The Last Prophet, Mohammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)
Posted in Daily IslamOctober 31, 2011No comments
The Last Prophet, Mohammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam)
Birth
The Last Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was born in 570 A.D. in Makka. His father Abdullah died before two months from his birth, and as an orphan he was left to the care of his mother Amina, and his grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib.
At the age of six Mohammad suffered a terrible loss, the death of his mother 576 A.D. Amina’s death left Mohammad in the care of his elderly grandfather. Mohammad became a favorite of Abdul-Muttalib, even more that his own children, one of whom, Hamzah, was of similar age to Mohammad. However, this guardianship was not to be long lasting, for Mohammad’s grandfather died two years later. Leaving an eight year old Mohammad alone in the world.
Luckily, Mohammad had an uncle willing to assume the role of guardian, and for the next 40 years of Mohammad’s life he had a protector and supporter in Abu-Talib. This support would become invaluable once Mohammad set out in preaching the word of Allah.
The Monk — Bahira
At the age of 12, one of the most amazing experiences in Mohammad’s young life occurred. While on a journey to Syria in 582 A.D, Abu-Talib’s caravan stopped for rest. At their stop they met a Christian Monk named Bahira. Upon seeing Mohammad, Bahira identified the boy as the Messenger of God. Bahira also asked Abu-Talib if the boy had a birthmark below his shoulder. Abu-Talib had Mohammad show Bahira the mark, and Bahira exclaimed that it was the Seal of Prophethood, as foretold in his books of scripture. Bahira also told Abu-Talib to protect the boy, for there were others who knew that a prophet was destined to come to them, and if they found out about Mohammad, they would try to harm him. Abu-Talib listened to Bahira’s advice and sent Mohammad back to Makkah.
Marriage
By the age of 25 Mohammad had established a reputation for honesty, kindness, gentility, and truth. He worked as a manager for a caravan, carrying goods to Syria for Khadijah Ibn Is’haq, a businesswoman of great honor and fortune. Mohammad proved himself worthy on the expedition, and Khadijah was pleased with the returns as well as the manner in which the job was conducted. They married in 595 A.D. Khadijah may have had some reservations about the marriage, because when the marriage took place she was 40 years old and a widow. However, the love that Mohammad felt for her was incomparable to any other, for in her lifetime he never married another woman, though polygamy being a common practice in Arabia at that time.
Wisdom
In 605 A.D, when Hazrat Mohammed was 35 years old, two sad incidents took place in Makkah. Firstly, the Kaaba caught fire and secondly, the flood in Kaaba swept away some parts of it. The flood caused heavy losses to the structure of Kaaba. About ten tribes of Quresh decided to raise money through donations to repair the Kaaba. A Roman mason, who had been assigned the repair work of Kaaba, suggested that Ka’ba should be reconstructed afresh. After serious consultations the chieftains of Quresh agreed to his suggestion. Thus the Roman mason started reconstruction. Every tribe enthusiastically took part in the process yet they disagreed as to who will fix the “Black Stone” of Kaaba. A dispute arose about the placing of the Holy Black Stone as each section of the Quresh wanted to have this honor for itself. It was ultimately decided that on the appointed day whosoever was the first to enter the Kaaba, would fix the Holy Stone in Kaaba. On the appointed day the Holy Prophet was the first to enter the Kaaba. But instead of fixing the Holy Stone in Kaaba, he decided that the Holy Stone should be placed in a mantle, and this mantle should be upheld by a representative of each section of the Quresh. The stone was carried in this way to the place where it was to be fixed in the wall. There the Holy Prophet lifted the stone from the mantle and fixed it at the appropriate place in the wall.
Revelation
The Holy sanctuary Kaaba was filled with 360 idols at that time. The original, pristine message of Prophet Ibrahim was lost, and it was mixed with superstitions and traditions of pilgrims and visitors from distant places, who were used to idol worship and myths. All Makkans were idol-worshipers, but Hazrat Mohammad never worshiped idols. By the age of 40 Hazrat Mohammed tended to lead a solitary life. It was his habit to go to the cave of “Hira” and meditate on the vast cosmos & it’s creator. He would ponder over the facts working behind the various phenomenon of nature. It was the same cave where his grandfather used to spend a month every year.
One night, Jibril (The Archangel Gabriel) came in the cave & asked Hazrat Mohammed to:
“READ”
Hazrat Mohammed replied: ” I am not literate.”
Jibril embraced Hazrat Mohammed and said again:
“READ”
Hazrat Mohammed reiterated his previous words.
Jibril hugged Hazrat Mohammed and said:
“READ”
He again replied, “I am not literate”.
The third time Jibril took Hazrat Mohammed within his arms and said:
“Read in the Name of thy Lord who created; Man, out of a leech-like clot; Proclaim! And thy Lord is most Bountiful; He who taught the use of pen; Tought man what he knew not”
These revelations are the first five verses of Surah “Iqra” of the Qur’an. Thus it was in the year 610 A.D the revelation began. Hazrat Mohammad was terrified by the whole experience of the revelation and fled the cave of Hira. When he reached his home, tired and frightened, he asked his wife (Khadijah): “cover me, in a blanket”. After his awe had somewhat abated, his wife Khadijah asked him about the reason of his great anxiety and fear. He told him whole story. She then assured him by saying: “God will not let you down because you are kind to relatives, you speak only the truth, you help the poor, the orphan and the needy, and you are an honest man.” Khadijah then consulted with her cousin Waraqa who was an old, saintly man possessing knowledge of previous revelations and scriptures. Waraqa confirmed to her that the visitor was none other than the Angel Gabriel who had come to Moses. He then added that Mohammad is the expected Prophet. Khadijah accepted the revelation as truth and was the first person to accept Islam.
Hazrat Mohammed continued going to the cave of Hira in the night for three years to meditate on the existence of God Almighty. Some time voice of Jibril was heard saying: “You Mohammed! Are the messenger of God and I am Jibril the angel of Allah.” Jibril told nothing except this, One night Jibril came in the cave Hira & recited the Surah “Al-Dhuha.”
Preaching Islam
Except Hazrat Khadijah, Hazrat Ali & Hazrat Zaid, no one else was ready to believe Mohammed. For about three years from 610 A.D to 613 A.D, the strength of Muslim remained three. After that Hazrat Abu Bakkar also accepted Islam and thus the number increased to four.
Then God Ordered Hazrat Mohammad through Archangel Gabriel to preach Islam among the Quresh (a tribe), and after doing so, the Quresh turned against him. Also on the other side, some people started to embrace Islam. The Quresh began to persecute Muslims by beating, torture and boycott of their businesses. Those who were weak, poor or slaves were publicly tortured. The first person to die by this means was a Muslim women by the name Umm Ammar (the mother of Ammar Ibn Yasir). The Muslims from well-to-do families were physically restrained in their homes with the condition that if they recant they will be allowed freedom of movement. The Prophet was publicly ridiculed and humiliated including frequent throwing of filth on him in the street and while he prayed in the Kaaba. In spite of great hardships and no apparent support, the message of Islam kept all Muslims firm in their belief. The Prophet was asked by God to be patient and to preach the message of Qur’an…
The Quresh offered bribe to the Prophet
In the first three years of Prophet Mohammad’s mission, only forty people accepted Islam. He then began to preach Islam in public. The leaders of the Quresh did not accept the new religion. Some of them tried to bribe Prophet Mohammad with money and power, including an offer to make him a king. But the Holy Prophet refused to abandon God’s message. When this did not work, they tried to convince his uncle, Abu Talib, to allow them to kill Prophet Mohammad. Therefore, his uncle tried to dissuade him from preaching. But Holy Prophet said: “O uncle, if they were to put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand to stop me from preaching Islam, I would never stop. I will keep on preaching until Allah makes Islam prevail or I die.”
The Holy Prophet’s kindness
Once a very old woman was passing on the street near Kaaba, holding some heavy luggage. It was very warm day, and she was tired. Some people of Quresh were there, but no one was interested to help her. Later, when the Holy Prophet reached there, he offered help to her, she pleasantly gave her luggage to the Holy Prophet. The Prophet took her luggage to her home in the outskirts of Makkah. She expressed her gratitude to him and said: “O son, you are a kind person, that’s why I should must advice you to beware of a magician, whose name is Mohammad, as he isn’t a good person.” After listening to her, the Holy Prophet smiled, and said: “O mother, I’m Mohammad!” She was surprised & accepted Islam without any hesitation.
There was another old woman who daily collected garbage & waited for the Holy Prophet by sitting on the doorsteps of her home. And when the Holy Prophet used to pass by near her home, she used to throw the collected garbage on him. But still the Holy Prophet never said a word to her, even one day when the Holy Prophet passed by near her home & didn’t find her, he inquired about that old woman, if she is O.K. Later, the Holy Prophet came to know that she is ill, so he visited her home & inquired about her health. She was ashamed by thinking that she always threw garbage on him, but still he is so kind to her. She accepted Islam on that occasion.
The First Migration of Muslims
When the persecution became unbearable for most Muslims, the Holy Prophet advised them in the fifth year of his mission (615 A.D) to emigrate to Abyssinia (modern Ethiopia) where Najashi (Negus, a Christian) was the ruler. Eighty people (not counting the small children) emigrated in small groups to avoid detection. No sooner had they left the Arabian coastline, the leaders of Quresh discovered their flight. They decided to not leave these Muslims in peace, and immediately sent two of their envoys to Negus to bring all of them back. However, Negus allowed them to stay under his protection after he investigated Muslim belief and heard the revelations about Jesus and Mary (peace be upon them both), which appears in Chapter 19, entitled Mary, of the Qur’an. The emigrants were allowed freedom of worship in Abyssinia.
Social Boycott of The Prophet by The Quresh
The Quresh then made life even more difficult for the Prophet by implementing total ban on contact with the Prophet’s family (Bani Hashim and Muttalib) in 616 A.D. The ban lasted for three years without the desired effect. Just before the ban was lifted, the Prophet was contacted by the leaders of Quresh to agree to a compromise under which they should all practice both religions (i.e., Islam and Idolatry). Upon hearing this, the Prophet recited a revelation (Sura al-Kafirun) he had just received and which ends with the words: “… For you your religion and for me mine.” The ban was lifted when leaders of Quresh discovered that their secret document on the terms of ban, which they had stored in Ka’ba, was eaten by worms and all that was left were the opening words “In Your name, O Allah.” The effects of the three-year boycott left the Prophet with more personal sorrow when he lost his beloved wife Khadijah and uncle Abu Talib soon after the ban was lifted (in 619 A.D.).
Mercy of Prophet Mohammad
After the death of his uncle Abu Talib, the Prophet went to Ta’if (about 50 miles east, southeast of Makkah) to preach Islam. They flatly refused and mocked at him, and severely injured him by inciting their children to throw stones at him. Gabriel visited the Prophet here suggesting that the angels were ready to destroy the town if he were to ask Allah for the punishment. Nevertheless, the Prophet declined to harm the people who attacked him, and instead, he prayed to God to forgive them & make them righteous.
Isra & Meraj
Soon after the terrible disappointment at Ta’if, the prophet experienced the event Isra & Meraj (621 A.D). In which Gabriel took the Prophet from the sacred Mosque near Kaaba to the furthest (al-Aqsa) mosque in Jerusalem in a very short time in the latter part of a night. Here, Prophet Mohammad met with previous Prophets (Abraham, Moses, Jesus and others) and he led them in prayer. After this, the Prophet was taken up to heavens to show the signs of God. It was on this journey that five daily prayers were prescribed. He was then taken back to Kaaba, the whole experience lasting a few moments of a night. Upon hearing this, the people of Makkah mocked at him. However, when his specific description of Jerusalem, other things on the way, and the caravan that he saw on this journey including its expected arrival in Makkah turned out to be true, the ridicule of the nonbelievers stopped.
Splitting of the moon
Many people in Makkah believed that Prophet Mohammad is a magician. Some of them went to a Jewish Rabbi seeking his advise, the Rabbi told them that the magic only works within the limits of the earth, and the things that are beyond the limits of the earth, magic could not work on them. So Rabbi told them that they should go to Mohammad & ask him to split the moon into two parts, and if he is a magician then he wouldn’t be able to do so. The people went to the Holy Prophet at night and asked him to split the moon into two parts if he is really a Prophet. The Holy Prophet raised his index finger towards the moon, and the moon splitted into two parts. Somewhile later again he raised his finger & the moon turned to its normal shape. And the Holy Prophet said: “Witness… Witness…”
An Indian King witnesses the moon splitting event
Many people around the world witnessed the incident of splitting of the moon. In Malabar (South-West Coast of India) there was a king, whose name was “Chakrawati Farmas”. He was surprised to see the moon splitting into two. Later he inquired about it, and he came to know that there is a man in Makkah who declares himself as Prophet. Chakrawati Farmas appointed his son to look after the state’s matters, and he himself traveled from Malabar (India) to Makkah to meet the Holy Prophet, after meeting the Holy prophet he accepted Islam. Later he returned to India & preached Islam. Malabar was the only Indian territory where Muslims were present since 618 A.D.
The incident relating to King Chakrawati Farmas is documented in an old manuscript in the “Indian Office Library” in London, which has reference number: Arabic, 2807, 152-173. It was quoted in the book “Mohammad Rasulullah” .
Another Hindu businessman “Ratanchand” witnessed that incident. He also accepted Islam, stayed some period with the Holy Prophet, he also collected many Hadith (Sayings of the Prophet), and later spread them around the Indian sub-continent. He also wrote a book “Al-Risala-tul-Rataniya”. His tomb is in Batinda city of Indian Punjab, which is visited by many people till today…
The Migration to Madinah
In 622 A.D, the leaders of the Quresh decided to kill the Prophet and they developed a plan in which one man was chosen from each of the Quresh tribes and they were to attack the Prophet simultaneously. Gabriel informed the Prophet of the plan and instructed him to leave Makkah immediately. The Prophet, after making arrangements to return the properties entrusted to him by several nonbelievers, left with Hazrat Abu Bakkar in the night he was to be assassinated. They went south of Makkah to a mountain cave of Thaur, and after staying three nights they traveled north to Yathrib (Madinah) about two hundred fifty miles from Makkah. Upon discovery of his escape, the leaders of Quresh put up a reward of one hundred camels on him, dead or alive. In spite of all their best scouts and search parties, God protected the Prophet and he arrived safely in Quba, a suburb of Madinah. This event is known as the “Hijra” (migration) and the Islamic calendar begins with this event. The people of Aws and Khazraj tribes in Madina greeted him with great enthusiasm in accordance with their pledge made at Aqaba less than a year ago during the annual pilgrimage. One by one those Muslims (men and women) of Makkah who were not physically restrained, and who could make a secret exit, left for Madinah leaving behind their properties and homes.
Battles
To insure the peace and tranquility, the Holy Prophet proposed a treaty defining terms of conduct for all inhabitants of Madinah. It was ratified by all – Muslims, non-Muslim Arabs and Jews. After his emigration to Madina, the enemies of Islam increased their assault from all sides. The Battles of Badr, Uhd and Khandaq (Trench) were fought near or around Madina. In these battles until the year 627 A.D, the nonbelievers with encouragement from Jews and other Arabian tribes attacked the Prophet and Muslim community.
Marriages of the Holy Prophet
The Muslims while defending their city (Madinah) and religion (Islam) lost many men, which resulted in many widowed Muslim women and numerous orphaned children. In these circumstances, Prophet Mohammad married several women during 56 year up to the 60th year of his life. He did not contract any marriage in the last three years of his life, following the revelation about limiting the number of wives up to a maximum of four. This is the first time in the history of revealed scriptures that a limit on the number of wives was imposed and the terms of conduct were specified. The Prophet was instructed not to divorce any of his wives after this revelation. All of the ladies he took as wives were either widowed or divorced, except Hazrat Ayesha.
Water flows from the Holy Prophet’s fingers
The Companions were left without water in a place called Zarwa. They were going to do wudu (ritual ablution) but they could not find enough water. The Prophet ordered them to bring a bowl of water. He dipped his hands into the bowl and water began to run from his fingers like a fountain. All Companions abluted from that water. Hazrat Annas ibn Malik says that on that day they were three hundred people..
Pray for rain
A man came to the Prophet on a Friday while he (the Prophet) was delivering a sermon Masjid-e-Nabwi (Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah), and said: “There is lack of rain, so please invoke your Lord to bless us with the rain.” The Prophet looked at the sky when no cloud could be detected. Then he invoked Allah for rain. Clouds started gathering together and it rained till the Madinah valleys started flowing with water. It continued raining till the next Friday. Then that man stood up while the Prophet was delivering the Friday sermon, and said: “We are drowned; Please invoke your Lord to withhold it (rain) from us” The Prophet smiled and said: “O Allah! Please let it rain round about us and not upon us.” The clouds started dispersing over Madinah towards left & right.
The Treaty of Hudaybia
A year after the Battle of Khandaq (Trench), the Prophet and fifteen hundred of his companions left for Makkah to perform the annual pilgrimage (628 A.D). They were barred from approaching the city at Hudaybiya, where after some negotiations a treaty was signed allowing for them to come next year. This treaty facilitated exchange of ideas among the people of the whole region without interference. Many delegations from all regions of Arabia came to the Prophet to investigate the teachings of Islam, and a large number of people accepted Islam within a couple of years. The Prophet sent many of his companions (who memorized the Qur’an by heart) to new communities to instruct them about the practice of Islam. More than fifty of them were murdered by non-believers. A few weeks after Hudaybia the Prophet sent letters to several kings and rulers (including the two superpowers – Byzantines and Persians) inviting them to Islam. Negus, the king of Abyssinia, and the Ruler of Bahrain accepted Islam, and Emperor Heraclius acknowledged Mohammad’s Prophet hood. Among rulers who accepted Islam but without any initiative from the Prophet was Chakrawati Farmas, a Hindu King of Malabar (located on the southwest coast of India).
Violation of the Treaty by Quresh
About two years later at the end of 629 A.D, the Quresh violated the terms of the Treaty of Hudaybia by helping Banu Bakkar in the surprise attack on Bani Khuza’ah who were allied with the Prophet. Some of Bani Khuzah’s men escaped and took shelter in Makkah and they sought redress. However, the leaders of Quresh did nothing. They then sent a message to the Prophet for help.
A Liar
There was a Christian who embraced Islam and read Surat-al-Baqara and Al-Imran, and he used to note down the revelations of the Prophet. Later on he returned to Christianity again and he used to say: “Mohammad knows nothing but what I have written for him.” Soon he died, and the people buried him, but in the morning they saw that the earth had thrown his body out. They said, “This is the act of Mohammad and his companions. They dug the grave of our companion and took his body out of it because he had run away from them.” They again dug the grave deeply for him, but in the morning they again saw that the earth had thrown his body out. They said, “This is an act of Mohammad and his Companions. They dug the grave of our companion and threw his body outside it, for he had run away from them.” They dug the grave for him as deep as they could, but in the morning they again saw that the earth had thrown his body out. So they believed that what had befallen him was not done by human beings and had to leave him thrown (on the ground).
Conquest of Makkah
The Holy Prophet, after confirming all the reports of the attack and subsequent events, marched to Makkah with an army consisting of three thousand Muslims of Medina and Muslims from other Arab communities that joined him on the way totaling ten thousand Muslims. God revealed Sura Al-nasr by Gabriel to the Holy Prophet, before that incident, in which God gave him the good news of conquering Makkah. After, reaching near Makka, the Holy Prophet sent word to citizens of Makkah that anyone who remained in his home, or in Abu Sufyan’s home, or in the Kaaba would be safe. Then the army entered Makkah without fighting and the Prophet went directly to the Kaaba. He magnified Allah for the triumphant entry in the Holy city. The Prophet pointed at each idol with a stick he had in his hand and said, “Truth has come and Falsehood will neither start nor will it reappear” [Qur’an 17:81]. And one by one the idols fell down. The Kaaba was then cleansed by the removal of all three hundred sixty idols, and it was restored to its pristine status for the worship of One True God (as built by Prophets Ibrahim and Is’mail).
Forgiving All Enemies
The people of the city expected general slaughter in view of their persecution and torture of Muslims for the past twenty years. While standing by the Kaaba, the Prophet promised clemency for the Makkans, stating: “O Quresh, what do you think that I am about to do with you?” They replied, “Good. You are a noble brother, son of a noble brother.” The Prophet forgave them all saying:
“I will treat you as Prophet Yousuf (Joseph) treated his brothers. There is no reproach against you. Go to your homes, and you are all free.”
People entering into Islam in throngs
The people of Makkah then accepted Islam including the staunch enemies of the Prophet. A few of the staunchest enemies and military commanders had fled Makkah after his entry. However, when they received the Prophet’s assurance of no retaliation and no compulsion in religion, they came back and gradually the message of Islam won their hearts. Within a year (630 A.D), almost all Arabia accepted Islam. Among the Prophet’s close companions were Muslims from such diverse background as Persia, Abyssinia, Syria and Rome (Byzantines). Several prominent Jewish Rabbis, Christian bishops and clergymen accepted Islam after discussions with the Prophet..
Threat of Islam
The great change in Arabia alarmed the two superpowers, Byzantines and Persia. Their Governors, particularly the Byzantines, reacted with threats to attack Madinah. Instead of waiting, the prophet sent a small army to defend the northmost border of Arabia. In the remaining life of the Prophet, all of the major battles were fought on the northern front. The Prophet did not have a standing army. Whenever he received a threat, he called the Muslims and discussed with them the situation and gathered volunteers to fight any aggression..
The Last Address of the Holy Prophet
On the 10th year of migration (632 A.D), the prophet went to Makkah for the purpose of performing pilgrimage in the company of forty thousands Muslims. The Holy Prophet went Jabal-ul-Rahmat in the Nirma valley on 9th Zil-Hajj, 10 Hijra, and delivered his last address the Muslims. This address occupies a very significant position in Islam. In fact, it contains all the basic principles of Islam.
Some people consider it the very constitution of Islam. About 80 days before the death of the Holy prophet said:
“O’ people! listen to me carefully. I may not meet you again at this place after this.
O, people! God has created you from one man and one woman. You have your families and clines just to be recognized separately. However, you real distinction before Allah is by virtue of your nobility and piety. Therefore, no Arab has any superiority on non-Arab and vice versa.
Similarly, all distinctions of color and complexion are irrelevant,. O, the Quresh! Don’t come to the day of judgement with a load of sins while others are there with the good deeds. If you did so, I shall not be able to save you from wrath of God.
O, People! Respect and regard all people in the same was as you do this day and this month. It is, undoubtedly, sinful to kill another person or take hold of his possession. And you will be accountable to God for all this.
O, people! Men have rights on women and women have rights on men, Treat women with kindness.
Remember well; God alone has given you the right to marry women. So never be slack in giving them their rights. And be always afraid of God in this respect. Treat your slaves well. In fact, do to them as you wish to be done by them. If they commit some mistake, forgive them or set them free. But never treat them harshly. O, people! Listen to me carefully and try to understand. All the Muslims are brothers. They are now in a bound of love with each other. One can not use another Muslim’s things unless he allowed to do so. Beware! I have trampled down all the traditions of period of ignorance. And all the sins committed in that period have been forgiven. Beware! Never thing of being unjust. I am leaving one thing special for you. As long you adhere to that you will never go wrong. And that thing is the Holy Book (The Quran). There is no prophet after me and there will be no followers.
Beware! Keeping obeying your God. Maintain prayer fast in the month of Ramzan. Pay the Zakat willingly. And visit the Holy Kaaba. Avoid exaggeration and miss interpretation in religion. Previous nations were destroyed due to this.
Beware! Don’t go astray after me. And don’t kill each other. You will have to account for everything before God. You should obey even an ordinary person, if he leads you in accordance with the divine Book.
O,People! Sincerity in deeds brotherhood and unity among the people keep one happy.
O, People! You will be inquired about me. What will you say”?
All the people unanimously said, ” we solemnly declared that you have conveyed the message of Allah to us. And you have performed your duty very well in this way.”
Then the prophet raised his finger to the sky and addressed the people.
“O, Allah ! You are witness”.
Again said to the people ———- beware!
“Those who are present should pass the message on to those who are not present. ”
Prophet Mohammad’s Death
Two months later of that pilgrimage, Prophet Muhammad fell ill and after several days, died on Monday, 12 Rabi al-Awwal, the eleventh year after Hijra (632 A.D) in Madinah. He is buried in the same place where he died.
His Simple Life
Prophet Muhammad lived a most simple, austere and modest life. He and his family used to go without cooked meal several days at a time, relying only on dates, dried bread and water. During the day he was the busiest man, as he performed his duties in many roles all at once as head of state, chief justice, commander-in-chief, arbitrator, instructor and family man. He was the most devoted man at night. He used to spend one- to two-thirds of every night in prayer and meditation. The Prophet’s possession consisted of mats, blankets, jugs and other simple things even when he was the virtual ruler of Arabia. He left nothing to be inherited except a white mule (a gift from Muqawqis), few ammunition and a piece of land that he had made a gift during his life time. Among his last words were: “We the community of Prophets are not inherited. Whatever we leave is for charity.”….
