More than fourteen centuries have been passed but the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) still shine and glitter even today with the same zeal and zest. Born in the era of darkness and utmost ignorance, Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) has left an incredible imprint on human history by his profound message whose tremendous impact could yet be experienced and will remain so till dooms day.
Prophet Muhammad’s (SAAW) arrival was not a birth of an individual but the beginning of an epoch, an age of knowledge, wisdom, light and veracity. With his entry, the gloomy period of evil and anarchy ended and human history turned over a new leaf of forbearance and fortitude. The Prophet (SAAW) brought what was missing in centuries old civilizations, he introduced the concept of equality of all and discarded any discrimination against any caste, color and race. His unmatchable teaching stood for parity and paved the way for a slave to stand by his master.
He left no space for racial and tribal supremacy. Says Quran, “All are equal in the eyes of Allah”. Prophet himself said, “The best among you are those, who treat their fellow beings with justice and equality.” A novel idea that neither any religion nor any other ethical code of the time taught and preached. Such was the level of the message of Islam, for Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) was born to propagate and project. It is therefore, Michael H. Hart ranked him atop in worlds 100 most influential persons in history. By paying homage to him, he said, “Muhammad(SAAW) was supremely successful on both religious and secular levels.”
His divine message of truth and light accorded every individual with some sort of responsibility towards Allah and his fellow brothers. His life was an epitome of teachings of Quran-i-Kareem. He used to live his life as it was directed by Quran. His life style is the true interpretation of what Allah Almighty wanted Muslims to live and practice. When taking revenge was considered an honor and a true criterion of manhood, the last of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad(SAAW), taught to forgive and discouraged any retaliatory action and condemned it by all means.
During the 9th year of his Nabuwwat, he along with his followers was forced to live in Shoeb-i-AbiTalib where they meet with a social boycott from Qureshi tribes. Qureshi chiefs left no stone unturned to compel Muhammad of his divine mission but all their efforts went in smoke and became futile. They tried tooth and nail, to bribe him, He was offered the most beautiful woman to marry, the finest of house to live in, and all the wealth was presented at his feet on a condition to discard his belief of in Allah and oneness of God. He bore all the trials and tribulations but never disowned what he was sent for. Goons were sent to beat him and pelt him with stones. He was beaten so harshly that on one time, even one of his teeth was broken, his shoes filled with blood. But such was his level of compassion and fortitude that he never complained and even prayed for them. During those days of tyranny and trials, Almighty Allah sent him angel of mountains, who offered him to teach a lesson to the people of Banu Thakif by colliding the mountains overlooking Taif to crush them. The Prophet (SAAW) of mercy rejected it and beseeched Allah’s mercy for them and prayed for them to come into the fold of Islam.
Moreover, before the advent of Islam, burying infant girls was a common practice. He honored woman. His message “heaven lies beneath the feet of a mother” places women at the highest rank as a mother, he brought love and sympathy for a girl as a sister, honored wife as a confidante of man and regarded her as a source of eternal blessing as a daughter. He said, “The best among you are those who behave best to their wives.”
Again at a place he said in one of his Hadees, “the more civil and kind a Muslim is to his wife, the more perfect in faith he is”. He is recorded to say, “A Muslim must not hate his wife, if he is displeased with one of her bad deeds, (let him be pleased the one that is good”.) Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) was himself employed by a woman, Bibi KhadijatulKubra (S.A.) who was so impressed by the honesty and truthfulness of Prophet (SAAW) that she sent him a marriage proposal at the hands of one of her friends. Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) married her and again set another example that marrying a divorced and an aged woman is no issue at all.
It is an honor to choose a woman as a partner who understands man in his entirety. In his last days, Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) used to say, “When no one believed me, she believed me, when everyone turned their face from me, she supported me, and when everyone left me, Khadija (S.A.) was there for me.” Such a high scale of cachet and reverence to a woman seems an astonishing and a great step to uplift her status in society at large and by and far, some fourteen centuries ago.
The whole life of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW), from his birth to heaven apart, is a mountain of mercy, basket of forbearance and an envelope of kindness. He lived an aesthetic life with no regard for pompous appendage. He shunned all the luxuries of life.
Once archangel Jibrael (A.S.) came to him and offered him, if he wanted a mountain of gold to follow him wherever he went, he denied and showed a desire if God blessed him with a meal for a day so that he could thank him. The next day, he may be hungry, so that he may supplicate Allah for his sustenance. His heavenly message abstains from wealth accumulation and food storage. If food be stored and health be accumulated merely for vested interests that would be done so at the cost of people with empty stomach and penniless pockets. Therefore, he himself never supported any act of luxury and comfort and liked to live a very simple and laborious life.
He had love for laborers and working class. He said, “Provide wage to a worker, before his sweat dries.” And he is also quoted to say, “Workers are the friends of Allah”. His message was that of love and respect for all irrespective of social status and honors. It is therefore Mahatma Gandhi had to say, “It was not sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life, it was the rigid simplicity, the utter effacement of the Prophet(SAAW), the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion for his fellows and followers, his fearlessness, his strong belief in God and in his mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle”.
The last of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) is the name of love and sympathy, kindness and generosity. All his acts and actions bear testimony to this. He was entirely in love with children. He used to playwith them and bought them things. Very often, he used to say children of Makkah to reach him first to get a gift, little angels used to race him and even climbed upon him. Hazrat Hassan (A.S.) and Hussain (A.S.) were very close to him and had developed a close intimacy with the Prophet(SAAW), when the Prophet (SAAW) prostrated they used to climb on his back and took full freedom (with) him. His kind nature is truly evident from aforementioned tales and talks. He openly displayed affection for children in particular and for all people in general.
Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) was so caring and forgiving that no common man could ever think of. His life is a real example of what and how Allah Almighty wanted his best creation to live their lives. An example settler; Prophet Muhammad(SAAW), went against the human instinct and never took a revenge, never thought evil for others, tortured no one, and forgave everyone. Even when he found nowhere an old lady, who used to throw garbage at him, he inquired of and went for her home to visit her. She was so impressed by the act of the Prophet (SAAW) and became shameful at her behavior that she regretted what she used to do everyday and embraced Islam at once. Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) was Rehmatul Lil Almineen (blessing for all people). The Holy Quran itself has eulogized Muhammad (SAAW) and addressed him as mercy to the worlds. A place no other Prophet had ever achieved nor would ever.
Albeit, an ordinary man has modicum of words to write about the most privileged, the most distinguished, and the most respected person ever lived on earth. The person whom the Holy Quran itself eulogizes, needs no praises andregards at all. Quran itself bears testimony to his quality of fortitude and forbearance, care and consideration, kindness and compassion. No man can rightly justify and offer a high place to Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) which he deserved. This is beyond the pale of human intellect and wisdom to accord Prophet Muhammad(SAAW) a place, for whom the world was created for. What a man can do is to respect his honor and show his infinite love for him in his words and actions.
Alphonse Da Lamartine once remarked, “If greatness of purpose, smallness of resources and astonishing result are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in history with Muhammad(SAAW)”. His wit and wisdom, intellect and integrity of ideas, his words and actions all were predefined and guided by Allah Almighty. His life was a light from heaven that sparked an era of enlightenment and acknowledgement.
Nowadays, when humans encounter trials and tribulations at every stage and humanity stumbles through terrifying times, it is the life of Prophet Muhammed (SAAW) that could help man get rid of such ills and evils. Last messenger’s life is set to bring peace and harmony among all procreation. It is aimed at mitigating the woes and wounds of desolated souls. If Prophet’s message of mercy and gentleness truly be practiced, it could yield positive results both in temporal world and in world hereafter.
The teaching of Prophet Muhammad (SAAW) is not confined only to the Muslims. He was the messenger of Allah and blessing for all and not just the messenger of Muslims alone. Therefore, ever possible effort should be made to live a life in accordance with the principles of humanity, equality, respect, forgiveness, compassion, kindness and gentleness set by the best of all the Prophets, the last among all the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad (SAAW).