Prophet Muhammad

The Most Successful Reformist

In the seventh century CE, the people of the book, Jews and Christians were following their respective
religions in West Asia and Europe. The people of the book were following the path shown to them by
Prophet Musa (Moses Peace be to him) and Prophet Isa (Jesus Peace be to him). These earlier
prophets were sent down to their own communities.
On the other hand, in the seventh century, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be to him) was sent down to
the entire humanity. Had Prophet Muhammad been sent to any other nation, the people of that nation
would have localised his activities and mission and would have declared that he is their own prophet,
not to be touched or shared by other nations?
Since, he was sent down for the whole humanity, God sent him among the Arabs, the people who
needed the help most. He sent Prophet Muhammad at a time when the people of the book had
deviated from the straight path, and the pagans and idol worshippers were living in ignorance.
Islam is not a new religion. Prophet Muhammad did not claim to be the founder of a new religion. His
mission was to remind people about the truth of the earlier religions and restore them to the pristine
purity God has intended in the first place.
At the same time let us take a note of the fact that Allah is the Arabic word for God; the Arab Christians
living in the US have translation of the Bible in Arabic and they also use the word Allah for God in
their Arabic translations. Allah is the God of all prophets Adam, Noah, Yakub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph),
Ismael (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Dawood (David), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad. God sent
prophets to all nations. In the Qurn God says: There has never been a nation to whom God hath not
sent a Prophet. The Aryans and other nations believed in oneness of God and later, while in contact
with other nations, started in believing in multiple gods. Hindus also believe in One God, but the
Hindus have pushed the concept of Oneness of God in the background, and belief in hundreds of gods
has become the normal practice; very few Hindus declare that they believe in One God. Muzammil
Siddiqi, President of the Academy of Judaic, Christian and Islamic Studies in California, and the Director
of The Islamic Society of Orange County, Garden Grove wrote:
Allah says in the Qurn that He sent Prophets to all people. Surely We have sent you (O Muhammad)
in truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a Warner. And there never was a people without a Warner
having lived among them (in the past) (Sura Fatir 35:24). You (O Prophet) are a Warner and for every
people there was a guide. (Sura Al-Rad 13:7).
The Qurn is not an encyclopaedia of religions or prophets. The Qurn does not mention the names
and stories of all the prophets and messengers of Allah. The Qurn is the book of guidance. It gives as
examples the names of the most famous and familiar prophets who were well-known to the people
among whom Prophet Muhammad lived. Allah says, Of some of the messengers We have told you the
story and of others We have not.(Al-Nisa 4:164)
Thus it is clear from the Qurn that in India, China, Africa, America and other parts of the world Allah
also sent His prophets and Messengers to guide the people of those areas as He guided the people of
the Middle East. When we read the religious books of Hinduism and Buddhism we find a lot of moral
and spiritual teachings in them. These messages must have come from Allah through His Prophets and
Messengers. However, we cannot say definitely that Gautama Buddha, Rama or Krishna were prophets
because Allah has not given us their names. We recognise only those prophets by name whose names
are given to us in the Qurn and we cannot recognise those whose names are not given by name. It is
important to keep in mind that though we do not call the major religious figures of Hinduism and

Buddhism as prophets of God, we treat their traditions and their followers with respect. (In August
2006, the Los Angeles Times recognised Muzammil Siddiqi as one of the top 100 most powerful people
in Southern California.)
In the 16th century many Christian churches did not like the dictatorial powers and proclamations by
Roman Catholic Church and made plans to break away from Rome. They protested against the decree
that was passed in 1529 by Rome that prohibited all further reforms. The reformers understanding of
the Biblical message forced them, in 1530, to make the principal statement of Lutheran Christian faith
and practice called The Augsburg Confession, which became a model for other protestant
confessions. The major Christian Protestant denominations include the Lutheran, Reformed-Calvinist,
Presbyterians, Anglican (Episcopalian), Quakers, Baptists, Pentecostal and others.
In earlier decades of the 20th century, Sir Hassan Suharwardy, Advisor to the Secretary of State of
India and former Vice Chancellor of University of Calcutta, India, educated the people living in Europe
and England when he delivered lectures about Islam in England and told the Englishmen that Prophet
Muhammad is the first Protestant and the first reformist.
In the domain of spiritual renaissance, by analysis, of the resemblances between the teachings of
Christ and those of Muhammad, the striking fact is made clear that Muhammad was indeed the first
Protestant, and through successive stages of Reformation the Presbyterians, the Quakers, and the
Covenanters, the Unitarian Church of Modern Christianity has come back to the purity of the original
teachings of the Master, which it was Muhammads Mission to revive. (Islam as a Religion lecture by
Sir Hassan Suharwardy, published by International Society for the Propagation of Islamic Culture, 12
Malika St., Cairo, Egypt)
The people of England could not believe their ears when they heard the speech of Sir Hassan
Suharwardy about Islam. They discovered that almost a thousand years before the Augsburg
Declaration Prophet Muhammad was given the Qurn. It referred to the fact that Jews and Christians
had deviated from the message given to them by Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus. The people of
England suddenly became cognisant of the fact that Prophet Muhammad was the first protestant and
the most successful reformist.
Prophet Muhammad, a humble person entrusted with the mission of propagating the forgotten
message of Islam, made sure that the laws of God were implemented in the lives of the people who
had embraced Islam. He not only showed the people of the book as to how to return to the straight
path, but also produced a model, to be emulated by the rest of humanity, by making reforms in the
Arabian society in social, cultural, economic and spiritual areas.
Prophet Muhammad followed the laws of God, advised Muslims to believe in one God and helped them
lift themselves up morally, culturally and spiritually. He enforced the injunctions of the Holy Qurn and
continued to remind and advise his companions and other believers throughout the Muslim world
about these injunctions. He inculcated a sense of value, teaching right from the wrong, giving glad
tidings for good deeds and warning about punishment for committing sins, continuing to remind them
about improving their lives in this world in order to gain a better life in the afterlife. The books
of Ahadis are full of reminders and directions for the entire mankind.
In 632 C.E., Prophet Muhammad performed the Hajj, known as the Farewell Hajj. He delivered his
historic address to the congregation and reminded each and every Muslim about their duties and
responsibilities. He declared that the women have rights over men just as men have rights over them.
He spoke to them about the equality of men and women because he knew that until recently the whole
of Arabia was practising paganism. Women were treated as chattels. The Arabs considered the birth of
a daughter a matter of shame and disgrace. Prophet Muhammad not only gave the women the dignity
they deserved by raising their status, but also informed them that they have a right to own property. In
Islam women can own property and can engage in business. This is reformation of the highest order.

Almost 55 years ago, this writer was learning Arabic grammar and taking Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence)
lessons in the city of Hyderabad, South India. The teacher made the following comment when the
chapter on Inheritance was being discussed. He said, If your wife owns two houses, and you are
living in one house, you have no right to tell your wife that you will collect the rent of the other house.
During the age of ignorance and before the advent of Islam the Arabs were addicted to drinking,
gambling, lewdness and promiscuity. Rivalries, bitter jealousies and blood feuds were common among
them and continued for generations. Superstition, barbarism, killing, plundering, and might-is-right
attitude destroyed their social consciousness, and made them morally bankrupt. Each tribe or clan
considered itself to be superior to others. At the Farewell Hajj the Prophet declared that an Arab is not
superior to a non-Arab unless he is more pious than the other person. Taqwa and piety determine who
the great person is and not the race of the human being.
Prophet Muhammad reminded his companions at the Farewell Hajj that there is no racism in Islam and
advised them to take this message to the four corners of the world. The elimination of race
consciousness is one of the greatest moral achievements of Islam. Prophet Muhammad destroyed the
walls of separation between the clans and tribes. He made the indigenous people of Madina and the
immigrants of Makkah brothers. He encouraged Muslim brotherhood and finally was able to establish
the Muslim community (Ummah).
At this point let me quote Arnold Toynbee from his book Civilization on Trial. He says, Two conspicuous
sources of danger one psychological and the other material in the present relation of cosmopolitan
proletariat with the dominant element in our modern western society are race consciousness and
alcohol and in the struggle with each of these evils the Islamic spirit has a service to render which
might prove, if it were accepted to be of high moral and social value. The extinction of race
consciousness as between Muslims is one of the moral achievements of Islam and in the contemporary
world there is a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue. If the attitude of the exponents
of racial intolerance towards the race question prevails, it may eventually provoke a general
catastrophe.He further says, It is conceivable that the spirit of Islam might be the timely
reinforcement which would decide this issue in favour of tolerance and peace.
Alcohol consumption has caused more damage to the families and misery to mankind than all other
vices combined. One of the greatest evils in the Arabian Peninsula during the time of Prophet
Muhammad was alcohol. Indulgence in excessive drinking became one of the pastimes of the upper
class people and the elite, and slowly became a socially accepted norm among all Arabs.
Islam took a unique stand on prohibition of drinking alcohol. Concerning use of alcohol and drinking,
the Qurnic verses came down in three stages over a period of three years. During the first stage the
Qurnic verses mentioned about the harm that was going to be much greater than the advantages of
alcohol. Later, the Qurnic commandment stated that Muslims should abstain from performing
prayers in the state of drunkenness. And the last injunction revealed to Prophet Muhammad was the
commandment ordering total prohibition. When the verse concerning total prohibition was received,
the Prophet recited it and immediately prepared for the enforcement of the commandment. He walked
to a pre-designated part of Medina and ordered people to bring their alcohol containers. He personally
destroyed the skins and leather containers that were filled with alcohol.
Malcolm X, Alhaj Malik Shahbazz, hated the white man. He followed a custom designed religion which
looked like Islam. Malcolm X gave up the custom designed religion and came into the folds of
mainstream Islam and finally went for Hajj. He rediscovered that there is no room for race
consciousness in Islam. Today, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world because of the
elimination of race consciousness, for preaching equality, giving property rights to women 1400 years
ago, and for making various other reforms.

Transformation of the pre-Islamic Arabs, from the Jahilliya and ignorance to the light of Islam, was due
to the cardinal inspiration of Prophet Muhammads life. He brought reformatory changes and
revolutionary changes in the lives of Arabs. These changes were in line with the moral commandments
and laws of the Qurn. The primitive life of the Arabs included moral bankruptcy and social evils.
Prophet Muhammad continued to make reforms in all phases of human life. He transformed the lives of
the people living in the Arabian Peninsula into practical, honest human beings, and good Muslims. He
made social and moral changes in order to create a unique culture based on taqwa and piety, and to
establish a civilization that would pass along Islamic values and Islamic heritage to the coming
generations. The reforms made by Prophet Muhammad changed the course of human history on this
planet forever. Prophet Muhammad is the most successful reformist.
[MOHAMMAD YACOOB is an Industrial Engineer and Engineering Proposals Analyst working at an
Aerospace Company in Los Angeles, California, USA]

PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Universality of His Message
My choice of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) to lead, the list of the worlds most
influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only
man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.

This bold but meticulous observation of a renowned writer Michael H. Heart in his celebrated
book, The 100: A Ranking of the most Influential Persons in History, leads open-minded persons to
probe into realities of life of the last Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to
him). To consider Muhammad merely a spiritual leader of Muslims is to rob him of his magnanimity and
to belittle the expanse and amplitude of the message he disseminated. The Qurn and the
proclamations of Muhammad make it clear that he is guide for whole universe. His message is for all
mankind irrespective of time and place. He is in fact benefactor of humanity.
Born in a barbaric tribe of Arabia where the darkness of ignorance prevailed, where loot, arson,
robbery, lechery and injustice were order of the day, where only might was right, Muhammad brought
about a drastic change in the lives of the people. He wiped out evil in all its forms from the face of the
earth, established peace and paved way for progress and salvation.

The value system he propounded is relevant even in todays world. First and foremost is the equality of
all human beings irrespective of caste, tribe, colour, region or sex. According to Islam, No Arab is
greater than a non-Arab. A black is in no way inferior to the white, nor is a white superior. The creator

made you into Nations and Tribes, that you may know each other (not that you despise each other).
The most honoured of you is he who is the most Righteous of you (The Qurn: 49-13).

Reacting to this virtue, Mahatma Gandhi opines that Europeans ruling over South Africa may well
dread Islam and spreading of Islam among the African tribes. If Africans embrace Islam, there is a
threat to white supremacy, because I have seen that after becoming a Muslim the very moment he is
fit to eat and drink from the same plate and tumbler from which any other Muslim (even a whiteMuslim) eats or drinks (Mahatma Gandhi in Jagath Maharshi )

A great historian of undisputed reputation A.J. Toynbee observes: The extinction of race
consciousness, as between Muslims, is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the
contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for propagation of this Islamic virtue.
(Civilization of Trial: New York).
There is no gender bias in Islam. Man and women both are equal.

Whosoever does good work; male or female shall be admitted into Paradise. In those days of
Muhammad, Arabs denounced girl child. They thought girls and their security are burden for tribes that
were always prone to war. They used to bury the female infants alive. It was Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allah be to him) who raised the slogan: One who brings up at least two girls will be very
close to me in the Heaven. Woman as daughter, sister, wife and mother is to be regarded with
respect. The wife must be fed with the same what you eat and Heaven lies under the feet of mother
are values much relevant in present days deformed society where we cry out to stop female foeticide
and to save girl child.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) metamorphosed the wicked individuals
into good Samaritans by convincing them to shun self pride and imbibe humility. He taught that
nobility in conduct carries weight. The insistence upon kindliness and consideration in the daily life is
one of the main virtues of Islam (H.G wells, The Outline of History, London).

Man must respect and recognise the rights of other fellow beings. Parents are pathways to paradise.
One, who eats full, when his neighbour sleeps hungry, cannot be a Muslim. If you encroach upon even
a small piece of land that does not belong to you, the weight equal to that of seven earths will be hung
by your neck as punishment on the Day of Judgment. Life of an individual is regarded invaluable in
Islam. If anyone slew a person unless it be for murderer or for spreading (grave) mischief in the land

 it would be as if he slew the whole people (in the world). And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if
he saved the life of the whole people (The Qurn, 5:32).
All individuals are answerable for their deeds on the Day of Judgment. Even if a goat with horns strikes
a goat sans horns, justice will be restored.

Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) struggled against all odds to enforce economic
justice. Being Messiah of the poor and downtrodden, he ordered to pay the wages of a labourer before
his sweat dries. Servants must not be treated inhumanly. He not only preached but also put into
practice the most successful system of Zakat that bridges the class cleavage. Socrates, Edmund
Burke, Mahatma Gandhi and many others envisioned a world where the distinction between the rich
and the poor be vanished. Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) proclaimed that it is
one of the objectives of his mission to collect the surplus from the rich and return the same to the poor.

In addition to saying prayers five-time a day and fasting during the month of Ramadhan, it was
mandatory for every Muslim to deposit his Zakat into governments exchequer called Baitulmal,
from where it would be canalised to the needy. In a very short span of time the situation got changed.
Poverty alleviation was accomplished. It is a historical fact that after implementing the zakat system,
there was nobody who was eligible to receive charity (Zakat) in Madina and charity was then sent to
neighbouring countries like Yemen. Paying Zakat was so important that Caliph Abu Bakr made his
intentions clear that he would not hesitate to wage a holy war against those rich Muslims who would
avoid paying the Zakat.

Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) imposed ban on usury, hoarding, black-marketing,
corruption and bribe. Abdullah bin Amr reports that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to
him) cursed the receiver as well as the giver of bribe (Hadith). He said that corruption breeds fear and
harassment among the people. Concealing defects of commodities and cheating consumers by trader
is a crime.

Hoarding is an offence in Islam. According to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him),
when there is acute shortage of a commodity, if a person keeps that commodity in his warehouse for
more than forty days, with a view to make more profit, he will not be forgiven even if he distributes the
whole commodity in charity. His law was tough on crimes like rape and murder. Wine, which is a source
of evils, was strictly prohibited. The need for prohibition of liquor is felt even today as we witness
frequent agitations from one or the other place by women or villagers to end liquor trade from their
area.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) did not leave any stone unturned to
promote literacy. The revelation of the Qurn began with word Iqra meaning Read. In the Battle of
Uhd, Muslims detained some enemy soldiers as war prisoners. They were released on the condition
that each one of them must teach how to read and write at least three illiterates in Madina. The
Prophet proclaimed that one erudite is greater than one thousand worshippers. He had a school where
education was imparted. The disciples were called ashab-e-suffa. To sustain international relations, to
communicate with foreign countries, he ordered one of his followers to learn Hebrew (language of
Jews).

Todays world is highly concerned about the hazards of environment. Muhammad (peace and blessings
of Allah be to him) curtailed all polluting agents. He prohibited urinating (thereby polluting) in the
streams of water. He said, Use water judiciously even if you are sitting on the bank of a river or lake.
He promoted tree plantation by saying, Though you see the Doomsday approaching, dont give up
planting a tree. He restricted extravagance in all forms. One who wastes is Satans brother.

Tolerance is the most desired virtue of a glorious community. Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah
be to him) advocated communal harmony, integrity and universal brotherhood. To dishonour the gods
of others is to dishonour your own god, let there be no compulsion (on anyone) regarding faith
(religion) (The Quran-2:256).

During the regime of Caliph Umar, one non-Muslim woman from Egypt complained that the ruler of her
area dismantled the house and annexed it to the Mosque. On enquiry the ruler Amr ibn al Aas
explained his side: The existing mosque was insufficient as the number of devotees was growing day
by day. The woman was offered more than the market price for her land. She did not accept it. So, in
view of public interest, her house was acquired and the mosque was extended on that land and the
price of her land had been deposited in the government treasury so that she can withdraw it at any
point of time. Siding with the woman, the caliph ordered to demolish the new part of the mosque and
to rebuild the house as it had been before.

Thus the revolution Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) brought about in socioeconomic, political and cultural spheres of human life has the quality to sustain the tests of all times.

Muhammad and Education

The tribe of Qoraish, and especially that branch of it called the clan of Sa'd, among whom Muhammad
spent his childhood near Mount Taif, situated to the east of Mecca, were renowned in Arabia for the
purity and eloquence of their language. William Muir writes in "The Life of Mohammad" (London, 1923,
p. 7) that, "His speech was formed upon one of the purest models of the beautiful language of the
peninsula." Such milieu could not fail to make him a man of some refinement and good taste; and no
doubt it was this which enabled him to attract to himself men much more learned than he. Muhammad
preached of an inestimable value of knowledge, and brought his followers out of the darkness of
ignorance to the light.
It is recounted that a man came to Muhammad and asked, "What is ilm?" He replied, fairness (insaf).
The man asked again, "And what more?" He replied, listening (istima). The man asked, "And what
more?" The Prophet said, keeping in mind (hifz). The man asked, "And what else?" He replied, acting
(amal) in accordance with knowledge. Then the man asked, "And what more?" Muhammad replied,
spreading it (nashru-hu).
Muhammad's interest in education can also be judged from the tradition as quoted by Ibn Sa'd in
"Tabaqat" that among the Meccan prisoners taken in the battle of Badr, there were many who could
not pay for their liberty; and the literate among them however were ordered by the Prophet to teach at
least ten illiterate Muslim children as a ransom. Zaid bin Thabit, who later one became famous as one
of the scribes of the Koranic revelations, learned reading and writing in this way. It is also worthwhile to
mention that Muhammad encouraged the learning of foreign languages, and thus Zaid bin Thabit is
also reputed to have learnt Persian, Greek, Ethiopian, Aramaic and Hebrew. According to H.E. Barnes in
"A History of Historical Writings"(Oklahoma, 1937, p. 93), "In many ways the most advanced
civilization of the Middle Ages was not a Christian culture at all, but rather the civilization of the people
of the faith of Islam."
The Holy Koran is no barren in this context. In Koran alone there are 704 verses in which either the
word ilm or the words of the same derivation are used in the following order:- a'lam 49 times, al-ilm 80
times, a'lamu 11 times, alim 162 times, a'lim 13 times, ilman 14 times, i'lamu 27 times, ma'lum and
ma'lumat 13 times, ya'lamun 85 times, ya'lamu 93 times, ta'lamun 56 times. Pen and books are
essential aids of knowledge, and for them, the qalam occurs 2 times and al-kitab 230 times. In
addition, a number of words related to writing, like kataba, katabna, kutiba, katib, yaktubu, naktubu
are used in a number of verses. The total number of the Koranic verses using the words related to
writing is 319, and the word kitab for the Koran is used on 81 different occasions. This is enough to
show to what extent knowledge and the means of its acquisition are emphasised in the Koran, that had
been excellently elaborated in the precious sayings of Muhammad.
Hence, it may be remembered that the advanced civilization in the Middle Ages originated by the
Muslims was solely the outcome of the Koranic teachings and the recorded sayings of Muhammad in
acquisition of education.

Few fragments of Muhammad's teachings are also given below:* Seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave.
* The ink of the scholar is more holy than the blood of martyr.
* The acquisition of knowledge is a duty incumbent on every Muslim, male and female.
* He does not die, who takes learning.
* The worst of men is a bad learned man, and a good learned man is the best.
* To listen to the words of the learned and to instil into the lessons of science is better than religious
exercises.

* Acquire knowledge; it enables the possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it guides us to
happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is an ornament among friends, and an armour against enemies.
* Go in search of knowledge even into China.
* Excessive knowledge is better than excessive praying.
* Whoso honours the learned, honours me.
* One learned man is harder on the devil than a thousand ignorant worshippers.
* The superiority of a learned man over an ignorant worshipper is like that of the full moon over all the
stars.
* People are like mines of gold and silver. The more excellent of them in Islam are those who attain
knowledge.
* Knowledge is maintained only through teaching.
* The learned ones are the heirs of the prophets. They have knowledge as their inheritance; and he
who inherits it, he inherits a great fortune.
* The only cure for ignorance is to ask.
* One scholar has more power over the devil than a thousand devout men.

The Prophet as a TeacherM. evki Aydn, PhD

THE RELATION BETWEEN TABLIGH AND EDUCATION

According to the Quran, the Prophet (pbuh) is responsible for tabligh (delivering the message): "O
Messenger, proclaim the (message) which hath been sent to thee from thy Lord. If thou didst not, thou
wouldst not have fulfilled and proclaimed His mission. And Allah will defend thee from men (who mean
mischief). For Allah guideth not those who reject Faith." (Al-Maida 5/67). "The Messenger's duty is but
to proclaim (the message). But Allah knoweth all that ye reveal and ye conceal" (Al-Maida 5/99).
The lexicographical meaning of "tabligh" is to deliver, inform, and spread. As a term, it points to the
Prophet's delivering the message to humans exactly as he received it from Allah. This is one of the
inalienable qualities of prophets. If the thing to be delivered is information, a message, or news, then
teaching is an issue, as well. In fact, some dictionaries define "tabligh" as teaching. This shows the
relation between "tabligh" and teaching.

"Tabligh" is not randomly delivering a message in some form of expression to people. A message will
be considered to have been delivered if it is correctly understood and comprehended by the person
receiving it. Thus, the person to whom the message is delivered should understand the meaning of the
message exactly the same way the source person does. If the meaning of the message is not
understood in exactly the same way by both the person who receives it and the source person, then
the message is not delivered. In short, there should be correct communication between these two
people. In this context, it is possible to see "tabligh" as a form of communication and a task of
education and training.
In Quran, Allah states that prophets are obliged to deliver His messages and describes prophets as an
"instructor and trainer: "Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent among them an
apostle from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and
instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error" (AlImran 3/164). "It is He Who has sent amongst the Unlettered an apostle from among themselves, to
rehearse to them His Signs, to sanctify them, and to instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom,- although
they had been, before, in manifest error" (Al-Juma 62/2).
These verses all prove that the Prophet was a teacher assigned the duty of delivering the message of
God. Indeed, the Prophet himself emphasized that his primary duty as a Prophet was to teach by
saying, "I have been sent only as a teacher to you." To explain his duty he also said, "I have been sent
only to complete moral virtues."
In Quran, God also warns the Prophet not to exceed the boundaries of his duty: "We have not sent thee
as a guard over them. Thy duty is but to convey (the Message)" (Al-Shura 42/48). "...Therefore do thou
give admonition, for thou art one to admonish. Thou art not one to manage (men's) affairs" (AlGashiya 88/21-22). "Let there be no compulsion in religion" (Al-Baqara 2/256). In this sense, the duty
of the Prophet was to reach and communicate with people and carry out educational activities.

AREAS OF HIS EDUCATION

Since the practices of the Prophet (pbuh) also demonstrate his duty as an educator, there is no
difference between theory and practice. The Prophet conveyed the message of Islam which aims at
universal "reform" for humanity. The task was difficult, but the Prophet never thought of using
compulsion. While delivering the message of Allah, he behaved as described in the Quran. He
perceived "tabligh" as a task for teaching and training and he tried to realize the social reform he
aimed at by educating people. He started educating people close to him immediately after he was
charged with delivering the message and then the circle of people widened day by day. He worked to
teach the fundamentals of religion to people individually or as a group in his house or other houses,
even in markets. In spite of torture and opposition in the Mecca period, he continued to teach
productively. He never gave up on educating people. After emigration to Medina his educational
activities increased, accelerated, and became widespread. In Medina, the Prophet first had the masjid
built. One of the most significant reasons for building a masjid open to the public was to be able to
lead the educational activities more effectively. In this masjid there was a room (suffah) reserved only
for education. Moreover, the Prophet had other masjids, first schools or preparatory schools built in
Medina. Thus, the number of educational institutions increased very quickly.
Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in
Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah (Quran, surah Al-Ahzab 33/21)
The Prophet was not only teaching the fundamentals of religion, but he was also acting as a model for
people with his attitude and behavior. He was showing them how to put the things he was teaching
into practice in their lives. In other words, he was supporting and complementing his teaching with his
personal life. Therefore, Allah introduces him to us as an exemplary guide: "And thou (standest) on an
exalted standard of character" (Al-Qalam 68/4). "Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful

pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in
the Praise of Allah" (Al-Ahzab 33/21).
Certainly the Prophet was not alone in carrying out the educational activities which would encompass
all humanity alone. Just as it was not possible for him to reach everyone and everywhere, it was not
possible for him to reach everyone in exactly the same way. Therefore, he worked on educating people
with his Companions. Indeed, every Muslim was responsible for learning the religion and teaching what
he learnt to others. So every Muslim was a student and a teacher at the same time within the limit of
his opportunities and capabilities.
However, the Prophet appointed special teachers for people and places he was not able to reach.
Those teachers were educated by the Prophet and were comparatively knowledgeable and competent
individuals. Their supreme successes in their tasks serve as a proof for this.
In Medina there were instructors in masjids and suffa, as well as many teachers in schools. The needs
for education changed and varied gradually. Thus expertise in education was necessary. The Prophet
assigned different teachers for people who wanted to learn different subjects. Non-Muslim teachers
were also employed when needed. In the first years reading and writing teachers were mostly nonMuslims because there were just a few literate Muslims back then. Allah assigned the wives of the
Prophet to teach as well. There were female Companions who were famous for their knowledge. In
short, the Prophet integrated all his Companions into educational activities. The task of delivering the
message of Allah was carried out through educating people. This practice of the Prophet demonstrates
the presence of an overlap between "tabligh" and education.
It is necessary to emphasize that as the political and social power of the Prophet increased, the
educational activities became more intense and widespread. Therefore, it is impossible to tie his not
using compulsion for the religion to his being powerless. Not using compulsion is an essential condition
for "tabligh." The Quran envisages faith as a product of human free will: "Let him who will, believe, and
let him who will, reject (it)" (Al-Qahf 18/29). Islam neither coerces anyone to believe nor perceives
disbelieving as inappropriate. Islam desires a person to prefer faith with his intelligence and free will.
The important thing is the decision of mind and heart. "Tabligh" is to help people in this way and guide
them to pass barriers on the way. Therefore, the Prophet never thought of using compulsion even in
times when he was most powerful. On the contrary, he tried to make the educational activities more
intense, widespread, and effective.
In his battles, the Prophet never aimed to coerce people to believe in Islam. The purpose of the battles
was to stop the torture and pressure made to people and create an environment in which people could
act with their free will using their intelligence.
The Prophet reached the hearts and minds of people through educational activities. He helped people
to feel more human
The primary reason for the success of the Prophet in calling people to Islam in the Arabian Peninsula in
such a short time was its emphasis on education. This call gave new life to people. The Prophet
reached the hearts and minds of people through educational activities. He helped people to feel more
human. When people learned the qualities of Islam and witnessed how individuals who became Muslim
were transformed, they accepted the invitation of the Prophet.
HIS TEACHING METHODS
The most important reason behind the effectiveness of the educational activities carried out by the
Prophet (pbuh) was the truth of the content. But, the appropriateness of style in presenting the content
was also important. We should pay attention to "whom" and "how" the Prophet taught as well as
"what" he taught. He had methods for teaching. His style was not random.
We can see the education principles and methods put forward by modern education scholars in the
practices of the Prophet. For instance, the following are model principles and methods used by the
Prophet:

To identify the learners and organize the content appropriate to their level

To be tolerant to learners

To make them like what was being taught and to avoid their hating it or getting bored

To arouse learners' interest and to show that they need to learn the material

To take the intelligence, spirit, emotions and physical state of learners into consideration and
to design the teaching considering their needs

To make learners participate actively by thinking, searching, and asking questions

To make abstract concepts concrete by giving examples

To have the most appropriate attitude, behavior, and talking style before learners

To create activities to reinforce what is learnt

The Prophet was very sincere in what he was teaching and he applied what he taught in his daily life.
So he was showing people how to apply those principles he taught. The people he assigned to teach
others were also knowledgeable and skillful, and they had superior characteristics.
It is also a fact that the teachers assigned by the Prophet were good examples for people with their
mature personalities, attitudes and behavior and that helped the educational activities of the Prophet
to be successful. This is accepted by modern education scholars as well. Indeed, behavior sciences
indicate that the teacher's attitudes and behaviors influence the learners. The intellectual position,
emotional reactions, habits, gestures and postures of the teacher affect the learner and play a role in
shaping his personality. Most of the time the learner pays attention to the teacher's approach to the
subject rather than what he says. Therefore, teachers play a significant role in classrooms as a model
for students.
The Prophet, who said that he was sent only as a teacher, was a perfect one indeed
The Prophet, who said that he was sent only as a teacher, was a perfect one indeed.He carried out his
educational activities successfully, productively, and effectively. Muawiyya said: "I have never seen a
teacher better than him." The Prophet was a good example for people as a teacher, as well.
At this point, the following question may rise: "How could an illiterate prophet carry out so perfectly
such a complex educational activity?" It is because being a teacher requires expertise, special ability,
knowledge and skill. Just as not every person can be a teacher, also a person who has the relevant
education for being a teacher may not necessarily be a successful teacher. Moreover, what we said
here applies to teachers who were educated in a special branch. However, the Prophet's teaching
covered a very large area. He had to be a teacher at any possible time and place. He had learners in
all age groups and all levels. Therefore, his educational activities had a much more complex structure.
Such a sensitive and difficult duty could be accomplished by only very skilled people. Since the Prophet
fulfilled his duty as a successful teacher, it can be claimed that the Prophet had had a special
education.
Both the Prophet's life and the Quran and hadith prove that the Prophet was born as a capable person
and raised specially for "tabligh." He was from a distinguished family in Mecca, a cultural center at that
time. He was given to a nurse in the country to be raised healthily and to learn to speak in the best
way. He attracted attention with his bright intelligence and superior abilities. He lived a pure life before
becoming a prophet. He did not adopt any tradition which was not acceptable to common sense.
Sometimes it appeared that he was protected by a secret hand. He took trips with his uncle or on his
own and he worked as a merchant. He knew people and life very well. Sometimes he had retreats for
contemplation.
In some verses of the Quran, Allah states that the Prophet was endowed with some special gifts. In the
Surat Al-Inshirah, Allah indicates that the Prophet gained knowledge and wisdom by means of a special
method. In another verse, Allah says that He taught him the things he did not know. There are many
other verses indicating that the Prophet was educated by Allah. Additionally, the verses of the Quran

enlighten the Prophet in what to heed in delivering the message from Allah. This shows us that being a
teacher is not a simple task that can be accomplished by an ordinary person.

Muhammad as Military Leader

An Analysis of the Military Management
A study of all the battles that were fought by the Muslim army in all the front-lines establishes the fact
that possessing greater forces and resources was not sufficient for achieving victory. Rather, the
organization of resources and proper utilization of the same at the right place and right time, even if
these resources were few or even lacking, was considered the most evident cause of victory. It is
because of this that the Muslim army was able to attain victory over the Jews who were stronger in
terms of resources, the Romans who had a variety of different types of resources and even the enemy
tribes who possessed thousands of sheep, mules and horses.
After gaining victory over the enemy, the Muslims added the acquired resources to what little they had
and began organizing it. The Prophet (S) would never face the enemy altogether, rather he would face
them separately attacking one after the other. This was the strategy that made the forces develop
gradually in different fields, to such a degree that in time, they were able to overcome larger enemy
forces. In the beginning the army fought against the Bani Qaynuq and took over the few material
resources that they had. The Prophet (S) fought against the Bani Qaynuq at a time when the
resources of the Muslim army were incomparable to those that were used in the Battle of Khaybar that
took place a few years later, in which they overcame the enemy, and in this way each battle would
increase the resources and capability of the Muslim army.
In his battles, the Holy Prophet (S) would use methods that required fewer material resources, like the
pre-emptive battles surprise attacks, full scale and revolutionary attacks, because these methods
created a high morale, swiftness in attack, strong faith and steadfastness, complete general
readiness and fear in the enemy.

Conclusion
The organization and Islmic government developed gradually after the migration of the Holy Prophet
(S) to Madina. At this time the Prophet (S) made this city the capital of the Islmic government,
managed and supervised the affairs of the Muslims, planned and created a program for spreading the
call of Islm and took steps which put him, in the short term, in situations of grave hardship. These
steps were always taken with complete wisdom and awareness, and became a stepping stone and a
basis for the expansion of the management and the great foundation of human reform.
The measures he (S) took made Madina a homeland for its residents and not a place of continuous
disputes between its tribes. It became a peaceful home for those who upheld its sanctity. Madina
welcomed the Muhjirs, from whatever tribe and group they may have been. Actually, this was the first
time that a homeland in which the people lived as equals got its true meaning, and in which the people
would take up responsibilities without looking at lineage of status.
The Holy Prophet (S) was successful in making leadership dignified and honored so that all the people
could benefit from his guidance and leadership and would be ready to submit to and obey him after
having been freed from the yoke of other tyrant rulers. With the ingenuity and intelligence that he had
been granted, the Prophet (S) understood that the head and guide who would be responsible for
organizing affairs initially in Madina and later throughout the world cannot succeed without the
strength of the divine call and guardianship of the Islmic system, and this strength was found in the
arms of the believers who decided to migrate with him to Madina and were the first group to form a
Muslim army, which the Ansr also joined later.

The role of the Holy Prophet (S) in nurturing the military forces started when Jihd was made
obligatory. During this time, he embarked on organizing, recruiting and training the army following the
battles and Sariya missions that were aimed at attaining political and military goals; because in order
to establish the government and expand the call to Islm, there was no other choice. He would give
hope to the fighters and mobilize them to come together under the leadership of the unit commanders
and would strive to increase the awe and eminence of the Muslims among the enemy.
The supreme commander would always try to prepare the army and train them in the different arts of
warfare, until they were fully prepared and well trained so that they could show the superiority of their
skills when they came face to face with the enemy in battle.
His goal in these battles was self-defense, safeguarding the call to Islm and defending it against those
people who would act as hindrances in its way. As we study the progress of the battles that were
commanded by the Holy Prophet (S) that we have mentioned in detail, we find the most evident
factors that led to victory included:
First: the usage of certain methods of warfare by the Prophet (S) that the enemy did not have any
knowledge of, such as siege, acquiring intelligence, specifying the goals and objectives, mobilizing
the forces for the primary objective, surprise attacks, secret (Sariya) missions, swiftness,
maneuvers and spiritual force and securing all the military resources which are all principles of
present-day warfare.
The types of warfare that were employed by the Holy Prophet (S) in his battles had a huge impact in
victory over the enemy. For instance, psychological warfare was an important means of reducing and
weakening the morale of the enemy and in most of the battles, just by the enemy hearing the
thunderous sounds of the Muslim army, it was enough to gain them victory.
The same was the case of revolutionary and collective war where all the military and non-military
groups were involved where he (S) used special methods to mobilize all of them together in a spirit of
revolution. The result of this type of leadership was that the forces, having seen his just attitude and
superior goal, accepted all that he gave them and believed in it. Similarly, the innovations in warfare
that the Prophet (S) had brought led to the perplexity and reduced grandeur of the enemy and in the
end led to their downfall.
More than anything else, the ingenuity of the supreme commander and the qualities that distinguished
him as a leader, and also his uniqueness and superiority in politics, military management and a
complete awareness of the principles and etiquettes of war both at the tactical and strategic levels,
deserves praise.
Second: Islmic training and nurturing the Holy Prophet (S) gave full attention and importance to
this. He (S) created a new force among the Muslim army which had never been witnessed by the Arabs
before, and that was the force of spirituality that Islm put in their hearts and made them willing to
sacrifice their lives and wealth in the way of spreading the true religion and made them volunteer for
death. This was something that guaranteed their felicity and reward in this world and the hereafter.
The Muslim army was distinguished for its united leadership, sincerity and total obedience to them.
The fact that Miqdd ibn Amr turned to the Holy Prophet (S) in the Battle of Badr and said: If you
march towards Bark al-Imd (a remote place in Yemen), we will follow you with strength until we reach
there! and Sad ibn Mudh said: If you give us the order to enter this sea, we will enter it with you
and none of us will disobey you in this matter! proves this point.
The invitation of the Holy Prophet (S) to Islm was a call based on reformation and peace, and war was
not considered except when the hardheartedness and harsh treatment of the enemy upon the Muslims
increased. In reality it was a defensive response of force against force. In this way, his battles were
based on steadfastness from the very beginning and the Muslim army was never negligent of this.
They would invite the people to the new religion, enact peace treaties with them, take Jizya tax or
conquer their lands and fight against those who expressed enmity towards him.

The most important feature of the time of the Prophet (S) was his many battle and Sariya missions.
Despite the fact the Jihd was ordained after migration to Madina, but in the span of seven years, the
number of battles had reached 27, starting from the Battle of Waddn and ending with the Battle of
Tabuk. The Holy Prophet (S) was present in nine of the battles. During this time, he (S) organized 47
Sariya missions where some of them were just to invite others to Islm or come face to face with those
who posed a threat to the security of the Muslims.
A point worth noting here is that this military training and the battles that have been mentioned gave
the Islmic government eminence and put it in the category of the largest empires in human history,
without this being the real goal. Accepting the notion that the primary goal of the Holy Prophet (S) was
to establish an Islmic empire would be contrary to the historical truth because actually this matter
was only part of the overall means of attaining the primary objective which was to destroy polytheism
and spread Islm through peaceful and friendly means.
The way in which this government dealt with its enemies and other governments opened up a new
door, because its principle of encounter and relationship were based on the rules and principles of
justice and humanity, both in times of peace and war. The fact that after the supreme commander
passed away the Muslim army continued its conquests and were able to capture the lands of Syria,
Egypt and Iraq, and were able to bring the two largest empires of the time, i.e. the Romans and
Persians, to submission, this was only because they gave importance and special significance to the
fact that the Holy Prophet (S) was the first conqueror of these lands. Because during his time, he (S)
laid the groundwork for them through his battles and wars and had given the army glad tidings about
the expansion of their domain, and this was the reason for the increase in their morale and guarantee
of gaining victory.
In reality, the Islmic conquests during the reign of the Caliphs were the fruits of the seeds that were
sowed by the Holy Prophet (S) in the battles that he led. There were always two factors that enabled
the Muslim army to close the scrolls of the kings and overthrow them and overcome all the hardships
and these were:
1) The love for Islmic government and obedience to its leader.
2) Considering death to be insignificant.
It was because of these reasons that the domain of Islm reached China in the east and Andalusia in
the west.
The Islmic government will never achieve its past glory again unless the organization of its armies are
once again based on the principles that the Holy Prophet (S) laid down, the most important of which
were: Love for the (Islmic) government, unity, sacrificing of lives and souls in the quest of achieving
security and peace throughout the lands.

STRATEGIC THINKING, PLANNING

AND
EXECUTION IN PROPHET
MUHAMMAD'S DAWAH
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) was able to successfully accomplish his
mission from words into deeds and from one person to a state within a short span of 23 years. In view
of the limited space available to us, we shall deal briefly with Prophet Muhammads strategic thinking,

planning and execution in all aspects and spheres of his Dawah: propagation, political, social,
economic, finance, war and peace, and international affairs.
IN THE FIELD OF DAWAH
He took advantage of his close relationships with his wife Khadijah, his cousin Ali, his servant Zaid and
called them towards Islam. It was a big moral victory that his closest people believed in his
truthfulness. He widened that circle when he called his very close friend Abu Bakr to Islam and who
instantly responded by embracing Islam.
He was not only patient with his uncle Abu Talib but was also patient with his tribe Banu Hashim when
he and his companions were economically and socially boycotted in Abu Amer valley. He did not insist
that they must believe in him first and then lend their support to him.
He advised his companions to migrate to Abyssinia (modern day Ethiopia) whose king was a just ruler.
With this step he internationalised his message, which crossed from Asia to Africa. There, the first
interaction between Islam and Christianity took place.
When he and his mission were encircled in Makkah, he tried to break that confinement by calling those
tribes who used to come to Makkah to perform their Hajj rituals. He went to Taif to preach his message.
He continued his efforts to break the siege until he got the tribes of Aus and Khazraj from Medina who
vowed to support him wholeheartedly and unconditionally.
IN THE POLITICAL FIELD
Soon after his arrival in Medina, he united his companions from Makkah, Medina, Jews and others
under the banner of the first written constitution of the world in which all parties agreed to recognise
him as their leader, supreme commander and final judge in case of their disputes. In his capacity as
the head of the City-State of Medina, he launched a well planned campaign to make the tribes around
Medina either his allies or to be neutral in his forthcoming struggle with his arch enemies: the Quraysh.
This struggle was actually aimed at endangering the economic and financial lifeline of Quraysh making
them sensitive to new economic and military dangers. At Al Hudaybiyah he showed his great
diplomatic skills when he was able to extract from Quraysh a de facto recognition of his regime with
which they agreed to sign a 10-year truce which afforded the golden opportunity to spread his
message in the whole of the Arabian Peninsula.
When the Roman emperor started concentrating his troops in the northern borders of Arabia, Prophet
Muhammad moved swiftly and began preparations to meet the Roman armies. This was happening at
a very crucial moment when everything was against him, but he realised that it is the battle of nerves
and determination and stood high to face the challenge and was able thereby to spread his political
influence well beyond the borders of Arabia.
Twice he announced his intended enemies as is seen in the case of the Battle of Tabuk and the Victory
of Makkah, as both situations demanded demoralising his enemies with his willingness to face the
challenges posed by them. Otherwise it was his habit not to reveal his war strategies. He kept
everything connected with his migration to Medina so much so that he first went to south instead of
north to perplex them. During all his small expeditions or major battles he did not disclose his target to
surprise his enemy.
SAFEGUARDING HIS MESSAGE
To safeguard the Qurn which is the cornerstone of his message, he resorted to use two means:
A. Recording the revealed pieces of the Qurn which he dictated immediately after the end of
revelation process. This recording played a very important role in the compilation of the Qurn after
his death.

B. He himself memorised the Qurn and asked his companions to memorise it as he was himself
taught by the angel Gabriel. This rendered a great assistance in checking and verifying the written
texts when the compilation process was completed in the period of the third Caliph of Islam, Osman
bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) and only one official copy with various recitations was
agreed upon and circulated.
STRATEGY TO IMPLEMENT NEW WAR TACTICS
This was reflected first in the very first Battle of Badr when one of his companions suggested he should
take over the water springs/wells so that the enemies are deprived of so much needed water. It was a
serious blow to Quraysh who were demoralised due to the lack of water for one thousand strong army
in addition to the dancing and serving girls. He surprised Quraysh and their allies who were all out to
invade Medina to wipe out Islamic Movement in its cradle when he dug about a 5544-meter long and
4.62-meter wide and 3.234-meter deep trench in the north and north-west of Medina. The ditch was a
big surprise to them and made them standstill until Allah the Almighty sent a strong wind storm on
their camps, and deployed His other invisible forces to make them return without achieving their
diabolic objectives.
TO TAKE ENEMIES BACK
Twice he used this war tactic:
A. At the Battle of Uhad Muslims were defeated but Abu Sufyan for some unknown reason decided to
return to Makkah without destroying Medina. The Prophet knew that he might rethink and come back
again. So he called upon his trustworthy companions to come and chase Abu Sufyans army although
they were wounded both in their bodies and souls and no one was expecting from them to take arms in
those hopeless circumstances. As real and true believers, they came out in response to their leaders
call and chased their enemies who were actually intending to come back to finish their unfinished
tasks. They heard Muhammad with his loyal and dedicated companions was following their trail with
high fighting.
This swift but minutely calculated exercise demoralised them and they retreated to Makkah. Thus he,
with his daring initiative, turned his defeat in Uhad into a victory moral as well as material
delivering the message that to win over Muhammad and his companions is a very difficult job.
B. He took the strong Jewish tribe, Banu Qurayza, who broke the pledge to defend Medina jointly
against any outside invader and attacker by conspiring with Quraysh and their allies for putting dagger
in the back of the Prophet which he and his companions were busy day and night, in defending allied
forces under the leadership of Quraysh. He, with a speed of a hawk, landed upon the traitors with his
faithful and devout friends direct from ditch giving them no time to store food, water and arms in their
castles. He, thereby, shortened the siege period and forced them to come to his terms.
STRATEGY TO EDUCATE HIS PEOPLE
A. The Prophet was deeply conscious of the importance of literacy and education for his people as his
mission began with the word Read! At the end of the Battle of Badr, he ordained that those prisoners
of war who were unable to pay their ransom in cash or kind to teach Muslim children reading and
writing. In this way he spread literacy among the up-coming generation of Muslim children making
them teachers for their offspring.
B. When he discovered that the Jews often manipulate not only pronunciation of certain words but did
not hesitate in going as far as to hide the texts of Torah, their sacred book, he ordered his companions,
Zaid bin Sabith (may Allah be pleased with him) to learn the Hebrew language to be able to know
directly what is in the text of their book. With this he put an end to their criminal tactics.

These are but few of his lessons/ strategic thinking, planning and execution. Blessings of Allah be to
him. Amen.