Pearls Of The Prophet

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ respected the opinion and advice of women even while making very serious decisions. One of his anecdotes from the Prophet’s life depicts this quality aptly:

After Prophet Muhammad ﷺ agreed to the terms and conditions in the peace treaty imposed by the Quraysh tribe at Hudaybia, many of his companions were profoundly upset with him, since the terms were apparently deemed favourable to the enemy. His companions were reluctant to obey a direct command of his, which was to make the animal sacrifices and complete some of the rituals of the Hajj. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, saddened and worried by this development, retreated to his tent where his wife Umm Salama, advised him to go back out and silently perform the very acts he had ordered. When his companions saw him lead by example, they immediately followed him and a major mutiny was averted.

Ethical charismatic leaders, such as Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and all other Prophets a.s., use power for the benefit of mankind, learn from criticism, work to develop their followers into leaders, and rely on moral standards.

Muhammad ﷺ was respected in Makkah, he would frequently solve disputes, and he was nicknamed Al-Amin, or The truthful one, and was well loved by all. He was never known to lie, cheat, or steal, all common practices by the pagans of his time. Everyone, including his enemies, like Abu Jahl had acknowledged his lineage to noble prophets such as Ismael, and Abraham, and this was never disputed among anyone. Muhammad ﷺ grew up, never to take part in pagan rituals. He despised such acts, and began a tradition of fasting, in the caves of Makkah every annual pilgrimage.

When he was about 40 years old, Muhammad ﷺ received early revelations, from the Angel Gabriel; however, Muhammad ﷺ upon seeing the Angel Gabriel was unsure of himself and rushed to his house terrified. He told his wife Khadija of the incidents, and she assured him God wouldn’t let anything bad happen to such a humble and noble man. Muhammad ﷺ had been appointed as the Prophet and Messenger of Allah. This fledgling religion continued to develop throughout his life, through periodic revelations often relating directly to events currently facing his new faith.

The simple message of La ilaha illallah, worshipping to none but Allah, attracted some support but provoked great deal of hostility from those who felt that their cherished beliefs, their traditional way of life and possibly their commercial interests were being threatened.

So one of the most obvious tasks Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did was that he broke from all old false traditions in Arabia, rejecting idol worship. He introduced a new vision and insight into the best characteristics of humanity. He corrected people’s wrong behaviour and practice towards religion and enthused them to the new path of light through his preaching about the oneness of God.

The faith caught on slowly, winning only a few converts in Makkah (the first being his wife, Khadija).

Under severe repression of a great enemy, the Prophet ﷺ was able to nurture a cadre of outreachers and those committed to the cause by instilling faith in God, inculcating purity of the heart and soul, and imbuing knowledge in all aspects of life in this world and the hereafter. At this early stage, the Prophet’s ﷺ strategy was to build able followers from various levels of society, although the number was limited, especially from the upper classes in accepting Islam.

The second strategy was to have economic strength for survival interests in times of trouble and anxiousness.

Thirdly, to provide a passage to seek out and establish a new place, a sanctuary to invigorate the Islamic call and message, in the event Makkah becomes intolerable and unbearable for the Muslim cause.

The following incident demonstrated how the Prophet ﷺ communicated high expectations of followers by example through patience and humility.

The early small community of believers were harassed and even persecuted in Makkah by the majority of Quraysh, who were trying to disrupt of their traditional way of life.

The Quraysh imposed an embargo, enforced a ban boycotting any social or economic dealings with the Muslims. When some of them complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of hunger by raising up their clothes to show that they were each carrying a stone over their bellies to stave off hunger, the Prophet ﷺ lifted his own clothes and showed them that he had two stones on his belly.

In 622 A.D, under increased pressure and ostracism from the Quraysh in Makkah, Muhammad ﷺ began the hijra, an organized exodus of his followers from Makkah to the city of Madinah. Muslims date the formation of their religion to the hijra itself, even beginning their dating system at this point. Madinah became a safe haven for Islam to flourish in the future.

The Muhajirin, Muslim emigrants from Makkah together with the Prophet ﷺ joined the Ansar, the Helpers of the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah which is became a new and strong Muslim community led by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. This new Muslim community was built on the unity of faith, bound by the concept of ukhuwwah – brotherhood and jamaah – corporate organization, and cultivated knowledge and appreciation of Islamic values and laws in governing relations among Muslims and friendship with non -Muslims who were not hostile to Islam.

Through the embracing and espousing of Islam in the life of the Muslim community, in harmony and accord with each other and good humanitarian relations as well as positive acceptance from non -Muslims, it led to the reception and acceptance of all of Madinah for the leadership of the Prophet ﷺ. This relationship is further strengthened in the legal declaration of the constitution of Madinah, Sahifa Madinah where the concept of the state of Madinah was formalized, the people of Madinah who are Muslims and non -Muslims were muwatinun, citizens of Madinah. With the proclamation of this constitution, the position of the Prophet ﷺ is recognized as the leader of the country and Islamic law as the law of the country for all its citizens, Muslims and non -Muslims.

For the Jews in Madinah, who were also expecting a new prophet; albeit a prophet from the Jewish tribe, Muhammad’s ﷺ prophet-hood was an unpleasant surprise to many of them hence they rejected him. However, in the beginning the Jews had acknowledged the constitution of Madinah and accepted the leadership of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ .

Inspiration from the the life of Muhammad ﷺ can be discerned with the events in constructing the world’s first masjid. It was soon after the arrival of the Muslims in Madinah, when they set to work to build what was in effect the world’s first masjid. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ laboured with the other builders and craftsman as if he was one of them. As they worked, inspired by Muhammad’s ﷺ presence and example, the man began to sing with high spirits. The song doubtless made up as they went along, was a humorous one”.

“If we sat down while the Prophet worked,

It could be said that we had shirked.”`

None of them wanted the reputation of being the man who took it easy while the prophet toiled in the sun. Such is the power of example.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had conferred upon his followers; a new vision of life’s possibility, a new sense of meaning, a new social structure of justice, liberation, dignity and morality.

The Prophet ﷺ brought a new vision in all the fields of life. He introduced to ignorant Arabs unique principles and clear sets of guidelines in economical, political, social and judicial matters. His policies and instructions gave birth to a new system that brought peace and harmony among people in all ways of life.

The simple message of Muhammad ﷺ was in Arabic, tawhid, The unique oneness of God (Surah al Ikhlas):

Say: He is Allah, the one and only;

Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;

He does not beget, nor is He begotten;

And there is none like Him.

It was a clear break with oppressive ways of the past by revealing and discovering Islam, the chosen and complete way of life. As Allah’s final and greatest prophet, Muhammad ﷺ received Allah’s revelations, via the angel Gabriel. Judaism and Christianity had grown corrupt and distorted. Islam was to restore the religion intended. There is only one God. It was the God of Abraham, Jesus and Moses before him.

The Prophet ﷺ decisively abolished all evils that were prevailing in Arabia at that time. There was a tradition to bury the girls when they were born, the Prophet ﷺ preached people to abolish this sin from their society.

The Prophet ﷺ articulated an appealing vision.

“On a journey,” Muhammad ﷺ once said, “The leader of a people is their servant.’

What did it mean? That a true leader serves those whom he or she leads, both as a group in setting out and ensuring their journey safely and their needs to be maintained as a cohesive whole and also as a set of individuals, for each individual on a journey may have small needs or problems as the journey proceeds.

The Prophet ﷺ had the qualities of strong expressive communication and it came sincerely from his wholeheartedness, devoid of any pretence or feigns.

After the battle of Hunayn against the Bani Hawazin , almost immediately Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was faced with another problem. As the Prophet ﷺ moved away to complete the arrangements for the return of the families and their menfolk, a crowd of Bedouins from different tribes who had fought in the battle now descended on him like a swarm of flies.

“O Messenger, divide the spoil of camels and sheep among us,” they kept soliciting him insistently and hastily with their loud Bedouin voices. They tugged at his cloak so hard that it was pulled off his shoulders and trampled underfoot in the pressing throng. Eventually Muhammad ﷺ put his back against an acacia tree and faced his annoying tormentors.

“Give me back my cloak,” he pleaded good-humouredly. “By God, if I had as many sheep as the trees on the plain by the sea I would give them all of you!”

When the camels and spoils of war were eventually divided, Muhammad ﷺ made from his own share some characteristically generous gifts: Camels for prominent Meccans of his own tribe the Quraysh, who until recently were his bitterest enemies, and similar presents to chieftains from desert nomad tribes who had embraced Islam and fought hard at Hunayn.

It was now the turn of he Muslims of Madinah – the Ansar, the ‘Helpers’- to feel that they had not been treated with justice. Had they not been the first to rally to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ after that first panic-stricken retreat at Hunayn? As they had done the lion’s share of the fighting, should they not be preference over others? Yet inexplicable they had received no camels or sheep.

Sa’ad ibn Ubada, the chief of one of the two tribes of the Ansar concerned, told Muhammad what the others were saying among themselves.

“How do you yourself feel on the question, Sa’ad?” asked Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

“I feel with my people,” replied the chief candidly.

“Then gather them all together and I will speak with them,” answered the Prophet ﷺ.

At the gathering, the Prophet ﷺ began, “O Ansar, what is this that I hear of you?”

“Do you think ill of me in your hearts?”

“Did I not come to you when you were erring and Allah guided you; you were poor and Allah made you rich; you were enemies (of each other) and Allah tempered your hearts?”

“Why don’t you answer me?”

They asked, “Does generosity only belong to God and his Messenger?”

The Prophet ﷺ paused, and then continued: “Had you so wished you could have said “You came to us discredited, and we believed in you; you were deserted and we helped you; you were a fugitive and we took you in; you were poor and we comforted you.” In saying this, you would have spoken truth.”

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told them, “Are you disturbed in your minds because of the good things of this life with which I win over people that may become Muslims, while I entrust you to your reliance upon God?”

He asked them, “Are you not satisfied that other men should take away flocks and herds, while you bring the Messenger of Allah back with you to Madinah? If all of men went one way and the Ansar the other, I shall take the way of the Ansar. May Allah have mercy on the Ansar, their children and their descendents.”

Such was the effect of Muhammad’s ﷺ words that the men of Madinah burst into tears and as the Bedouin say ‘ they wept until their beards were wet’.

His companions saw for themselves the personal risks and sacrifices made by the Prophet himself.

Muhammad ﷺ narrowly escaped death at the battle of Uhud. A stone from a sling split his upper lip and broke one of his front teeth; another blow from a rock drove two rings of the chain-mail under his helmet into his flesh and blood poured from the gash in his forehead. However, the Prophet ﷺ stood his ground and he rallied the confused and disarrayed Muslims to reassemble into a battle formation around him.

By sharing in labour, wars, dangers and hardships with his followers, Muhammad ﷺ exemplified charismatic leadership.

The following incident demonstrated how the Prophet ﷺ communicated high expectations of followers by example through patience and humility.

The early small community of believers were harassed and even persecuted in Makkah by the majority of Quraysh, who were trying to disrupt of their traditional way of life.

The Quraysh imposed an embargo, enforced a ban, boycotting any social or economic dealings with the Muslims. When some of them complained to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ of hunger by raising up their clothes to show that they were each carrying a stone over their bellies to stave off starvation, the Prophet ﷺ lifted his own clothes and showed them that he had two stones on his belly.

The Prophet always expressed confidence in his companions. He recognised that whoever is competent in one situation may not be competent in another. Except in matters where the Prophet ﷺ had received a direct revelation from Allah, the Prophet ﷺ would often seek, confide and follow the advice of his companions. This enabled his companions to take part in discussion and offer suggestions and in this way the best solution was found by syura, mutual consultation.

The Prophet always expressed confidence in his companions. He recognised that whoever is competent in one situation may not be competent in another. Except in matters where the Prophet ﷺ had received a direct revelation from Allah, the Prophet ﷺ would often seek, confide and follow the advice of his companions. This enabled his companions to take part in discussion and offer suggestions and in this way the best solution was found by syura, mutual consultation.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ possessed all of the qualities, highest trust, integrity and exemplary conduct. To cite only a few examples, he never even thought of abandoning his mission when confronted with great hostility and tempting bribes. Instead, he would tell them, his detractors, “Say: ‘There is no god but Allah,’ and prosper (in both worlds)”.

When his Companions complained about the harsh conditions and persecution in Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ answered, “Among the nations before you a (believing) man would be put in a ditch that was dug for him, and a saw would be put over his head and he would be cut into two pieces; yet that (torture) would not make him give up his religion. His body would be combed with iron combs that would remove his flesh from the bones and nerves, yet that would not make him abandon his religion. By Allah, this religion (i.e. Islam) will prevail till a traveller from Sana (in Yemen) to Hadramaut will fear none but Allah, or a wolf as regards his sheep, but you (people) are hasty.”

The Prophet ﷺ builds the identification of equals within the community.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would never allow a seat to be reserved for him when attending a meeting but would sit wherever there was an empty place. When men rose to their feet as he walked by, he would ask them to remain standing only if that was their way of showing respect for humankind. If they were standing up to honour him, he would always ask them to sit down. For Muhammad ﷺ said to them: “I am a man like you. I eat food like you and I also sit down when I am tired- like you!” Sometimes, when tired, he would greet visitors on his knees or while sitting on the ground. In other words he would accept no special privileges for himself.

In true Islamic thought, model leaders are simultaneously both exalted and humble, capable of vision and inspiration, yet at the same time dedicated to the service of their people.

This journey of Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ ascension to heaven was known as Isra’ wal Mi’raj. This miraculous occasion that is very significant to Muslims for the the event itself was physically impossible, beyond the imagination of the people of that time. Muslims believe it is but Allah who makes everything possible. Isra’ and Mi’raj is a journey of spirituality in which Muslims believe in Allah, the promise of Allah and the event is a glimpse of what Allah controls and what exists beyond where we live.

The journey of Isra’ and Mi’raj occurred after the period of time that was called ‘The Year of Sadness’. Tired, forsaken and wounded, Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ faith in Allah was never shaken, although the challenges were unbearable. Allah then rewarded him and comforted His Prophet ﷺ with this wonderful journey that is perfectly encapsulated in the Quran. Allah took Prophet Muhammad ﷺ up into His presence to strengthen and prepare him for the challenging phase of his prophethood.

Isra and Mi’raj showed a true friendship of hardships and unwavering faith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companion Abu Bakr in each other. People were shocked and did not believe this Prophet’s ﷺ amazing story. So some of them went to Abu Bakar r.a. and told him what the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ claimed. The people assumed that Abu Bakar r.a. would give the same reaction as them but upon hearing the story, Abu Bakar r.a. immediately said, “I believe him.” He did not question Prophet Muhammad ﷺ or doubted whether he was telling the truth. Abu Bakar r.a. knew and believed in the Prophet’s ﷺ true personality and upright character.

The five daily prayers, solah are the gifts from Allah to us on Isra and Mi’raj. The daily prayers are so important that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was ascended to the heavens to speak to Allah directly. The five daily prayers are our direct contact and communication with Allah every single day. The Prophet said, “The most beloved deed to Allah is prayer performed at its prescribed time.”

At a time when the public sphere is filled with Islamophobic narratives determined to caricature and mock the noble Prophet ﷺ and demonize the Islamic faith, this remarkable impression about his leadership is refreshing and enriching.

1. The Leadership of Muhammad, John Adair, 2010

2. Abdul Halim el Muhammady, 2020

3. 4 Powerful Lessons from Isra’ Mi’raj, Nursyahiirah Ismail 2020

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