Prophet Muhammad, Essay Example

Initially, many people thought Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) was simple, harmless and friendly but soon they got aggressive. In fact, after the death of Muhammad’s wife Khadija in 619, the leader of Muhammad’s family rejected to support and protect him from anger of people. During the year 619 C.E, maltreatment and hardships were at the fullest with Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H). However, a year that is significantly difficult for the Mohammed and is known as “the year of Sadness”. During that year Mohammad’s beloved wife Khadija and his caretaker/uncle Abu Talib died. There is no one who helped Mohammed and Muslim community from the people’s harassment and tortured in Mecca (Haykal, Haykal, and Islamic).

Due this maltreatment, Muslims decided to settle to a new place in order to get rid of those hardships. Therefore, Mohammad first visited Taif to preach the Islam and seek asylum for Muslims from the Mecca oppressors. Unfortunately, this attempt was unsuccessful.

However, Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) left Mecca in 622 (Stevenson 1). Mohammad and his followers, who are in small number, went to the town Yathrib later known as Medina. Mohammad achieved the respect from the residential of Medina including Jews and Christians who further asked support to resolve their family disputes. These are the great qualities of Mohammad that inspires many people in Medina. As a result, the followers were increasing more rapidly. Many people accepted his claim that he was sent as a last of a long life of prophets that included such biblical characters as Noah, Moses and Jesus Christ (Stevenson 1). The most famous petition of Islam includes the belief in oneness of God.

During this midst of hardships and struggle Mohammad had an experience that is known as Isra and Mi’raj (the night Visit and Ascension). During the month of Rajab, the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) made a nighttime trip to the city of Jerusalem (isra’), visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and from there was raised up into heaven (mi’raj). This experience gave comfort and hope to the struggling Muslim community.

Verses of the Qur’an

The Qur’an was constantly revealed to Prophet Mohammad (P.B.U.H) during different periods and this revelation procedure lasted for about twenty-three years. Moreover, Qur’an was revealed part-by-part, ayat by ayat and sometimes as whole chapters. In fact, Qur’an includes 114 chapters and 6000 ayats or quotes. During the initial thirteen years of revelation of Qur’an are known as Mecca period whereas, the remaining ten years are known as Medina period of revelation (“Qur’an Surah Revelation – Location Which Surah was revealed in Madinah/Makkah(Mecca) ? – UniteIslam – The Humanity In All Of Us – Frank, Thought Provoking Discussions About Islam, Muhammad, Terrorism, Muslims “).

Mecca and Medina Surahs

Surahs mentioned in the Qur’an are classifying to their origin i.e. categorized into Mecca and Medina Surahs. Mecca beginning is a Surah, as it was discovered in the Mecca phase, in spite, if it incorporates verses from Medina. A Surah is to be of Medina origin when its beginning was revealed in the Medina phase, even if it has verses from the Mecca period in its text.

The following eighty-five Surahs are, as per Az-Zarkashi, of Mecca origin:

“96, 68, 73, 74, 111, 81, 87, 92, 89, 93, 94, 103, 100, 108, 102, 107, 109, 105, 113, 114, 112, 53, 80, 97, 91, 85, 95, 106, 101, 75, 104, 77, 50, 90, 86, 54, 38, 7, 72, 36, 25, 35, 19, 20, 56, 26, 27, 28, 17, 10, 11, 12, 15, 6, 37, 31, 34, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 51, 88, 18, 16, 71, 14, 21, 23, 32, 52, 67, 69, 70, 78, 79, 82, 84” (Az-Zarkashi 1:193) “Makkan and Madinan Revelations.”

There is a difference of opinion as to what was last revealed in Mecca. Some say, following Ibn `Abbas, that it was Surah29 (Al-`Ankabut); others say Surah23 (Al-Mu’minun); still others say Surah83 (Al-Mutaffifun). Some believe that Surah83 is actually Medina.

The twenty nine Surah that will be followed as per  Az-Zarkashi, of Medina origin are: “2, 8, 3, 33, 60, 4, 99, 57, 47, 13, 55, 76, 65, 98, 59, 110, 24, 22, 63, 58, 49, 66, 61, 62, 64, 48, 9, 5. (Az-Zarkashi 1:194)” “Makkan and Madinan Revelations.”

Some people believe that Surah1 (Al-Fatihah) is of Mecca, others believe that it is of Medina origin. The Mecca surahs constitute about 11, and the Medina about 19 juz’ (parts) of the text. The segregation given above portrays a picture of Medina surahs that are greater in number and larger in length in the Quran.

Chronology

As per the list given by Nu`man ibn Bashir, as it is also mentioned in Ibn An-Nadim’s Fihrist,Surah revelation in the chronogical order is given as follows:

“Mecca and Medina Revelations.”:

“96, 68, 73, 74, 111, 81, 94, 103, 89, 93, 92, 100, 108, 102, 107, 109, 105, 112, 113, 114, 53, 80, 97, 91, 85, 95, 106, 101, 75, 104, 77, 50, 90, 55, 72, 36, 7, 25, 35, 19, 20, 56, 26, 27, 28, 17, 11, 12, 10, 15, 37, 31, 23, 34, 21, 37, 40, 41, 47, 43, 44, 45, 46, 51, 88, 18, 6, 16, 71, 14, 32, 52, 67, 69, 70, 78, 79, 82, 84, 30, 29, 83, 54, 86” (Ibn An-Nadim 1:49-52) (“Makkan and Madinan Revelations – Quran Institute of America”)

Conclusion

The repeatable revelation process went on and Muhammad (P.B.U.H) shared these revelations among the believers and non-believers of Islam. However, the messenger of God faced extreme circumstances, situations, fights and a deep struggle with a solid personal faith in God. The invasion of Islam in the world was governed with extraordinary effectiveness and litheness. The conversion of new people to Islam took place and a great number of unbelievers living in the occupied territories heavily trusted the faith in Islam and accepted Islam. Moreover, the purity of the message that was derived by the religion forced many non-Islamic people to convert in to Muslims. Furthermore, apart from the strong message that Islam portrays, the enforcement of personal tax on all non-Muslims gave confidence to convert to Muslims. Additionally, even today, Islam is one of the most successful religions in eliminating or minimizing barriers associated with human race and nationality. Also, there were certain advantages that were utilized by the Arabs such as dissimilarities were in majority for economic ranks that were viable in the early days of invasion. Therefore, Islam embraced and converted beliefs of numerous people with different race, culture and nationality. These are the few features of the rapid spread of the religion of peace i.e. Islam.

References

Haykal, M. H., M. Ḥ Haykal, and Book Trust Islamic. The Life of Muhammad. Islamic Book Trust, 1994. Print.

“Makkan and Madinan Revelations – Quran Institute of America “Web. 12/2/2012 <http://www.quran-institute.org/articles/makkan-and-madinan-revelations/>.

“Qur’an Surah Revelation – Location Which Surah was revealed in Madinah/Makkah(Mecca) ? – UniteIslam – The Humanity In All Of Us – Frank, Thought Provoking Discussions About Islam, Muhammad, Terrorism, Muslims “Web. 12/2/2012 <http://uniteislam.com/Quran_Surah_Revelation_Location_Which_Surah_was_revealed_in_MadinahMakkahMecca_-60-blog>.

Stevenson, Keira. “Mohammad & the Development of Islam.” Mohammad & the Development of Islam (2009): 1. Print.

“Makkan and Madinan Revelations.” – Qur`anic Studies. 15 Aug. 2005. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.