Volume - I / LESSON NO: 6
IMPECCABLE LIFE OF ALLAH'S BELOVED PROPHET
Q 1: Which Prophet's community (Ummah) do you belong to?
A. We belong to the Ummah (community) of Allah's Beloved Prophet Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him).
Q 2: Briefly explain about the Holy Prophet?
A. Our kind lord and master Hadrat Muhammad (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) was born in Makkah city of Arabia. His father Hadrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) had passed away before his birth. His mother Hadrat Beebee Aminah (may Allah be pleased with her) also died when the Prophet was yet of six years. Thus the responsibility of his upbringing automatically devolved upon his paternal grand father Hadrat Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him). But he also expired when the Prophet attained to the age of 8 years, 2 months and 10 days. Hadrat Haleema nursed and breast fed the Holy Prophet during his early infancy.
Q 3: At what age did Allah Almighty make him Prophet?
A. Though the Holy Prophet Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) formally received Prophet hood and first
revelation at the age of forty but, in fact, he was the "first" in all Apostles, Messengers and Prophets as he himself said that "first of all Allah Almighty created my Noor (light)".
Q 4: How did the Holy Prophet preach and promote Islaam?
A. At the outset the Holy Prophet preached Islaam to his close relatives and acquaintances as the ignorance and barbarism reigned supreme in Arabia and the concept of One God, as the Creator, Sustainer and Nourisher was alien to their nature and to their soil. The Muslims worshipped Allah secretly. Even father was afraid of his son and vice versa due to having embraced Islaam. Gradually, the number of male and female converts to Islamic faith swelled and then Allah Almighty commanded the Holy Prophet to preach Islaam openly. He did so and Islaam rapidly spread in whole of Makkah city and even in the adjoining areas.
Q 5: Who was the first to embrace Islaam?
A. Hadrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first in men to embrace Islaam, Hadrat Khudaija-tul-Kubra (may Allah be pleased with her) was first in women, Hadrat 'Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) was in teenagers and in slaves Hadrat Zaid bin Harisah (may Allah be pleased with him),was first who embraced Islaam.
Q 6: Where did the Holy Prophet live throughout his life?
A. The Holy Prophet preached Islaam for ten years in the holy Makkah (his birth place). Since Allah Almighty wanted to make the holy Madinah, the "bastion" of Islaam so some people of Madinah during their visit to Makkah embraced Islaam and started preaching Islamic faith. Thus the first seminary of Islaam was founded in Madinah. Gradually the Muslims of Makkah migrated to Madinah and at last the Darling Elect of Allah, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) also shifted to Madinah and spent his entire remaining life there. His Roda-e-Aqdas (holy shrine) is in holy Madinah which is visited by millions of his lovers and votaries. He (apparently) passed away at the age of sixty three, but actually he is alive in his hallowed grave.
Q 7: With which especial favour the Holy Prophet was endowed in Makkah?
A. The Holy Prophet was blessed with "Me'raaj" (ascension to the heavens) a night in the waking during the fifth year after the proclamation of his Prophethood. He was taken on "Buraaq" (a white, very fast, sexless heavenly animal which stepped beyond eyeshot) by the Chief Angel Hadrat Gibreil from his sacred house to Aqsa mosque (Jerusalem) and then to the skies,heavens. He visited all the seven skies, empyrean, heavens and Haud-e-Kauser (an exclusive heavenly body of water reserved for the Holy Prophet). Hell was presented before him to see for himself the torments to be meted out to infidels and sinners. He saw each and everything. Nothing remained unseen. Even he saw Allah's Jamaal (splendidly sublime sight) and spoke with Him sans any intermediary. On this occasion, Salaat (prayer) five times a day was made obligatory on the believers. Before the night was over he came back home.
Q 8: Is there any successor to the Prophethood of Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him)?
A. No, absolutely not. The Holy Prophet Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) is "Khaataman Nabi-yeen" (the Last Prophet). He who believes or considers that there was or is or will be any Prophet after Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) is infidel and disbeliever.
Q 9: What rank does the Holy Prophet hold among the Prophets?
A. Our kind lord and master Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) is the highest and leader of all Apostles, Messengers and Prophets. He is a perfect agglomeration of all those blessed traits, impeccabilities and miracles that were individually found in the other Prophets. He is the "Darling Elect" (Beloved) of Allah which aptly vindicates that no other Apostle, Messenger, Prophet or Angel is so close to Allah as he is.
Q10: What about the belief of those people who describe the Holy Prophet mere a human being or like their elder brother?
A. He who considers the Holy Prophet mere a human being like himself or says he is like my elder brother or tries to denigrate him in one way or the other is apostate and disbeliever. It has been explained at places in the Holy Qur-aan that nations in the past slided into misguidance and disbelief because they considered and treated their Prophets as mere humanbeings like themselves.
Q11: What does it mean to believe in the Holy Prophet Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him)?
A. Belief in Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) means that we should have unwavering faith in his being the "Last Prophet" of Allah and no Prophet to succeed or follow him, he is the best of all mankind and the most truthful and that our salvation in this world and the world hereafter lies in obeying him. We ought to love him more than our parents, children, all mankind even our own self. In fact, our unbounded love and reverence for the Holy Prophet is "real faith" (Eimaan).
Q12: Which deeds reflect "love" for the Holy Prophet?
A. Following deeds of believers are reflective of "love" for the Holy Prophet:
- Speak high of him with due reverence.
- Invoke Allah's blessings on him profusely (recite Durood Shareef in as many numbers as possible).
- Be attentive and respectful when his sublime life is explained before you and recite Durood Shareef hearing his blessed name. Do not forget to add "Sallal Laahu 'Alaiehi wa Sallam" to his name if you write anywhere.
- Have love for his posterity, companions and those who love the Holy Prophet.
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Harbour enmity towards his enemies.
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Say such words while talking about him that befit his dignity and greatness.
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Do not call him "Yaa Muhammad" (O' Muhammad) but as "Yaa Nabi-yal Laah (O' Prophet of Allah) and "Yaa Rasoolal Laah" (O' the Messenger of Allah).
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Follow his Sunnah heart and soul.
- Organise and attend "Eid Meelaad-un-Nabee" programs (celebrations of the Holy Prophet's birth day i.e. 12th Rabi ul Awwal) and recite Salaat-o-Salaam (invocation of Allah's blessings on him) aloud enthusiastically.