DAROOD SHARIF

THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM 

Opposition continued to mount. At the same time the Prophetsa and his followers were
doing all they could to make plain to the Meccans the Message of Islam. It was a manysided Message and of great ultimate significance, not only for Arabs but for the whole world. It was a Message from God. It
said:
 The Creator of the world is One. None else is worthy of worship. The Prophets have ever believed Him to be One, and taught their followers so. Meccans should give up all images and idols.

THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM

THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM 

Opposition continued to mount. At the same time the Prophetsa and his followers were
doing all they could to make plain to the Meccans the Message of Islam. It was a manysided Message and of great ultimate significance, not only for Arabs but for the whole world. It was a Message from God. It
said:
 The Creator of the world is One. None else is worthy of worship. The Prophets have ever believed Him to be One, and taught their followers so. Meccans should give up all images and idols. Did they not see that the
idols could not even remove the flies which dropped on the offerings laid at their feet? If they were attacked they could not repel. If they had a question put to them, they could not answer. If they were asked for help, they could do nothing. But the One God helped those who asked for His help, answered those who addressed Him in prayer, subjugated His enemies, and raised those who abased themselves before Him. When light came from Him, it illumined His devotees. Why then did the Meccans neglect Him and turn to lifeless images and idols and waste their lives? Did they not see that their want of faith in the One Life of Muhammadsa 39True God had made them utterly superstitious and incompetent? They had no idea of what
was clean and what was unclean, of right and wrong. They did not honour their mothers. They treated savagely their sisters and daughters, and denied them their due. They did not treat their wives well. They tormented widows, exploited orphans, the poor and the weak, and sought to build their prosperity on
the ruins of others. Of lying and cheating they were not ashamed, nor of burgling and loot. Gambling and drinking were their delight. For culture and national advance they did not care. How long were they going to ignore the One True God, and continue to lose and lose, and suffer and suffer? Had they not better
reform? Had they not better give up all forms of exploitation of one another, restore rights to
whom they were due, spend their wealth on national needs and on improving the lot of the poor and the weak, treat orphans as a trust and regard their protection as a duty, support
widows and establish and encourage good
works in the whole community, cultivate not
merely justice and equity, but compassion and
grace? Life in this world should be productive
of good. "Leave good works behind", the
Message further said, "that they may grow and
bear fruit after you are gone. There is virtue in
giving to others, not in receiving from them.
Learn to surrender that you may be nearer to 40 Life of Muhammad
your God. Practise self-denial for the sake of
your fellow-men, that you may multiply your
credit with God. True, the Muslims are weak,
but do not go after their weakness, Truth will
triumph. This is the decree of Heaven.
Through the Prophet a new measure and a
new criterion of good and evil, of right and
wrong, will be set up in the world. Justice and
mercy will reign. No constraint will be allowed
in the matter of religion, and no interference.
The cruelties to which women and slaves have
been subjected will be obliterated. The
Kingdom of God will be instituted in place of
the kingdom of Satan."
When this Message was preached to the
people of Mecca and the well-meaning and
reflective among them began to be impressed
by it. The elders of Mecca took a serious view
of what was happening. They went in a
deputation to the Prophet's uncle, Abu Talib,
and addressed him thus:
You are one of our chiefs and for your sake we have
so far spared your nephew, Muhammad. The time
has come, however, when we should put an end to this
national crisis, this conflict, in our midst. We ask and
demand that he should desist from saying anything
against our idols. Let him proclaim that God is One,
but let him not say anything against our idols. If he
agrees to this, our conflict and controversy with him
will be over. We urge you to persuade him. But if you
are unable to do so, then one of two things must Life of Muhammad 41
happen. Either you will have to give up your nephew,
or we, your people, will give you up (Hisham).

THE PROPHET (P.B.U.H) RECEIVES HIS FIRST REVELATION

THE PROPHET (P.B.U.H) RECEIVES HIS FIRST 

REVELATION 

When the Prophet was over thirty years of age, love of God and love of His worship began to possess him 

more and more. Revolting against the mischiefs, misdeeds and the many vices of the people of Mecca, he 

chose a spot two or three miles away for his meditations. This was on top of a hill, a sort of cave shaped 

out of stone. His wife Khadija would prepare food enough for several days, and with this he would repair 

to the cave Hira. In the cave he would worship God day and night. When he was forty years of age, he saw 

a vision. It was in this very cave. He saw some one commanding him to recite. The Prophet said in reply 

he did not know what or how to recite. The figure insisted and at last made the Prophet recite the following 

verses: 

Recite thou in the name of thy Lord Who created, 

created man from a clot of blood. Recite! And thy 

Lord is the Most Beneficent, Who taught man by the 

pen, taught man what he knew not (96:2-6). 

The Rightly guided Caliphs

Upon the death of the Prophet, Abu Bakr, the friend of the Prophet and the first adult

male to embrace Islam, became caliph. Abu Bakr ruled for two years to be succeeded by

'Umar who was caliph for a decade and duringwhose rule Islam spread extensively east

and west conquering the Persian empire, Syria and Egypt. Itwas 'Umar who marched on

foot at the end of the Muslim army into Jerusalem and ordered the protection of Christian

sites. 'Umar also established the first public treasury and a sophisticated financial

administration. He established many of the basic practices of Islamic government.

'Umar was succeeded by 'Uthman who ruled for some twelve years during which time the

Islamic expansion continued. He is also known as the caliph who had the definitive text

of the Noble Quran copied and sent to the four corners of the Islamic world. He was in

turn succeeded by 'Ali who isknown to this day for his eloquent sermons and letters, andalso for his bravery. With hisdeath the rule of the "rightly guided" caliphs, who hold aspecial place of respect in the he

arts of Muslims, came to an end.

Umayyad

The Umayyad caliphate established in 661 was to last for about a century. During

this time Damascus became the capital ofan Islamic world which stretched from thewestern borders of China to southern France.Not only did the Islamic conquests continue during this period through North Africa

to Spain and France in the West and toSind, Central Asia and Transoxiana in theEast, but the basic social and legal institutions of the newly founded Islamic worldawere established.

Abbasid Dynasty

Abbasids

The Abbasids, who succeeded the Umayyads, shifted the capital to Baghdad which soon developed into an incomparable center of learning and culture as well as the administrative and political heart of a vast world. They ruled for over 500 years but gradually their power waned and they remained only symbolic rulers bestowing legitimacy upon various sultans and princes who wielded actual military power. The Abbasid caliphate was finally abolished when Hulagu, the Mongol ruler, captured Baghdad in 1258, destroying much of the city including its incomparable libraries. While the Abbasids ruled in Baghdad, a number of powerful dynasties such as the Fatimids, Ayyubids and Mamluks held power in Egypt, Syria and Palestine. The most important event in this area as far as the relation between Islam and the Western world was concerned was the series of Crusades declared by the Pope and espoused by various European kings. The purpose, although political, was outwardly to recapture the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem for Christianity. Although there was at the beginning some success and local European rule was set up in parts of Syria and Palestine, Muslims finally prevailed and in 1187 Saladin, the great Muslim leader, recaptured Jerusalem and defeated the Crusaders.

The Conquest of Makkah

Causes The Conquest of Makkah

           
                         The conquest of Makkah was a great hallmark in the history of whole Muslim conquests. It

was destined for Muhammad (PBUH) "The prophet of war" to demonstrate that even in His battle He was

"the prophet."
                   
                    " In history the hero seeks the glory, not the prey". P.Sideny

                    Conquest of Makkah is renowned as the first great occupation because it was born by

moderation and clemency, rather than subdued it by violence.