of the 14 companions to protect the Prophet PBUH from the Quraysh in the battle of Uhud, received more than
70 wounds in this battle, and took the Prophet PBUH to a safe place on his back. The Prophet PBUH said, "Talha has
earned Jannah".
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He was one of those companions who protected the Prophet PBUH in Hunayn.
He was one of the six companions nominated by Umar RA for caliphate.
He fought alongside Ayesha RA and al-Zubayr RA against Ali RA in the battle of Camel/Jamal in 36 AH. He was martyred
by the mischief-mongers in this battle.
He was a brave warrior, a successful trader, and a very generous person. He was given three titles (al-Jawwad, al-Khayr,
al-Fayyaz) for his generosity.
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al-Zubayr b. al-Awwam RA
He accepted Islam at the invitation of Abu Bakr RA at the age of 16 and was one of the earliest converts.
After conversion, his uncle used to tie him in a blanket and put him in the smoke to torture him.
He commanded the right wing of Muslim army in Badr and mounted one of the two horses of Muslims.
He spied on Banu Qurayzah and brought news about their movements to the Prophet PBUH in the battle of Trench. He
also killed a pagan wrestler in one blow who had crossed the trench.
He killed Yasir (a Jewish wrestler and the brother of Marhab) in the battle of Khaybar.
He washed the body of the Prophet PBUH and put his body in the grave along with Abbas and Ali RA as they were the
immediate family members of the Prophet PBUH.
He was a courageous warrior. He fought very bravely in Yarmouk and in the conquest of Egypt.
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He was an advisor to all caliphs. Umar RA nominated him for caliphate along with 6 other companions.
He fought alongside Ayishah RA against Ali RA in Camel/Jamal in 36 AH. He realised his mistake and left the battlefield.
He was martyred by Amr b. Jurmuz al-Tamimi as he left the battlefield. Ali RA condemned Ibn Jurmuz.
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Scribes of Revelation
The Scribes of Revelation refers to those literate companions of the Prophet PBUH who used to write the revelations
of the Quran. These included the first four caliphs and many other companions. Most of these companions resided in the
mosque of the Prophet PBUH. They are called “Kabitu al-Wahy” in Arabic which means “the scribes of revelation”. They
are also sometimes referred to as “Ashab al-Suffah” or “the companions/residents of the Platform” because they
resided on a platform in the mosque of the Prophet PBUH. Most of them were committed to the full-time learning and
teaching of Islam and did not indulge in trade and agriculture. Most of them were qualified to give religious
edict/ruling known as ‘fatawa’.
Scribes of Revelation
Tribe
Place of Birth
Islam
Name Contributions/Other Details
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Date of Death
Place of Death
Age
His name was Abdur Rahman. He was one of the people of Suffah. He spent 4 years in the
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company of the Prophet PBUH. He devoted himself to the full-time study of hadiths in these
4 years.
He spent these years in extreme poverty and hunger. He would not eat for days on stretch.
Banu Daws
He has narrated the most number of hadiths (5374 hadiths).
Yemen
Once he complained to the Prophet PBUH of his weak memory. The Prophet PBUH prayed
Abu
Hurayrah
7 AH
59 AH
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for him. After that, he never forgot anything.
He also used to write the hadiths. He had boxes full of written copies of hadiths.
One of his copies of hadith through Hammam b. Munabbih has survived till date.
He devoted himself to full-time learning and did not indulge in trade or agriculture.
Madinah
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He also looked after the mosque of the Prophet PBUH and served the Prophet PBUH.
78 years old
He accompanied the Prophet PBUH to the conquest of Makkah, Tabuk, and in the Last Hajj.
He taught hadiths to the new converts and the younger generations of Muslims.
He fought in many wars in the caliphates of all four caliphs.
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He used to recite Istighfar 12000 times a day and SubhanAllah 1000 times a day.
He could read and write before accepting Islam.
He was one of the best reciters of the Quran.
He used to recite the Quran in Tahajjud prayers and complete the entire Quran in 8 nights.
Khazraj The Prophet PBUH once forgot a verse of the Quran while leading the prayer. Ubay RA
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Madinah reminded him. The Prophet PBUH praised his grip on the memorisation of the Quran.
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He taught a large circle of newly converted Muslims in the mosque of the Prophet PBUH.
Ubayy b. 2nd Pledge of He had memorised the entire Quran in the life of the Prophet PBUH.
Kaab Aqabah He participated in all battles during the life of the Prophet PBUH.
He accompanied the Prophet PBUH to Hudaybiyyah, conquest of Makkah, and in the Last
29 AH Hajj.
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Madinah He was one of the few jurist companions whose legal opinion (fatwa) was sought by others.
The Prophet PBUH once told him that Allah wanted to listen to his recitation.
He assisted Zayd b. Sabit RA in the compilation of the Quran in the caliphate of Abu Bakr
RA.
Khazraj
He was a distinguished reciter of the Quran. He had an exceptionally sharp memory.
Madinah
He memorised the entire Quran in the life of the Prophet PBUH. He learned Hebrew and
Syriac languages in a very short time on the command of the Prophet PBUH.
Zayd b. 2nd Pledge of
He wrote the revelations of the Quran, hadiths, and letters of the Prophet PBUH.
Sabit Aqabah
He was one of the few jurist companions whose legal opinion (fatwa) was sought by others.
He compiled the Quran during the caliphate of Abu Bakr RA.
38 AH
He compiled the Quran in the Qurayshi dialect during the caliphate of Usmaan RA.
Madinah
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He was the son of Abu Sufyan and brother-in-law of the Prophet PBUH (Umm Habibah RA).
Quraysh, Banu He accompanied the Prophet PBUH in Hunayn in 8 AH and the Last Pilgrimage in 10 AH.
Umayyah He remained the governor of Syria for 20 years in the caliphates of Umar, Usmaan, and Ali.
Makkah He conquered Cyprus during the caliphate of Usmaan RA. He also added the first naval fleet
Ameer
of 500 ships to the Muslim army.
Muawiyah
Conquest of He refused to step down as the governor of Syria and recognise Ali RA as caliph.
b. Abi
Makkah He fought against Ali RA in the battle of Siffin in 37 AH because he demanded immediate
Sufyan
revenge from the assassins of Usmaan RA. Ali RA wanted to consolidate his rule first.
60 AH He became the 6th caliph of Islam after Hasan RA abdicated the caliphate. He remained the
Syria caliph for 20 years from 40 AH to 60 AH and founded the Umayyad dynasty in Damascus.
He died aged 80 on 22 Rajab in 60 AH. Dihak b. Qays al-Fihri RA offered his funeral prayer.
Khazraj
He served the Prophet PBUH for 10 years. He stayed at Prophet PBUH's house in Madinah.
Madinah
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He was one of the most learned companions. He has narrated 2300 hadiths.
Anas b. He was an authority of Islamic knowledge in Madinah.
1 AH
Malik He taught Islamic teachings for nearly a century. He was one of the last companions to die.
93 AH
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He participated in all battles except Badr when he was too young.
Madinah
He was one of the earliest converts. He was the shepherd of a bitter enemy of Islam (Uqbah
b. Abi Muayt) who was taken captive in Badr and killed on the order of the Prophet PBUH.
He persevered through the persecution by Abu Jahl and other Qurayshi leaders. The
Quraysh called him 'little shepherd' because of his diminutive physique.
Quraysh, Banu er
He migrated to Abyssinia in the second group in 6th year of Prophethood.
Zuhra
He was extremely knowledgeable. He was second in knowledge only to Ali RA.
Makkah
He was a servant of the Prophet PBUH. People considered him a part of the Prophet
PBUH's family. He carried the shoes, the utensils, and the pillow of the Prophet PBUH.
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One of the
Abdullah b. He participated in all battles. He killed Abu Jahl in the battle of Badr in 2 AH.
earliest
Masud He has narrated many hadiths. He taught the new converts and younger Muslims.
converts
He spread Islamic knowledge in Iraq. Most of the Hanafi fiqh is derived from his teachings.
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32 AH
Umar RA sent him to Kufa to teach the people there. Umar RA also appointed him the
Madinah
incharge of Bayt al-Mal. Usmaan RA deposed him in 32 AH.
60 years old
The Prophet PBUH had allowed him to visit his house any time. The Prophet PBUH is
reported to have said, "If I had to appoint a person without consultation, I would appoint
Abdullah b. Masud". The Prophet PBUH is also reported to have said, "If someone wants to
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recite the Quran as it was revealed, then he must listen to Abdullah b. Masud's recitation".
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He was the first cousin of the Prophet PBUH, the son of Prophet PBUH's uncle al-Abbas RA.
Quraysh, Banu
He has narrated about 1700 hadiths. He sacrificed his comfort for the learning of hadiths.
Hashim
He memorised the Quran at the age of 10. He was the greatest interpreter of the Quran.
Makkah
He was the greatest authority on the exegesis (tafsir) of the Quran among the companions
Ab
Abdullah b. of the Prophet PBUH. Abdullah b. Umar once said, "Abdullah b. Abbas was the most learned
A born Muslim
Abbas about the circumstances of revelation of the Quran".
67 AH
He was given the titles of "Hibrul Ummah" (The Scholar of the Ummah) and "Bahrul Ulum"
Taif
(The Ocean of Knowledge).
71 years old
Muhammad b. Ali b. Abi Talib led his funeral prayer.
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He was the son of al-Waleed b. Mughirah who was the chief of Banu Makhzum clan of
Quraysh before Abu Jahl. He was a cousin of Abu Jahl and the brother of al-Waleed b.
al-Waleed who looted the caravans of Quraysh after Hudaybiyyah near the Red Sea.
He was also known by his kuniyyat ‘Abu Sulayman’.
He was an extremely skilled and courageous warrior, commander, and military strategist.
He turned the Muslim victory into defeat by attacking the Muslims from the rear and killing
the 10 archers in the battle of Uhud in 3 AH.
He tried to attack the Muslims with 200 men in Hudaybiyyah but the Muslims dodged him.
He accepted Islam along with Amr b. al-Aas RA after the treaty of Hudaybiyyah in 6 AH.
Quraysh, Banu
He participated in all battles after the battle of Mutah. In Mutah, he rescued the Muslim
Makhzum
army from the battlefield. The Prophet PBUH defended his strategy of withdrawing from
Khalid b. the battlefield and gave him the title of "Sayfullah" meaning "The Sword of Allah".
7 AH after
al-Waleed He commanded one of the 4 regiments of Muslim army in the conquest of Makkah in 8 AH.
Hudaybiyyah
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He also led one of the four regiments of the Muslim army in the battle of Hunayn in 8 AH.
He led the Muslims to victory against Musaylimah the Liar in Yamamah in 13 AH.
21 AH
He was the most prominent Muslim general in the conquests against the Romans and
Persians during the caliphate of Umar RA.
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He was so successful against Romans and Persians that Umar RA had to depose him fearing
that Muslims may start believing that the Muslim victories were due to Khalid's mastery
and not a divine help from Allah. He stepped down immediately and fought humbly as a
common soldier in the command of Abu 'Ubaydah RA.
He passed away in Hims in Syria while he was participating in campaigns against the
Romans. He direly wished to embrace martyrdom but he died a natural death due to
Khazraj
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illness.
He was very knowledgeable. The companions consulted him on religious matters.
The Prophet PBUH once said that Muaaz was the most learned about halal and haram.
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Madinah He was one of the few jurist companions whose legal opinion (fatwa) was sought by others.
He took pledge with the Prophet PBUH at Aqabah in the 13th Year of Prophethood.
Muaaz b. 2nd Pledge of The Prophet PBUH sent him to Yemen as the governor and accompanied him to the
Jabal Aqabah outskirts of Madinah. Both he and the Prophet wept on the way.
Qa
His last conversation with the Prophet PBUH has immense significance. The use of qiyas as
18 AH a source of Islamic law is based upon this conversation.
Syria He commanded the right wing of the Muslim army in the battle of Yarmouk.
He died in the epidemic named Amawas in 18 AH in Syria.
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Tasks performed by the scribes of revelation during the life of the Prophet PBUH
1. They used to write the revelations of the Quran. Many companions including the four caliphs wrote the Quranic
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revelations.
2. They also wrote the correspondence, letters, and treaties of the Prophet PBUH. Ali RA wrote the treaty of
Hudaybiyyah. Zayd b. Sabit RA wrote letters of the Prophet PBUH in Hebrew and Syriac languages. Zayd learned
these languages on the command of the Prophet PBUH.
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3. They also wrote the sayings of the Prophet PBUH. Abu Hurayrah RA had boxes full of copies of the sayings of
the Prophet PBUH. Ali RA also had a copy of prophetic traditions.
4. The scribes also memorised the revelations of the Quran as and when they were revealed. Usmaan RA, Ubayy b.
Kaab RA, and Zayd b. Sabit RA were among the famous huffaz/memorisers of the Quran.
5. They also taught the revelations to those who were not present at the time of revelation. They also taught the
injunctions of Islam to new converts. They also instructed the deputations of tribes who came to Madinah to
learn about Islam. Musab b. Umayr RA was sent to teach the people of Yathrib. Muaaz b. Jabal RA and Abu Musa
al-Ash’ari RA were sent to Yemen to teach the people of Yemen.
6. They also narrated the hadiths of the Prophet PBUH. Abu Hurayrah RA, Anas b. Malik RA, Ayishah RA, Abdullah
b. Umar RA, and Abdullah b. Abbas RA were the most prominent narrators of hadiths.
7. They used to interpret the Quran in light of the Prophetic teachings. Abdullah b. Abbas RA and Ali RA were
highly respected in the interpretation of the Quran.
8. They used to derive laws from and adjudicate according to the Quran and Sunnah. Abdullah b. Masood, Ali RA
and Muaaz b. Jabal RA used to give rulings and adjudicate according to the Quran and hadith.
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9. They also served the Prophet PBUH. Since they resided in the mosque of the Prophet PBUH, they used to carry
out the household chores of the Prophet PBUH. Anas b. Malik RA served the Prophet for ten years in his house.
Abdullah b. Mas’ud used to help the Prophet PBUH in making ablution and carrying his shoes and pillows.
10. They also served the mosque of the Prophet PBUH. They would host the deputations in the 9th, 10th, and 11th
years after hijrah. They would bring water for ablution for Muslims. They would clean the mosque of the
Prophet PBUH.
11. Some of them also pronounced aazaan in the mosque of the Prophet PBUH like Bilal b. Rabah RA and Abdullah
b. Umm Maktum RA.
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Other Important Personalities

Other details/contributions
Abu Sufyan b. Harb al-Umawi al-Qarashi al-Makki RA
His name was Sakhr b. Harb b. Umayyah. He was from the Banu Umayyah (also known as Banu Abdu Shams) clan of
Quraysh. He was the father-in-law of the Prophet PBUH (He was the father of Umm Habibah b. Abi Sufyan).
He remained a staunch enemy of Islam till 8 AH. He led the Quraysh against Muslims in Uhud and Trench.
His trade caravan and his cry for help from Quraysh caused the Battle of Badr in 2 AH.
He accepted Islam in 8 AH, the night before the conquest of Makkah. The Prophet PBUH honoured him by giving
protection to those who took refuge in his house.
He acknowledged the truthfulness of the Prophet PBUH in the court of Heraclius in 7 AH.
He participated in the Muslims conquests of Roman territories in the caliphate of Umar RA. He died in 31 AH.
Suhayl b. Amr al-Aamiri al-Qarashi al-Makki RA
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He was the chief of Banu Aamir clan of Quraysh. He was a great orator and an experienced ambassador.
He was also known as Abu Yazid in Makkah.
His two sons, three daughters, three brothers, a daughter-in-law, three sons-in-law, and three sisters-in-law were among
the first converts to Islam. He remained a staunch enemy of Islam. He chained his sons (Abdullah and Abu Jandal) after
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they accepted Islam. Sawdah RA was the wife of his brother Sakran.
As the ambassador of Quraysh, he negotiated the treaty of Hudaybiyyah with the Prophet PBUH in 6 AH.
He prevented the Makkans from apostasy after the death of the Prophet PBUH.
He participated in the battle of Yarmouk and other wars against Persians and Romans.
He passed away in Syria in the plague of Amawas in 18 AH while he was participating in campaigns against the Romans.
Bilal b. Rabah RA
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He was a slave of Abyssinian origin. His kunniyyat was Ibn Humaamah.
His master (Umayyah b. Khalf of Banu Jumaah clan of Quraysh) would persecute him by laying him on hot sand and
putting heavy stones on his chest.
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Bilal RA did not give up his faith despite severe persecution. He would keep repeating, "Allah is one".
He did not migrate to his homeland Abyssinia because he did not want to go away from the Prophet PBUH.
He fought in all battles during the life of the Prophet PBUH and in the caliphates of Abu Bakr and Umar RA.
He killed his tormentor and former master Umayyah b. Khalf in the battle of Badr.
Qa
He was the first Muadhdhin of Islam. He gave aazaan from the roof of Kaabah after the conquest of Makkah.
The Prophet PBUH heard the sound of his footsteps in heaven during al-mi'raj. He died in 21 AH.
Saad b. Muaaz al-Abdul Ashhali al-Awsi al-Madani RA
He was the chief of the Banu Abd al-Ashhal clan of Aws tribe of Madinah.
He accepted Islam with his cousin Usayd b. Hudayr RA at the hands of Musab b. 'Umayr RA after the 1st Pledge. At his
invitation, his entire clan (Banu Abd al-Ashhal) accepted Islam.
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He visited Makkah for minor pilgrimage before the battle of Badr. He threatened Abu Jahl and Umayyah b. Khalaf of dire
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consequences of opposing the Prophet PBUH. Umayyah was his friend in the days of ignorance.
He delivered a speech assuring full support for the Prophet PBUH before the battle of Badr.
He was one of the 14 companions who guarded the Prophet PBUH during the battle of Uhud.
As a chief of Aws tribe, he was the ally of the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayzah. After the Banu Qurayzah's betrayal in battle
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of Trench, Saad decided that their men be killed and women and children be taken captives.
He died after the battle of Trench due to wounds inflicted during the siege of Madinah in 5 AH.
Saad b. Ubadah al-Saaidi al-Khazraji al-Madani RA
He was the chief of Banu Saaidah clan of Khazraj tribe of Madinah. He attended the 2nd pledge of 'Aqabah.
The Prophet PBUH chose him as one of the 12 leaders (Naqibs) of the people of Yathrib in the 2nd Pledge.
He conquered one of the forts of Jews in the battle of Khaybar in 7 AH.
He was the 1st ansari to get persecuted for Islam when the Quraysh tortured him after the 2nd Pledge.
He led one of the 4 squadrons of Muslims during the conquest of Makkah in Ramazan in 8 AH.
He used to feed and clothe the Ashab al-Suffah (the poor inhabitants of the mosque of the Prophet PBUH).
He declared himself the candidate for caliphate after the death of the Prophet PBUH in Saqifa Banu Saaidah.
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Ammar b. Yasir al-Ansi al-Yemeni RA

His family was among the earliest converts. They were the slaves of the Banu Makhzum clan of Quraysh.
He belonged to the Ansi tribe of Yemen. They endured extreme persecution. Abu Jahl martyred his mother (Sumayyah).
She was the first martyr of Islam. His father also died soon after due to excessive torture.
He participated in all battles during the life of the Prophet PBUH and in the caliphate period.
He supported Ali RA in all campaigns in his caliphate including the battles of Camel and Siffin.
He was martyred by Abu al-Ghadiah al-Juhani RA in the battle of Siffin in 37 AH.
The Prophet PBUH gave him the glad tiding of Jannah on several occasions.
Abu Musa al-Ashaari al-Yemeni RA
His real name was Abdullah b. Qays. He belonged to the Banu al-Ash'ar tribe of Yemen.
He accepted Islam in the Makki period and returned to Yemen.
He migrated from Yemen to Abyssinia. He returned to Madinah with Jafar RA during the battle of Khaybar.
He led a small army victoriously against the Hawazin tribe in Awtas Valley after the battle of Hunayn in 9 AH.
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He was sent by the Prophet PBUH to Yemen alongside Muadh b. Jabal RA to teach the people of Yemen.
Umar RA appointed him the governor of Basra. Usmaan RA removed him.
He was one of those companions whose legal opinion (fatwa) was sought by other companions.
He fought alongside Ali RA in the battle of Siffin and represented Ali RA in arbitration with Muawiyah RA.
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Abu Zarr al-Ghifari RA
His real name was Jundub b. Janadah. He was from the Banu Ghiffar tribe in North Arabia. He had heard about the
imminent arrival of the last Prophet. So, he was keenly awaiting the news of a new Prophet.
When he heard about the Prophet PBUH, he sent his elder brother, Anees, to Makkah to inquire about him.
He was not satisfied with the news brought by his brother. So, he set out for Makkah himself. Ali RA took him to the
rescued him from the Quraysh.

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Prophet PBUH. He accepted Islam and announced his conversion in Makkah. The Makkans tortured him a lot. Abbas RA
The Prophet PBUH asked him to preach Islam to his tribe. Half of his tribe accepted Islam at his invitation.
He was a very pious person. He refrained from the worldly pleasures and spent most of his time in worship.
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He was made the brother of Salman al-Farisi RA after migration.
He died in 32 AH in the caliphate of Usmaan RA. His funeral prayer was led by Abdullah b. Masud RA.
Amr b. al-Aas al-Sahmi al-Qarashi al-Makki RA
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He belonged to the Banu Sahm clan of Quraysh. He was a great orator and a seasoned ambassador of Quraysh.
His father (al-Aas b. Waail) mocked the Prophet PBUH by calling him 'al-abtar'.
He accepted Islam after the treaty of Hudaybiyyah with Khalid b. al-Waleed RA in 7 AH.
The Prophet PBUH sent him to 'Uman as 'Amil to collect taxes from the people of 'Uman.
The Prophet PBUH sent him as an envoy to deliver the message of Islam with the rulers of 'Uman. Amr RA had several
rounds of talks with the two rulers of 'Uman and convinced them to accept Islam.
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He was a skilled battlefield commander and a great orator and ambassador.

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The Prophet PBUH made him the commander of the expedition to Dhat al-Salalsil in 8 AH to tackle the Northern Arab
tribes. 500 Muslims including prominent companions such as Abu Bakr, Umar, and Abu Ubaydah RA served under his
command.
He conquered Egypt during the caliphate of Umar RA in Rabiul Awwal 20 AH. Umar RA appointed him the governor of
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Egypt. He was replaced with Abdullah b. Saad b. Abi Sarah by Usmaan RA in 27 AH.
He also participated in many battles against Romans and Persians.
He represented Muawiyah RA in arbitration following the battle of Siffin and deposed Ali RA in his capacity as an
arbitrator. Ali RA did not accept this decision.
Usmaan b. Mazoon al-Jumaahi al-Qarashi al-Makki RA
He was from the Banu Jumaah clan of Quraysh. Umar RA was his brother-in-law (Umar RA married his sister).
He accepted Islam at the invitation of Abu Bakr RA. He was the 14th person to accept Islam. He accepted Islam along with
his son Sa'ib and brothers Qudamah and Abdullah.
He did not indulge in idol-worshipping, drinking, gambling, and immodesty even before Islam.
He migrated to Abyssinia in the 1st group in the 5th year of Prophethood and returned 4 months later.
al-Waleed b. Mughirah gave him protection after his return to Makkah which secured him from persecution.
His wife, Khawlah b. Hakim RA, arranged the Prophet PBUH's marriage with Sawdah and Ayishah RA.
He migrated to Madinah and participated in Badr. He died soon after Badr in 2 AH.
Prophet PBUH kissed him thrice before burying him. He was buried in Jannatul Baqi.
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Salman al-Farisi RA
He was born in Isfahan in Persia. He left fire-worshipping and accepted Christianity. He served many Christian monks.
One of them told him that the last Prophet was about to appear. So, he came to Arabia.
He was captured by people and sold to someone in Yathrib as a slave. When he heard of Prophet PBUH, he came to visit
him. He knew that prophets accept gifts and refuse charity. So, he brought some dates as charity. The Prophet PBUH
distributed the dates among his companions. The next day, he brought some dates as a gift. The Prophet PBUH ate from
the dates and distributed among his companions.
He also requested the Prophet PBUH to show him the stamp of prophethood between his shoulders.
The Prophet PBUH helped him pay off his price and become free. He spent the rest of his life as a personal servant of the
Prophet PBUH. He used to trim the hair of the Prophet PBUH.
He suggested that Muslim dig a trench on the northern side of Madinah before the battle of Trench in 5 AH.
The Ansar and Muhajirun wanted him to be among them in the digging of the trench. The Prophet PBUH said that Salman
is neither from helpers nor from emigrants but he is from my family.
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He was made the brother of Abu Zarr al-Ghifari after migration.
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Enemies of the Prophet PBUH

Details
Abu Lahab (Abdul Uzzah) b. Abdul Muttalib al-Hashimi al-Qarashi al-Makki
He was the paternal uncle of the Prophet PBUH. He was a staunch enemy of Islam and the Prophet PBUH.
His sons (Utbah & Utaybah) divorced the daughters of the Prophet PBUH (Ruqayyah & Umm Kulsum).
He verbally abused the Prophet PBUH when the Prophet PBUH invited Banu Hashim to Islam and again when he invited
the Quraysh to Islam at the mount of Safa in the 3rd year of Prophethood.
His wife, Umm Jamil, used to throw thorns in the way of the Prophet PBUH.
Allah Almighty condemned him and his wife in a chapter in Quran (Surah 111: Surah Lahab).
He was the only one from Banu Hashim who supported the boycott of Banu Hashim.
He would follow the Prophet PBUH in Makkah and warn people not to listen to his message.
He died in a humiliating way. His body got rotten and people threw him in a ditch with shovels.
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Abu Jahl (Amr) b. Hisham al-Makhzumi al-Qarashi al-Makki
He was the leader of the Banu Makhzum clan of Quraysh. He was also the leader of the entire Quraysh.
He was the fiercest enemy of Islam and persecuted Muslims like Ammar, Yasir, Sumayyah, Abdullah b. Masud, Khabbab
b. Arat, Ayyash b. Rabeeah (his half-brother) , and Salamah b. Hisham RA (his cousin).
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He was the first person to assassinate a Muslim when he martyred Sumayya RA with a dagger while attempting to
dissuade her from Islam through persecution.
He led a group of Quraysh to kill the Prophet PBUH on the night the Prophet PBUH migrated to Madinah.
He spearheaded the attempts of Quraysh to bring the Muslims back from Abyssinia.
He was the chief proponent of the boycott of Banu Hashim to force them to disown the Prophet PBUH.
He led the Quraysh in Badr. He was adamant on fighting Muslims despite resistance from other Qarashis.
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He was injured in Badr by a young boy (Mu'awwadh RA). He was later killed by Abdullah b. Masud RA.
The Prophet PBUH declared him the pharaoh of his ummah.
Kaab b. al-Ashraf al-Nazeeri al-Madani
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He was from the Jewish Banu Nazeer tribe of Madinah. After the battle of Badr, he went to Makkah to mourn the death of
the Qurayshi leaders.
He also instigated the Quraysh against the Muslims and asked them to avenge the death of their leaders.
He promised full support to the Quraysh in case the Quraysh attacked Madinah for revenge.
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He also composed poetry in the memory of the slain Quraysh leaders.

After returning to Madinah, he wrote poems in which he insulted the Prophet PBUH.
The Prophet PBUH asked his companions to kill Kaab b. Ashraf.
Muhammad b. Maslamah RA volunteered and killed him during a night in 2 AH after the battle of Badr.
al-Aas b. Waail al-Sahmi al-Qarashi al-Makki
He was from the Banu Sahm clan of Quraysh. He was the father of Amr b. al-Aas RA.
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He called the Prophet PBUH 'al-abtar' after the death of the Prophet PBUH's second son, Abdullah.
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He was condemned in Surah al-Kawthar (Surah 108, verse 3) in the Quran.

He gave protection to Umar RA after Umar RA was beaten by Quraysh following his conversion to Islam.
He died in 1 AH before the battle of Badr.
al-Waleed b. Mughirah al-Makhzumi al-Qarashi al-Makki
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He was from Banu Makhzum clan of Quraysh. He was the uncle of Abu Jahl and the father of al-Waleed b. al-Waleed RA
and Khalid b. al-Waleed RA. He was the chief of Quraysh and Banu Makhzum before Abu Jahl.
He was also known by his kunniyyat Abu Abdi Shams.
He initiated the breaking of the older building of Kaabah for reconstruction. The Quraysh joined a day later.
He hired a Roman engineer for the construction of Kaabah and bought wooden planks for its roof.
He gave protection to Usmaan b. Mazoon after Usmaan's return from Abyssinia in the 6th year of Prophethood.
He is condemned in Surah al-Muddaththir (Surah 74) in the Quran.
He died in 1 AH before the battle of Badr. Abu Jahl became the leader of Quraysh and Makhzum after him.
Umayyah b. Khalf al-Jumaahi al-Qarashi al-Makki
He was the leader of the Banu Jumaah clan of Quraysh. He was the father of Safwan b. Umayyah.
He was also called by his kunniyyats which included Abu Ali and Abu Safwan.
He persecuted Bilal RA (his slave) but Bilal RA did not revert from Islam despite persecution.
He was a part of all the conspiracies against Islam in Makkah.
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He participated in Badr at Abu Jahl's insistence after initial reluctance. Abu Jahl mocked him for timidity.
He was killed in Badr by Bilal b. Rabah RA. Allah Almighty gave Bilal the honour to avenge his tormentor.
Musaylimah al-Kazzaab al-Hanafi al-Najdi
He met the Prophet PBUH in Madinah with the deputation of his tribe (Banu Hanifa) and accepted Islam.
Upon returning to his tribe, he announced false prophethood and gathered many followers.
He informed the Prophet PBUH of his claim and demanded that he be given control over half of Arabia.
The Prophet PBUH replied that the land belonged to Allah and He gave its control to whoever He willed.
The Prophet PBUH could not fight him because he died soon after Musaylimah's claim to prophethood.
After Prophet PBUH's death, Abu Bakr RA launched a campaign against him. The Muslim army overpowered his 40,000
strong army and killed him in the battle of Yamamah in 13 AH.
Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul al-Awfi al-Khazraji al-Madani
He was also known by his kunniyyats which included Abu Abdillah and Abu Hubaab.
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He was from Banu Awf clan of Khazraj tribe of Madinah. He was the leader of the hypocrites of Madinah.
After the migration of the Prophet PBUH, his power and influence diminished greatly. Hence, he harboured a
deep-seated hatred in his heart for the Prophet PBUH. However, he concealed his hypocrisy.
The Prophet PBUH accepted his intercession and did not kill the men of Banu Quynuqa in Shawwal 2 AH.
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He betrayed the Muslims in the battle of Uhud and left the Muslim army with 300 loyal hypocrites on the pretext that his
suggestion of fighting inside Madinah had not been accepted by the Prophet PBUH.
He disrespected the Prophet PBUH and Muslims after the battle of Trench. Allah Almighty condemned him in several
verses of surah al-Munafiqun. His son was a true Muslim who sought permission from the Prophet PBUH to kill his
father. The Prophet PBUH denied permission and forgave him.
The Prophet PBUH prayed his funeral prayer. The Prophet PBUH donated his own shirt for his shroud.
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Passages of Hadith
Hadiths
1
‫ َوَأِلِئ َّم ِة ْال ُم ْسلِ ِميْنَ َوعَا َّمتِ ِه ْم‬،‫ َولِ َرسُولِ ِه‬،‫ َولِ ِكتَابِ ِه‬،ِ ‫هَّلِل‬:‫ لِ َم ْن؟ قَا َل‬:‫ قُ ْلنَا‬.ُ‫ص ْي َحة‬
ِ َّ‫اَل ِّديْنُ الن‬
'Religion is sincerity.’ We said: ‘To whom?’ The Prophet said: ‘To Allah, His book, His messenger, the leaders of the
Muslims, and to their common people.’ (Muslim)
2
‫اَل يُْؤ ِمنُ َأ َح ُد ُك ْم َحتَّى ي ُِحبَّ َأِل ِخ ْي ِه َما ي ُِحبُّ لِنَ ْف ِس ِه‬
None of you believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself. (Bukhari and Muslim)
3
َ ‫ َو َم ْن َكانَ يُْؤ ِمنُ بِاَهَّلل ِ َو ْاليَوْ ِم اآْل ِخ ِر فَ ْليُ ْك ِر ْم‬،ُ‫ َو َم ْن َكانَ يُْؤ ِمنُ بِاَهَّلل ِ َو ْاليَوْ ِم اآْل ِخ ِر فَ ْليُ ْك ِر ْم َجا َره‬،‫ت‬
ُ‫ض ْيفَه‬ ْ ‫َم ْن َكانَ يُْؤ ِمنُ بِاَهَّلل ِ َو ْاليَوْ ِم اآْل ِخ ِر فَ ْليَقُلْ َخ ْيرًا َأوْ لِيَصْ ُم‬
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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 Allah and the Last Day be generous to his
guest. (Bukhari and Muslim)
4
َ ِ‫ َولَ ْم َأ ِز ْد َعلَى َذل‬،‫ َو َح َّر ْمت ْال َح َرا َم‬،‫ َوَأحْ لَ ْلت ْال َحاَل َل‬، َ‫ص ْمت َر َمضَان‬
‫ك َش ْيًئا؛ َأَأ ْد ُخ ُل‬ َ ‫ َأ َرَأيْت إ َذا‬:‫َأ َّن َر ُجاًل َسَأ َل َرسُو َل هَّللا ِ صلى هللا عليه و سلم فَقَا َل‬
ِ ‫صلَّيْت ْال َم ْكتُوبَا‬
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ُ ‫ َو‬،‫ت‬
‫ نَ َع ْم‬:‫ْال َجنَّةَ؟ قَا َل‬
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 Ramazan, treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat as unlawful that which is unlawful,
and do nothing further, I shall enter paradise?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ (Muslim)
5
ُ‫ َو ْال َكلِ َمةُ الطَّيِّبَة‬،ٌ‫ص َدقَة‬
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َ ُ‫ َوتُ ِعينُ ال َّر ُج َل فِي دَابَّتِ ِه فَتَحْ ِملُهُ َعلَ ْيهَا َأوْ تَرْ فَ ُع لَهُ َعلَ ْيهَا َمتَا َعه‬،ٌ‫ص َدقَة‬
ٌ‫ص َدقَة‬ ِ ‫ َوتُ ِميطُ اَأْل َذى ع َِن الطَّ ِر‬،ٌ‫ص َدقَة‬
َ ‫يق‬
ْ ‫ ُك َّل يَوْ ٍم ت‬،ٌ‫ص َدقَة‬
َ ‫َطلُ ُع فِي ِه ال َّش ْمسُ تَ ْع ِد ُل بَيْنَ ْاثنَي ِْن‬ ِ َّ‫ُكلُّ ُساَل َمى ِم ْن الن‬
َ ‫اس َعلَ ْي ِه‬
ْ ‫ َوبِ ُكلِّ ُخ‬،ٌ‫ص َدقَة‬
َّ ‫ط َو ٍة تَ ْم ِشيهَا إلَى ال‬
َ ‫صاَل ِة‬ َ
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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; speaking 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. (Bukhari and Muslim)
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6
ِ ‫ك َأضْ َعفُ اِإْل ي َم‬
‫ان‬ َ ِ‫ َو َذل‬،‫ فَِإ ْن لَ ْم يَ ْست َِط ْع فَبِقَ ْلبِ ِه‬،‫ فَِإ ْن لَ ْم يَ ْست َِط ْع فَبِلِ َسانِ ِه‬،‫َم ْن َرَأى ِم ْن ُك ْم ُم ْن َكرًا فَ ْليُ َغيِّرْ هُ بِيَ ِد ِه‬
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. (Muslim)
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7
‫ ُمْؤ ِم ٌن يُ َجا ِه ُد فِ ْي ِسبِي ِْل هللاِ بِنَ ْف ِس ِه َو َمالِ ِه‬:‫صلَّى هللاُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬
َ ِ‫ضلُ؟ فَقَا َل َرسُوْ ُل هللا‬ ِ ّ‫ َأيُّ الن‬،ِ‫ يَا َرسُوْ َل هللا‬:‫قِ ْي َل‬
َ ‫اس َأ ْف‬
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It was said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who is the most excellent of men?’ The Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon
him) said: ‘The believer who strives hard in the way of Allah with his person and his property.’ (Bukhari)
8
‫ فَ َم ْن هُ ْم يَا َرسُوْ َل‬:‫ قَالُوْ ا‬.ٌ‫ ِإ َّن ُشهَدَآ َء ُأ َّمتِ ْي ِإ ًذا لَقَلِ ْيل‬:‫ قَا َل‬.‫ يَا َرسُوْ َل هللاِ َم ْن قُتِ َل فِ ْي َسبِي ِْل هللاِ فَهُ َو َش ِه ْي ٌد‬:‫ َما تَ ُع ُّدوْ نَ ال َّش ِه ْي َد فِ ْي ُك ْم؟ قَالُوْ ا‬:‫صلَّى هللاُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم‬
َ ِ‫قَا َل َرسُوْ ُل هللا‬
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‫ َو َم ْن َماتَ فِ ْي ْالبَطَ ِن فَهُ َو َش ِه ْي ٌد‬،‫ َو َم ْن َماتَ فِ ْي الطَّا ُعوْ ِن فَهُ َو َش ِه ْي ٌد‬،‫ َم ْن َماتَ فِ ْي َسبِي ِْل هللاِ فَهُ َو َش ِه ْي ٌد‬،‫ َم ْن قُتِ َل فِ ْي َسبِي ِْل هللاِ فَهُ َو َش ِه ْي ٌد‬:‫هللاِ؟ قَا َل‬
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 a martyr, he who dies of cholera
in the way of Allah is a martyr.’ (Bukhari and Muslim)
9
‫ط َخ ْيرًا ِم ْن َأ ْن يَْأ ُك َل ِم ْن َع َم ِل يَ ِد ِه‬
ُّ َ‫َما َأ َك َل َأ َح ٌد طَ َعا ًما ق‬
No one eats better food than that which he eats out of the work of his hand. (Bukhari)
10
َ ‫اَلسَّا ِع ْي َعلَى اَأْلرْ ِملَ ِة َو ْال ِم ْس ِكي ِْن ك َْال ُم َجا ِه ِد فِ ْي َسبِي ِْل هللاِ َأوْ قَاِئ ِم اللَّي ِْل َو‬
ِ َ‫صاِئ ِم النَّه‬
‫ار‬
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One who manages the affairs of a widow or 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. (Bukhari and Muslim)
11
‫‏‬.‫‏ َوقَا َل ( َو َأشَا َر) بِِإصْ بَ َع ْي ِه ال َّسبَّابَ ِة َو ْال ُو ْسطَى‏‬.‫َأنَا َوكَافِ ُل ْاليَتِ ِيم فِي ْال َجنَّ ِة هَ َك َذا‬
‘I and the man who brings up an orphan will be in paradise like this.’ And he pointed with his two fingers, the index
finger and the middle finger. (Bukhari)
12
‫ يَ ِّس َرا َو اَل تُ َع ِّس َرا َو بَ ِّش َرا َو اَل تُنَفِّ َرا‬:‫ف ثُ َّم قَا َل‬
ٍ ‫اح ٍد َعلَى ِم ْخاَل‬ َ ‫صلَّى هللاُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلَّ َم َأبَا ُموْ َسى َو ُم َعا َذ إبْنَ َجبَ ٍل ِإلَى ْاليَ َم ِن َو بَ َع‬
ِ ‫ث ُك َّل َو‬ َ ‫بَ َع‬
َ ِ‫ث َرسُوْ ُل هللا‬
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) sent Abu Musa and Muaaz b. Jabal to Yemen, 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.’
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‫ت‬ ْ ‫ب اِإْل بِ ِل ْال ُم َعلَّقَ ِة؛ ِإ ْن عَاهَ َد َعلَ ْيهَا َأ ْم َس َكهَا َو ِإ ْن َأ‬
ْ َ‫طلَقَهَا َذهَب‬ ِ ‫اح‬
ِ ‫ص‬ ِ ْ‫ب ْالقُر‬
َ ‫آن َك َمثَ ِل‬ ِ ‫اح‬
ِ ‫ص‬َ ‫ِإنَّ َما َمثَ ُل‬
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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14
َ َ‫َر ِح َم هللاُ َر ُجاًل ِس ْمحًا ِإ َذا بَا َع َو ِإ َذا ِإ ْشتَ َرى َو ِإ َذا ِإ ْقت‬
‫ضى‬
May God show mercy to a man who is kindly when he sells, when he buys, and when he demands his money back.
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َ َّ‫اَل يَرْ َح ُم هللاُ َم ْن اَل يَرْ َح ُم الن‬
‫اس‬
16
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Allah will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.
ُ‫ ِإ ِن إ ْشتَكَى َع ْينُهُ ِإ ْشتَكَى ُكلُّهُ َو ِإ ِن ِإ ْشتَكَى َرْأ ُسهُ ِإ ْشتَكَى ُكلُّه‬،‫اح ٍد‬
ِ ‫ِإنَّ َما ْال ُمْؤ ِمنُوْ نَ َك َرج ٍُل َو‬
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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.
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‫َأ ْل َحيَآ ُء اَل يَْأتِ ْي ِإاَل بِ َخي ٍْر‬
Modesty produces nothing but good.

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‫ان َو اَل يَ ْد ُخ ُل ْال َجنَّةَ َأ َح ٌد فِ ْي قَ ْلبِ ِه ِم ْقدَا ُر َحبَّ ٍة ِم ْن خَرْ د ٍَل ِمنَ ِكب ٍْر‬
ٍ ‫اَل يَ ْد ُخ ُل النَّا َر َأ َح ٌد فِ ْي قَ ْلبِ ِه ِم ْقدَا ُر َحبَّ ٍة ِم ْن خَرْ د ٍَل ِمنَ ِإ ْي َم‬
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.
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‫اَل ُّد ْنيَا ِسجْ نُ ْال ُمْؤ ِم ِن َو َجنَّةُ ْالكَافِ ِر‬
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The world is the believer’s prison and the unbeliever’s paradise.

20
‫ص َو ِر ُك ْم َو َأ ْم َوالِ ُك ْم َو لَ ِك ْن يَ ْنظُ ُر ِإلَى قُلُوْ بِ ُك ْم ِو َأ ْع َمالِ ُك ْم‬
ُ ‫ِإ َّن هللاَ اَل يَ ْنظُ ُر ِإلَى‬
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God does not look at your forms and your possessions, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds
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Main teachings of the hadiths

Communal teachings Individual teachings
1 Hadith 1 Hadith 4
2 Hadith 2 Hadith 7
3 Hadith 3 Hadith 8
4 Hadith 5 Hadith 9
5 Hadith 6 Hadith 13
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10 Hadith 15
11 Hadith 16
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Teachings of Hadith
Teachings
1 Teachings:
The main teaching of this hadith is sincerity. Sincerity can be manifested and acted upon in many ways. Sincerity
to Allah means considering Him as the only God and obeying his commands;
2 Teachings:
Communal; Brotherhood; sincerity for Muslims; prioritising others; care for others; liking for others what you
like for yourself
3 Teachings:
Communal
Saying good
Staying silent
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Not indulging in useless, vulgur, excessive talk
Caring for neighbouring
Honouring the guests
Believing in Allah and the Hereafter
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4 Teachings:
Individual
Praying the obligatory prayers
Fasting in Ramazan
Consuming permissible things
Abstaining from impermissible things
5 Teachings:
Communal
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The importance of charity is emphasised
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Helping others in community is encouraged
Acting justly among people
To help people in their daily chores
Speaking good
Walking towards mosque
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Removing harmful objects from the road/way
6 Teachings:
Communal
Stopping the evil with hands (only those in position of authority like the government, parents, boss)
Preventing evil with tongue (only those with authority or knowledge like scholars)
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Disliking the evil and not indulging in it (this is incumbent on every Muslim)
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7 Teachings:
Individual
Fighting in the way of Allah
Striving in good causes and in the way of Allah (physically and financially)
Spending in the way of Allah (charity)
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8 Teachings:
Individual
The importance of martyrdom is highlighted
The reward for martyrdom is discussed
Striving in the way of Allah is encouraged
The Muslims will be rewarded in the Hereafter for their sufferings and diseases in this world
9 Teachings:
Individual
importance of hardwork
importance of earning halal
being independent
one should not indulge in immoral ways of earning such as crimes and begging.
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10 Teachings:
Communal
Helping others in the community
Spending on the needs of widows
Helping the poor financially by giving them money or fulfilling their needs
Helping the widows and poor is compared with the one who fasts in the day and prays in the night
11 Teachings:
Communal
Helping the orphans
Protecting their wealth
Not exploiting the orphans
Being kind to orphans is a constant theme of the Quran (Surah al-Fajr, surah al-Zuhaa, Surah al-Maaoon etc)
12 Teachings:
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Communal
The leaders should be compassionate, kind, and welcoming
They should cause ease and work for the betterment of their people
The leaders must not be harsh, arrogant, and unwelcoming
They must not cause hardships to the people.
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13 Teachings:
Individual
The Quran must be taken care of
Those who memorise the entire Quran or parts of it must make sure that they do not forget it
Quran should be revised regularly
14 Teachings:
Communal
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Muslims should be considerate when they are selling something; they should be honest; they should not charge
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high prices; they should not hide the defects of their products
Muslims should be kindly when they buy something; they should not ask for unfair discounts; they should not
be rude to the seller
The Muslims must be kind when they demand their money back; they should consider the problems of the
debtors; they should give time to the debtors
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15 Teachings:
Communal
Kindness/Compassion is emphasised upon.
Mercy of Allah almighty is linked with mercy to others
Mercy means being considerate, forgiving, and accommodating
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Practical Examples:
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16 Teachings:
Communal
The concept of Muslim unity and brotherhood is emphasised
The Muslims should feel the pain of others
The Muslims should strive to help their Muslim brothers in need and remove their hardships
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17 Teachings;
Individual
Modesty’s importance is discussed. It is called a part of faith
Modesty of all kinds; ears; eyes; tongue; heart;
18 Teachings:
Individual
Importance of faith is highlighted
Arrogance is discouraged as arrogance is Allah’s cloak
19 Teachings:
Individual
The world is not a place for fulfilling desires
the worldly life must be bound by the commands of Allah
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Muslims should not indulge in the worldly pursuits like non-Muslims

Muslims must prepare for the hereafter in the worldly life
The trials of Muslims and the pleasures of non-Muslims are temporary
20 Teachings:
Individual
Sincerity is emphasised upon (read with hadith 1)
Appearance does not matter
Wealth does not matter
Intentions in heart must be pure
Deeds are important for success in hereafter
Arrogance on the basis of appearance and wealth is discouraged
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History and Importance of Hadith

Definition of hadith
A word spoken or an act done or a confirmation given by the Holy Prophet PBUH.
The sayings, actions, and the silent approval or the implied consent of the Prophet PBUH.
Taqrir/Confirmation/Silent Approval/Implied Consent: The words said or actions done in the presence of the Prophet
PBUH to which the Prophet PBUH did not object. The silence of the Prophet PBUH implies that such words and acts are
permissible. Otherwise, the Prophet PBUH would have definitely prohibited such words and actions because the
Prophet PBUH had a duty of preventing evil.
Literal meaning of the word ‘hadith’

The word ‘hadith’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘hadatha’ which has three root letters (h/d/th). This three-letter root
conveys meaning of an event/happening/information of an event, etc. The word ‘tahdeeth’ is also derived from the same
root which means narration/acknowledgment. So the word hadith combines both meaning of the root; the meaning of
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an event or happening and the meaning of narration or information. Hence, the word hadith would mean any report or
narration of the events or happenings related to the Prophet PBUH.
Alternate names of hadith
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A hadith is any report about the sunnah (sayings, actions, and silent approval of the Prophet PBUH). Hadith is also
alternatively called ‘khabar’ which also translates as a report/news/information. Another alternate term for hadith is
‘athar’ or ‘asar’ which means ‘footprint’ or ‘a sign’.
Difference between hadith and Sunnah

As discussed above, sunnah refers to the sayings, actions, and the silent approval of the Prophet PBUH. The hadith refers
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to any report/news/information about the sayings, actions, or implied consent of the Prophet PBUH. The hadith is a
narration or mode of transmission of the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH. However, some scholars believe that the sunnah
only refers to the actions of the Prophet PBUH while the hadith refers to the sayings of the Prophet PBUH. This is not a
correct understanding of hadith and sunnah. Sunnah includes anything associated with the Prophet PBUH including his
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sayings, actions, and silent approval while hadith is any report about the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH.
Importance of Hadith
1. Hadith is the second most important source of Islamic law after the Holy Quran.
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2. Hadith is one of the two primary and revealed sources of Islamic law alongside the Quran.
3. Hadith is also a way of connection to the Prophet PBUH’s legacy through the chain of narrators.
4. Hadith is the most important and reliable source of commentary on the Quran.
5. Hadith is the second most important source of beliefs about the Hereafter/Unseen.
6. Hadith is also the most important source of the sirah/life of the Prophet PBUH.
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7. It is a very important source of the lessons from the stories of past nations.
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8. It is a treasure of eloquence and advice for daily life for Muslims.
Authority of hadith/sunnah
The sunnah of the Prophet PBUH is binding upon the Muslims to follow. Allah almighty has commanded Muslims to
obey and follow the Prophet PBUH. Allah almighty has also warned Muslims against disobedience to the Prophet PBUH.
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Allah almighty has commanded Muslims 29 times in the Quran to obey the Prophet PBUH.
The obedience of the Prophet PBUH is mentioned alongside the obedience of Allah everywhere in the Quran. There is
not a single mention of the obedience of Allah alone.
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Another command to the Muslims is to follow the example of the Prophet PBUH. This is called ittiba’ which means
becoming like the Prophet PBUH in every sense of the word. The Quran commands Muslims to be like the Prophet PBUH
at least 14 times.
The Quran also warns Muslims against the disobedience of and opposition to the Prophet PBUH
Reasons for the compilation of hadith

1. There was a danger of the hadiths becoming extinct and forgotten.
2. The Muslims feared that the hadiths may be corrupted/distorted and mixed with false hadiths.
3. The new converts and next generations of Muslims wanted to know about the life and teachings of Prophet
PBUH.
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4. The compiled written copies are easy to read and refer to.
5. The compiled copies are more accessible as those who are not expert memorizers of hadith can also benefit
from written copies.
Two kinds of revelation

1. Wahi Matluww: The recited revelation which is part of the Quran and are direct words of Allah.
2. Wahi Ghayr Matluww: The unrecited revelation which is not recited like the Quran but is a revelation from
Allah almighty. The teachings of the Prophet PBUH are part of this kind of revelation.
Types of Hadith on the basis of quotation

1. Al-Hadith al-Qudsi: A hadith in which the Prophet PBUH quotes the words of Allah which are not part of the
Quran. How different from quran
a. Difference between Quran and Hadis Qudsi
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i. Quraan is the direct word of Allah while Hadis Qudsi is the word of Allah narrated by the
Prophet PBUH in his sayings
ii. The Quran is compiled into a single book/codex while the Hadith Qudsi have no single
standardized collection.
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iii. Quraan can be recited in prayer while the hadis qudsi cannot be recited in prayer
iv. Quraan is transmitted through mutawaatir chains of narrators but all Hadis Qudsi are not
necessarily transmitted by so many transmitters in order to reach the level of tawaatur.
b. Some scholars compiled collections containing only qudsi hadith like the following;
i. Ibn ‘Arabi’s collection named Mishkat al-Anwar containing 101 hadiths
ii. Ibn Daybaa al-Yemeni’s collection
iii.
iv.
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Abdur Rauf al-Munawi’s collection containing 272 qudsi hadiths
Muhammad al-Madani’s collection containing 863 qudsi hadiths
c. Some examples of qudsi hadith are given below;
i. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that Allah has said: Fasting is for me, and I shall
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give its reward.
ii. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that Allah has said: Sons of Adam inveigh against
Time, and I am Time, in My hand is the night and the day. (Bukhari and Muslim)
iii. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that Allah has said: Indeed, My mercy prevails over
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My wrath. (Bukhari and Muslim)

iv. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that Allah has said: Spend O son of Adam, and I
shall spend on you. (Bukhari and Muslim)
v. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that Allah has said: Pride is My cloak and greatness
is My robe, and whoever competes with Me in respect of these two, I shall cast him into
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Hellfire. (Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Ahmad)

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vi. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that Allah will say on the Day of Judgement: Where
are those who love one another through My glory? Today, I shall give them shade in My abode.
There is no other shade today except My shade. (Bukhari)
2. Al-Hadith al-Nabawi: A regular hadith in which the Prophet PBUH does not quote the words of Allah directly.
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Authenticity of Hadith
Two Fields of Knowledge for the authenticity of hadith
1. Asmaaur Rijaal: In this stream of knowledge, the scholars of hadith made lists of all the narrators who had
narrated hadith. The entire life spans of all these narrators were researched. The data on the birth, education,
character, memory, travel of all the narrators was collected. On the basis of this data, the narrators were
categorised into reliable and unreliable narrators. Only the hadiths with all reliable narrators were accepted.
a. Names of books
2. Ilmul Jarhi wa Taadeel: In this field of knowledge, the text (matn and chain of narrators (sanad) of the hadith
was critiqued. The word ‘jarh’ means criticism and the word ‘taadeel’ means balancing after weighing. In this
stream of knowledge, the text of the hadith was analysed and hadiths were categorised according to the
authenticity of their text.
Criteria for the authenticity of hadith

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Criteria for the authenticity of Sanad/Chain of Criteria for the authenticity of Matn/text or body of hadith
narrators/transmitters
1. Islam: All narrators must be Muslim. 1. The text of hadith should not be contradictory
2. Al-’Adalah (Character): All narrators must have (against) to the Quran.
immaculate character. They must be pious and 2. The text of hadith should not be contradictory to
truthful. They must not be known to be habitual other famous hadiths.
liars. They must not insist on committing major 3. The text of hadith should not be contradictory to
sins. aql/reason/common sense.
3. al-Dabt (Memory): The narrators must possess 4. The text of hadith should not be contradictory to
good memory. general observation, known historical facts,
4. al-Aql (rationale/sanity): The narrators must be scientific facts, etc.
sane. The narration of a madman or a child who 5. The text of hadith must be free of grammatical
cannot distinguish between right and wrong will and linguistic mistakes.
not be accepted. 6. The text should not promise very high rewards for
5. Al-Riwayah (Mode of Transmission/narration): minor good deeds or very strict punishment for
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The chain of narrators must be unbroken. The minor sins.
narrators must preferably have met in person. 7. The text must not be against the esteemed family
Other forms of transmission like permission to of the Prophet PBUH or his noble companions.
recite from a book or permission through writing 8. The text of hadith must not glorify a particular
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are also acceptable. tribe/nation or condemn a particular
person/tribe
Types of Hadith on the basis of authenticity

1. Sahih/Authentic:
a. An authentic hadith is a hadith which is beyond any doubts.
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b. Both its text and chain of narrators have no major or minor flaws.
c. All narrators of the sahih hadith are Muslim, sane, pious, truthful, possess strong memory, and the
chain of narrators is unbroken.
d. The matn of the sahih hadith is also consistent with the Quraan, other established hadiths, common
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sense and general observations.
e. The sahih hadith can be quoted. It can also be used in law-making. The sahih hadith can also be used in
establishing beliefs.
2. Hasan/Good/Sound:
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a. A sound hadith is a hadith with minor doubts. The minor doubts may include the following;
i. The memory of a narrator may be suspected of weakness.
ii. The narrators may not have met in person but correspondence through letters may have taken
place
iii. The matn of the hadith may slightly contradict some other historical accounts. Some dates of
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events may be inaccurate which does not impact the main theme of the hadith significantly.
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b. A sound hadith can be quoted for reward and punishment. It can also be used for law-making.
3. Daif/Weak:
a. A weak hadith is a hadith with major flaws. Some examples of major flaws are the following;
i. One or several of the narrators may be accused of lying or other moral flaws.
ii. The time period of the narrators may not be the same. The chain of narrators may be broken.
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There may have been no face to face meeting or any correspondence among narrators.
iii. More than one narrator may be known to have serious weaknesses of memory.
b. A weak hadith can be quoted for telling the reward and punishment of deeds but it cannot be used for
law-making or establishing beliefs.
4. Mawdou/Fabricated:
a. A fabricated hadith is completely made-up and false hadith.
b. It is prohibited to quote.
c. It cannot be used in law-making.
d. The scholars have collected the fabricated hadith in collections in order to warn the people against
their use and quotation. Some examples of collections of fabricated hadith are the following;
i. Kitaabul Mawzooaat by Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawzi
ii. Al-La’aaliul Masnooah fil Ahaadeesil Mawzooaah by Jalaaluddin al-Suyuti
iii. Tanzeehush Shariatil Marfooah Anil Ahaadeesish Shaneeatil Mawzooah by Ibn Iraq al-Kinaai
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e. They have also added these hadith in their collection so that later day Muslims may not mix them with
the authentic hadiths.
Types of hadis on the basis of number of narrators

1. Mutawaatir: Mutawaatir refers to those hadiths which have so many narrators in each generation from so
many different places that it is impossible to believe that all of them conjured to fabricate the hadith. Their
number and the variety of their places makes it impossible to believe that so many people from so many places
could conspire to coin up a false hadith. Mutawaatir has further two types.
a. Mutawaatir bil Lafz: This term refers to those hadiths which are the same in words and meaning. All
the narrators transmit the hadith with the exact same words. Some examples are given below.
i. Whoever (intentionally) ascribes to me what I have not said, then (surely) let him take his
place in Hell-fire. (Bukhari and Muslim). This hadith has been narrated with the same words
by 74 companions.
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The burden of proof is upon the accuser and swearing the oath is on the one accused.
(Bayhaqi)
b. Mutawaatir bil Maanaa: This term refers to those hadiths which have similar theme/meaning but the
words of the hadith may vary slightly without changing the meaning of the hadith.
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i. Masah alal khuffayn (wiping with wet hand on leather socks). This act of the Prophet PBUH
has been narrated by more than 80 companions and many more followers and followers of the
followers.
2. Mashhoor: Mashhoor refers to those hadiths which have at least three or more narrators in each generation.
3. Khabrun Waahid: Khabar Waahid refers to those hadiths which have less than three narrators in at least one
generation. The vast majority of ahadith in the hadith literature are from this type of hadith.
History of the compilation of Hadith

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1. During the time of Prophet PBUH and companions
a. The Prophet PBUH had initially prohibited his companions from writing the hadiths because he feared
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that they may mix hadiths with Quranic text.
b. However, he later allowed and encouraged writing hadiths when the companions could distinguish
between the Quran and hadith.
c. He himself dictated a booklet on charity, his last sermon, his letters to the kings, his booklet for Muaaz
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b. Jabal when he was sent to Yemen as a governor, and his booklet that he dictated for Amr b. Hazm
whom he sent to govern Yemen.
d. Whenever the delegation of a certain people came to him, he would dictate a document with necessary
injunctions of Islam like documents for the tribes of Aslam, Ghaamid, Kath’am, Abdul Qays, etc.
e. Many companions used to memorise hadiths.
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f. 50 companions are recorded to have their own personal copies of ahadith like Abu Hurayra, Ali, Abu
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Bakr, Abdullah b. Amr, Jabir b. Abdullah, Anas b. Malik, Abdullah b. Abbas, Samura b. Jundub etc.
Companion Narrations Companion Narrations
Abu Hurayra al-Dawsi RA 5300 Abu Bakr b. Abi Quhafah RA 142
Abdullah b. Umar RA 2600 Umar b. al-Khattab RA 537
Ab
Anas b. Malik RA 2300 Ali b. Abi Talib RA 536

Ayishah b. Abi Bakr RA 2200
Abdullah b. al-Abbas RA 1700
2. During the period of followers of companions

a. 49 followers of companions are reported to have possessed personal copies of hadith.
b. The Umayyad caliph Umar b. Abdul Aziz issued an order to compile the hadiths
c. Imam al-Shaabi, Imam al-Zuhri, Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, and Hasan al-Basri wrote manuscripts
which have survived till date
d. A script of Hammam b. Munabbih, a student of Abu Hurayrah RA, has also survived till date
3. During the time of followers of the followers of the companions
a. 87 followers of followers of companions are reported to have possessed personal copies of hadith.
b. Muwatta Imam Malik b. Anas
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c. Jami of Sufyan al-Thawri

d. Kitab al-Zuhd by Abdullah b. Mubarak
e. Books of al-Awza’i
f. Books of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq
g. Many of these books are available and are still published even today
4. Musannaf Movement
a. Topical collections of hadith like
i. Musannaf of Ibn Jurayj
ii. Musannaf of Sufyan al-Thawri
iii. Musannaf of Abu Bakr b. Abi Shaybah
iv. Musannaf of Abdur Razzaq al-Sanaani
5. Musnad Movement
a. Books arranged according to the narrators
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i. Musnad of Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi
ii. Musnad Ahmad b. Hanbal
iii. Musnad Imam Azam Abu Hanifa
iv. Musnad of Abu Bakr al-Bazzar
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v. Musnad Humaydi
vi. Musnad of al-Musaddad
6. Sahih/Sunan Movement
This was the climax of hadith literature. Fully refined textbooks of hadith were written in this period. These
books were arranged topically. The hadiths in these books were written with full isnad. The following six books
are considered to be the most authentic books of this period. These are called Sihah Sitta (The Six Authentic
Books).
a. Sahih Bukhari
b. Sahih Muslim
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c. Sunan Abu Dawud
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d. Sunan Nasai
e. Sunan Ibn Majah
f. Jami’ Tirmidhi
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Narrations
Time Out of how
Book Author Chapters Narrations without
taken many
Repetitions
Sahih Muhammad b. Ismail
98 2602 16 Years 600000
al-Bukhari al-Bukhari (d. 256/870) 7397
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Muslim b. al-Hajjaj
Sahih
al-Naysaburi(d. 54
Muslim
261/875) 7748
Sunan Abi Abu Dawud al-Sijistani
Ab
Dawud (d. 275/889) 5276

Ahmad b. Shuayb
Sunan Nasai
al-Nasai (d. 303/916) 5,770
Sunan Ibn Muhammad b. Yazid b.
Majah Majah (d. 273/887) 4,485
Jami' Muhammad b. Isa
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al-Tirmidhi al-Tirmidhi (d. 279/892) 4330
Total 35000 19600
There are a combined 19600 hadiths in these six books without repetitions and around 35000 hadiths with repetitions.
Muhammad b. Tahir al-Maqdisi (d. 507 AH) was the first person to declare these six books as the most authentic. Some
scholars consider the al-Muwatta’ of Imam Malik as one of the six most authentic books in place of Sunan Ibn Majah.
Types of hadith collections

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1. Musnads
2. Musannafs
3. Sunans of four schools of thought
4. Ilzaamaat
5. Musalsalat
6. Mujams
In Mu’jam collections, the authors narrated all ahadith that they had learned without sifting them on the basis
7. Thabats
8. Mustakhrajs
The Mustakhraj collections were books of hadith that copied the templates of other famous hadith books. The
author would take a famous book of hadis and narrate all the ahadis of that book from his own chain of
narrators. The author would not add any new ahadith, instead, he would narrate the ahadith of the book from
his own chain of narrators.
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9. Mustadraks
In the mustadrak collections, the authors of the book would borrow the criteria of authenticity of a previous
author and compile all those ahadith that fulfilled that criteria but were left by the previous author. In his
mustadrak, Haakim al-Nishapuri compiled all those ahadith that were authentic according to the criteria of
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Bukhari and Muslim but were not added by Bukhari and Muslim in their books.
10. Sharah/Commentaries
The Sharah (plural: Shuruh or Shuruhaat) were detailed commentaries of hadith books. The Sharah books
explained the meanings of difficult words, added context to hadith, discussed the authenticity of hadith,
introduced persons and places mentioned in hadith, and added any other necessary details.
a. Sharah of Mishkaatul Masabeen named Mirqaatul Mafaateeh by Mullah Ali Qaari al-Hanafi
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b. Sharah of Muwatta of Imam Maalik named Awjazul Masaalik by Zakariyyaa Kandhlawi
c. Sharah of Sunan Abi Dawood named Al-Bazlul Majhood by Zakariyyaa Kandhlawi
d. Sharah of Sahih Bukhari named Laamiud Daraari by Zakariyyaa Kandhlawi
e. Sharah of Jami Tirmidhi named al-Kawkabud Durri by Zakariyyaa Kandhlawi
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11. Arbaoon/40 hadith collections
12. Digest collections
The digest collections were small volumes of hadiths which contained only the texts of hadiths without the
chain of narrators. In digest collections, the hadiths with the same texts from different chains are also excluded.
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Some famous examples of digest collections are the following;

Tajreedus Saheeh al-Bukhari by Zaynuddin al-Zabeedi
Masabeehus Sunnah by al-Husayn al-Baghawi
Mishkaatul Masaabeh by Muhammad al-Khateeb al-Tabrizi
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13. Zawaid/supplemental collections

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14. atraafs/Indices collections

These books served as indices for finding hadiths in vast collections on the basis of certain core words of the
hadiths. The hadiths were categorised into chapters based on the beginning or most prominent parts of their
texts. The chapters were arranged according to alphabetical sequence.
1. Tuhfatul Ashraaf bi Maarifatil Atraaf by Jamaluddin al-Mizzi
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2. Jaamiul Masaaneed by Ibn Katheer

3. Ithaaful Maharah bi Atraafil Asharah by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani
15. Ahkam collections
These books contained hadiths related to legal ruling (ahkaam). The famous books in this genre include
Bulooghul Maraam by Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani.
16. Hadith Qudsi collections
Hadith Qudsi refers to those hadiths in which the Prophet PBUH quotes the words of Allah almighty. The
scholars of hadith dedicated special volumes to such hadiths. Following are some of the examples of Hadith
Qudsi collections;
i. Ibn ‘Arabi’s collection named Mishkat al-Anwar containing 101 hadiths
ii. Ibn Daybaa al-Yemeni’s collection
iii. Abdur Rauf al-Munawi’s collection containing 272 qudsi hadiths
iv. Muhammad al-Madani’s collection containing 863 qudsi hadiths
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Categories of hadith narrators

Siqa
Shia collections of Hadith

1. Al-Kafi by Abu Jafar Muhammad al-Kulayni
2. Al Istibsar by Abu Jafar Muhammad al-Tusi
3. Tahdhib ul Ahkam by Abu Jafar Muhammad al-Tusi
4. Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih by Abu Jafar Muhammad Babawayh
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The Rightly Guided Caliphate

1. Abu Bakr’s caliphate
a. Early problems
i. Succession
ii. Burial of the Prophet PBUH
iii. Pacification of Muslims
iv. Usamah’s expedition to Syria
b. Achievements/campaigns
i. False prophets
1. Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab
2. Aswad al-’Ansi
3. Tulayha b. Khuwaylid al-Asadi
4. Sajjah b. al-Haris al-Tamimi
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ii. Apostates
iii. Refusal to pay zakah
iv. Expansion
v. Compilation of Quran
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c. Administration
2. Umar’s caliphate
a. Expansion
i. Romans
1. Yarmuk
2. Damascus
ii.
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3. Jerusalem
4. Egypt
Persians
1. Jasr
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2. Buwayb
3. Qadisiyah
4. Nahawand
b. Administration
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c. Martyrdom
3. Usmaan’s caliphate
a. Expansion
i. North Africa
ii. Central Asia
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iii. Afghanistan and Iran

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iv. Cyprus and Turkey

b. False Charges
i. Nepotism
ii. Corruption
iii. Burning of Quran
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iv. Weak governance

c. Administration
d. Martyrdom
4. Ali’s caliphate
a. Civil War
i. Battle of Camel
ii. Battle of Siffin
iii. Battle of Nahrawan
b. Administration
c. Martyrdom
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Overview of the Caliphate

Starting Ending Place of
Caliphate Duration Mode of Election Death/Martyrdom Age
Date Date Death
11 AH 13 AH Through the consensus of the
Abu Bakr 2 years Natural Death due to Illness 63 Madinah
632 CE 634 CE companions
Martyred by a Persian slave
Abu Bakr RA nominated him
13 AH 23 AH Abu Lulu Firoz in Madinah
Umar 10 years after consultation with 63 Madinah
634 CE 644 CE in al-Masjid al-Nabawi
prominent companions
during Fajr prayer
Umar RA nominated 6 blessed
companions to choose the next Martyred by Egyptian rebels
23 AH 35 AH
Usmaan 12 years caliph among themselves. The 6 in his house in Madinah 82 Madinah
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644 CE 656 CE
member committee chose after a siege of 50 days
Usmaan RA
Automatic selection based on
seniority Martyred by Abdur Rahman
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35 AH 40 AH
Ali 5 years Insistence from senior b. Maljim al-Khariji in Kufa 63 Kufa, Iraq
656 CE 661 CE
companions including Talha during Fajr prayer
and al-Zubayr RA
11 AH 40 AH
Total 29 years Mixed system
632 CE 661 CE
Roman Empire
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Overview of the Roman and Persian Empires
Persian Empire
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Dynasty A series of dynasties
The dynasty in the caliphate period was Sassanid dynasty
The last dynasty in 1979 was the Pahlavi dynasty
Period From 330 CE to 1453 CE From 550 CE to 1979
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Regions ruled Greece, Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Armenia, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt,
Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Israel Syria, Pakistan, India, Central Asia
Capital Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey Mada’in, Iran
Founder Constantine, the Great Cyrus, the Great
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Alternate Names Holy Roman Empire Iranian Empire

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Eastern Roman Empire Farasi Empire

Byzantine Empire
Religion Christianity Zoroastrianism and Fire Worshipping
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Title Caesar/Qaysar Chosroes/Kisra

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Abu Bakr RA’s caliphate

1. Early Problems Addressed By Abu Bakr RA
a. Succession of the Prophet PBUH
He resolved the issue of succession. The Ansar had gathered in Saqifah Bani Saaidah to
nominate their candidate for caliphate. Abu Bakr RA along with Umar RA and Abu Ubaydah b. al-Jarrah
RA went to Saqifah. The Ansar had proposed Saad b. Ubadah al-Khazraji RA as caliph. Abu Bakr RA told
them that he had heard from the Prophet PBUH that the leaders of Muslims will be from Quraysh. Then
the Ansar proposed two leaders, one from Quraysh and one from Ansar. Abu Bakr RA rejected this by
saying that there cannot be two leaders. Then he proposed to choose either Umar or Abu Ubaydah for
caliphate. Umar RA refused and instead pledged allegiance to him followed by Abu Ubaydah and the
remaining Ansar.
b. Burial of the Prophet PBUH
The Muslims did not know where to bury the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH was from
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Makkah and had migrated to Madinah. The companions did not know where to bury him. Abu Bakr RA
resolved this issue by saying that he had heard the Prophet PBUH say that the Prophets are buried
where they die. Hence, the Prophet PBUH was buried in the apartment of ‘Ayishah RA where he had
passed away. He resolved the issue of the burial site of the Prophet PBUH.
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c. Pacification of Muslims
Following the death of the Prophet PBUH, the Muslims were in a state of panic. Umar RA was
ready to fight anyone who said the Prophet PBUH had passed away. At this crucial juncture, Abu Bakr
RA addressed the Muslims and pacified them. He made them realise that the Prophet PBUH was a
mortal human being and had passed away. He told the gathering of Muslims that only Allah almighty is
worthy of worship who is eternal and ever-living.
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d. Usamah’s expedition to Syria
The Prophet PBUH had sent Usamah b. Zayd b. al-Harisa al-Kalbi RA on an expedition to Syria
to fight the bordering Arab tribes who posed a threat to the Islamic state of Madinah by aligning with
the Roman forces in the very last days of his life. Usamah’s army remained in the vicinity of Madinah
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due to the illness of the Prophet PBUH. When they heard of his demise, they returned to Madinah. After
the burial of the Prophet PBUH, Abu Bakr RA decided to dispatch the army. Senior companions
including Umar, Usmaan, Saad, and Said RA advised Abu Bakr RA not to send the army because
Madinah was under imminent threat from the neighbouring apostate tribes. However, Abu Bakr RA
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outrightly rejected this advice and insisted that he would neither stop an expedition devised by the
Prophet PBUH nor depose its young leader (Usamah was about twenty years old) who was appointed
by the Prophet PBUH. Umar RA was also part of this expedition. Abu Bakr RA wanted to keep Umar RA
in Madinah for consultation. So, he requested Usamah to allow Umar RA to stay in Madinah. Usamah
RA accepted his request. He instructed Usamah not to betray promise, break trusts, kill children,
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women, priests, and elderly, cut trees, or destroy places of worship. This army consisted of 3000
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people including 1000 horse riders. Abu Bakr RA accompanied the army to the outskirts of Madinah in
a state that he was on foot while Usamah was riding a horse. Usamah’s army defeated the Romans and
their allied tribes in Balqaa and Darum and returned victorious after forty days. This expedition
displayed the discipline, humility, wisdom, sincerity, and steadfastness of Abu Bakr RA.
2. Achievements/Campaigns
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a. Successful campaigns against false prophets

i. Musaylimah al-Kadhdhab (The Liar)
Musaylimah was from the Banu Hanifa tribe of Najd in Central Arabia. His tribe was a
branch of Banu Rabeeah who were against the Banu Mudar. Most of his followers supported
him out of tribal jealousy because Prophet Muhammad PBUH was from the Quraysh tribe
which was a branch of Banu Mudar. Musaylimah gathered a force of thousands against
Muslims. He also joined forces with Sajjah, another false prophetess, and married her. He
waived off two prayers (Fajr and Isha’) from his own and Sajjah’s followers. He declared
Yamamah in Najd as his own haram and qibla. He also made up false verses and claimed that
he received revelations. These verses were outrightly bogus and ridiculous.
Abu Bakr RA sent ‘Ikrimah b. Abi Jahl with 4000 Muslims to fight Musaylimah with
instruction not to fight until Shurahbil b. Hasanah joins you with his force of 4000 soldiers.
‘Ikrimah RA did not wait for Shurahbil RA and attacked Musaylimah’s army after reaching
Najd. Ikrimah RA’s force was no match for Musaylimah’s army which was 40,000 strong (10
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times that of Muslims). Ikrimah RA wrote to Abu Bakr RA to inform him of his defeat. Abu
Bakr RA wrote to Shurahbil to wait for Khalid b. al-Walid’s force of 9000 Muslims before
attacking Musaylimah’s army. When Khalid returned to Madinah after defeating Tulayha,
another false prophet, Abu Bakr RA dispatched him to Yamamah region of Najd in Central
Arabia. With the reinforcement of Khalid b. al-Walid RA, the Muslims’ strength grew. The
Muslims attacked Musaylimah’s army. This battle took place in the battlefield of Aqrabaa in
Yamamah. It was the fiercest battle the Muslims had fought. Both sides suffered heavy losses.
At last, the Muslims overpowered the army of Musaylimah. Musaylimah took refuge in a
fortified garden known as ‘Hadiqah al-Rahman’ or ‘the Garden of al-Rahman’. The Muslims
pursued them to the garden. By the time the Muslims reached the garden, Musaylimah’s
followers had already closed the gates of the garden. Bara’ b. Malik (brother of Anas b. Malik)
insisted that he be thrown into the garden to open the door. The Muslims accepted his plea
after initial hesitance and due consultation. Bara’ received more than 80 wounds before
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succeeding in opening the gate. The Muslims rushed into the garden and started killing
Musaylimah’s followers in large numbers. Musaylimah’s Commander-In-Chief, Muhkam, was
leading the proceeding in the battle. Abdur Rahman b. Abi Bakr RA shot an arrow at his neck
which killed him. This demoralised Musaylimah’s forces. Musaylimah himself was injured by
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Wahshi RA (who had martyred Hamza RA in Uhud) through a shot of his spear. Abdullah b.
Zayd RA (the son of Umm ‘Ammarah RA) killed him with his sword.
7000 of Musaylimah’s soldiers were killed in the battlefield, another 7000 in the
garden, and around 7000 were killed while fleeing from the battlefield and garden. Due to the
massive bloodshed there, the garden came to be known as ‘the garden of death’. Many
prominent companions were martyred in this battle including Abu Huzayfa b. Utbah b.
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Rabeeah and his slave Salim who were among the earliest converts and also migrated to
Abyssinia in the first group. Umar RA’s brother Zayd b. al-Khattab and Abu Dujanah RA were
also martyred in this battle. The commander of the Muhajirun battalion, Abdullah b. Hafs RA,
was also among the martyrs. The martyrs in this battle also included several prominent
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reciters and memorisers of the Quran. The number of Muslim martyrs in this battle is
disputed.
ii. Aswad al-Ansi
He was from the al-’Ansi tribe in Yemen. He is also called ‘the veiled Prophet’ because
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he used to cover his face with a veil to conceal his ugliness. He had declared prophethood
during the lifetime of the Prophet PBUH. He started terrifying the neighbouring Muslim tribes
by gathering a large army of supporters. The Prophet PBUH passed away before taking a direct
military action against him. The Prophet PBUH, however, wrote to the neighbouring Muslim
tribes in Yemen to deal with ‘Aswad. On the written instructions of the Prophet PBUH, a
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companion named Firoz al-Daylami secretly entered his residence one night and killed him.
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Despite his killing, his support did not diminish. After the demise of the Prophet PBUH, his
supporters gathered an army against the Muslims. Abu Bakr RA sent an army under the
command of Muhajir b. Umayyah RA to fight al-‘Ansi’s supporters. Muhajir’s army crushed the
military might of al-‘Ansi’s army and restored peace and order in Yemen.
iii. Tulayha b. Khuwaylid al-Asadi
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He was chief of the Banu Asad tribe of North Arabia, the same tribe as that of Zaynab
b. Jahsh RA. He claimed that Jibrail brought revelations to him. He composed a few verses and
presented them as revelations. He was supported by Banu Asad, Banu Ghatafan, and Banu
Tayy. Banu Tayy later withdrew their support at the command of their chief, ‘Adi b. Hatim
al-Tayyi, and fought on the side of Muslims against Tulayha’s army. Tulayha was defeated by
Khalid b. al-Walid RA in the battle of Buzakha. Buzakha is situated 400 kilometres north-east
of Madinah. His Commander-in-Chief in this battle was ‘Uyaynah b. Hisn. Both Tulayha and
‘Uyaynah fled the battlefield when they realised that defeat was inevitable. They both accepted
Islam later and Abu Bakr RA forgave them. Tulayha fought gallantly in the battle of Qadisiyah
against Persians.
iv. Sajjah b. al-Haris al-Tamimi
She was from the Banu Tamim tribe of North Arabia. She was a sorcerer and practised
magic to control wild animals which deceived her followers into believing that she had divine
power of miracles. She declared prophethood and succeeded in gaining the support of many
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people from her own tribe and the Christian Banu Taghlib tribe. Malik b. Nuwayrah, the chief
of Banu Tamim tribe, advised her to join forces with Musaylimah before attacking the Muslims
in Madinah. She liked this advice and went to Yamamah to join forces with Musaylimah.
Musaylimah was able to coerce her into marriage with him. He also waived two prayers (Fajr
and Isha’) from the supporters of Sajjah as a mehar of his marriage with Sajjah. Sajjah’s
supporters fought alongside Musaylimah in the battle of Yamamah. After their defeat in
Yamamah, Sajjah fled to Iraq and lived in retirement from prophethood and politics. She
accepted Islam when Muslims conquered Iraq.
b. Apostates
Another major issue faced by Abu Bakr RA was the apostatizing of the Muslim tribes after the demise
of the Prophet PBUH. These tribes included Banu Murrah, Banu Fazzarah, Banu Kinanah, Banu Abas,
Banu Dhubyan, and Banu Ghatafan. These tribes had gathered around Madinah as they knew that the
strength of Muslims had considerably reduced due to the dispatch of Usamah’s army. Abu Bakr RA
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showed restraint and focused on the defence of Madinah as he awaited the return of Usamah’s army.
When Usamah’s army returned, Abu Bakr RA appointed Usamah as his deputy in Madinah and took the
army to defeat these tribes. Abu Bakr RA defeated these tribes with the following measures.
● He sent Usamah’s army to the North which demonstrated the might of the Muslims. The
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apostates were overawed with this army. The apostates were demoralised as they thought that
the Muslims were so strong that they were sending armies to fight the bordering tribes.
● He posted security at the highways and entrances of Madinah till the return of Usamah’s army.
Thus, he secured the defence of Madinah. The apostates could not find a suitable opportunity
to attack Madinah. They had to camp in the outskirts of Madinah and wait for the right time to
attack Madinah.
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● When Usamah’s army returned, he appointed Usamah as the incharge of Madinah and led the
army against these tribes in Jumadi al-Akhirah. He attacked them before dawn and defeated
them by the sunrise. A large number of apostates was killed in this encounter. Abu Bakr RA led
this campaign himself despite the advice of companions against it. This shows the resolve and
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courage of Abu Bakr RA.
● He camped in Zul Qussa (20 miles from Madinah) and divided his army in 11 regiments and
dispatched these regiments in different directions to fight the apostates. These groups
successfully tackled the apostate tribes.
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c. Refusers to pay Zakah

d. Expansion
i. Against Romans in West
1. The Prophet PBUH had initiated campaigns against the Romans in his life including
the campaigns towards Mutah, Tabuk, and Usama’s expedition to Syria. Hence, Abu
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Bakr RA continued those campaigns once he dealt with the immediate challenges and
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the Persians.
2. Ajnaadayn
Another major battle against Roman in the caliphate of Abu Bakr RA was the battle of
Ajnaadayn. This battle took place on 27 Jumaadil Oola in 13 AH in Ajnaadayn near
Ramlah in Palestine. The Romans numbered ninety thousands while Muslims were
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21000 in number. The Romans were led by Tazaariq who was the brother of the
Roman emperor while the Muslims were commanded by Khalid RA. Other important
generals in the Muslim army included Abu Ubaydah b. al-Jarrah RA, Amr b. al-Aas RA,
Shurahbeel b. Hasanah RA, Yazeed b. Abi Sufyaan RA, and Muaawiyah b. Abi Sufyaan
RA. Khalid RA had joined the Muslim force from Iraq with 10,000 soldiers. He had
covered a distance of 12 days in only 5 days through a short and risky route suggested
by Raafay b. Umayrah RA of Banu Tayy tribe.
The Muslims fought courageously in this battle. Tazaariq, the commander of the
Romans, was killed on the battlefield. The Muslims won this battle.
3. 1st Battle of Yarmook
The Muslim armies were busy in Syria against the Romans under Abu Ubaydah RA
and in Iraq against the Persians under Khalid RA. Abu Bakr RA appointed Khalid as
the commander of Muslim armies and commanded him to march to Syria to attack the
Romans. Khalid RA left with 10,000 men from Heerah, Iraq and left Muthannaa b.
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al-Haaris al-Shaybaani as the guardian of Iraq with 10,000 men. The usual route to
Syria required 12 days of consecutive travelling. As Muslims had to reach Syria
urgently, therefore, Khalid took an unusual route which was short but risky due to
non-availabilty of water and reached Syria in only 5 days. Hence, the Muslims strength
in Syria was doubled. The Muslims had a total strength of 30,000 in this battle
including commanders such as Abu Ubaydah b. al-Jarraah RA, Yazeed b. Abi Sufyaan,
Shurahbeel b. Hasanah, Ikrimah b. Abi Jahl, and Amr b. al-Aas RA. The Arab tribes of
Muzar and Rabeeah also joined forces with the Muslims. The Muslims and Romans
met in Yarmook in the Antakiya region. Khalid RA was the overall commander of the
Muslims Army while Abu Ubaydah RA led the archers and Amr b. al-Aas led the
cavalry. In the ensuing battle, the Muslims defeated the Romans. This victory initiated
a series of Muslim victories against Romans which resulted in the complete routing of
Romans from the Arabian peninsula and adjoining areas such as North Africa.
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ii. Against Persians in East
1. Kaazimah
The first major battle between Muslims and Persians took place in Kazima in Eastern
Iraq. Muslims were led by Khalid RA, Musannaa b. al-Haris al-Shaybaani RA, and
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Qaaqaa b. Amr al-Tamimi RA. The Muslims won the battle. The Persian fled to Mazaar.
Musannaa RA followed them and defeated them in the battle of Mazaar.
2. Walajah
The battle of Walajah was fought in Safar in 12 AH. Khalid b. al-Waleed RA
commanded the Muslims while the Persians were led by Bahman Jaazawayh and
Andarzagar. Khalid RA divided his army into two contingents. He attacked the
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Persians with the first contingent and left the second contingent at the back. When
the fighting started, both sides fought with immense fervour. Very soon, the soldiers
on both sides started feeling exhaustion. Seeing that the Persians are showing signs of
fatigue, Khalid RA ordered the well-rested second contingent of his army to attack the
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Persian army. The Persians were taken aback by this fresh and forceful attack from
Muslims. Their exhausted soldiers were no match for the Muslims. Therefore, the
Persians started running away from the battlefield. The Muslims followed them and
killed many of them. One of the Persian commanders, Andarzagar, died of thirst while
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running away from Muslims. This battle resulted in victory for Muslims.
3. Heerah
Heerah was an important garrison town of the Persian empire in Iraq on the bank of
Euphrates river. The Muslims under the command of Khalid RA laid siege to this town
in Rabeeul Awwal in 12 AH. This town was fully fortified. It was inhabited by Christian
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Arabs who were loyal to the Persian empire. Once the siege started, the people of the
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town attempted to negotiate a treaty with the Muslims. They sent Amr b. Abdul
Maseeh as their envoy to Khalid RA. Amr agreed to surrender on the condition that he
and his people be forgiven. Khalid RA accepted this request. Hence, the city was
captured by Muslims and the people of the town were forgiven.
e. Compilation of Quran: Refer to table 2.1 in Paper 1 Chapter 2 (The History and Importance of Quran)
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3. Administration
a. Rule by consultation
i. The caliphs did not rule by their own will. Instead, they consulted with people before making
decisions. The following two houses/chambers were formed for consultation.
ii. Majlis Khaas/Elders’ Council: This house comprised the prominent companions. This
council was consulted on a daily basis and on all issues.
iii. Majlis ‘Aam/General Council: This was a larger body. It comprised the entire community. It
was only consulted occasionally and on major issues.
b. Accountability and transparency
i. Governors and other officials were made accountable for their actions on the occasion of Hajj.
ii. There was an efficient system of complaints against government officials.
iii. Government officials had to give details of their assets in order for the caliph to judge whether
they had accumulated assets through embezzlement.
iv. Common men could ask any official including the caliph about their actions and words.
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c. Military reforms
i. The caliphs organised the Muslim armies. They divided the military into the following two
categories:
1. Standing army: The standing army referred to those troops who were paid for their
full-time professional active-duty service. They resided in cantonments.
2. Reserve force: This was a volunteer force which was only called for major campaigns
and in cases of emergency.
ii. Abu Bakr RA had divided the army into small groups of not more than 10000 troops under
separate commanders while Umar RA combined all troops and appointed Abu Ubaydah RA as
the overall Commander-In-Chief of Muslim army.
iii. Umar RA prohibited soldiers from buying property in the conquered territories. Usmaan RA
relaxed this restriction in his caliphate and allowed soldiers to buy lands in newly-conquered
territories.
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iv. Umar RA had made it mandatory for soldiers to reside in the cantonments outside the city
centres so that the lives of ordinary people are not disturbed due to the movement of troops.
Usmaan RA later allowed the soldiers to reside in cities.
v. Umar RA forbade soldiers from marrying in the conquered territories while Usmaan revoked
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this restriction.
d. Financial reforms
i. Dewan: This was an office where all financial records were kept.
ii. Bait-ul-Maal: This was the office of public treasury where the war booty and the tax
collections were stored.
iii. Pensions: The caliphs fixed the pensions of the mothers of the faithful, companions, elderly,
iv.
service.
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widows, and orphans. The companions were given pensions on the basis of seniority and
Taxation: All the caliphs collected the following taxes.

1. Zakat: Generally a 2.5% tax on annual earnings. See the details in the section on
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Zakah.
2. Jizya: A tax collected from non-Muslim citizens in return for guarantee of protection of
those non-Muslims by the state.
3. ‘Ushr: This was a tax on the annual agricultural produce. It was 10% on naturally
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irrigated lands and 5% on artificially irrigated lands.

4. Khumus: It was a 20% tax on the produce from mines.
5. Khiraj: It was a 20% tax on agricultural produce from lands of non-Muslims.
e. General administration
i. The Muslim empire was divided into 12 provinces by Abu Bakr RA. Umar, Usmaan, and Ali RA
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maintained this structure. Each province had the following three officials
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1. Waali/governor who was responsible for the general administration of the province.
2. Qaadi/judge who administered justice in the province and was independent of the
governor.
3. Aamils/tax collectors were district level officials who were responsible for
revenue/tax collection in their districts.
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f. Miscellaneous
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Umar RA’s caliphate

1. Election
In his last illness, Abu Bakr RA was concerned about his succession. He called the senior companions and
sought their advice as to whom they wanted to be the next caliph. All of them refused to give any names.
Instead, they authorised him to name his successor himself and they will oblige. Hence, Abu Bakr RA asked
them about Umar RA. Some companions objected to Umar RA’s strict nature. Abu Bakr RA argued that Umar RA
was strict because he knew that I am lenient. Once he undertakes the responsibility of caliphate, he will become
moderate. Thus, he was able to convince the companions on the leadership of Umar RA. As a result, Abu Bakr
RA nominated Umar RA as his successor and transferred the power of the caliph to him in his last days.
2. Contributions to Islam
3. Expansion through wars against Romans and Persians
a. Persians
i. Namaariq
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The Muslim armies led by Abu Ubayd al-Saqafi al-Hawazini and al-Musannaa b. al-Haaris
al-Shaybani defeated Persians in the Persian territory of Namaariq in Eastern Iraq. The
Persians were split into three large contingents each led by a famous general. The first
contingent was led by a general named Jaabaan. The Muslims beat him, however, Jaabaan
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succeeded in fleeing the battlefield. Another Persian general named Narsi brought his troops
as enforcement but was soon defeated by the Muslims. Another general, Jaleenus, then came to
rescue the Persians but he was defeated in Kaskar, near Namaariq. Hence, three generals of the
Persian army lost one by one to a Muslim army much smaller in number.
ii. Jisr (Bridge)
The second major battle in the caliphate of Umar RA against the Persians was the battle of Jisr.
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Jisr is the Arabic word for bridge. It is called the battle of Jisr because this battle was fought on
and besides a narrow bridge on the bank of the Euphrates river. This battle took place in
Shaabaan, 13 AH. The Muslims were led by Abu Ubayd al-Saqafi and Musanna b. al-Haaris
al-Shaybani. The Persians were led by Jaabaan, Bahman Jaazawayh, and Mardaan Shah. The
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two armies were on either side of the bridge. The Persian asked the Muslims whether they
would cross the bridge. Musannaa was against crossing the bridge because he thought that
would give Persians an advantage over Muslims. However, Abu Ubayd insisted on crossing the
bridge because he wanted to show the Persians that Muslims are not afraid of death. Hence,
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Abu Ubayd’s opinion prevailed and Muslims started crossing the bridge.
The Persians backtracked a little to allow the Muslims some space on the other side of the
bridge for the battle to take place. When the Muslims were halfway over the bridge, the
Persian attacked them with arrows which caused chaos in the Muslim troops. Many of them
started retreating which choked the bridge and many Muslims drowned in the river. Very few
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Muslims could cross the bridge. On the other side of the bridge, a fierce battle took place. The
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Persians had brought elephants to the battlefield which frightened the Arab horses of Muslims.
This caused confusion in the Muslim camp. However, Abu Ubayd kept encouraging the
Muslims to advance. The Muslims were able to kill many Persians too. Two top generals of the
Persian army, Jaabaan and Mardaan Shah, were killed in the battlefield. Bahman Jaazawayh
was able to escape. In the ensuing chaos, many Muslims drowned in the river while many
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others were martyred in the battlefield. Abu Ubayd al-Saqafi himself was trampled by an
elephant and embraced martyrdom due to suffocation. Following his martyrdom, al-Musannaa
took over the reins of leadership. He ordered some Muslims to rebuild the bridge. Meanwhile,
he and his fellows kept resisting the Persian attacks. When the bridge was rebuilt,
al-Musannaa ordered the remaining Muslims to retreat. Hence, some Muslims were able to
save their lives by fleeing. The Muslims lost this battle.
iii. Battle of Buwayb
The victory in Jisr emboldened the Persians. They wanted to tackle the Muslims once and for
all. Hence, they prepared for another battle against the Muslim on the bank of Euphrates river
in Buwayb in Ramazaan in 14 AH. They were led by Mehraan, the son of another celebrated
general Behraam. The Muslims were led by al-Musannaa b. al-Haaris al-Shaybaani. Having
suffered heavy casualties in Jisr, the Muslims decided not to cross over the bridge this time.
al-Musannaa invited the Persians to cross over the bridge to their side. The Persians were
deceived by their victory in Jisr into believing that they could win the battle even if they
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crossed the bridge over to the Muslim side. Therefore, Mehraan accepted the invitation and
ordered his troops to cross the bridge. This decision proved fatal for Persians as the Persians
faced the same fate as Muslims in Jisr.
Al-Musannaa divided his troops into three groups to be commanded by himself and his
brothers, al-Muannaa and Masood. al-Muannaa was given the charge of cavalry (the
horse-riding soldiers) while Masood was entrused with leading the infantry (the soldiers on
fooot). The Persians crossed the bridge over with pomp and arrogance. Their troops were led
by elephants followed by a large group of drum beaters and trumpet blowers who produced
deafening sounds. However, the pomp and arrogance of the Persians soon started to diminish
when the Muslims attacked them. al-Musannaa instructed a small band of Muslim soldiers to
break the bridge once all Persians had crossed over to the Muslims side. This strategy came in
handy in the end as the Persians could not flee the battlefield and were killed in large
numbers.
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In the actual battle, the Muslim fought courageously against a much large Persian army. The
Persian commander, Mehraan, was killed in the battlefield. The killing of their commander
demoralized the Persian troops. They started fleeing the battlefield but found out that the
bridge had been broken by the Muslims. Hence, they were left with two options, either drown
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in the river or die fighting in the battlefield. Most of them jumped into the river and drowned.
The remaining were killed by Muslims. According to most estimates, apporximately one
hundred thousand Persian soldiers were killed in this battle. Masood, al-Musanna’s brother
and commander of infantry, also embraced martyrdom. As a result, the Muslims won this
battle. The Persian military strength was significantly reduced after this battle.
iv. Qaadisiyah
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The battle of Qaadisiyah was the greatest battle fought between Muslims and Persians. It was
fought for three days in Shawwal in 15 AH. The Muslims were led by Saad b. Abi Waqqaas RA
while the Persians were commanded by Rustam. Initially Umar RA planned to lead this battle
himself and appoint Ali RA as his deputy in Madinah. However, at the insistence of his close
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advisors, he decided to send Saad b. Abi Waqqaas RA to lead the battle. Saad was an
experienced general and a renowned archer. He had fought bravely in all battles in the life of
the Prophet PBUH. Hence, he was a suitable replacement for Umar RA. Other prominent
Muslims commanders in this battle included Khalid RA and Qaaqaa b. Amr al-Tamimi RA.
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The Muslim armies already in Iraq under the command of Al-Musannaa b. al-Haaris
al-Shaybaani numbered 10,000. They were no match for the mighty Persian armies. Hence,
Umar RA ordered Khalid and Qaaqaa RA who were in Syria to join forces with al-Musannaa.
Umar RA also ordered Arabs from the tribes of Rabeeah and Muzar to join the Muslim force.
He also asked the people of Najd to prepare reinforcements for the Muslim army. With all the
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reinforcements, the Muslims number 30,000 in total. Al-Musannaa died shortly before the
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battle. Saad RA got ill before the battle. Hence, he could not lead the fighting in the battlefield.
Khalid and Qaaqaa RA directed the fighting on the ground with instructions from Saad RA. The
Persian army included famous generals like Rustam, Bahman Jazawayh, Firozaan, and
Hurmuzaan.
The Persian force was heavily equipped while the Muslims were equipped with basic weapons.
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The Persians had brought elephants which frightened the horses of Muslims which led to their
retreat. Saad RA commanded the troops of Banu Asad and Banu Tamim to unmount from
horses and attack the elephants. By doing this, the Muslims were able to prevent the complete
retreat of Muslims on the first day.
On the next day, Qaaqaa b. Amr al-Tamimi reached Qaadisiyah from Syria and joined the
Muslim army. Before arriving on the battlefield, he divided his force into ten groups and joined
the Muslim camp intermittently. This demoralised the Persians as they thought that a large
number of reinforcements had arrived. Immediately after joining, Qaaqaa challenged the
Persians to combat him individually. He killed two commanders one by one and asked for
other challengers. A celebrated Persian general, Bahman Jazawayh, accepted his challenge.
Qaaqaa killed him with his own dagger. He then challenged Rustam, the chief of the Persian
army, to combat him, but Rustam declined to accept the challenge. After the individual
combats of Qaaqaa, the general fight ensued which ended without result on the second day
too.
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On the third and the last morning, the troops of Hishaam b. Utbah also joined the Muslim army
in ten groups which further demoralised the Persians. The Muslims attacked the elephants
and brought them down which ended the advantage of the Persians. The Muslims started
killing Persians in large numbers which forced them to retreat. The Muslims followed the
fleeing Persian soldiers. The leading generals, Firozaan and Rustam, were killed while fleeing
from the battlefield. Only Hurmuzaan was able to escape. Muslims suffered heavy casualties in
this battle. About 8500 Muslims embraced martyrdom in this battle. Umar RA was very
concerned about Muslims. He would spend the night in prayers and the day in the outskirts of
Madinah waiting for news about the battlefield. With the victory in Qaadisiyah, the Muslims
captured the capital city of Persian empire, Madaain. The Persian emperor, Yazdjard
(Yazdgard) b. Shaharyar b. Khusru Pervaiz absconded from the Madaain palace. This battle
marked the complete dominance of Muslims over Persians. The Persian empire was reduced
only to its northern and eastern outskirts. The mainland Persian territories were captured by
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the Muslims. Muslims gained humongous amounts of war booty after this battle which
included the crown, bracelets and robes of the Persian emperor. Umar RA remembered the
promise of the Prophet PBUH with Suraqah b. Maalik al-Mudlaji RA when Suraqah had
promised not to tell the whereabouts of the Prophet PBUH to the Quraysh during the Prophet
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PBUH’s migration to Madinah. Umar RA asked Suraqah to wear the attire of the Persian
emperor to fulfil the promise of the Prophet PBUH.
v. Nahaawand
The Battle of Nahaawand was the last major battle between Muslims and Persians. It was
fought in 21 AH. This was the last attempt of the Persian emperor, Yazdgard, to reclaim the lost
glory of the Saasaani Persian empire. The Persians numbered around one hundred fifty
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thousand. They were led by Mardaan Shah who was the son of a famous Persian general
Hurmuz. The Muslims held consultation in Madinah as to who should lead the Muslims. Some
companions suggested that Umar RA should himself lead this campaign while Ali RA opined
that Umar RA should stay in Madinah. Umar RA accepted Ali RA’s suggestion and appointed
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Nomaan b. Muqarrin RA to lead the Muslims against Persians. Nomaan RA was in Kufa at that
time. On the command of the caliph, he brought his troops from Kufa to Nahaawand. Umar RA
also commanded the Muslim armies from different regions to join Nomaan b. Muqarrin RA’s
force. Hence, Huzayfah b. al-Yaman from Kufa, Mughirah b. Shuabah from Madinah, and Abu
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Musa al-Ashari from Basra joined the central Muslim force in Nahaawand. With these
reinforcements, the Muslim army numbered 30,000.
Before the battle, Mughirah RA held dialogue with Mardaan Shah and gave him the three
options of accepting Islam, paying jizya, or fighting the Muslims. The Persians chose to fight
the Muslims. However, a direct battle could not start immediately because the Persians had
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dug long and deep trenches around their troops. Hence, Muslims could not attack them for
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several days. Fearing that this deadlock may prolong for months, the Muslims held
consultations on how to bring the Persians out of the trenches. Tulayha b. Khuwaylid, a former
false prophet who later accepted Islam, suggested that the Muslims should deceive the
Persians by withdrawing from the battlefield. The Persians will think that the Muslims have
given up and are fleeing the battlefield which will force them to come out of the trenches to
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follow the fleeing Muslims with the aim of killing them. Once the Persians are out in the open,
the Muslims can turn back and fight them in the open battlefield. Nomaan b. Muqarrin
accepted this suggestion and sent Qaaqaa b. Amr al-Tamimi to the Persian trenches to give
them the impression that the Muslims want an immediate battle. When Qaaqaa reached near
the trenches, the Persian showered his men with arrows. Qaaqaa and his followers turned
their backs and started running away as per their plan. The Persians thought that Muslims
have given up. Thus, they jumped out of their trenches to follow the fleeing Muslims and killed
them. Once most of them were out in the open, the Muslims turned back and a fierce battle
started between the two armies. During the battle, Nomaan b. Muqarrin got injured with an
arrow. He appointed Huzayfah b. al-Yaman as the battlefield commander while he himself
tended to his wound. The fighting continued throughout the day. By the evening, the Muslims
started to overpower the Persians. The Persian started retreating towards their trenches.
However, Mardaan Shah, the Persian general, had made a fatal mistake of closing the trenches
in order to discourage his soldiers from retreating. This tactic turned against the Persian and
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they started falling in the thorns. This made it easy for Muslims to follow and kill them in large
numbers. By the sunset, the Muslims had clearly won the battle. The Persians were killed in
large numbers. According to some estimates, approximately one hundred thousands of them
were killed in Nahaawand. The Muslim commander, Nomaan b. Muqarrin, succumbed to his
wounds and embraced martyrdom after hearing about Muslim victory in the battle.
The battle of Nahaawand was a decisive point in the Muslim-Persian relations. This battle
extinguished all hopes of a Persian revival. This was the last blow to the declining Saasaani
Persian empire. The Muslim rule was established over the entire regions of Iraq and
Khuraasaan which were previously under the Persian empire.
b. Romans
i. 2nd Battle of Yarmook
The second battle of Yarmook against Romans was fought in the caliphate of Umar RA. It was
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fought on 28 Jumaadil Ula in 13 AH. The battle was fought on the bank of Yarmook river on the
border of present day Syria and Jordan. Umar RA replaced Khalid RA as the
commander-in-chief of the Muslim armies in Syria with Abu Ubaydah RA. Many leading
Muslim generals fought in this battle under the command of Abu Ubaydah RA including Khalid
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RA, Suhayl b. Amr RA, Abu Sufyan RA, Amr b. al-Aas RA, Qaaqaa b. Amr al-Tamimi RA, and
Ikrimah b. Abi Jahl RA. The Muslims numbered 40,000 while the Romans were more than two
hundred thousands. The Romans were led by Bahaan and George. During the battle, Abu
Ubaydah RA received the tragic news of the death of Abu Bakr RA but he did not disclose this
news so that the Muslims do not get disheartened. This battle lasted for 6 days.
This was a fierce battle. Both sides suffered heavy casualties but did not surrender. There was
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no clear winner for the first five days. A combination of various factors helped the Muslims
win the battle on the sixth day. One the sixth day, the Muslims started retreating to their tents
due to the intense attack by the Romans. The Muslim women led by Hind b. Utbah (the wife of
Abu Sufyan) pelted them with stones to send them back to the battlefield. Meanwhile, Umar
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RA kept praying for Muslim victory in Madinah. Seeing the weakening position of Muslims,
Khalid and Abu Ubaydah RA decided to attack the Romans from the rear. For this purpose,
Qaaqaa and Abu Ubaydah took a group of Muslim men and crossed over to the other side of
the Roman army to attack them from behind while Khalid and Amr counter-attacked from the
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front. Hence, the Romans found themselves sandwiched between two groups of Muslims. This
gave an immense advantage to Muslims. This was coupled with a heavy storm that blew in the
direction of Romans. Hence, Romans could not resist the Muslims anymore. The fatigue of
fighting for 6 days also downplayed their morale. As a result, they started fleeing the
battlefield. Hence, the Muslims won this battle. This was the greatest battle between Muslims
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and Romans. The Muslims lost 3000 soldiers while more than a hundred thousand Roman
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soldiers were killed. The Muslims martyrs included earliest converts such as Salamah b.
Hishaam al-Makhzumi RA, Iyaash b. Rabeeah al-Makhzumi RA, and commanders such as
Ikrimah b. Abi Jahl RA. Abu Sufyan RA lost his right eye in this battle.
ii. Conquest of Dimashq (Damascus), Syria
Following their victory in Yarmook, the Muslims pursued the Romans into mainland Syria. The
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Muslims laid siege to Dimashq (Damascus), the Roman capital of Syria province in 13 AH. The
Romans closed the doors of the fortified city of Dimashq. It had five doors. Abu Ubaydah
appointed a Muslim general with a small force on each door. The five generals guarding a door
each of the fortified city were; Shurahbeel b. Hasanah, Amr b. al-Aas, Khalid b. al-Waleed, Abu
Ubaydah RA, and Yazeed b. Abi Sufyan RA. The Muslims numbered 60,000 in total. The people
of the city had sufficient supplies and were ready for a long siege. The Romans planned to
resist the Muslims till the winter. They thought that the Muslims would not be able to persist
in the freezing cold weather of Syria and would lift the siege once they experience the winter
cold as they were used to the tropical weather of the Arabian peninsula. However, the Muslims
captured the city before the arrival of winter.
During the siege, the Syrian Arab tribes of Jafnah and Ghassaan approached the Muslims to
negotiate a treaty with them. The Muslims promised to protect them against the Romans.
Hence, the Syrian Arab tribes helped the Muslims in preparing catapults and other means
necessary for attacking the forts. The Muslims started pelting the forts with heavy stones
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through catapults which weakened the defence of the city. Out of the five doors, the eastern
door was the weakest. Khalid and Qaaqaa b. Amr al-Tamimi were in charge of the eastern side.
One day, Khalid received news that the people of Dimashq had planned a feast for the night to
celebrate the birth of the son of the governor of Dimashq. Khalid and Qaaqaa decided to utilise
this opportunity and attack them while they are busy in merry-making. Once the darkness
prevailed and the Romans started the feast, Khalid and Qaaqaa ordered their troops to climb
the walls of the fort through rope and ladders. A large number of Muslims entered the fort and
easily tackled the drunk guards of the eastern door and opened the doors for the Muslims.
When the Roman governor of Syria came to know of this, he offered surrender to Abu Ubaydah
RA in return for a guarantee of their lives. Abu Ubaydah agreed to this and gave them
protection. Hence, the Muslims captured Dimashq and Syria without a major battle. Abu
Ubaydah sent Suhayl b. Amr to Madinah to give the glad tiding to Muslims of the capture of
Damascus.
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iii. Conquest of Jerusalem (al-Quds)
The holy city of Jerusalem was under Roman rule before the caliphate of Umar RA. This city
holds religious significance for all Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The
Prophet PBUH had stayed here briefly and led all the prophets in prayer on the night of his
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ascension to the heavens. The first qibla of Muslims was the Baytul Maqdis which is situated in
this city. Hence, the Muslims revered this city greatly. After the conquest of Dimashq, it became
possible for Muslims to capture this city. Therefore, Amr b. al-Aas RA marched towards this
city with the permission of Umar RA. The inhabitants of the city took refuge in their forts. The
Muslims laid a siege to the city which extended to four months. The people of the city expected
the Roman empire to come to their rescue. When no help came from the Roman capital of
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Constantinople, the people surrendered on the condition that the Muslim caliph must himself
come to receive the keys of the city.
Amr b. al-Aas RA wrote to Umar RA informing him of the condition the people of Jerusalem
had put to him. Umar RA sought the opinion of his close advisor. Abdur Rahman b. Awf advised
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not to travel to Jerusalem while Ali RA suggested that the caliph must travel to the holy city.
Upon the advice of Ali RA, Umar RA left for Jerusalem with a few notable companions
including Abdur Rahman b. Awf RA. When he reached Jerusalem, the people of the city came
out to welcome him. The people were amazed at the simplicity of Umar RA as they were used
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to the pomp and grandeur of Roman officials. The chief cardinal of the city handed the keys of
the city to Umar RA. Umar RA announced a general pardon for the people of Jerusalem. He also
granted them protection and the freedom to practise their religion.
The chief cardinal of the city took Umar RA on a visit to the city. During the visit, when the
time to offer the Zuhr prayer came, Umar RA asked the cardinal to show him a place where he
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could pray the Zuhr prayer. The cardinal took him to a church but Umar RA refused to pray in a
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church saying that he feared the Muslims might cite his precedent and occupy churches and
convert them into mosques in future. The cardinal then took him to a place where Dawood AS
used to worship. Umar RA along with his companions cleaned the area and offered prayer
while a large number of people stood by witnessing the simplicity of the Muslim caliph. After
the prayer, Umar RA left the city while also announcing general pardon for the people of the
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city and guaranteeing protection for the people and granting them the freedom to practise
their religion. The conquest of Jerusalem is a great example of peaceful conquest of cities. It
also exemplifies the ideal conduct of Muslim leaders and sets strong precedent for future
Muslim leaders.
Umar RA also laid the foundations of Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. He demarcated the
boundaries of the mosque on the place where the Prophet PBUH had led the prophets in
prayer and where Dawood AS had prayed. He instructed Amr b. al-Aas RA to build a mosque
on that place. This mosque is the third holiest site in Islam after the Masjid al-Haram in
Makkah and Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah.
iv. Conquest of Egypt (al-Iskandriya or Alexandria)
During Umar RA’s visit to al-Quds, Amr b. al-Aas RA sought permission from him to march
towards Egypt in North Africa. Umar RA granted him the permission. Being an astute general
and an able negotiator, Amr RA was able to expand the chain of his conquests into further
Roman territories. He conquered the regions of Farmaa, Babyloon, and Balbays. By 20 AH, he
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had reached the capital city of Egypt known as al-Iskandariya (Alexandria). The city was
heavily fortified and was ruled by the Roman governor called Muqawqis. Amr RA laid siege to
the city but the siege lasted two years. This was the longest siege that the Muslims had
encountered thus far. However, Amr RA did not waiver. When the rulers of the city realised
that the Muslims would not lift the siege and the Romans would not come to their rescue, they
surrendered after resisting the Muslims for two years. Amr RA announced a general pardon
for the people of Egypt, promised them protection, and granted them the permission to
practise their religion.
With this conquest, the entire Egypt came under Muslim rule. This victory also paved the way
for further Muslim conquests in North Africa. Following his success in Egypt, Amr RA sought
permission from Umar RA to expand further into North Africa. Umar RA prohibited him from
marching forward fearing that further conquests may loosen the grip of Muslims in the
conquered territories. Umar RA was of the view that the Muslim empire was not yet in a
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position to expand outside Arabia. He appointed Amr RA as the governor of Egypt and advised
him to work for the welfare of the people of Egypt instead of conquering other territories.
Hence, the series of Muslim conquests of Roman territories in the caliphate of Umar RA halted
with the conquest of Egypt.
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4. Aamul Ramadah (The Year of Ashes)
In 17 AH, following the Hajj season, a famine broke out in Madinah and its outskirts due to a severe drought.
There was no rain for 9 months. The drought was accompanied by strong winds which blew the sand into
people’s faces. This year is called Aamul Ramadah (the Year of Ashes) because the wind blew the sand like
ashes. Due to severe lack of water, the earth turned black in colour. As a result, the sand also turned as dark as
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ashes. The people of neighbouring regions started flocking to Madinah in hope of finding some supplies of food.
Umar RA spent the entire stock of treasury (Baytul Maal) on the needy people. Once the stock of the treasury
was depleted, there was nothing for people to eat. During these days, Umar RA vowed not to eat meat, oil, or
anything other than bread. This weakened him a lot and his colour turned dark due to weakness. His relatives
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and close friends feared for his health but Umar RA remained steadfast in his resolve. He indulged in excessive
prayers too and personally looked after the affected people.
He also wrote to the governors of other regions which were not hit by the drought. He wrote to Amr b. al-Aas
RA, Abu Ubaydah b. al-Jarrah RA, Saad b. Abi Waqqaas RA, Muaawiyah RA. The governors responded to his call.
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Abu Ubaydah RA brought 4000 camels laden with basic supplies from Syria, Amr b. al-Aas RA sent 1000 camels
and 20 ships full of food and clothing from Egypt, Saad b. Abi Waqqaas RA sent 1000 laden camels from Iraq,
and Muaawiyah RA dispatched 3000 camels from Syria. Umar RA distributed these supplies among the needy
people who had camped in the outskirts of Madinah. He also sent some supplies to other affected regions so
that the people of those areas do not flock to Madinah.
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Umar RA also waived off the zakat of the people of the affected area for that year and the following year so that
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people fulfil their needs with their crop and are not burdened with additional responsibility. He also
commanded the people of Madinah to go out of the city and participate in Istisqaa prayer (prayer for rain). He
himself led the congregational Istisqaa prayer. Soon after their congregation, Allah almighty sent down
sufficient rain which eased the blowing of dirt and irrigated the lands. Thus the drought ended after nine
months. Umar RA was able to manage this hard time through wise planning, empathy for the affected people,
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and constant prayers from Allah almighty.

5. Amawas (The Plague of Amawas)
In 18 AH, a plague broke out in Syria. This is called the plague of Amawas. Umar RA was on his annual visit to
the northern territories of his caliphate. When he reached Syria, he was greeted outside the city of Dimashq by
Abu Ubaydah RA and Amr b. al-Aas. They informed Umar RA of the epidemic. Umar RA decided to return to
Madinah without entering Syria. Abu Ubaydah RA objected to this decision saying that the caliph should not run
away from a natural calamity. Umar RA argued that adopting precautionary measures does not imply running
away from Allah’s decree. Abdur Rahman b. Awf also seconded Umar RA’s argument by quoting a hadis of the
Prophet PBUH in which the Prophet PBUH prohibited outsiders from entering a city where epidemic had
broken out and the insiders from leaving the city with a plague. Thus Umar RA was able to save his contingent
and the people of other regions from the plague. Had he entered the city, he might have been affected by the
plague and he might have transmitted the plague to other cities that he visited on his journey. He also
instructed Abu Ubaydah RA to take the people to open areas and mountains to reduce the effects of the plague.
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Abu Ubaydah could not implement these instructions because he also succumbed to the plague and died soon
after. Suhayl b. Amr RA also died from this plague.
6. Administration
7. Martyrdom
Umar RA was attacked with a poisonous dagger by a Persian slave named Abu Lulu Firoz on 27th of Zul Hajj in
23 AH while Umar RA was leading the fajr prayer in Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah. Firoz had been a persian
soldier who was captured in the battle of Nahaawand. He was also an expert carpenter and blacksmith. He was
brought to Madinah by his master, Mughirah b. Shuabah. He held deep-seated grudge against Muslims for the
downfall of the Persian empire. According to him, Umar RA was the one most responsible for the humiliation of
Persians. Therefore, he wanted to avenge the fall of Persian empire and the deaths of his friends of the Persian
army by killing Umar RA. He made a special dagger for this purpose and drenched it in poison. On 27th of Zul
Hajj, he stood in the first line in fajr prayer. As soon as the prayer started, he attacked the caliph from behind
and injured him severely. He was later captured and killed by Abdullah b. Umar RA at the instruction of Umar
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RA. Umar RA spent the next four days in bed as no cure could prove effective. The wounds inflicted by Firoz
kept bleeding until Umar RA succumbed to these wounds on 1st of Muharram, 24 AH.
8. Burial
Umar RA had spent his entire life in the service of the Prophet PBUH. He was the best companion of both the
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Prophet PBUH and Abu Bakr RA. Therefore, he wished to be buried besides two of his best companions.
However, he needed Ayishah RA’s permission for burial besides the Prophet PBUH and Abu Bakr RA because
they were buried in the apartment of Ayishah RA. Umar RA did not want to influence Ayishah RA’s decision due
to his position as the leader of the faithful. He sent Abdullah b. Umar RA to Ayishah RA to request her to grant
him the permission to be buried in her apartment. He instructed Abdullah to request Ayishah RA and refer to
him as Umar, and not the leader of the faithful. Ayishah RA had reserved the place for her own burial but she
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could not resist the humble request of the caliph. Hence, she agreed. Thus, Umar RA was buried in her
apartment besides the Prophet PBUH and Abu Bakr RA.
9. Succession
After Firoz’s attack, Umar RA stayed ill for the next four days. During these days, he thought about his
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succession. He had two precedents in front of him of appointing his successor. The first was the precendent of
the Prophet PBUH who had not appointed his successor. The second was the precedent of Abu Bakr RA who
had appointed his successor and transferred power to him in his last days. Abu Bakr RA wanted to follow the
precedent of the Prophet PBUH. However, he feared that the Muslim community may fall into differences after
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his death on the issue of his succession. Therefore, he appointed a committee of the six senior most
companions of the Prophet PBUH and tasked them with the decision of appointing a caliph from among
themselves within six days. These were the companions with whom the Prophet PBUH was pleased till his
death. All of them were from among the earliest converts. All of them were emigrants and were part of the
group of the ten blessed companions. There were 7 out of the ten blessed companions who were alive at the
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time of his martyrdom. However, Umar RA did not name his first cousin and brother-in-law Saeed b. Zayd in
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this committee because he did not want to be charged with nepotism and because Saeed mostly stayed away
from politics and public life.
This committe included Usmaan RA, Ali RA, Abdur Rahman b. Awf RA, Saad b. Abi Waqqaas RA, Talhah b.
Ubaydillah RA, and Zubayr b. al-Awwaam RA. Talhah was not in Madinah at that time, so he could not
participate in the consultation and deliberation. Abdur Rahman RA excused himself from shouldering the
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burden of leading the Muslims and instead proposed to become the arbiter among the remaining four
members. He asked the remaining four about who they wanted to be the caliph. Usmaan RA voted for Ali RA. Ali
RA voted for Usmaan RA. Saad RA voted for Usmaan RA. Zubayr RA voted for both Usmaan and Ali RA. Hence,
Abdur Rahman decided that Usmaan RA should succeed Umar RA as the leader of the faithful.
10. Administration
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c. Military reforms
categories:
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territories.
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this restriction.
i.
ii.
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Dewan: This was an office where all financial records were kept.
Bait-ul-Maal: This was the office of public treasury where the war booty and the tax
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service.
iv. Taxation: All the caliphs collected the following taxes.
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Zakah.
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governor.
f. Miscellaneous
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Table of the basic details of battle fought in the caliphate of Umar RA

Name
Name of Battle
Leader Leader
Date Result
Number Number
Duration Specific Events
Casualties of Casualties of Muslims
Location
Opponents
Muslim lost
Jasr/Bridge
Muslims crossed the bridge
Shaaban 13 AH or
Abu Ubayd al-Saqafi were sandwiched between the river and the
October, 634
Persians and al-Musanna b. Persian army
1 day
Rustam al-Haris al-Shaybani Many Muslim were martyred while many were
Bridge at Ateeq river
4000 9000 drowned
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in Iraq which is an
6000 Abu Ubayd was martyred
off-shoot of
Al-Muthanna led the remaining army to safety by
Euphrates river
re-building the Bridge
The Persians used elephants.
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Buwayb
Muslims won
Ramazan 13 AH or
Persians
November 635 Al Musanna b. al-Haris
Mehran Hamadani Persians crossed the bridge this time
1 day al-Shaybani
12,000 Mehran was killed which demoralised the
Euphrates river in
er Persians.
Iraq
Muslims won
Qadisiyyah
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Saad RA was sick
Shawawal 15 AH or
Persians Muslim army was joined by reinforcements
November 636
Rustam Saad b. Abi Waqqas throughout the three days
3 Days
120,000 30000 The Persians used elephants which were new to
Qadisiyyah near Kufa
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40,000 Arab horses

in Iraq on the bank of
The Muslims' horses fled in disorder
Euphrate river
Muslims unmounted and killed the elephants
with spears.
Yarmook
5 Rajab 15 AH or 24
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Romans Abu Ubaydah b.

August 636 CE Muslims won
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George and Bahan al-Jarrah

6 days
260,000 40000
Yarmuk river on the A strong storm forced the Romans to flee.
170,000 3000
border between
Syria and Jordan
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Huzayfah b. al-Yaman
from Kufa, Mughirah b. Muslims won
Nahavand Persians Shubah from Madina,
Rabius Sani 21 AH or Mardaan Shah Numan b. Muqarrin Muslims started to withdraw in order to trap
March 642 60,000 from Baghdad, Abu and encircle the enemy
2 days 30,000 Musa al-Ashari from The Persians advanced and were encircled and
Basra killed by the Muslims in large numbers.
30000
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Usmaan RA’s caliphate

1. Election
After Firoz’s attack, Umar RA stayed ill for the next four days. During these days, he thought about his
succession. He had two precedents in front of him of appointing his successor. The first was the precendent of
the Prophet PBUH who had not appointed his successor. The second was the precedent of Abu Bakr RA who
had appointed his successor and transferred power to him in his last days. Abu Bakr RA wanted to follow the
precedent of the Prophet PBUH. However, he feared that the Muslim community may fall into differences after
his death on the issue of his succession. Therefore, he appointed a committee of the six senior most
companions of the Prophet PBUH and tasked them with the decision of appointing a caliph from among
themselves within six days. These were the companions with whom the Prophet PBUH was pleased till his
death. All of them were from among the earliest converts. All of them were emigrants and were part of the
group of the ten blessed companions. There were 7 out of the ten blessed companions who were alive at the
time of his martyrdom. However, Umar RA did not name his first cousin and brother-in-law Saeed b. Zayd in
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this committee because he did not want to be charged with nepotism and because Saeed mostly stayed away
from politics and public life.
This committe included Usmaan RA, Ali RA, Abdur Rahman b. Awf RA, Saad b. Abi Waqqaas RA, Talhah b.
Ubaydillah RA, and Zubayr b. al-Awwaam RA. Talhah was not in Madinah at that time, so he could not
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participate in the consultation and deliberation. Abdur Rahman RA excused himself from shouldering the
burden of leading the Muslims and instead proposed to become the arbiter among the remaining four
members. He asked the remaining four about who they wanted to be the caliph. Usmaan RA voted for Ali RA. Ali
RA voted for Usmaan RA. Saad RA voted for Usmaan RA. Zubayr RA voted for both Usmaan and Ali RA. Hence,
Abdur Rahman decided that Usmaan RA should succeed Umar RA as the leader of the faithful.
2. Conquest during Usmaan RA’s caliphate
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a. Usmaan RA expanded the frontiers of the Islamic state in northwest towards Iran and Afghanistan
including Sistan, Balkh, Herat, Ghazni, Kabul, and Kandahar.
b. During Usmaan RA’s caliphate, the Muslim captured many regions of Central Asia including Armenia,
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Azerbaijan, and Tabaristan.
c. Usmaan RA also conquered territories in the northwest including Cyprus and parts of Turkey.
d. Many regions of North Africa were conquered by Usmaan RA’s armies. These included Morocco,
Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia.
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3. False Charges Against Usmaan RA

a. Nepotism (Appointing his own relatives as governors)
i. Out of 12 provinces, only four provinces had Usmaan RA relatives as governors which does not
merit the accusation. Out of those four, two governors were appointed by Umar RA. Usmaan
RA appointed only two of his relatives as governors.
ii. As a caliph, Usmaan RA had every right to appoint people loyal to him as governors. Loyalty is
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an extremely significant consideration for appointment. Usmaan RA could depend more on his
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loyal relatives. It was his prerogative to appoint governors of his own will.
iii. All four governors who were his relatives were extremely effective and successful rulers. All
four of them proved their merit by expanding the borders of Muslim empire in their regions.
Hence, it can be rightly argued that Usmaan appointed his relatives as governors on merit. He
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could not have deprived his relatives who deserved important posts just because they were
related to him. These were the four governors who were relatives of Usmaan RA. The first two
were appointed by Umar RA.
1. Muaawiyah RA was appointed the governor of Syria by Umar RA. He was a distant
cousin of Usmaan RA and was from Banu Umayyah clan. Usmaan RA retained him as
the governor of Syria throughout his caliphate. He was a very capable administrator
and military strategist. He ruled Syria very effectively. The citizens of Syria were very
happy under his rule. He captured Cyprus and parts of Turkey. He also built the
first-ever naval fleet of Islam which consisted of 500 ships.
2. Usmaan RA removed Amr b. al-Aas RA as the governor of Egypt and appointed
Abdullah b. Saad b. Abi Sarah as the governor of Egypt in 27 AH. Abdullah b. Saad
was the foster brother of Usmaan RA. He proved to be a very successful governor.
Under his command, the Muslims conquered entire North Africa.
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3. Usmaan RA appointed Abdullah b. Amir the governor of Basra in 29 AH and

removed Abu Musa al-Ash’ari RA. Abdullah b. ‘Amir was the maternal cousin (son of
maternal uncle) of Usmaan RA. He proved his competence by conquering parts of Iran
and Afghanistan.
4. Usmaan RA removed Mughirah b. Shu’bah RA and appointed Saad b. Abi Waqqas as
the governor of Kufa. Later, he deposed Saad RA and appointed al-Walid b. Uqbah b.
Abi Muayt from the Banu Umayyah clan who was the step-brother of Usmaan RA.
Al-Walid remained the governor of Kufa from 25 AH to 29 AH. Al-Walid added parts of
Central Asia to the Islamic empire. Usmaan RA later removed al-Walid too and
appointed Said b. al-Aas RA who was also from the Banu Umayyah clan.
b. Corruption/Use of Public Treasury
The mischief-mongers accused him for embezzlement and use of public treasury for his
personal luxuries. However, this charge is completely baseless as Usmaan RA’s life was not luxurious at
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all. He wore simple clothes, ate simple food, and resided in an average house in Madinah. He did not
live in castles or forts like the rulers of every region and all times. He did not employ guards for his
personal security nor did he hire hundreds of servants for his personal service. Even when the rebels
besieged his house, there were no personal security guards to defend his house. Hence, the charge that
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he spent public money on his luxuries is unfounded.
Usmaan RA was a wealthy businessman even before the caliphate. He donated generously for
the cause of Islam whenever and wherever needed. He contributed to the extension of Masjid
al-Nabawi, purchase of the well of Ruma, and the Tabuk expedition. Even if his life was relatively more
well-to-do as compared to the first two caliphs, it was with his own wealth. Islam does not prohibit
comfortable living with one’s own halal income. Hence, this allegation is completely false.
c. Burning of the Quran er
The Muslim empire had expanded greatly in the caliphates of Umar and Usmaan RA. The
people from various regions recited the Quran in their own dialects. In order to unite the ummah on
one dialect, Usmaan RA compiled the Quran in the Qurayshi dialect. He sent copies of this standardised
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version to all provinces and asked the governors to make more copies from these and burn the copies
of the Quran written in other dialects. The command of burning the non-standard copies of the Quran
was based on the good intention of preserving the Quran and uniting the Ummah. It was in no way
meant to desecrate or disrespect the Quran. This was indeed a huge contribution of Usmaan RA for the
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ummah. The mischief-mongers used his service to Islam against him. Therefore, this allegation does
not hold.
d. Weak governance
People were used to the strict style of governance of Abu Bakr and Umar RA. Usmaan RA’s
personality was lenient. He did not believe in strict control over officials. Instead, he believed in
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decentralisation of powers. He believed in empowering the lower officials so that they are trained for
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higher roles in future. Therefore, he devolved the powers to the lower levels of the government. This
model of devolution of power or decentralisation is the most common and prevalent form of
governance in today’s world. It has several benefits over the centralised strict style of ruling. Hence,
this was a merit of Usmaan RA which the rebels used against him.
Despite being lenient and more accommodating, Usmaan RA did not compromise on efficient
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and transparent rule. He would account for the deeds of his governors on the occasion of Hajj. He did
not hesitate from punishing officials who were found ineffective or corrupt. Hence, the accusation that
he was an ineffective ruler is completely untrue.
4. Administration
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c. Military reforms
categories:
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territories.
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this restriction.
ii.
iii.
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Bait-ul-Maal: This was the office of public treasury where the war booty and the tax
Pensions: The caliphs fixed the pensions of the mothers of the faithful, companions, elderly,
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service.
Zakah.
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governor.
f. Miscellaneous
5. Martyrdom
On the basis of false charges, some rebels came from Egypt to Madinah during the Hajj season. They
demanded that Usmaan RA must depose Abdullah b. Saad as the governor of Egypt and appoint Muhammad b.
Abi Bakr in his place. Usmaan RA accepted this demand and they left Madinah. However, the rebels returned a
few days later. They claimed that they had caught a man carrying a letter written to the governor of Egypt from
Usmaan RA with the instruction to kill Muhammad b. Abi Bakr RA. Usmaan RA said that he had not written the
letter. The rebels did not accept this explanation from Usmaan RA and besieged his house. This siege lasted for
fifty days.
During the siege, several important companions tried to help Usmaan RA. Ali RA sent his sons, Hasan
and Husayn RA, to guard Usmaan RA’s house. The mothers of the faithful used to send food to Usmaan’s house.
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Talha and Zubayr RA offered to call their supporters from Basra to fight the rebels but Usmaan RA refused to
shed the blood of Muslims for his own sake. Muaawiyah RA offered to bring his troops to Madinah to fight the
rebels but Usmaan RA forbade him because he did not want to shed blood in the city of the Prophet PBUH. He
also did not want to disturb the movement of the people of Makkah because of the presence of troops.
Usmaan RA addressed the rebels several times to explain his stance in the presence of prominent
companions. Despite this, the rebels were adamant on their demand that Usmaan RA must resign. Usmaan RA
outrightly rejected this demand. He did not want to set a precedent of resigning on public pressure as it could
harm the stability of Muslim empires in the future.
The rebels finally broke into Usmaan RA’s house on 18th of Zul Hajj in 35 AH. Usmaan RA was fasting
on that day. The rebels martyred him while he was reciting the Quran. Drops of his blessed blood fell on the
copy of the Quran. His wife, Naila, attempted to protect him with her body but the rebels pushed her aside. Her
fingers were cut while she tried to stop the sword of rebels with her hand. Thus, the misguided
mischief-mongers martyred the blessed soul of the son-in-law of the Prophet PBUH and the third caliph of
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Islam. May his soul rest in eternal peace in the high echelons of Jannah and the rebels meet their fate for
eternity in hell fire.
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Ali RA’s caliphate

1. Election
2. Civil War
a. Battle of Jamal against Ayishah RA, Talha RA, and al-Zubayr RA
The battle of Camel was fought on 10 Jumadiul Ula, 36 AH (5 December, 656 CE) between the armies of
Ali RA and Ayishah RA. Ali RA’s army is also called the Kufi Army while Ayishah RA’s Army is called the
Basri Army. The Kufi Army consisted of 9000 people while the Basri Army consisted of 5000 people.
The battle was started by mischief-mongers from both armies against the will of the leaders of both
armies. The war was fought between Zuhr and Maghrib prayers. 500 Kufi and 2500 Basri soldiers were
martyred in this battle including Talha RA, al-Zubayr RA, and Muhammad b. Talha RA.
The Kufi Army won this battle. Ali RA treated the Basri army very kindly. He ordered his soldiers not to
kill the injured soldiers or chase those fleeing the battlefield. He honoured Ayishah RA and sent her
back to Madinah with her brother, Muhammad b. Abi Bakr RA. He forgave the Basri army and led the
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funeral prayers of the martyrs of the Basri Army. He did not take the belongings of the Basri army as
war booty. He also deeply regretted fighting his own Muslim brothers. Ayishah RA also deeply
regretted having fought against Ali RA.
b. Battle of Siffin against Muaawiyah RA, the governor of Syria
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The battle of Siffin was fought on 7 Safar, 37 AH between the armies of Ali RA and Muaawiyah
RA. The battle lasted for 3 days and ended in a near-victory for Ali RA. Ali RA’s army is also called the
Iraqi army while Muaawiyah RA’s army is called the Syrian army. The Iraqi army consisted of 100,000
men and the Syrian army consisted of 70,000 men. 25,000 Iraqi soldiers and 45,000 Syrian soldiers
were martyred in this battle. ‘Ammar b. Yasir, who was fighting from the Iraqi side, was also martyred
in this battle at the age of 90. He was martyred by Abu al-Ghadiyah who had participated in the Pledge
of Ridwan in 6AH.
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The Iraqi army included prominent companions such as ‘Ammar b. Yasir and ‘Adi b. Hatim RA
while the Syrian army included senior companions such as Amr b. al-Aas and Abdullah b. Amr RA. On
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the third day of the battle, the Iraqi army was about to defeat the Syrian army when Muaawiyah RA
ordered his ranks in the front to tie the Quran to their lances signalling the end of the battle. Ali RA did
not want to stop the battle as he wanted to crush the military strength of Muaawiyah RA once and for
all. However, Ali RA’s soldiers refused to continue fighting after they saw the Quran tied to the lances of
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the Syrian army. Hence, Ali RA could not gain a clear victory.
c. Arbitration (Tahkim) between Ali RA and Muaawiyah RA
The tying of Quran to lances signalled that the Syrian army wanted to resolve the issue
through dialogue/arbitration. Hence, both sides decided to choose a third party who will be tasked
with resolving the issues between Ali RA and Muaawiyah RA. This decision is called ‘Tahkim’ in Arabic
and ‘arbitration’ in English. Ali RA nominated Abu Musa al-Ash’ari RA and Abdullah b. Abbas RA to
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represent him in the dialogue while Muaawiyah RA nominated Amr b. al-Aas RA and Abdullah b. Amr
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RA to represent him. Both sides met 8 months after the battle of Siffin in Ramazan 37 AH in Dummah
al-Jandal on the Iraqi-Syrian border.
After prolonged debates, both Abu Musa and Amr RA agreed to depose both Ali RA from
caliphate and Muaawiyah RA from governorship of Syria. But when the judgement was announced, Abu
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Musa said what had been agreed with Amr while Amr said that he only wanted to remove Ali RA and
retain Muaawiyah RA. Ali RA did not accept this unfair and one-sided judgement.
d. Battle of Nahrawan against Kharijites
The battle of Nahrawan was fought in Shaaban in the winter of 38 AH between the Muslim
army led by Ali RA and the Khariji army led by prominent Kharijites such as Abdullah b. Wahb, Hurqus
b. Zuhayr, and Zuraah b. Burj. The Kharijite army consisted of 4000 men. The Muslim army crushed the
Kharijites completely. Almost the entire force of the Kharijites was killed except a few who managed to
escape. Those who escaped included Abdur Rahman b. Maljim who later martyred Ali RA to take
revenge for his companions.
3. Administration
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c. Military reforms
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territories.
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Umar RA had made it mandatory for soldiers to reside in the cantonments outside the city
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this restriction.
ii. Bait-ul-Maal: This was the office of public treasury where the war booty and the tax
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service.
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Zakah.
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governor.
f. Miscellaneous
4. Martyrdom
Those Kharijites who escaped from Nahrawan included Abdur Rahman b. Maljim who later attacked
Ali RA on 17 Ramazan in 40 AH while Ali RA was leading the Fajr prayer in Kufa. Ali RA succumbed to this
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injury and passed away four days later on 21 Ramazan, 40 AH. Abdur Rahman b. Maljim avenged the death of
his companions.
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Qualities/Character of Caliphs
1. Justice/Equality/Equity/Fairness
a. Umar RA was famous for his justice. He would listen to complaints against government officials and
decide against them if they were found guilty. He once punished the son of an Egyptian governor for
slapping a common Egyptian.
2. Simplicity/Humility/Frugality
a. The caliphs lived like common people in small apartments in neighbourhoods with common people.
b. They did not build castles or forts for themselves
c. They did not post hundreds of security guards for their personal security like the rulers of other
regions
d. Umar RA, Usmaan RA, and Ali RA were martyred when they were among the Muslims with no special
protocols.
3. Steadfastness/Determination/Strong Decision-making Skills
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a. The caliphs possessed strong decision-making skills. They did not waver in their commitment.
b. Abu Bakr RA did not compromise on the principles of Islam like Zakah even if it cost his caliphate
c. Usmaan RA did not want to set a wrong precedent of resigning on false public demand and laid his life
for the stability of the caliphate
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4. Sincerity/Piety/God-fearing
a. The caliphs were sincere with their duties. They feared Allah almighty in executing their duties.
5. Courage/Bravery
a. Abu Bakr RA displayed immense courage when he sent Usamah RA’s army to Syria despite the
imminent threat to Madinah from apostate tribes.
b. Umar RA courageously dispatched armies against the Romans and Persians who were the
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superpowers of his time.
c. Usmaan RA stood firmly against the demands of the rebels in spite of the threat to his life.
d. Ali RA fought courageously against the Kharijites who challenged his authority and crushed their army.
6. Patience/Tolerance/Forbearance
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7. Forgiveness/Compassion/Kindness
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Practises/Pillars of Islam
1. Shahaadah
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
4. Alms-giving
5. Pilgrimage
Testimony/Declaration of Faith/Shahaadah
Shahaadah is from the Arabic root of Shahida which means to see or witness. Shahaadah means bearing witness that
there is no god but Allah and the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is His servant and messenger. Hence, the shahaadah
comprises the following two parts;
1. Oneness of Allah (Tawheed)
The first part comprises bearing witness that there is no god but Allah. This part addresses the belief in the
oneness of Allah almighty. This is the most basic belief in Islam. One cannot enter the fold of Islam without
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confessing the oneness of Allah. This belief is the antithesis of polytheism. Since Islam is a monotheistic
religion, the oneness of Allah lies at its core. Allah’s oneness is manifested in several ways.
1. Oneness In being
2. Oneness In attributes
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Shirk
Shirk means associating partners or rivals with Allah. It also means worshipping any object other than Allah. It
is also manifested in accordance with Allah’s attributes with other beings. Shirk is the greatest sin in Islam. It is
the only unforgivable sin in Islam. A person who does not repent from shirk in his/her life is promised a
punishment of Hellfire for eternity.
Types of Shirk
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1. Khafi: Khafi shirk means latent (not apparent) shirk. In this type of shirk, a person may not explicitly
associate partners with Allah or worship any other being but his words or actions may imply shirk. For
example, visiting shrines believing that going to shrines may ease one’s hardships.
2. Jali: Shirk Jali means apparent shirk in which one explicitly associates partners with Allah or bows
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down to other beings in worship. Idol-worshipping and polytheism are examples of Jali
(explicit/apparent) shirk.
Manifestation of shirk
Shirk can manifest in either words or actions of an individual. Shirk in words and actions will lead an individual
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to Allah’s wrath. That individual will exit the fold of Islam and will cease to be a Muslim. Some examples of shirk
in words and actions are given below.
a. Shirk in words: Shirk in words can manifest in different ways. Claiming that there are other gods
besides Allah is an example of shirk in words. Believing in multiple gods and expressing such belief is
another example. Denying the power and attributes of Allah also counts as shirk in words. Uttering
false statements about Allah such as claiming that Isa AS and Uzayr AS are His sons is also considered
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verbal shirk.
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b. Shirk in actions: Shirk in actions can also manifest in several forms. Bowing to idols, worshipping
objects such as sun, moon, idols, etc are also examples of shirk in action. Visiting shrines with the belief
that the saints of shrines will ease one’s hardships is also an example of shirk in action. Bowing down
at graves or prostrating to graves is considered shirk in action.
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2. Prophethood (Risaalah)
The second component of shahaadah is the belief in the prophethood of Muhammad PBUH. The part contains
bearing witness that Muhammad PBUH is the servant and messenger of Allah almighty. The Muslims must
believe that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH was the messenger of Allah. He was divinely guided by Allah
almighty and helped in his endeavours through divine interventions by Allah almighty. He was the best of
human beings gifted with perfection in all traits of life. The Muslims believe that the Prophet PBUH was the last
but the most important of prophets. He was the leader of all prophets and the best among the entire humanity.
He was not only a messenger for his region or Arabia but he was sent for the entire humanity till the day of
Judgement.
Finality of the Prophethood

A core belief about the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is the finality of the prophethood. The
Muslims believe that prophethood ended with Muhammad PBUH. He was the last in the chain of prophets.
Allah almighty sent around a hundred and twenty four thousand prophets to guide humanity in different times.
This chain of prophets ended with the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. He was the seal of prophethood. There can
be no nabi (prophet) or a rasool (messenger) after him. Whoever claims prophethood after the Prophet
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Muhammad PBUH is a liar. The finality of the prophethood is certified in Surah al-Ahzaab in Quran. Several
narrations from the Prophet Muhammad PBUH also testify to the finality of the prophethood.
Universality
Another core belief about the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is the universality of his mission.
All the messengers before him were sent for a limited time and space. Each prophet was sent to his own
nation/people. The teachings of all other messengers were only valid for their own time. However, Prophet
Muhammmad PBUH is distinguished from other messengers and prophets. His mission is universal. He is the
prophet for the entire humanity. He was not only for Quraysh or Arabs. He was sent for all human beings. His
messengership was not limited in terms of time. He was sent as a messenger till the Day of Judgement. His
teachings are valid till the end of times. This is a special privilege of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
Four tasks of the Prophet PBUH

The holy Quraan outlines four tasks of the Prophet PBUH in Surah al-Jumuah. These tasks are as under;
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1. Reciting the verses of Allah to the people
2. Purifying the souls of the people
3. Teaching the Book of Allah to the people
4. Teaching wisdom to the people.
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Prayer/Salah
Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. It was made obligatory in Makkah in the 10th year of Prophethood on the night of
ascension.
Importance of Prayer
1. Social Benefits
a. It gives a message of equality because there is no distinction on any grounds in the mosques during
prayers.
b. It is a demonstration of Muslims’ unity as they gather in mosques for each prayer.
c. It demonstrates the discipline of Muslims as they pray at fixed times behind one imam.
d. It helps in community-building. The Muslims meet five times a day. They can get to know about others’
problems and try to solve them.
e. The prayer teaches Muslims discipline and time management. The person who prays has to manage his
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time around the prayer times and has to be disciplined to follow the imam in congregation
f. The prayer also demonstrates the power of the Muslim community as Muslims gather in large numbers
for congregational prayers, jumu’ah, and Eid prayers.
2. Spiritual Benefits
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a. Keeps the intention clean
b. The Quran says that prayer prevents from immoral and indecent acts
c. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that the prayer is a distinction between believer and
non-believers
d. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that prayer is the key to heaven
e. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that prayer is the miraaj of a Muslim.
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f. The prayer provides the Muslims with an opportunity to improve their recitation of the Quran as they
listen to the recitation of Imam in Fajr, Maghrib, Isha, Friday, Tarawih, and Eid prayers.
g. The prayer also provides the Muslims with an opportunity to revise the memorised sections of Quran
by reciting them in prayer, particularly in tarawih prayer in Ramazan.
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h. It is a demonstration of the humility of Muslims as they bow down and prostrate to Allah almighty.
i. It brings humans closer to Allah as they sacrifice their time for Allah almighty.
j. It is a way of communicating with the beloved, the Allah almighty
3. Physical/Bodily benefits
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a. It keeps a believer pure as he/she has to keep his/her body and clothes clean for prayer
b. Prayer is also beneficial for muscles and joints of an individual. It is a complete exercise of all body
parts.
4. Importance
a. Prayer is the second pillar of Islam after the testimony of faith.
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b. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that the first question from Muslims on the day of
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Judgement will be about prayer.

c. The Quran commands Muslims many times to perform prayers.
d. The Quran asks Muslims to perform prayers on their prescribed times.
e. According to a narration from the Prophet PBUH, the prayer is the distinction between a believer and a
non-believer.
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f. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that the prayer is the coolness of my eyes.
g. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that prayer is the pillar of religion.
13 Obligatory acts of prayer

If one of these acts is missed, the prayer becomes invalid. The prayer has to be offered again. Sajdah Sahw does
not make up for missing an obligatory act.
1. 7 Conditions for Prayer
a. Cleanliness of body: The body should be pure from both major and minor impurity
i. In case of major impurity, one must make ghusl (take a bath). It has three obligatory acts
1. Gargling the mouth
2. Rinsing water in the nose
3. Washing the entire body such that not even a space equivalent to a hair is left dry
ii. In case of minor impurity, one must perform wuzu (ablution). It has four obligatory acts:
1. Washing the face
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2. Washing the hand including elbows

3. Doing masah of one fourth (¼) of the head
4. Washing feet including ankles
iii. In case of water not being available, one must do tayammum (dry ablution). Tayammum
compensates for both ghusl (bath) and wuzu (ablution). Tayammum can be done with soil,
stone, limestone, sand, or any other surface with a layer of dust. Tayammum has two
obligatory acts:
1. Intention of attaining purity
2. Touching the soil/dusty surface twice with both hands and rubbing the hands on face
after the first touching and on hands and arms after the second touching.
b. Cleanliness of clothes: The clothes must not have an amount larger than a silver coin of major impurity
nor an amount equal to one-fourth of the garment of minor impurity.
i. Major impurity: blood, human urine, urine of haram animals, etc
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ii. Minor impurity: urine of halal animals, etc.
c. Cleanliness of the place of prayer: The place of prayer must be clean. Prayer cannot be offered in the
following places:
i. Graveyard
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ii. In the way such that it hinders the people’s movement
iii. In the stable or any abode of animals
iv. In the toilet/washroom
v. In the places of worship of non-Muslims such as temples, churches, synagogues, etc
d. Covering the satr
i. For Men: Covering the area between the belly-button and knees. The kneecaps are also part of
ii.
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For women: Covering their entire body except their face, hands, and feet.
e. Time of prayer
i. Times of prayers
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1. Fajr: From dawn till sunrise
2. Zuhr: From midday till the shadow of objects doubles
3. Asr: From when the shadow of objects doubles till sunset
4. Maghrib: From sunset till the disappearance of the white light in the horizon after the
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sunset
5. Isha: From when the white light in horizon disappears till the dawn
ii. Times in which no prayer can be offered
1. Sunrise: A 10 to 12 minutes duration of the actual rising of the sun.
2. Midday
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3. Sunset
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iii. Times in which only nafl (optional) prayer cannot be offered

1. From Fajr al-Sadiq till the obligatory fajr prayer
2. After Fajr prayer till sunrise
3. From midday till zawal
4. From Asr till Maghrib
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5. From Maghrib aazaan till the fard (obligatory) maghrib prayer

f. Facing Qiblah
i. One must look for old mosques and their mihrabs to find the direction of qibla
ii. If mosques do not exist, then one must ask someone about the direction
iii. If there is no one who knows the direction, then one must guess the direction of qibla
g. Making intention
2. 6 Component of prayer
a. Takbeer Tahrimah: The first takbeer (saying Allahu Akbar while lifting one’s hands up to the ears)
marking the start of the prayer. After this takbeer, acts other than those of prayer are forbidden (like
speaking, laughing, eating etc.)
b. Qiyaam: The standing posture in every rakaah before rukuu
c. Qiraat: Recitation of some parts of Quran in the standing posture (suratul Fatihah and/or any other
portion of the Quran)
d. Rukuu: Bending one’s waist for a while after the recitation of Quran in the standing posture
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e. Sujood: Two sujood in every rakaah after rukuu

f. al-Qaadatul Akheerah: Sitting for a while after the last Rakaah of each prayer.
14 wajib acts of prayer

If any one of these acts is missed, the prayer becomes invalid. However, the person can make up for these acts
by performing Sajdah Sahw. If Sajdah Sahw is not offered, then the prayer has to be offered again.
1. 2 wajib acts for all types of salah
a. To offer the prayer calmly
b. To perform the acts of prayer in order
2. 5 wajib acts for qira’at
a. To recite surah al-Fatiha in each Rakaah of all prayers
b. To recite surah al-Fatiha before the surah
c. To recite surah al-Fatiha and a surah or one long ayah or three short ayahs in the first two Rakaahs of
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fard/obligatory prayers
d. To recite surah al-Fatiha and a surah or one long ayah or three short ayahs in all the Rakaahs of wajib,
sunnah, and nafl prayers
e. For the imam to recite the surah al-Fatiha and the surah aloud in fajr, first two Rakaahs of maghrib and
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Isha, Jumu’ah, tarawih, witr in Ramazan, and Eid prayers and quietly in the last two Rakaahs of
Maghrib, Isha and all Rakaahs of Zuhr and Asr prayers.
3. 5 wajib acts from qawma to salam
a. Qawma: Standing upright after rukuu
b. Jalsah: Sitting still for a moment between two sujood
c. Reciting tashahhud
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d. al-Qaadatul Oola: Sitting for a while after the first two Rakaahs in Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, and Witr.
e. Salam: Ending the prayer with salam
4. 2 wajib acts for specific prayers
a. An extra takbeer and qunoot in witr
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b. 6 extra takbeers in the two Eid prayers
Number of Rakaahs in prayers

Prayer Pre-Fard Sunnah Fard Post-Fard Sunnah Wajib Nafl Total
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Fajr 2 2 - - - 4
Dhuhr 4 4 2 - 2 12
Asr 4 4 - - - 8
Maghrib - 3 2 - 2 7
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Isha 4 4 2+2 3 2 17
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Friday 4 2 4+2 - 2 14
Eid - - - 2 - 2
Types of Prayer
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1. Obligaory/Fard prayer
a. Individual Obligation/Farzul Ayn
i. Five Daily Prayers
1. Fajr
2. Zuhr
3. Asr
4. Maghrib
5. Isha
ii. Jumuah Prayer
b. Communal Obligation/Farzul Kifayah
i. Salatul Mayyit (Funeral Prayer)
2. Mandatory/Wajib prayer
a. Witr prayer after Isha
b. Eid Prayer
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i. Eidul Fitr prayer

ii. Eidul Azhaa prayer
3. Recommended/Sunnah prayer
a. Emphasised Upon/Sunnah Muakkadah
i. 2 Rakaah before Fajr
ii. 4 Rakaah before Zuhr
iii. 2 Rakaah after Zuhr
iv. 2 Rakaah after Maghrib
v. 2 Rakaah after Isha
b. Not Emphasised Upon/Sunnah Ghayr Muakkadah
i. 4 Rakaah before Asr
ii. 4 Rakaah before Isha
4. Optional/Nafl Prayer
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a. With Fixed Time (Muwaqqat Nawaafil)
i. Tahajjud: Tahajjud can be prayed after Isha till Fajr. The minimum number of rakaahs in
Tahajjud is 8 and there is no limit for maximum.
ii. Ishraq: Ishraq is prayed after the sunrise till ¼ th of the day is passed. It consists of 4 rakaahs.
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iii. Duha: Zuhaa is prayed after ¼ of the day has passed till the midday. The minimum number of
rakaahs for Zuha prayer is 6 and the maximum is 12.
iv. Awwabeen: The Awwabeen is prayed after the sunnahs of Maghrib prayer. The maximum
number of rakaahs is 6.
b. Not With Fixed Time (Ghayr Muwaqqat Nawaafil)
i. After sunrise till midday
ii.
iii.
iv.
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After midday till Zuhr
After Zuhr till Asr
Before Asr
v. After Maghrib
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vi. After Isha till dawn
Jumuah Prayer (the Friday prayer)

1. Importance
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a. It is also recommended to recite salutation/salawat on the Prophet PBUH on Friday.

b. It is also recommended to recite surah al-Kahf on Friday.
c. There is an hour of special acceptance of prayer on Friday. Most scholars opine that it is the hour
between Asr and Maghrib prayers.
d. There is a special command for Friday prayers in the Quran (Surah Jumuah).
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e. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that Friday is the leader of the days of the week (Sayyid
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al-Ayyam).
2. Preparation
a. It is recommended to take a shower before Friday prayer.
b. It is recommended to wear clean clothes for Friday prayer.
c. It is recommended to apply perfume on Friday.
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d. It is recommended to remove the unwanted hair on Friday (the underarm hair and the hair around
private parts).
e. It is recommended to cut nails on Friday.
f. It is recommended to use a miswak (siwak) on Friday.
g. It is recommended to put on kuhl on Friday.
h. It is recommended to reach the mosque early.
3. Features
a. On Friday, the Muslim offer a special prayer in place of the usual afternoon (Zuhr) prayers.
b. The Friday prayer is special because it has two cycles instead of the usual four cycles.
c. The Imam recites the Quran aloud in Jumuah prayer.
d. The Jumuah prayer can only be offered in congregation. In case someone misses Jumuah prayer, he will
have to offer the regular afternoon prayer.
e. The ill, travellers, women, and children are exempted from Jumuah prayers.
f. The Jumuah prayer is preceded by two sermons by the Imam separated by a short break.
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g. The Imam highlights the important issues of society in his sermon and also prays for the Muslim
ummah.
h. There is an additional aazaan for Jumuah prayer before the sermon of the Imam.
i. Buying and selling is forbidden on Friday after the first aazaan is called.
Eid Prayer
1. The Muslims celebrate two festivals in the lunar year.
2. These include the Eid al-Fitr on the 1st of Shawwal and Eidul Azha on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
3. The Muslims wear clean or new clothes on Eid days.
4. It is recommended to take shower, use siwak, apply perfume, wear clean or new clothes, reach the mosque
early, and listen to the sermons of the imam attentively.
5. The Eid prayers include 2 cycles of prayers followed by two sermons by the Imam while standing separated by
a short break in which the Imam sits for a very short while.
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6. It is recommended to go to masjid and come home through separate routes.
7. It is recommended to recite talbiyah while going to the mosque and coming back home.
8. The Muslims greet each other after the prayer and sermon.
9. It is recommended to eat something sweet before going to Eidul Fitr prayer and not to eat while going for Eidul
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Azha prayer.
10. The daily recommended prayer of Ishraq cannot be performed on the first days of Eid.
11. The Eid prayer is performed after sunrise.
12. The Eidul Fitr prayer is offered a little later while the Eidul Azha prayer is offered immediately after sunrise so
that people may sacrifice their animals.
13. The Eidul Azha is also made special by the offering of sacrifice of a goat/sheep, cow/buffalo, or a camel in
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commemoration of the sacrifice of Ibrahim AS.
14. The Eid prayers can only be offered in congregation. If someone misses the congregation, then he cannot pray it
individually. There is no qada (make-up) prayer for the missed Eid prayers.
15. The Eid prayers should be offered in large congregations outside the mosque in open spaces outside the town
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so that many people can be accommodated.
16. The Eid prayers are not mandatory to be offered in small settlements like villages and small towns.
17. Ideally, the Eid prayers should be offered in only one place in each town or city. However, in today’s world when
the cities are very large, multiple gatherings can also take place.
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18. The Eid prayer is only obligatory on adult, healthy, and not-travelling men. The children, sick, travellers, and
women are exempted from the Eid prayers
Qasr prayer (Shortened prayer)

Allah almighty has allowed the travellers to shorten prayers. The shortened prayer is called Qasr prayer. Its conditions
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and rules are detailed below.

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1. Conditions
a. The journey has to be of a distance more than 48 miles or 76 kilometers
b. The traveller has to be outside the boundaries of his/her city
c. The stay in the traveller’s destination should not exceed 15 days
d. The traveller has to be praying alone or leading the prayer. If he is praying behind a local imam, then he
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has to pray the complete prayer.

e. The traveller should not have a house in the city he has travelled to.
2. Rules
a. The traveller has to shorten the prayer. He/she cannot pray the complete prayer.
b. The traveller has to pray 2 rakaahs of Zuhr, Asr, and Isha instead of the usual 4 rakaahs.
c. The traveller has to pray all rakaahs of Fajr, Maghrib, and Witr prayers.
d. If the imam is local, then the traveller has to pray complete prayer behind the imam.
e. If the imam is a traveller, then he should shorten his prayer. The locals behind a travelling imam have to
stand up after the imam’s salam and complete their prayer.
f. The sunnah (recommended) prayers can be skipped by the traveller.
g. A traveller can skip the Eid prayer.
h. A traveller can pray 2 rakaahs of Zuhr prayer in place of Jumuah prayer. However, it is recommended to
pray Jumuah.
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Importance of Mosque
1. Praying in congregation in a mosque has more reward (27 times more) than praying individually at home.
2. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that he would have burnt the houses of those who pray at home if
women and children were not in the houses.
3. Praying in mosques established equality and brotherhood among the Muslims. Muslims from all backgrounds
gather in masjid. The distinction of caste, wealth, race, language etc is forgotten. Muslims get to know of each
other’s well being and problems.
4. Masjid is a place of concentration. Muslims get to focus on their connection with Allah almighty. The worldly
distractions are not there in a mosque.
5. The Muslims can learn from the imam and other knowledgeable Muslims in the mosque. They can improve
their recitation of the Quran by listening to the imam’s recitation in prayers. There are different learning circles
in mosques. Muslims can know about their religion from those circles.
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6. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that whoseover’s heart finds peace in a mosque will be in the shade
of the throne of Allah on the Day of Judgement.
7. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said, “Give testimony of faith of the person who goes to the mosque in
dark (for Fajr and Isha prayers)”.
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8. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that the angels greet Muslims at the entrances of mosques and note
their names.
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Obligatory Charity/Zakah
Zakah is the third pillar of Islam. It was made obligatory in 2 AH. It was not made obligatory in Makkah because the
Muslims were poor and weak. They could not afford to pay Zakah in Makkah. In Madinah, the Muslims became
prosperous through trade, agriculture, and war booty, hence, Allah almighty revealed the command to pay zakah.
Importance of Zakah
a. It is a means of blessing in both worlds. Allah and His messengers have promised huge rewards for the
payers of zakah.
b. Zakat is emphasised upon a lot in the Quran. In many places in the Quran, it is mentioned alongside the
command to prayer.
c. According to a tradition of the Prophet PBUH, zakah purifies the wealth of the giver. The word ‘zakah’
literally and terminologically means purification.
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d. According to a narration of the Prophet PBUH, zakah helps in averting the trials of individuals.
2. Economic/Financial Benefits
a. Zakah is the backbone of the taxation system of a Muslim state. It is the biggest and most important tax
in Islam.
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b. It helps in circulation of money which has benefits for the economic well-being of a state.
c. It helps in increasing the wealth due to the circulation of wealth.
3. Social Benefits
a. Zakat is so important that the first caliph, Abu Bakr RA, fought wars against those who refused to pay
zakah
b. It reduces the crime rate as the needs of the poor are fulfilled in a legitimate manner without the poor
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resorting to crimes. Hence, it results in a peaceful society.
c. It produces sympathy for the deprived people in the hearts of the rich.
d. It produces love for the rich people in the hearts of poor people. Hence, it promotes love.
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e. It reduces the difference between the poor and the rich and produces equality in the society.
Zakat’s Literal and Terminological meaning

The Arabic word ‘zakah’ means purification. It purifies the wealth of a person. Terminologically, zakah refers to the
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annual alm-giving due to be given to the poor by the rich people who own a certain amount of wealth.
Who is liable to pay zakah?

1. Muslim
2. Free
3. Adult
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4. Sane
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Two conditions for zakah

1. One must attain the level of nisab for zakah
2. One full year must pass on the person after attaining the level of nisab for zakah
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Who is exempt from Zakah?

1. Those who do not reach the level of nisab
2. Children
3. Mentally ill
The curriculum of zakah

Liquid Assets
Liquid Assets Nisab or Curriculum of Zakah Rate of Zakah
Gold 20 misqaal or 7½ tolas of gold 2.5% of the total value
Silver 200 dirhams or 52½ tolas of silver 2.5% of the total value
Cash Value equivalent to the nisab of gold or silver whichever is lower 2.5% of the total value
Trade Goods Value equivalent to 200 dirhams (silver coins) 2.5% of the total value
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Cattle
Cattle Nisab Zakah
Goats and Sheep 40-120 goats/sheep 1 goat/sheep
121-200 goats/sheep 2 goats/sheep
201-400 goats/sheep 3 goats or sheep
Continue the counting One extra goat/sheep for each hundred goats/sheep
Cows and Buffalos 30 cows 1 one-year old calf
40 cows 1 two-year old calf
60 cows 2 one-year old calves
70 cows 1 one year-old calf and 1 two-year old calf
80 2 two-year old calves
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90 3 one-year old calves
100 2 one-year old calves and 1 two-year-old calf
110 1 one-year-old calf and 2 two-year-old calves
120 4 one-year old calves or 3 two-year-old calves
Continue the counting 1 one-year old calf for each 30 cows and 1 two-years old calf for each 40
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cows
Camels 5 camels 1 goat/sheep
10 camels 2 goats/sheep
25 camels er 1 one-year-old calf of a camel
36 camels 1 two-years-old calf of a camel
46 camels 1 three-years-old calf of a camel
61 camels 1 four-years-old calf of a camel
76 camels 2 two-years-old calves of a camel
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91 camels 2 three-years-old calves of a camel
125 camels 2 three-years-old calves of a camel and 1 goat
130 camels 2 three-years-old calves of a camel and 2 goats
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145 camels 2 three-years-old calves of a camel and 1 one-year-old calf of a camel

150 camels 3 three-years-old calves of a camel
155 camels 3 three-years-old calves of a camel and 1 goat/sheep
160 camels 3 three-years-old calves of a camel and 2 goats/sheep
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175 camels 3 three-years-old calves of a camel and 1 one-year-old calf of a camel

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186 camels 3 three-years-old calves of a camel and 1 two-years-old calf of a camel

196-200 camels 4 three-years-old calves of a camel
200-infinity For every 50 camels, the calculation will be the same as from 150-200
camels
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Land and Agricultural Produce

Type Nisab Zakah
Artificially Irrigated Lands Any amount of land holding 5% of the annual produce
Naturally Irrigated Lands Any amount of land holding 10% of the annual produce
Lands owned by non-Muslims Any amount of land holding 20% of the annual produce or any percentage agreed
with them
Mines Any amount of land holding 20% of the annual produce
Whom can Zakah be paid to?

Type Description
1 Poor Those who have no means. They are absolutely poor.
2 Needy Those who have means but the means are not enough to fulfil their needs.
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3 Collectors of Zakah The government officials responsible for tax collection. Their salaries may be paid from
the money collected through zakah.
4 New converts or Likely The new converts can be given Zakah. According to most scholars, the likely converts are
converts to Islam no more eligible to receive Zakah as Islam has become dominant.
5 Slaves The slaves can be bought and freed with Zakah
6 Those under debt They can be paid zakat to help them pay their debts.
7 Those in the way of Allah This includes the mujahideen, the students of madrassahs, those preaching Islam, etc.
8 Wayfarers/travellers Those travellers who may have wealth in their homeland but need help in a foreign land
during travel.
Whom can zakah not be paid?

1. Sayyid: Those from the lineage of the Prophet PBUH.
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2. Rich people who attain the level of nisab
3. Mosques
4. One’s own spouse
5. One’s own parents and grandparents
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6. One’s own children and grandchildren
7. non-Muslims
Uzhiyah (The Sacrifice)
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Fasting/Sawm
Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam. It was made obligatory in 2 AH in Madinah. The Arabic word for fasting is al-Sawm
and al-Siyam which means to intend.
Importance of fasting
1. Importance
a. Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam
b. It was made obligatory on past nations also.
2. Social Benefits
a. It helps the wealthy in realising the feelings of the poor
b. It harbours sympathy for the poor
a. It helps in increasing self-restraint.
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b. It helps in overcoming human desires
c. It is a test of human sincerity
d. It is a matter between humans and Allah almighty
e. Muslims get many hours of acceptance of prayers in the month of Ramazan
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f. It also allows the Muslims to stand in front of Allah during the night prayer
g. Deeds in the month of fasting are multiplied by 70 in reward
4. Physical/Bodily Benefits
a. It improves the digestive system of human beings as the stomach gets a rest for one month with
relatively lesser load
b. It helps in diet control too which is crucial for a healthy life
Four Kinds of Fasts

Kind Days
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Fard or Obligatory Fasting in the month of Ramazan (9th Month of the Lunar Islamic Calendar)
Sunnah Fasting on the 9th and 10th or 10th and 11th of Muharram
Nafl 9th of Zul Hajj
6 fasts of Shawwal
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Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays

Fasting on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of lunar months
Haram or Forbidden Fasting on the 1st of Shawwal
Fasting in Ayyam al-Tashriq (10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhi al-Hijjah
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Fasting is obligatory in the month of Ramazan (9th month of lunar Islamic calendar) on the following:
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1. Muslims
2. Adults (the biological age of adulthood is 9-12 years for girls and 12-15 years for boys)
3. Sane
Restrictions of Fasting
1. Eating is forbidden from Fajr till sunset
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2. Drinking is forbidden from Fajr till sunset

3. Sexual intercourse with spouses is also forbidden from Fajr till sunset.
Who is exempted from fasting: They have to make up for the missed fasts later.
1. Sick: Those whose illness is expected to increase to an extent that their life is threatened if they fast.
2. Travellers: It is recommended for travellers to fast but they can skip fast and make up for the missed fasts later.
3. Women during Menstruation and Childbirth cannot fast. They have to make up for these fasts later.
How to compensate for the missed fasts
1. Kaffarah: Kaffarah refers to fasting for 60 consecutive days for missing one fast deliberately. Even if one day is
missed, the cycle of 60 days has to be restarted.
2. Qada’: Qada’ refers to fasting for one day in place of one missed fast due to a valid excuse of illness or travel.
3. Fidyah: If someone is terminally ill and cannot fast till death or if someone has died, then he or his descendents
may make up for his missed fasts by paying the amount equivalent to sadaqah al-fitr for each missed fast.
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Special features of Ramazan fast

1. Taraweeh prayer (Standing in the Night)
a. The taraweeh prayer is offered after Isha and before witr prayers.
b. It is offered in congregation.
c. It consists of 20 rakaahs/cycles according to most scholars.
d. It is performed throughout Ramazan.
e. This prayer is also called qiyamul layl (the standing in the night).
f. Several narrations from the Prophet PBUH describe high rewards for this prayer.
g. It was offered individually or in small groups in the lifetime of the Prophet PBUH. Umar RA
commanded that it be offered in one large central gathering in the mosque of the Prophet PBUH. All the
companions agreed to this decision and did not record dissention.
h. Umar RA appointed Ubayy b. Kaab RA to lead taraweeh prayer. Ubayy b. Kaab was one of the best
reciters among the companions.
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2. Suhoor (The Night Meal)
a. Suhoor refers to a late night meal that the fasting person takes just before (approximately an hour or
half an hour) the breaking of the dawn (fajr).
b. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that the Muslims must have the suhoor meal as this meal
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has many blessings.
c. This meal saves the fasting person from severe thirst and hunger during the day.
d. The suhoor meal is one of the distinctions of the nation of the Prophet PBUH as the past nations were
not allowed to have this meal.
e. The suhoor is also a time of the acceptance of prayers according to narrations from the Prophet PBUH.
3. Iftaar (Breaking the Fast)
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a. This is the meal taken immediately after sunset (maghrib) and before the sunset (maghrib) prayer.
b. This meal marks the end of the fasting day and the Muslims break their fast by having this meal.
c. It is recommended to break the fast with dates, salt or water followed by a full meal.
d. The Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that Allah almighty accepts the prayer of a fasting person at
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the time of iftaar.
e. The Prophet PBUH is also reported to have said that iftaar is a special gift from Allah to the fasting
people as Allah fills their hearts with happiness at completing their fasts.
4. Ietikaaf (Solitude)
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a. Ietikaaf refers to the staying of men in the mosque and women in a designated room in their houses
throughout the last ten days of the month of Ramazan.
b. This time is spent in worshipping Allah almighty.
c. There are several restrictions that are to be observed during this stay.
d. The mutakif (the one staying in the mosque for the last ten days of Ramazan) is not allowed to go out of
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the mosque except for very necessary needs. The women too should not go out of their designated
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room without any excuse.

e. The mutakif cannot take a shower unless it becomes mandatory.
f. The mutakifs cannot have sexual intercourse or related talk with their spouses even in the night time.
g. For mutakifs, it is easy to worship during these days and nights. They are more likely to earn the
reward of the night of power.
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5. Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power)

a. The laylatul qadr or the night of power falls on one of the odd nights (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, or 29th)
during the last ten days of the month of Ramazan. The exact date of the night is not known.
b. The Jibraail AS and other angels descend this night to the lowest sky.
c. This night starts from maghrib prayer and ends with the breaking of the dawn (fajr).
d. Allah almighty promises to give a reward equal to 1000 nights to those who spend this night in
worship. This reward is mentioned in suratul Qadr (97) in Quran.
e. The Muslim strive to spend this night in worship. Some recommended acts for this night are; recitation
of the Quran; praying nafl prayers; giving charity; remembering Allah through his beautiful names;
sending salutations to the Prophet PBUH; seeking forgiveness for past sins; etc.
6. Sadaqatul Fitr
7. Laylatul Jaaizah (The Night of Reward)
a. Laylatul Jaaizah (The Night of Reward) is the night before Eidul Fitr when the moon for shawwaal has
been sighted. This is also a night of worship. Allah almighty gives reward of the good deeds done in
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Ramazan in this night. This night must not be wasted in celebration. Instead, one must strive to
worship and earn immense reward in this night.
8. Eidul Fitr
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Pilgrimage/Hajj
Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. It was made obligatory in 9 AH. It is obligatory on those who are healthy and wealthy
enough to afford to pursue the journey to Makkah. The Hajj gets obligated in the following conditions;
1. A person should have enough wealth to finance his journey to Makkah
2. The pilgrim should have enough money to fulfil the needs of his family and dependents at home
3. The person should be physically fit enough to perform the tasks of Hajj
4. The route should be safe and secure from wild animals and criminals
Importance of Hajj
1. Importance of Hajj
a. It is a financial as well as physical act of worship
b. It helps in purifying an individual from sins by washing away his sins.
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a. It harbours humility among the pilgrims as they have to live in tents and stay in open fields
b. It also improves self-restraint as pilgrims refrain from many otherwise permissible acts
3. Social Benefits
a. It is a symbol of Muslim unity
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b. It demonstrates human equality as all pilgrims wear the same clothes
c. It is a symbol of the numerical strength and might of Muslims.
d. It demonstrates and harbours discipline as hundreds of thousands of pilgrims follow the instructions
of one imam.
e. It helps in strengthening the bond of Muslim brotherhood as Muslims from around the world gather
and come to know about the problems of other Muslims.
imam.
4. Physical Benefits
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f. It helps in giving a common sense of purpose and direction to the Muslims through the sermon of the
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5. Financial/Economic Benefits
Composition of Hajj
1. Fard (Obligatory) Acts of Hajj
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a. Ihram
i. Putting on Ihram from the 8th of Zul Hajj till the 10th of Zul Hajj is mandatory.
ii. Ihram is the name of a state. In the state of ihram, the pilgrims have to wear certain clothes,
indulge in certain acts, and refrain from certain acts.
iii. Ihram consists of two sheets of unsewn clothes for men and the usual clothes for women
conditional upon keeping their faces open.
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iv. The forbidden acts of Hajj are forbidden in the duration of wearing ihram.
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v. Making an intention of wearing ihram before wearing ihram is mandatory.

vi. The pilgrims have to recite talbiyah during the period of ihram on a consistent basis.
vii. Haram (Forbidden) Acts of Ihram
1. Putting on sewn clothes for men
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2. Applying perfume or ‘itr

3. Clipping nails
4. Cutting hair
5. Hunting of animals or killing of insects
6. Marital relationship and talk relevant to marital relationship
7. Women cannot cover their faces.
8. Men cannot cover their heads and feet
9. Obscene and abusive language
10. Fighting
viii. Miqaat (plural: Mawaaqeet): Miqaat refers to the three layers of boundaries in which a pilgrim
has to enter the state of ihram if he/she intends to perform hajj or umrah. These boundaries
were set by the Prophet PBUH.
1. The first layer is for those who reside outside Makkah. They are called Aafaaqi. The
entry points for these people are the following.
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a. Zul Hulayfah: This is situated 255 miles (410 km) north of Makkah. This place
is also known as Bi’r Ali or Aabaar Ali. This point is for those people who
enter the miqaat region from the Madinah.
b. Zaatu Irq: This point is about 56 miles (90 km) from Makkah. This point is for
those who come from Iraq.
c. al-Juhfah (also known as Raabigh): This station is situated about 113 miles
(180 km) from Makkah. The pilgrims coming from Syria enter the miqaat
through this point.
d. Qarnul Manaazil (also known as al-Saylul Kabeer): This point is about 50
miles (80 km) from Makkah. People of Najd enter the miqaat through this
point.
e. Yalamlam: Yalamlam is about 62 miles (100 km) from Makkah. This is the
entry point for pilgrims from Yemen.
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2. The second layer is for those people who live in the outskirts of Makkah or in the
neighbouring cities. These people are called Hilli. They have to enter Makkah from
one of the following points in the state of ihram if one intends to perform hajj or
umrah.
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a. Masjid Aayishah at Tan’eem on the road to Madinah about 5 miles (8 km)
from Makkah
b. Adaatul Laban on the road to Yemen about 7 miles (11 km) from Makkah
c. Waadi Nakhlah on the road to Iraq about 7 miles (11 km) from Makkah
d. Masjid Nimrah at Arafah on the road to Taif about 7 miles (11 km) from
Makkah
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f. Hudaybiyah on the road to Jeddah about 10 miles (16 km) from Makkah
3. The third layer is for those people who live within the city of Makkah. They are called
Makki. For them, the boundaries of al-Masjidul Haraam are miqaat.
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b. Wuquf al-’Arafah (Stay at Arafah): The pilgrims have to stay at Arafah from after the dhuhr prayer of
9th Zul Hajj till after the Asr prayer on the same day. The Dhuhr and Asr prayers are to be combined
and prayed at the time of Asr prayer in Arafah.
c. Tawaf-e-Ziyarah: Tawaf al-Ziyarah refers to circumambulation around Kaabah seven times after
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stoning the Jamarat al-’Uqba, sacrifice, and shaving of hair on the 10th of Zul Hajj. Without this tawaf,
the Hajj will be invalid.
2. Wajib (Necessary) Acts of Hajj
a. Sai
i. The pilgrims have to perform Sai on the 10th of Zul Hajj or later after performing the sacrifice.
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ii. Sai refers to running or walking briskly between the mounts of Safa and Marwa seven times
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starting from Safa and ending at Marwa.

iii. This act is carried out in remembrance of the running of Hajar AS (the wife of Ibrahim AS)
when she could not find water and food for her son Isma’il AS.
iv. The starting and ending points are marked with green pillars on both mounts such that the
Kaabah is visible from both points.
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b. Sacrifice
The pilgrims have to offer sacrifice of a goat, sheep, cow or a camel after stoning the jamarat al-Uqba
on the 10th of Zul Hajj. The pilgrims may make the sacrifice themselves in the vicinity of Haram or
through agents in their hometowns.
c. Wuquf Muzdalifah (Stay at Muzdalifah)
i. The pilgrims leave for Muzdalifah from Arafah on the 9th of Zul Hajj and pray Maghrib and
Isha together in Muzdalifah in the time of Isha.
ii. They stay in Muzdalifah till the Fajr of the 10th of Zul Hajj.
iii. They gather 49 pebbles in Muzdalifah to be hurled at the Jamarat the following four days.
d. Rami (Stoning the Devil): The pilgrims throw 49 pebbles at the three stone pillars in Mina on the
10th, 11th, and 12th of Zul Hajj according to the following details.
i. Jamarat al-Uqba
1. This is nearest to Kaabah. It is stoned on the 10th of Zul Hajj with 7 pebbles.
2. This is also stoned with 7 pebbles on the 11th and 12th of Zul Hajj.
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ii. Jamarat al-Wusta

1. This is stoned with 7 pebbles on the 11th and 12th of Zul Hajj.
iii. Jamarat al-Sughra
1. This is the farthest from Kaabah.
2. This is stoned with 7 pebbles each on the 11th and 12th of Zul Hajj.
e. Halaq/Qasr (Shaving or shortening of hair): On the 10th of Zul Hajj, the male pilgrims shave the hair
of their head while the female pilgrims cut their hair short after stoning the Jamarat al-’Uqba and
making sacrifice. The shaving of hair for men is called halaq and the shortening of hair for women is
called qasr.
f. Tawaf al-Wada’ or Tawaf al-Sadr
i. The pilgrims do the circumambulation (going around the Kaabah) seven times before leaving
the boundaries of haram.
ii. This is the last act of Hajj.
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3. Sunnah (Recommended) Acts of Hajj
a. Tawaf al-Qudum
The pilgrims perform Tawaf al-Qudum in the morning of the 8th of Zul Hajj after putting on the ihram.
This is a sunnah act, hence, there is no penalty if someone skips it. After performing Tawaf al-Qudum,
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they leave for Mina and stay there till the Fajr of 9th of Zul Hajj.
b. Wuquf Mina (Stay at Mina)
i. The pilgrims go to Mina after the Tawaf al-Qudum on the 8th of Zul Hajj.
ii. They stay in Mina from the Dhuhr prayer of 8th of Zul Hajj till the Fajr of 9th of Zul Hajj.
iii. They pray five prayers in Mina (Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, and Fajr of 9th of Zul Hajj).
c. Taking a bath in Arafah on the 9th of Zul Hajj is also recommended (sunnah)
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d. Staying the night in Muzdalifah after Arafah
The pilgrims leave Arafah after Asr on the 9th of Zul Hajj and reach Muzdalifah late at night. They
deliberately delay the Maghrib prayer and pray both Maghrib and Isha together in Muzdalifah in the
time of Isha prayer. They stay in Muzdalifah for the night and leave Muzdalifah for Mina after Fajr
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prayer on the 10th of Zul Hajj. They also gather 49 pebbles in Muzdalifah at night to be hurled at the
Jamarat in Mina.
e. Leaving Arafah after the Imam has left
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Method of Hajj
1. On 8th of Zul Hajj: In the morning of 8th of Zul Hajj, the pilgrims put on the ihram and go to al-Masjid al-Haram
to perform Tawaf al-Qudum after which they go to Mina and stay there till the Fajr of 9th Zul Hajj and pray the
Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha of 8th and Fajr of 9th Zul Hajj there. This is called the wuquf of Mina and is a necessary
(wajib) act of Hajj.
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2. On 9th of Zul Hajj: In the morning of 9th of Zul Hajj, the pilgrims go to Arafah for the obligatory stay at Arafah
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where they stay till after the Asr prayer. The pilgrims spend their time in Arafah in praying and supplicating.
They also listen to the sermon of the Imam of Hajj. After Asr prayer, they leave for Muzdalifah and spend the
night of 9th and 10th Zul Hajj in Muzdalifah. This is known as the stay in Muzdalifah (wuquf al-Muzdalifah)
which is a necessary (wajib) act of Hajj. The pilgrims also gather 49 pebbles from Muzdalifah to be thrown at
the Jamarat the following days.
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3. On 10th of Zul Hajj: The pilgrims go to Mina from Muzdalifah and throw seven pebbles (7x1=7) at the largest of
the three stone pillars (Jamarat al-’Uqba) after which they sacrifice their sacrificial animals. Following that, the
male pilgrims have to shave their heads while the women have to cut their hair short. Now, they can put off the
ihram and wear regular clothes. The pilgrims have to do the obligatory tawaf (tawaf al-ziyarah) and perform Sai
either on the same day (10th of Zul Hajj) or in the next two days.
4. On 11th and 12th of Zul Hajj: The pilgrims have to throw seven pebbles each (7x3=21) at all the three stone
pillars (Jamarat al-’Uqba, Jamarat al-Wusta, Jamarat al-Sughra) on the 11th and 12th of Zul Hajj (21x2=42).
After stoning all the three pillars on these two days, the pilgrims have to perform the tawaf al-Sadr/al-Wada’
before leaving the vicinity of Haram. After this tawaf, the Hajj is completed.
Three Types of Hajj

1. Tamattu’: When the pilgrim performs both Umrah and Hajj in one journey. He puts on ihram for Umrah and
takes it off after Umrah and puts it on again for hajj. According to Imam Malik, this is the most preferable way of
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Hajj because the Prophet PBUH is reported to have said that he would have performed this kind of hajj had he
known its benefits prior to making intention for hajj.
2. Qiran: When the pilgrim performs both Umrah and Hajj in one journey. He puts on ihram for umrah and does
not take it off after Umrah. He performs both hajj and Umrah in one ihram. According to Imam Abu Hanifa, this
is the most preferable way of Hajj because the Prophet PBUH performed the only hajj of his life in this way.
3. Ifrad: When the pilgrim performs only Hajj without performing Umrah. According to Imam al-Shafi, this is the
most preferable form of Hajj.
Terms related to Tawaf

1. Maqam Ibrahim AS (Station of Ibrahim AS): This is the stone on which Ibrahim AS stood while constructing
the Kaabah. It is mandatory to pray two Rakaah nafl prayers at this station after the completion of tawaf.
2. Mataf: Mataf is the circular area around Kaabah where the pilgrims circumambulate around Kaabah.
3. Hatim: Hatim is the unconstructed part of Kaabah. The Quraysh could not join this part in Kaabah because of
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the lack of funds for the complete construction of Kaabah.
4. Iztibaa: Iztibaa refers to the way of wearing of ihram for men where they put one sheet of cloth around their
body
5. Istilam: While doing tawaf around the Kaabah, the pilgrims have to either kiss, or touch, or salute the black
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stone depending on the possibility of any of these three. This is called Istilam.
6. Ramal: While doing tawaf, the pilgrims have to walk proudly by expanding their shoulders, bulging their chests
forward, and walk like soldiers in the first three rounds. This is the sunnah of the Prophet PBUH. When the
Prophet PBUH performed Umrah in 7 AH, the pagans of Makkah taunted him that he had become weak due to
the climate of Madinah. The Prophet PBUH asked his companions to walk proudly to show their strength to the
Makkans.
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7. Talbiyah: Talbiyah refers to the recital of Labbayka Allahuma Labbayka in the state of ihram
8. Multazam: Multazam is the place between the Black Stone and the door of the Kaabah. It is a place where dua
(individual prayer) is made.
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Important Days
1. Yawm al-Tarwiyah: The 8th of Zul Hajj. The pilgrims put on ihram on this day and stay at Mina from Dhuhr to
Isha. Tarwiyah means to serve people with drinking water. On this day, the pilgrims reach the Haram and are
offered water to drink by the inhabitants of Haram.
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2. Yawm al-Arafah: The 9th of Zul Hajj. The pilgrims stay in Arafah, listen to the sermon, and spend the day in
prayer
3. Yawm al-Nahr: The 10th of Zul Hajj. The sacrifice is preferably offered on this day. Nahr means sacrifice.
4. Ayyam al-Nahr: The 10th, 11th, and 12th of Zul Hajj. These are the days of sacrifice.
5. Ayyam al-Tashriq: The 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of Zul Hajj. These are the days in which the Muslims recite
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takbeer after fard salah. The males have to recite the takbir in a loud voice while the women say it silently. The
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takbir has to be recited only once.

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Beliefs/Articles of Faith
Oneness of Allah
1. Allah is unique in His person.
a. He has no partners and rivals.
b. He is absolute. He is free from human needs (thirst, hunger, sleep, marriage).
c. He begets not (He has no children) nor is he begotten (He has no parents). The Christian belief that
‘Isa/Jesus AS was His son is absolutely false. The Jewish belief that ‘Uzayr AS was His son is also
absolutely false.
d. He has no consort/wife as He is free from human needs and desires. The Christian belief that
Maryam/Mary was his consort is absolutely false and blasphemous.
e. He is the only creator. No one created Him. Everything else is His creation.
f. He and His attributes cannot be comprehended. Nothing resembles Him.
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g. The Christian belief of Trinity (three beings (God, Jesus, and Mary) considered as gods) is absolutely
false and baseless.
2. Allah is unique in His attributes.
a. He is ever-living. He has no beginning.
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b. He is immortal. He has no end.
c. No one can share His attributes.
d. He is the Lord of everything. There is no lord over Him.
e. He is Omniscient (All-Knowledgeable). He knows everything. Nothing is hidden from Him.
f. He is Omnipotent (All-Powerful). He can do whatever He wills.
g. He is Omnipresent. He is present everywhere at the same time. He is closer to his creation than their
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3. He is the only one worthy of worship.
a. Associating partners with Him is called shirk which is the greatest sin. Shirk is the only sin that will
never be forgiven.
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b. Only He must be exalted, praised, and worshipped. No other being deserves to be worshipped.
c. Only He must be asked for help. Only He is capable of helping His creation.
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Angels
1. Angels are made of light (Nur).
2. They are not superior to human beings. All of them prostrated to Adam AS.
3. They do not have free will. Therefore, they cannot commit sins or disobey Allah almighty.
4. They are gender-free. They are not feminine.
5. They are not daughters of Allah. The belief of pagans of Makkah that the angels are the daughters of Allah is
false.
6. They are not deities/gods. They cannot be worshipped.
7. They are mortal. All of them will die one day.
8. They are the obedient servants/agents of Allah and serve Him all the time.
9. They are not visible to human beings. They belong to the category of unseen.
10. They can change their shape and form. Some of them have wings like Jibrail AS. They vary in size. Some of them
are very big like Jibrail AS who can cover the entire horizon with his two wings.
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11. They have specific duties which they perform diligently without negligence.
12. Major Angels
a. Jibraeel was responsible for bringing revelations to the prophets. He is also the leader of angels.
b. Mikaeel is responsible for the environment, rain, winds, and the provision of sustenance (rizq), etc.
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c. Izraeel is responsible for taking out the spirit of humans at the time of death. He is called Malak
al-Mawt (The Angel of Death)
d. Israfeel is responsible for blowing the trumpet (al-Sur) on the day of Judgement.
13. Other Angels
a. Kiraman Katibeen: These are two angels who sit on the shoulders of each individual and record their
deeds. There are different angels for every day and night. These deeds will be shown to the people on
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the Day of Judgement.
b. Munkar Nakeer will question the deceased in the grave. They ask three questions:
i. Who is your Lord?
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ii. What is your religion?
iii. What do you say about this person (Prophet Muhammad PBUH)?
c. Malik is the guardian of Hell.
d. Ridwan is the guardian of heaven.
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e. 19 angels guarding the hell

f. 8 angels holding the throne of Allah almighty on the Day of Judgement
Importance of Angels in the daily lives of Muslims

1. The Kiraman Katibeen record the deeds of human beings. They sit on both shoulders of Muslims. The one on
the right shoulder records good deeds and the other on the left shoulder records bad deeds. The duty of
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Kiraman Katibeen changes at Asr and Fajr prayers. There are different angels for day and night.
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2. Mikail AS is responsible for sending rain, distributing sustenance (rizq) among humans, blowing winds, and
deciding about other environmental issues. All these tasks have implications for the daily lives of Muslims.
3. Izrail AS takes the soul of human beings and causes death. All human beings have to taste death as per the
Quran. So, Izrail AS has huge significance in the lives of Muslims.
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4. Angels ask for forgiveness for people on Earth. The Muslims are not protected from sins. They are prone to
sins. Hence, it is very important for them to have angels seeking forgiveness for them.
5. The angels pray for the increase in the sustenance of human beings.
6. The angels help and protect the righteous Muslims against calamities, difficulties, and non-Muslim enemies
like in the battle of Badr and Hunayn. Hence, they are an immense source of support for Muslims.
7. The angels greet the Muslims at the doors of Masjid before congregational prayers on Friday and Eid days.
8. The angels pray for those seeking knowledge. They also lay their wings in the way of those seeking knowledge.
9. The angels also pray for those who fast in the month of Ramazan. Due to their prayers, there is more likelihood
that the fasts of Muslims are accepted by Allah almighty.
10. The angels descend in the night of power (Laylah al-Qadr) to the lowest heaven. It is a time of acceptance of
prayer.
11. The angels also convey the salutations of Muslims upon the Prophet PBUH. Hence, they are an important
source of connection to the Prophet PBUH.
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Books
1. Allah almighty revealed books for the guidance of human beings.
2. Muslims believe that the previous books were revealed by Allah almighty.
3. The Muslims believe that all the revealed books were true/authentic in their own times.
4. However, these books were corrupted/distorted/fabricated by the adherents of those religions.
5. These books were revealed for specific nations and specific times.
6. The Quran was revealed for all nations and for all times to come.
7. The Quran cannot be corrupted. Allah has guaranteed its protection.
8. The following books were revealed by Allah almighty.
a. Tawrah or the Old Testament was revealed upon Prophet Musa AS for the Bani Israil. The Muslims
believe that the Tawrah is not available in its authentic version and is fabricated.
b. Zabur or Psalms was revealed upon Prophet Dawud AS. This book is also not available in its authentic
form.
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c. Injil or the New Testament was revealed upon Prophet ‘Isa AS for the Bani Israil. Bani Israil rejected
the message of this book. This book was corrupted by the disciples of Isa AS.
d. Quran was revealed upon the Prophet Muhammad PBUH for the entire humanity. This is the only book
that has remained in its authentic form. Allah almighty has taken the responsibility of its safe keeping
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till the Day of Judgement.
e. Suhuf/codices: These were not full books. These were revealed to the following prophets.
i. Adam
ii. Ibrahim
iii. Musa
9. All of these books approved the teachings of the previous revealed books.
10.
11.
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All these books gave tidings of the future books and prophets.
All these books were brought to the prophets by Jibrail AS who is called al-Ruh al-Amin (the Trustworthy Spirit)
in the Quran.
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12. The teaching of all previous books and codices were abrogated by the Quran. One cannot remain on the right
path if he/she follows the teachings of these books now while ignoring the teachings of Quran.
13. The revealed books fulfilled the following functions;
a. They introduced the oneness of Allah to the human beings
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b. They detailed the importance of following the prophets AS

c. They predicted the events of the Day of Judgement and described the realms of the unseen
d. They taught wisdom and the signs of Allah almighty to the human beings
e. They detailed the laws and commandments of Allah almighty
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Prophets
1. Muslims believe that the prophets were human beings.
2. They were not above the natural human needs like food, clothes, shelter.
3. They were better than the common human beings in all respects.
4. They were protected from sins by Allah almighty.
5. They were divinely guided by Allah almighty through revelations.
6. All of them approved the divine messages of the previous prophets and gave glad tidings of the future prophets.
Isa AS announced the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH.
7. All prophets except Muhammad PBUH were sent for a particular nation and particular time.
8. Only prophet Muhammad PBUH was sent for the entire humanity and till the day of judgement.
9. The Prophets were not sons of Allah almighty. The Christian belief of Trinity and the Jewish belief about Uzayr
AS being the son of God are false.
10. The Muslims believe that Isa AS was not crucified. Instead, he was elevated to the heavens and will transcend
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before the Day of Judgement. A person resembling Isa AS was crucified by the Banu Israail. This was Allah’s
divine plan to protect Isa AS from slaughter by the Banu Israail.
11. They were mortal human beings. They had to die like any other living thing.
12. However, their bodies do not decay in the grave like other human beings.
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13. They were given miracles as proof of their prophethood. Some examples of the prophets’ miracles are given
below;
a. The fire cooled down for Ibrahim AS
b. The knife of Ibrahim AS did not cut the throat of Ismaail AS
c. Musa AS could converse with Allah almighty at the mount of Sina
d. Musa AS’s staff became a huge serpent
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e. Saaleh AS was blessed with a heavenly she-camel
f. Isa AS could talk in infancy
g. Isa AS could resurrect the dead and give life to birds made of clay
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h. The Prophet Muhammad PBUH cut the moon into two equal halves with the pointing of his index
finger, etc.
14. The Muslims believe that the dreams of the Prophets are also always true.
15. Muslims do not distinguish between them in terms of believing in them as prophets.
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16. Those who denied or rejected their message were punished by Allah SWT like the people of Nuuh, Huud,
Saaleh, Luut, and Banu Israeel.
17. Five of them are called ‘Ulul Azm’. These include Prophets Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa, and Muhammad PBUH.
18. The following 25 or 26 of them are mentioned in the Quran by name.
1 Adam 8 Ismaeel 15 Harun 22 Ilyas
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2 Nuuh 9 Ishaq 16 Yasaa 23 Zakariya

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3 Idris 10 Yaqub 17 Zul Kifl 24 Yahya

4 Huud 11 Yusuf 18 Uzayr 25 Isa
5 Salih 12 Ayyub 19 Dawud 26 Muhammad
6 Ibrahim 13 Shuayb 20 Sulayman Luqman (disputed)
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7 Luut 14 Musa 21 Yunus Dhu al-Qarnayn (disputed)

19. About one hundred twenty four thousand prophets and messengers were sent by Allah almighty.
20. All of them were male. No woman prophetess was sent by Allah almighty.
21. The Quran mentions four tasks of the Prophet PBUH:
a. Reciting the verses of Allah almighty to the humans
b. Purifying them
c. Teaching them the book
d. Teaching them the wisdom
22. The prophets were chosen from within their community because of the following reasons;
a. So that they know the language of their people which will help in effective communication
b. In order for them to have a support network including family and friends who could support and
protect them like the Banu Hashim who supported the Prophet PBUH against Quraysh
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c. It would be easier for the people to believe in the prophets when they know of their character and
behaviour. Many of the earlier converts to Islam were those who accepted Islam because they trusted
the Prophet PBUH because of his honesty and truthfulness
d. It would be an inspiration for the people as they know the prophets as normal human beings. They will
realise that they can also do good deeds and refrain from sins if the prophets could do so.
23. Some scholars differentiate between a Rasul (Messenger) and a Nabi (Prophet). They define them in the
following terms:
a. A Rasul is a messenger who brings a new book and a code of law to his nation.
b. A Nabi is a prophet who does not bring a new book and a code of law. Instead, they continue the legal
code of the previous messengers.
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Life after death

1. Life in grave
a. The bodies of human beings remain in an intermediary status after death till the Day of Judgement.
b. This status is called ‘barzakh’.
c. The spirits of the people will either go to heaven or hell based upon their deeds in worldly life.
d. In grave, two angels named Munkar Nakir will ask the following three questions
i. Who is your Lord?
ii. What is your religion?
iii. What do you say about this person (Prophet Muhammad PBUH)?
e. The true believers will give correct answers. For them, the window to paradise will be opened. They
will remain in bliss till the Day of Judgement. They will be provided with blessings from the heavens.
For them, the stay in the grave will be shortened.
f. The disbelievers will fail to give the correct answers. For them, the window to Hell will be opened.
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Their tormentation will start in the grave. For them, life in the grave will be prolonged.
g. Muslims believe that good deeds like the recitation of the Quran and fulfilling one’s obligations towards
relatives will shield individuals from the tormentation in the grave.
h. After the questioning, the souls of human beings will go to Aalamul Arwaah (the universe of souls)
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where they will stay till the day of Judgement.
2. Day of Judgement
a. The day of Judgement is the day of reward and punishment.
b. This day is also called the day of Resurrection, the day of Reckoning, the day of Exodus, Yawmud Deen,
Yawmul Qiyamah, al-Saaah, Yawmul Aakhirah, al-Qariyah, Yawmul Hisaab, Yawmul Khurooj, etc.
c. Muslims believe that the day of Judgement will be 50 thousand years long.
i.
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d. To mark this day, Israfil AS will blow the trumpet twice:
On the first blow, all living things will die. The mountains will fly like wool. The Earth will be
shattered.
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ii. On the second blow, all human beings will be brought to life.
e. The proceedings of the day of Judgement will be held in the ground of ‘Arafah where the pilgrims stay
during Hajj on the 9th of Zul Hajj.
f. The date of the Day of Judgement is only known by Allah almighty. The day of Judgement will occur on
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Friday. It may happen on any Friday.

g. According to some narration, it will happen on the 10th of Muharram.
h. The sun would be above one’s head. It will be at a distance of one mile only from the surface of the
Earth. It will be so hot that people will be drowning in their sweat.
i. People will be in a state of panic. People will not help their close relatives including parents, spouses,
children and siblings.
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j. People will plead to prophets to request Allah almighty to start the accountability of human beings. All
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the prophets will refuse to plead to Allah.

k. Only Prophet Muhammad will be interceding on behalf of his followers.
l. The following stations are important on the day of Judgement
i. The Throne of Allah almighty (al-Arsh): The throne of Allah almighty will be held by 8
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angels. Its shade will be the only shade on the day of Judgement. Seven kinds of people will be
under its shade.
ii. The Pond of Kawthar (Hawz Kawthar): This will be a pond the water of which will be whiter
than milk and sweeter than honey. The Prophet PBUH will be incharge of this pond. He will
give water from this pond to his followers. Once a person drinks from this pond, he will never
feel thirsty again.
iii. The Balance (al-Meezaan): This is the place where the deeds of people will be weighed. On
the basis of this balance, the book of deeds (Nama-e-A’maal) will be given in either right hand
or behind the back. Those who are given their book of deeds in the right hand will go to
heaven and those who are given their book of deeds in the left hand will go to hell. At this
station, every human being has to answer the following five questions. The limbs of the human
body will testify on the day of Judgement. Allah will give the quality of speech to the body
parts of all human beings.
1. How did you spend your life?
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2. How did you spend your youth?

3. How much did you act upon your knowledge?
4. How did you earn your wealth?
5. Where did you spend your wealth?
iv. The Bridge (al-Siraat): This is a bridge narrower than a hair and sharper than a sword on the
Hell. The believers will cross this bridge with the speed of light and enter heaven while the
disbeliever will fumble and fall into hell.
m. Signs of the Day of Judgement
i. Major Signs
ii. Minor Signs
3. The eternal life
a. Al-Jannah (The Heaven): The believers whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds will remain in
heaven for eternity. In heaven, they will feel no grief nor face any affliction. It will be a life full of bliss,
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favours, and luxuries. It has eight doors. The inhabitants of heaven will never see the wrath of Allah.
They will not be bound by any commandments. They will be entirely free to pursue their pleasures.
The Heaven has 8 doors. Ridwan is the guardian angel of heaven.
b. Al-Nar (Hell): The disbelievers will remain in Hell for eternity. The believers whose bad deeds
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outweigh their good deeds will remain in Hell for a certain period of time after which they will be
entered into heaven. Hell is a place of torment. It has seven doors. Those in Hell will regret their
actions in this world however, it will be of no use. No one will be able to intercede for them. Their
affliction will not reduce, instead it will gradually increase. Malik is the guardian angel of Hell.
c. Al-Aaraaf (The Middle Ground between Heaven and Hell): This will be a station between heaven
and hell. Those people whose good and bad deeds are equal will stay here for a certain period.
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Ultimately, Allah almighty will grant them permission to enter heaven due to his infinite mercy.
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Predestination/Taqdeer
Predestination refers to Allah’s absolute knowledge of and power over all present, past, and future events. The Arabic
word for predestination is al-Qadr. The English equivalents of al-Qadr are predestination and decree. The Muslims
believe that whatever happened in the past, whatever is happening at present, and whatever will happen in the future is
in the knowledge of Allah and Allah controls all such events. This belief in the absolute knowledge and power of Allah is
a core belief in Islam. The belief in predestination gives rise to a few questions. These questions include:
1. If Allah almighty knows and controls everything, then why are humans made accountable for their actions?
2. If Allah controls everything, then why does evil exist in the world?
3. Do humans have freewill?
There are two extreme positions in terms of belief in Allah’s absolute power and the freewill of human beings.
1. Mujbirah: This school of thought believes that human beings have no freewill and they are bound by the
absolute power and will of Allah.
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2. Qadariyyah: This school of thought believes that human beings have a freewill and they are free to do anything
they want.
3. The middle position: There is also a middle position between these two schools of thought. They find a middle
ground between Allah’s absolute power and the freewill of human beings. They explain the belief in Allah’s
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absolute power and human freewill in the following ways.
a. Knowledge versus Power: They say that Allah has the power to control everything but he does not
exercise his power. However, He has knowledge of whatever will happen in the future. The crux of their
argument is that Allah knows everything about past, present, and future events but he does not control
these happenings.
b. Outcome versus means: They believe that Allah only controls the outcomes but not the means. Human
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beings have freewill in adopting the means to reach the outcomes. Human beings will be made
accountable for the means they adopt to achieve certain outcomes.
c. Limited intervention: They believe that Allah does not control everything in the lives of human beings.
Instead, Allah almighty only controls some basic aspects of human beings’ lives like their birth, parents,
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spouses, and their sustenance. In the other realms of human lives, Allah has given freewill to human
beings and they will be made accountable on the basis of their decisions in those realms.
d. Changing the predestination through prayers: They believe that although Allah almighty has destined a
few aspects of human beings’ lives, the human beings still have a way of changing their destiny through
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prayers and good deeds.

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Jihaad
Literal Meaning: The word jihaad literally means to strive or to make efforts in the way of Allah. It is more commonly
and terminologically used in the meaning of armed fighting in the way of Allah. A more appropriate word for armed
struggle in the way of Allah is qitaal or muqaatalah. Allah allowed armed struggle in his path in 2 AH in verse number
190 of surah al-Baqarah.
Terminological Meaning:
Ruling of Jihaad
Jihaad is a communal obligation (al-fard al-kifayah). It is incumbent upon the community as a whole. If some sections of
the community engage in it, then the rest of the community is relieved from this obligation. However, if no one in the
community engages in jihaad, then the entire community becomes sinful for not fulfilling this commandment.
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Circumstances in which Jihaad is permissible
1. When the Muslims are attacked by non-Muslims, then Jihaad becomes obligatory on all Muslims. This is called
defensive jihaad (al-jihaad al-difaai).
2. When there is a potential threat from non-Muslim, then the Muslims are permitted to initiate jihaad in order to
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stem out the imminent threat for future. This is called offensive jihaad (al-jihaad al-iqdaami).
3. When the Muslims are persecuted by non-Muslims in non-Muslim majority areas. The Muslims are permitted
to wage jihaad to protect their Muslim brothers.
4. The Muslims may also wage jihaad against those Muslims who cause fitnah. This fitnah may be in the form of
support for false prophets, or in the form of refusal to pay zakah, or in the form of introducing innovation in
religion.
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Types of Jihaad on the basis of its initiation
1. Offensive jihad (al-jihaad al-iqdaami)
a. When the Muslims initiate jihad in order to prevent a threat from the non-Muslims.
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2. Defensive jihad (al-jihaad al-difaa’i)
a. When the non-Muslims initiate belligerence against Muslims. The Muslims are supposed to defend
themselves against aggression.
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Kinds of Jihaad on the basis of the mode of jihaad

1. With heart (jihaad bil qalb)
2. With tongue (jihaad bil lisaan)
3. With hand (jihaad bil yad)
4. With sword (ihaad bis sayf)
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5. With wealth (jihaad bil maal)

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6. With pen (jihaad bil qalam)

7. With knowledge (jihaad bil ilm)
These seven kinds of jihad can be shrinked into five kinds by merging jihaad bil yad with jihaad bis sayf and jihaad bil
qalam with jihaad bil ilm as these are related.
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1. With heart (jihaad bil qalb)

2. With tongue (jihaad bil lisaan)
3. With hand/sword (jihaad bil yad or jihaad bis sayf)
4. With wealth (jihaad bil maal)
5. With pen/knowledge (jihaad bil qalam or jihaad bil ilm)
Rules/Limitations of Jihaad
1. The Muslims must offer the following three alternatives one after another to the non-Muslims before initiating
jihaad.
a. Accept Islam and become our brothers in Islam. No harm will be caused to you or your belongings.
b. Agree to pay jizyah to the Muslim state. The Muslim state will guarantee your protection. You will have
human, civil, commercial, political, social, and religious rights.
c. If you do not accept the first two options, then prepare to fight us.
2. The Muslims are prohibited from cutting trees or burning crops of non-Muslims.
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3. The non-Muslim women, elderly, children, priests/monks, non-combatant civilians, diseased cannot be
attacked.
4. The places of worship of non-Muslims like churches, synagogues, temples, etc. cannot be desecrated or
destroyed.
5. The deceased bodies of non-Muslims are not to be mutilated.
6. The Muslims are not allowed to indulge in war crimes such as rape, torture, and mass killing.
7. The prisoners of wars are to be given their full rights. They cannot be killed or tortured if they surrender.
However, the Muslims can demand ransom for their release.
8. The ambassadors/envoys of the enemies must not be harmed or disrespected.
9. The Muslims are not permitted to break treaties and promises made with the opponents.
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Rights of non-Muslims
The non-Muslims living in an Islamic state are called Zimmis. The word Zimmi is derived from the Arabic word Zimma
which means duty or obligation. They are called zimmis because the Muslim states have the responsibility and
obligation of protecting them and guaranteeing their rights.
1. Basic Human Rights
a. Right to life
b. Liberty
c. Freedom of movement
d. Residence
e. Right to free speech
2. Economic/Commercial Rights
a. The non-Muslims have the right to establish their own business.
b. They also have the right to employment. They cannot be discriminated against in any form in the
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workplace.
c. Special quotas are in place for minorities in all government jobs.
d. They have special rights such as the sale and purchase of alcohol and pork which the Muslims cannot
have. However, they can only sell alcohol and pork to non-Muslims.
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e. Interest-based dealings are also allowed for non-Muslims.
3. Political Rights
a. The non-Muslims also have the right to vote in a Muslim state.
b. Non-Muslims have the right to protest against the government and its policies.
c. They can become members of any political party.
d. They can form their own political parties.
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e. Their rights are guaranteed in Islamic law and in the constitutions of Muslim states.
f. They have separate electorates (quota-based special representation and reserved seats) in the
legislatures of Muslim states.
g. They can also compete for the general seats against the Muslims.
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4. Social Rights
a. They have the right to arrange their gatherings.
b. They can use all public facilities. They cannot be segregated.
c. They cannot be discriminated against because of their religion
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5. Religious rights
a. They have the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate their religion. However, they are only
allowed to preach their religion to other non-Muslims because the Muslims do not have the right to
revert from Islam.
b. They have the right to visit their places of worship
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c. They have the right to attend religious ceremonies

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d. They cannot be forcefully converted to Islam

e. They have the right to construct their places of worship
f. They cannot be given instructions of other religions forcefully.
g. They have the right to conduct their private and social affairs according to the commandments of their
own religion.
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Jizya: Jizya is a tax collected from non-Muslims in a Muslim state. Some orientalists and contemporary Western scholars
use the imposition of jizya as an example of oppression against non-Muslims in an Islamic state. This accusation is
wrong because of the following reasons.
1. The non-Muslims are not the only ones to pay this tax. The Muslims also pay zakah in place of jizya.
2. The amount and ratio of jizya is much lower than the zakah that the Muslims pay
3. The Muslim state protects the non-Muslims in return for jizya. The jizya is a payment in return for guarantee of
protection. This is a special privilege for non-Muslims. There is no guarantee of protection against zakah.
4. The jizya can be returned to non-Muslims if the Islamic state fails to protect them. There is no provision of
returning the zakah
5. If the non-Muslims think that paying jizya is humiliating, then they can opt for paying zakah
6. As citizens of the state, the non-Muslims cannot be exempted from paying taxes to the state. Hence, jizya is not
an oppressive tax. It is a tax in place of zakah that the non-Muslims have to pay to the state.
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Relations of Muslim states with other states

1. Darul Islam
a. Darul Islam refers to the Muslim states and territories.
b. A Muslim state must have cordial relations with other Muslim states and territories.
c. Jihad cannot be waged against such countries.
2. Darul Aman
a. Darul Aman refers to those states and territories with whom the Muslims are at peace.
b. These include those states with whom the Muslim states have treaties and agreements.
c. As long as the agreement stands, the Muslims cannot attack them.
d. The Muslims are discouraged from breaking the agreements unless the other party initiates it.
3. Darul Harb
a. Darul Harb refers to those belligerent territories who are at war with the Muslim states and territories.
b. The Muslims are allowed to wage both defensive and offensive jihad against such countries.
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c. However, the limits on Jihad must be taken care of in the wars against Darul Harb too.
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154
Bibliography
History of Quran
Al-Tibyaan Fi Uloomil Quraan by Shaykh al-Saabuni
Sources of Islamic Law

Nur al-Anwar (The Light of the Lights) by Shaykh Ahmad Jiwan al-Siddiqui

Muhammad: His Life Based On Earliest Sources by Martin Lings
Sirat-e-Mustafa (The Life of the Prophet PBUH) by Mawlana Muhammad Idris al-Kandhlawi
Al-Rahiq al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar) by Mawlana Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri
Tarikh-e-Ummat-e-Muslimah by Mawalan Ismaaeel Rayhan
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First Muslim Community
Muhammad: His Life Based On Earliest Sources by Martin Lings
Seerat-e-Mustafaa (The Life of the Prophet PBUH) by Mawlana Muhammad Idris al-Kandhlawi
Al-Raheeq al-Makhtoom (The Sealed Nectar) by Mawlana Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri
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Tareekh-e-Ummat-e-Muslimah (The History of the Muslim Nation) by Mawalan Ismaaeel Rayhan
Hikayaat-e-Sahaabah (The Stories of the Companions) by Mawlana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhlawi
History of Hadith
Hadith: A Short Introduction by Jonathan C. Brown
Various articles by Ghassan Abdul Jabbar (Mawlana Iftikhar Zaman)
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Nurul Anwaar (The Light of the Lights) by Shaykh Ahmad Jeewan al-Siddiqui
Caliphate
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Tarikh-e-Ummat-e-Muslimah by Mawalana Ismail Rayhan
Pillars of Islam
Al-’Aqeedah al-Tahaawiyyah (The Islamic Creed) by Imam Abu Jaafar al-Warraaq al-Tahaawi al-Hanafi
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Al-Hidaayah (The Guidance) by Shaykh Abu Hummam

Al-Mukhtasar (The Concise Book of Jurisprudence) by Shaykh Husayn al-Quduri al-Hanafi
Articles of Faith
Al-’Aqeedah al-Tahaawiyyah (The Islamic Creed) by Imam Abu Jaafar al-Warraaq al-Tahaawi al-Hanafi
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Passages of the Holy Quran....................................................................................................................................................................

Beliefs/Articles of Faith..................................................................................................................................................................... 140

Life after death........................................................................................................................................................................................................145

How to answer questions

1. Accurate: The names, dates, numbers, etc must be accurate.

i ‫ث‬ th ‫ش‬ sh ‫ظ‬ z. ‫ي‬

u ‫ح‬ h. ‫ص‬ s. ‫غ‬ gh ‫و‬

‫ء‬ ‘ ‫خ‬ kh ‫ض‬ d. ‫ق‬ q

Ali Ali Talha Talha Hafsah Hafsah

Usmaan ‘Uthman Ayishah ‘A’ishah Muaaz Mu’adh

Abdur ‘Abd Ammar ‘Ammar

4 4 8-10 ● A well-structured, clear, and comprehensive response

3 3 5-7 ● A well-structured and clear response

2 2 3-4 ● An attempt to present a structured response to the question

1 1 1-2 ● Some attempt to answer the question

c. not give headings

b. & for and

Passages of the Holy Quran

1 Ayatul Kursi [2:255]

3 Surah Fussilat or Surah Haa Meem Sajdah [41: 37-39] er

4 Suratul Shura [42: 4-5]

ِ ‫ۡال َغفُ ۡو ُر الر‬

5 Suratul Ikhlaas [112: 1-4]

َّ ‫ هللا ال‬.‫قُ ۡل هُ َو هّٰللا ُ اَ َح ٌ‌د‏‬

Allah and the Created World

6 Suratul Faatihah [1: 1-7]

7 Suratul Baqarah [2: 21-22]

8 Suratul Alaq [96: 1-5]

10 Suratul Naas [114: 1-6]

Allah’s Relationship with His Messengers

11 Suratul Baqarah [2: 30-37]

‫از ًغا قَا َل‬ ۡ ٰ ۤ ۤ ٰ ۡ

13 Suratul Maaidah [5: 110]

14 Suratul Zuhaa [93: 1-11]

.‫ضٓاالًّ فَهَ ٰدى‏‬ َ ‫ َو َو َج َد‬.‫ك يَتِ ۡي ًما فَ ٰا ٰوى‏‬

15 Suratul Kawsar [108: 1-3)

.‫ك هُ َو ااۡل َ ۡبتَ ُر‏‬

Passages from the Quran

2. Surah al-Ikhlas 2. Surah al-Zilzal 2. Surah al-Anaam (75-79) (Ibrahim AS)

3. Surah al-Anaam 3. Surah al-Naas 3. Surah al-Maaidah (110) (Isa AS)

Main Themes of Passages

Allah is the ever-living and self-subsisting

Allah is the creator of everything.

Surah al-Naas Allah’s relationship with the created world

Allah consoles the Prophet PBUH by promising to protect him

History and Importance of Quran

Root letters of the word ‘Quran’

Alternate names of the Quran

Arrangement of the Quran

1. The arrangement/sequence is not topical.

Length of the Quran

Muslims’ beliefs about the Quran

4. It is the biggest miracle of Islam.

Difference between Quran and Jewish and Christian texts

b. 28 Madani Surahs were revealed after migration to Madinah

Ways of Revelation of Quran

2. Ways in which the Prophet PBUH received revelations

Circumstances of Revelation (Asbaabun Nuzool)

First and Last Revelations

Two Revelations of Quran

Why was the entire Quran not revealed at once?

● It was easier to understand the Quran because it was revealed gradually.