What does Seerah Mean?

The biography of a person is called Seerah.

The word ‘Seerah’ comes from a verb that means ‘to travel’. The biography of a person is called Seerah
because when we read it, we are essentially traveling the person’s journey.

So, when we study the life and times of the Prophet , it is as if we are following in his footsteps; it is as if
we are traveling in his journey.
Even though the Arabs used to use this word for the biography of any person, after the Prophet , Muslim
scholars have used this word exclusively for the best human being. Therefore, no scholars now say
Seerah except that they mean biography of the life and times of the Prophet .

The importance of understanding

the Seerah of the Prophet
Allah refers to His noble Messenger (salla-Allahu alaihi wa sallam) as the "best of exemplars"
(33:21) as well as a messenger for all humanity (7:158). While not a biography of the Prophet,
the Qur'an sheds much light on his multifaceted personality in numerous ayaat, just as the life of
the Prophet is itself essential to understanding the Qur'an; yet Muslims have come to view him
through a very narrow prism, based on personal preferences. This has led to a distortion of his
great personality, and has also deprived Muslims of the opportunity to order their lives and
affairs in accordance with the commands of Allah when He reminds us: "obedience to the
Messenger is obedience to Allah" (4:80).

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says that the Messenger, upon whom be peace, was sent with clear
signs and guidance in order to bring those who commit themselves to Allah, and undertake the
tasks commanded by Him to maintain peace, justice and balance in society, out of darkness and
into light (65:11). This clearly precludes our viewing him only as a spiritual-fitness enthusiast
who urged people merely to participate in sessions of dhikr (meditation), withdrawing
themselves from the affairs of the world. There are even attempts to project the Prophet (saw) as
a pacifist who took up arms only reluctantly because his enemies left him no choice. According
to this view, if the Makkan chiefs had allowed him to pray in the Masjid al-Haram there would
have been no conflict; he would have lived in peace with the mushriks of Makkah. This is as far
removed from the Prophet's
true mission as anything can get; Allah has specifically stated that the Messenger was sent with
the deen of haqq so that it becomes dominant over all other systems (9:33). Further, Allah (swt)
has declared that He does
not share His Power and Authority with anybody in His dominion (17:111); those are His
exclusive domain. Anyone who sets up rivals with His Authority is guilty of shirk.
Like the mushriks of yesteryear, the mushriks of today have a far better grasp of the true import
of the Prophet's message and mission than most Muslims appear to have. It was this realization
that led the mushrikeen to torture and persecute the Muslims in the early days of Islam. Today,
the Muslims face a similar test: the contemporary mushriks are determined to destroy Islam, or at
best allow it to exist only as a set of rituals devoid of all action-oriented content and meaning.
The main difference seems to be that today the mushriks also enjoy the support of munafiq rulers
in the Muslim world.

The rest of the Muslims have a choice: do we want to reduce Islam to a set of rituals, or see it as
a way of life to bring an end to the corruption and oppression that is rampant in the world today?
Defying and challenging
oppressors and tyrants means sacrifices and difficulties; there are no easy options in this struggle.
In a well-known hadith the Prophet (saw) has said to us, "if you stand and walk with the
oppressor, you are aiding and abetting oppression and will be punished accordingly."

What were the social conditions of Arabs before Islam

came into being?

Before the advent of Islam, Arab used to live in tribes. Their social life is characterized by
the nomadic nature, and by the hard and ignorant environment which they lived under
its umbrella. Arabia was a male-dominated society. Women had no status of any kind
other than as sex objects.The number of women a man could marry was not fixed.
When a man died, his son “inherited” all his wives except his own mother.
A savage custom of the Arabs was to bury their female infants alive. Even if an Arab did
not wish to bury his daughter alive, he still had to uphold this “honorable” tradition, being
unable to resist social pressures.
Drunkenness was a common vice of the Arabs. With drunkenness went their gambling.
They were compulsive drinkers and compulsive gamblers. The relations of the sexes
were extremely loose. Many women sold sex to make their living since there was little
else they could do. These women flew flags on their houses, and were called “ladies of
the flags” (dhat-er-rayyat).

 They worshiped different idols, approached them, slaughtered for them, and
magnified them. Around Kaaba alone, there were about 360 idols.
 They believed blindly in superstition, and in bad omens, to the extent that if
one had heard the sound of an owl, or he had seen a crow, he would have
thought that he would be harmed or hurt on that day.
 The allegiance of the people of the Arabian Peninsula was distributed to the
great powers of their time; some of them were loyal to the Romans, others to
the Persians,
 Arab tribes used to invade each other and kill each other for the most trivial
reasons. They also used to kill their children because of their poverty, or
because of the fear of falling into poverty. Some of them buried their
daughters for the fear of being captured and brought them shame.
 Woman was deprived of inheritance, so there was no share for her when her
son, father or mother died even if they left huge wealth.
 One was the marriage of people as it is today, where a man betroths his ward
or his daughter to another man, and the latter assigns a dower (bridewealth) to
her and then marries her.
 Another type was where a man said to his wife when she was purified from her
menses, ‘Send to N and ask to have intercourse with him;' her husband then
stays away from her and does not touch her at all until it is clear that she is
pregnant from that (other) man with whom she sought intercourse.When it is
clear that she is pregnant, her husband has intercourse with her if he wants.
He acts thus simply from the desire for a noble child. This type of marriage was
(known as) nikah al-istibda, the marriage of seeking intercourse.
 Another type was when a group (raht) of less than ten men used to visit the
same woman and all of them had to have intercourse with her. If she became
pregnant and bore a child, when some nights had passed after the birth she
sent for them, and not a man of them might refuse.When they had come
together in her presence, she would say to them, ‘You (pl.) know the result of
your acts; I have borne a child and he is your (sing.) child, N.' – naming
whoever she will by his name. Her child is attached to him, and the man may
not refuse.
 The fourth type is when many men frequent a woman, and she does not keep
herself from any who comes to her. These women are the baghaya
(prostitutes). They used to set up at their doors banners forming a sign.
Whoever wanted them went in to them. If one of them conceived and bore a
child, they gathered together to her and summoned the physiognomists.
 Then they attached her child to the man whom they thought (the father), and
the child remained attached to him and was called his son, no objection to this
course being possible. When Muhammad (God bless and preserve him) came
preaching the truth, he destroyed all the types of marriage of the Jahiliya
except that which people practice today.
 Arabs religious conditions:
( notes sy bhi parh lena or yeh bhi kuch
points hain)
The period in the Arabian history which preceded the birth of Islam is known as
the Times of Ignorance. Judging by the beliefs and the practices of the pagan Arabs, it
appears that it was a most appropriate name. The Arabs were the devotees of a variety
of “religions” which can be classified into the following categories.
1. Idol-worshippers or polytheists. Most of the Arabs were idolaters. They
worshipped numerous idols and each tribe had its own idol or idols and fetishes. They
had turned the Kaaba in Makkah, which according to tradition, had been built by the
Prophet Abraham and his son, Ismael, and was dedicated by them to the service of One
God, into a heathen pantheon housing 360 idols of stone and wood.
2. Atheists This group was composed of the materialists and believed that the world
was eternal.
3. Zindiqs They were influenced by the Persian doctrine of dualism in nature. They
believed that there were two gods representing the twin forces of good and evil or light
and darkness, and both were locked up in an unending struggle for supremacy.
4. Sabines. They worshipped the stars.
5. Jews When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and drove the Jews out of
Palestine and Syria, many of them found new homes in Hijaz in Arabia. Under their
influence, many Arabs also became converts to Judaism. Their strong centers were the
towns of Yathrib, Khayber, Fadak and Umm-ul-Qura.
6. Christians. The Romans had converted the north Arabian tribe of Ghassan to
Christianity. Some clans of Ghassan had migrated to and had settled in Hijaz. In the
south, there were many Christians in Yemen where the creed was originally brought by
the Ethiopian invaders. Their strong center was the town of Najran.
7. Monotheists There was a small group of monotheists present in Arabia on the eve of
the rise of Islam. Its members did not worship idols, and they were the followers of the
Prophet Abraham. The members of the families of Muhammad, the future prophet, and
Ali ibn Abi Talib, the future caliph, and most members of their clan – the Banu Hashim –
belonged to this group.

Incidents of prophets life:

1. The Garbage Thrower: (a heart touching story)
2. THE HOLY PROPHET (peace be upon Him) AND THE SOUR GRAPES
3. SACRIFICE OF THE LAMB
4. THE HUMBLE ONE
5. HELPING HAND
6. The man who wanted to sell his camel
7. TYING THE CAMEL
8. SOME CHEERFUL MOMENTS FROM THE LIFE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD
WHO WILL BUY THIS SLAVE
YOU ATE TOO MUCH DATES
CAMEL'S CALF
NO HEAVEN FOR OLD PEOPLE
COME ALONG WITH YOUR FULL BODY
ONE WITH TWO EARS
DONT IGNORE ME IN PEACE TIME
DREAMING FOR A FREE LUNCH
EVEN IF ABO ZAR DSESN'T WANT AND LIKE IT
WE ARE EVEN NOW
9. WEALTH AND POVERTY
10. The BEDOUIN AND THE PROPHET (S.A.W.)
11. THE PROPHET'S VISIT TO TAIF
12. IFTAR
13. The Orphan Boy
14. Mercy of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) toward others
1. A Mercy Towards non Muslims and his Enemies.
2. The Prophet and the Appreciation of Women
3. What Prophet Muhammad Said About the Environment
4. A Mercy for Children
5. Mercy toward Animals
6. Conclusion

1. The Garbage Thrower: (a heart touching story)

She thought till late at midnight and finally decided how to take revenge from him. She could not
sleep all night, because she was too eager to take revenge for the idols she worshiped. Even before
the first ray of sunlight had entered her window, she was busy sweeping her house. She saved all
the garbage in a basket, placed it on the roof of her house and proudly looked at it for a while, then
with an impatient look on her face, she looked at the street that she lived on, and thought, "No one
has ever seen him angry. Everybody will praise me when they will see him shouting at me and
getting mad. They will laugh at him and make fun of him." She looked at the basket again and
grinned.

Meanwhile, she heard footsteps, announcing the approach of the end of her waiting. "Finally my prey
has arrived," she thought, as she saw a man dressed in clean, white clothes coming that way. She
picked up the basket in her hands and threw all the garbage on him when he passed by. Much to the
woman's disappointment, he did not say anything and continued on his way.

She did the same the following day thinking, "Maybe this time I will be able to annoy him." But he
was too gentle to shout at a woman. She misinterpreted his attitude as fear and decided to repeat
the same mischief everyday in order to keep him frightened, so that he might stop preaching the
Oneness of God.

This gentleman whom the woman hated so much was Muhammad (pbuh), the last prophet of Allah
Almighty. He did not want to disappoint the woman and so continued to walk down the street
everyday, instead of picking an alternate route, and prayed for the woman to recognize the Truth.

One day, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not find the woman to be on the roof of her house
with the basket. This worried him, because he thought something must have happened to her for not
being over there. So he knocked at the door. "Who is it?" asked a feeble voice. "Muhammad bin
Abdullah," was the reply, "can I come in?" The woman feared, "I am sick, and too weak to fight or
talk back, therefore Muhammad has come to take revenge for what I have been doing to him." But
the permission to enter her house was in such a gentle voice that she allowed him in.

Muhammad (pbuh) entered the house and told the woman that not finding her on the roof had
worried him and he thus wanted to inquire about her health. On finding out how ill she was, he gently
asked if she needed any help. Hypnotized by the affectionate tone in the Holy Prophet's (pbuh)
blessed voice, she forgot all fear and asked for some water. He kindly gave her some in a utensil
and prayed for her health, while she quenched her thirst. This made her feel very guilty for being so
cruel to him in the past and she apologized for her mean behavior. He forgave her and came to her
house everyday to clean it, to feed her and to pray for her, till she was on her feet again. The kind
attitude of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) inspired her into the recognition of the Truth, and his prayers
were answered in the form of yet another addition into the growing number of Muslims.
...........................................................................................................................................................

2. THE HOLY PROPHET (peace be upon Him) AND THE SOUR GRAPES

One day a poor man brought a bunch of grapes to the holy prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
Him) as a gift.
The holy prophet (pbuhf) ate one, two, three and then the whole bunch of grapes by himself. He did
not offer grapes to anyone present. The poor man who brought those grapes was very pleased and
left. One of the companions asked, "O prophet of Allah (peace be upon Him) ! How come you ate all
the grapes by yourself and did not offer to any one of us present?

The holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) smiled and said, "I ate all the grapes by myself because the
grapes were sour. If I would have offered you, you might have made funny faces and that would
have hurt the feelings of that poor man. I thought to myself that it's better that I eat all of them
cheerfully and please the poor man. I did not want to hurt the feelings of that poor man."
Such were the manners of this most noble prophet of Allah.

...........................................................................................................................................................

3. SACRIFICE OF THE LAMB

Just as the Prophet (S.A.W.), and his companions landed from their rides, and laid the loads down, it
was decided that they would sacrifice a lamb for dinner.
One of the companions volunteered: "I will sacrifice the lamb."
Another: "I will skin it."
Third: "I will cook it."
Fourth: " I will...."
The Prophet (S.A.W.): "I will gather the wood from the desert."
The group: "O Messenger of Allah, it is not becoming of you to discomfort yourself as such. You rest.
We will be honored to do all this on our own."
The Prophet (S.A.W.): "I know that you are eager to do it all, but Allah isn't pleased with the slave
who distinguishes between himself and his companions, and considers himself better than others."
Then he went to the desert, and gathered some wood, and brought it to the group.
...........................................................................................................................................................

4. THE HUMBLE ONE

One day Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was going somewhere at noon and it was too hot in the
desert when He (S.A.W) saw an old woman carrying her luggage on her head. Prophet Muhammad
(S.A.W) helped her and took the luggage from the woman and carried it for her..
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) asked the woman that where she was going and why? She said that I
am leaving this town as I have heard that a magician named Muhammad (S.A.W) is in town.

As Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was very patient and kind, He (S.A.W) didn't say a word and
kept listening. The old lady kept complaining that why she was leaving the town.
In short the basic reason of her to leave the town was her misconception about Muhammad (S.A.W),
who was walking beside her and she didn't knew it.

While walking with the Holy Prophet (peace be upon Him), that old women noticed that this young
man have a brightness on his smiling and humble face. And she also noticed that His sweat is
perfumed. She was very impressed.

When they reached the destination, Muhammad (S.A.W) put down the bag and was about to leave
when the old woman said,"O, kind person! At least tell me your name!". Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W)
replied,"I am the person because of whom you left the town."The old lady was amazed to listen that
and said that such a kind, helping and true person can never be wrong and therefore she also
accepted Islam..
...........................................................................................................................................................

5. HELPING HAND

Once Muhammad (peace be upon him) saw a slave grinding some grain on a grinding mill driven by
hand. As he ground the grains he was crying. On seeing this Prophet became anxious. He asked the
slave the reason why he was weeping. The slave said, "I am sick. I cannot grind the grain. My
master is very cruel and he will beat me if I cannot finish my job." At this, the Prophet stepped
forward and ground the rest of the grain saying, "Always call me if you have any grain to grind. I will
do it for you."
...

Another time, the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw an old man walking and trembling under the
weight of water which he carried in a leather jacket. The old man walked a few steps and rested a
bit. Seeing this, the Prophet took the load and carried it to his place.

...........................................................................................................................................................

6. The man who wanted to sell his camel

One day the holy Prophet of Allah was going somewhere when he met a man selling a camel.
The holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) liked the camel and bought it at an agreed price. The holy
Prophet (peace be upon Him) did not have money on him at the time so he asked the camel dealer
to follow him up to his home and he would pay him his due. The man agreed. As they were going,
another man approached and asked
the camel dealer if he was selling his camel and for how much. He said that he had already sold the
camel to the holy Prophet for such an amount. This man offered him better price and he agreed to
sale the camel to him. The holy Prophet said to the camel dealer that since he had already sold the
camel to him, it was wrong to break the agreement just like that. The man denied making any
agreement.

Whilst all this was going on, the passers by stopped and wondered as to what was going on. The
Apostle of Allah explained exactly what happened. Companions: O Prophet of Allah, do you have
any witnesses to support your claim?" Holy Prophet (P): No. We have no witnesses as there was no
one present when the agreement was made. Companions: Sorry, we don't think we can help you.
How can we be sure who is telling the truth and who is lying? A very close companion of the holy
Prophet happened to pass by and saw the holy Prophet (peace be upon Him) surrounded by the
people. On inquiring about it, came to know what happened.

Companion: The Prophet (peace be upon Him) of Allah is telling the truth and the camel dealer is
lying.

The holy Prophet: But you were not present when the agreement was made. So how can you judge
without being there?

Companion: O Prophet of Allah, you said that there is Allah and we believed you, even though we
haven't seen Him. You told us that Qur'an was the word of Allah and we believed you. You told us
about angels, heaven and hell and we believed you, even though we haven't seen all these things.
How is it possible that you would lie about such petty thing?

...........................................................................................................................................................

7. TYING THE CAMEL

The caravan had been traveling for few hours now. Signs of fatigue were obvious on their faces.
They arrived at a point and stopped. The Prophet (S.A.W.) who was also in the caravan, stopped the
camel, and landed. Prior to anything, they were in search of water to prepare for prayer.

The Prophet (S.A.W.) also started searching for water. But soon, returned to his camel, without
saying anything to anyone. The companions were surprised that the Prophet (S.A.W.) had ordered
stopping here, and now perhaps he would like to move again? Eyes and ears were awaiting his
order. But the surprise of the group increased as they saw him approach his camel, and tied its
knees, and returned back in search of water.

Noises were raised from every corner:

" O Prophet of Allah! Why didn't you order us to do this for you, and insteadyou put yourself in
discomfort? We would have proudly done that service for you."

The Prophet (S.A.W.) responded: "Never seek others' help in your affairs, don't lean on others, even
if it is a small piece of Miswak (the wood used for brushing teeth)."

...........................................................................................................................................................

8. SOME CHEERFUL MOMENTS FROM THE LIFE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD

WHO WILL BUY THIS SLAVE
Hazrat Anas says: A villager named Zaher bin Haram (r.z) used to bring good from his village to sell
them in Madinah. He also used to bring some rural gifts for Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
Him). In return Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) also gave him some gifts made in
Madinah.

He was a pious man, an Arab but African like personality. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him)
had respect and love for him and use to say "He is my rural friend, and I am his urban friend".

Once, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) saw him selling his goods in market. He quietly
came from behind so that Zaher bin Haram could not see him, and to surprise him, He suddenly
embraced him from behind. Zaher said, "Who is that? Free me." But when he realized that he is
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him), he tried to remain like that for more time (to have
blessings).

The Prophet jokingly asked his companions, "Who will purchase this slave?". Laughing and still in
Prophet's grip, Zaher said, "O messenger of Allah! you will be in loss (because due to my poor
personality, no one will give you a good price)."

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said, "(No Zaher), even if people don't give you due
respect, but for Allah you are priceless and invaluable."
(Ahmad, Mishkaat)
......................................

YOU ATE TOO MUCH DATES

Once Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him), Hazrat Ali (rz) and few other companions were
eating dates from a big plate.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) by way of jest put the seeds in front of Hazrat Ali (rz).
When all finished eating, there were no seeds in front of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him),
but a heap in front of Hazrat Ali (rz).
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) feigned surprise and asked, "O Ali, you ate so many
dates?"
Hazrat Ali humbly replied, "O messenger of Allah! Today i realized that you eat dates with the
seeds."
......................................

CAMEL'S CALF
Hazrat Anas (rz) says: Once a man begged Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) for a camel
for conveyance purpose.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) was in jolly mood, so He said, "Yes i will give you, but a
calf (baby camel).
That person could not understand and got surprised and said, "O messenger of Allah! what I will do
with a calf of a camel?" (means how can i ride a calf).
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said "Every camel is the calf of a camel (means even
after getting matured for riding, it remains a child of camel)
(Tirmizi, Abo Dawood)
..................................

NO HEAVEN FOR OLD PEOPLE

Hazrat Anas (rz) says: Once an old lady asked Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) to pray for
her, so that Allah may bless her with heaven. Prophet said, "No old lady will enter heaven."
She was shocked, begin crying and asked, "Why old women will not enter heaven?"
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said, "Did not you read the verse of Qur'an which says.
Women of heaven will be of young age."
(Mean all people who died old will be made young first, then will enter heaven.)
.................................

COME ALONG WITH YOUR FULL BODY

Hazrat Auf bin Maalik Ashari (rz) says: During the journey of Tabook, I went to meet Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon Him) when He(Peace be upon Him) was relaxing in a leather tent. I
greeted Him(peace be upon Him) (said Salam), He(peace be upon Him) replied. Then I asked
permission to meet him. He gave me permission. then I asked, Shall i come inside tent along with
my full body?
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said, "Yes, come along with your full body."
So i entered the tent.
Hazrat Usman bin Abo Ataka says, the leather tent in which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
Him) was relaxing was too small. Hence Hazrat Auf Said, Shall I come along with full body?"
Hazrat Auf(rz) only by leaning inside tent, could have talked to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
Him), but both were in jolly mood, hence talked in terms of full and half body.
(Abo Dawood)
.............................

ONE WITH TWO EARS

Hazrat Anas (rz) says: Once (in a pleasant mood), Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) called
me as "O one with two ears!".
(Because Hazrat Anas (rz) use to hear what ever Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said
very carefully)
(Abo Dawood, Turmazi)
.............................

DONT IGNORE ME IN PEACE TIME

Hazrat Nomaan bin Basheer (rz) says, Once Hazrat Abo Bakar went to the house of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon Him) and sought permission to enter. But while standing at the door he
heard a loud noice of his daughter, Hazrat ayesha (rz), who was arguing with Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon Him), Because of which Hazrat Abo Bakar became angry and when Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon Him) allowed him to enter, first he raised his hand to slap his daughter,
but the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) intervened and saved her. When Hazrat Abo
Bakar (rz) could not punish her, in anger he left the house and did not see them both for some days
(because of anger on his daughter and being ashamed of expressing his anger in front of the
Prophet).

Then again, Hazrat Abo bakar went to the house of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) and
sought permission to enter. After getting permission when he came inside, he saw Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon Him) and Hazrat Ayesha (rz) in pleasant mood. He addressed them,
"Include me in your peace, as you included me in your war."
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said "of course we did, of course we did."
(Abo Dawood)
.............................

DREAMING FOR A FREE LUNCH

Once Hazrat Abo Zar (rz) said to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him), I heard when Dajjal
(anti criest) will appear, this world will be suffering from swear drought. So dajjal will present people
with different types of food. If I also survive till his appearance, I will first eat his feast till i am
satisfied and after i finish, I will deny his teaching."
After listening to the wishes of Hazrat Abo Zar (rz), Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) smiled
and said "If you survive till Dajjal, Allah will not make you dependent on Dajjal."
............................

EVEN IF ABO ZAR DSESN'T WANT AND LIKE IT

Once Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said, "who ever has a firm faith that on one is
eligible to be worshiped except Allah, will enter heaven."

Hazrat Abo Zar (rz) was surprised and he asked, "O messenger of Allah! After having such faith can
a person enter heaven even if he committed illegal sex and theft?'
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said, Yes, he will enter heaven."

Then the second time Hazrat Abo Zar (rz) asked the same question, "O messenger of Allah! Can a
person enter heaven even if he committed illegal sex and theft?"
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) said, "Yes, He will enter heaven."

The the third time Hazrat Abo Zar (rz) again asked with surprise the same question, "O messenger
of Allah! can a person enter heaven even if he committed illegal sex and theft?"
This time Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) replied. "Yes, the person will enter heaven,
even if Abo Zar doesn't want and like it."

After the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him), when ever Hazrat Abo Zar (rz)
narrated this hadees, He always mentioned with pleasure the sentence, "Who ever has faith in one
Allah, will enter heaven, even if Abu Zar doesn't want and like it."
.................................

WE ARE EVEN NOW

Hazrat Aisha (rz) narrates: Once the Prophet (peace be upon Him) and I were on a journey. I was
thin back then and not fat. The Prophet told the people around him:“Go ahead. We will catch you.”

When we were left behind far enough he told me:

“Let’s race!”

We raced and I won. He did not mention it again.

Thenl I gained some weight. Meanwhile I completely forgot about this incident. During another
journey he told the people around him to go ahead.
When they went far away, he said to me, “Let’s race!”
This time he won and started to laugh saying “we are even now.”

...................................................................

9. WEALTH AND POVERTY:

It was a usual meeting. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) was in his place and his companions gathered
around him to hear the words of wisdom and guidance. Suddenly a poor man in rags appeared,
saluted the assembly:

"Salamun Alaikum" (Peace be on you)

And finding a vacant place comfortably sat down.

The Prophet (S.A.W.) had taught them that all Muslims were brothers and in an assembly one
should sit wherever one finds a place, regardless of any status. Now, it so happened that this poor
man was seated next to a very rich man.
The rich man felt very disturbed and tried to collect the edges of his dress around himself, so that the
poor man didn't touch them. The Prophet (S.A.W.) observed this and addressing the rich man he
(S.A.W.) said:

" Perhaps you are afraid that his poverty would affect you?"

" No, O Messenger of Allah," he said.

"Then perhaps you were apprehensive about some of your wealth flying away to him?"

" No, O Messenger of Allah."

"Or you feared that your clothes would become dirty if he touched them?"
" No, O Messenger of Allah."
" Then why did you draw yourself and your clothes away from him?"
The rich man said:

"I admit that was the most undesirable thing to do. It was an error and I confess my guilt. Now to
make amends for it I will give away half of my wealth to this Muslim brother so that I may be
forgiven."
Just as he said this, the poor man rose and said,

" O Prophet of Allah, I do not accept this offer."

People present were taken by surprise, they thought that the poor man was a fool, but then he
explained:

" O Prophet of Allah, I refuse to accept this offer because I fear that I might then become arrogant
and ill-treat my Muslim brothers the way he did to me."

.........................................................................

10. The BEDOUIN AND THE PROPHET (S.A.W.):

The Bedouin entered Madina, and went directly to the Masjid, so that he may get some money or
gold from the Prophet (S.A.W.). When he arrived, he saw the Prophet (S.A.W.) sitting among his
companions. He asked his need.

The Prophet (S.A.W.) gave his something. He was not content, and moreover he used harsh and
inappropriate language against the Prophet (S.A.W.). The companions became very angry, and
were ready to hurt him. But the Prophet (S.A.W.) prevented them from haste.

The Prophet (S.A.W.) took the Bedouin to his home, and gave him some more. The Bedouin saw
that the residence of the Prophet (S.A.W.) wasn't like those of the heads of governments, and there
is no luxury in his home.

The Bedouin became content with the share, and thanked the Prophet (S.A.W.). At this time, the
Prophet (S.A.W.) asked him: "You said a harsh word yesterday, which caused anger in my
companions. I fear that they will hurt you. Would you be willing to show your appreciation in front of
them, so that their anger be resolved, and they don't hurt you?" The Bedouin said: "Sure."

The next day, the Bedouin came to the Masjid. The Prophet (S.A.W.) addressed his companions:
"This man says, he is content with his share, is it true?" The Bedouin said: "That is true." Then he
repeated the appreciation that he had shared with Prophet (S.A.W.). The companions smiled.

The Prophet (S.A.W.) addressed the group: "The parable of me and these types of individuals is like
that of the man whose camel was running away from him. With the [thought] they could help the
owner, people were running after the camel. The camel was frightened and ran faster.

The owner called on the people, please leave my camel alone, I know better how to calm it. When
the people stopped chasing the camel, the owner followed it calmly, with a fistful of grass. Then
without the need for running, yelling, he showed the grass to it.

THE PROPHET (S.A.W.) AND EDUCATION:

The mosque of Medina was not only a place of worship. The believers assembled here to learn.
When the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) was present they heard his words of wisdom, his elucidation on the
verses of the Holy Qur'an and benefited from his counsel. And when he (S.A.W.) was not present,
other faithful companions taught what they had heard from the Prophet of Allah.

Once the Prophet (S.A.W.) entered the Mosque before the prayer time. He found two groups in the
Mosque. One group was busy with its own act of worship, some were reading the Qur'an while the
others were supplicating. The other group was in a corner busy learning. They learnt how to read
and write and discussed the teachings of Islam and their application to their daily lives.

Looking at both, the Prophet (S.A.W.) said: "They are both engaged in useful pursuits. But I am a
teacher. I shall join the group assembled to learn."

And so he (S.A.W.) sat with the group of students.

........................................................................

11. THE PROPHET'S VISIT TO TAIF:

Abu Talib and Khadija were the main supporters of the Prophet (SAW). It was so destined that they
passed away within a few days of each other, leaving the Prophet (SAW) to lament the
bereavement. He had lost a caring uncle and a loving wife.

The enemies were now relieved, because Abu Talib was no more to protect. A few days after Abu
Talib's death, when the Prophet was once passing through a lane, a woman emptied her garbage
from a window upon his head. He returned home with his head soiled. His young daughter Fatima
sat beside him, consoling and washing off the dirt.

As things became intolerable in Makkah, the Prophet (SAW) decided to move to Taif where he
thought he would convey the message of Allah to the tribe of Thaqeef. Taif was known for its
pleasant climate and beautiful scenery.

The Prophet (SAW) knew very well that people at Taif were no different from Makkahns. They also
worshiped idols and were in constant contact with the people in Makkah. But he did not despair. As
he entered Taif, and proclaimed his prophet hood, people jeered at him. One said: "God did not find
anyone else for His message except you?" Another said: "I must be naive or a thief if I believed you
to be a prophet." And so it went on.

Then in order to prevent him from preaching Islam, people of Taif set a group of children and
vagabonds behind him. They pestered him and threw stones at him. He started bleeding, blood from
body came down to his feet. Tired, forsaken and wounded, he sought refuge in a nearby garden. It
belonged to Atabah and Shaibab, two wealthy chiefs of Quraish. They were both there when the
Prophet entered and sat under a distant tree. He was alone.

Then he raised his face towards heaven and prayed: "O Allah! I raise unto you my complaint for my
weakness, my helplessness, and for the ridicule to which I have been subjected. O Merciful of all the
Merciful s! You are the Master of all oppressed people, You are my God! So to whom would You
consign me? To the strangers who would ill-treat me, or to the enemies who have an upper hand
over me?

If whatever has befallen me is not because of Your wrath, then I fear not. No doubt, the field of Your
security and care is wide enough for me. I seek refuge in Your light which illuminates darkness and
straightens the affairs of this world and hereafter, that Your displeasure and wrath may not descend
upon me. For the sake of Your pleasure, I remain pleased and resigned to my fate. No change in
this world occurs without Your Will."

While he was sitting there, Angel Jabreel (AS) along with the angel of mountains came there and
said "O Prophet of Allah! if you order us the we will grind the people of taif between mountains."
But SubhanAllah on mercy of our Prophet, He said "i am sent as the prophet of mercy, not to punish
people" He further said "These people just dont know me" and "I hope that Allah will raise some one
among these people who will serve islam" (Muhammad bin Qasim (who spread islam in sub
continent was descendent of these taif people)

Atabah and Shaibah (owners of the garden) were watching. They sent for their servant named
Adaas and gave him a plate full of grapes. "Take this to that man under the tree," they ordered.

Adaas was a Christian. He brought the grapes to the Prophet (SAW) and bid him eat. As the Prophet
(SAW) picked a bunch he said: "Bismillahir Rahmaanir Rahiim," (In the Name of Allah, the Most
Merciful, the Most Compassionate).

Adaas had never heard some on in arab saying this before. He was impressed by it, because the
man was invoking mercy and compassion of Allah in spite of his desolate state.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am the Prophet of God. Where do you come from?"

The servant said: I am Adaas, a Christian. I come from Nainava."

"Nainava? You come from a place where my brother Yunus b. Mati lived," the Prophet said. Adaas
was surprised to hear the name.

"What do you know of Yunus? Here no one seems to know him. Even in Nainava there were hardly
ten people who knew his father's name."

The Prophet said: "Yes, I know him because just like me, he was a Prophet of God."

Adaas fell on his knees before the Prophet, kissed his hand and embraced Islam. And when Prophet
Muhammad was returning to Makka from Taif. There when he was reciting Quran in Fajar prayer a
group of jinns heard it, embraced Islam and spread this msg among there tribe.

..............................................................

12. IFTAR:
Anas Malik was one of the companions who had served the Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.) for many
years. He therefore knew the Prophet's habits very well.
When Hadhrat Muhammed (S.A.W.) observed a fast, he usually broke it with milk and dates, and in
the small hours of the night, he would take simple food for his sahar.

One day, Anas knew that the Prophet (S.A.W.) was fasting; so he arranged for his iftar. He kept the
milk and dates ready. At the time of iftar the Prophet (S.A.W.) did not appear, for the breaking of the
fast. Anas thought that the
Prophet (S.A.W.) might have accepted an invitation and broken his fast elsewhere. So Anas ate the
food himself and retired.

When Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.) entered the house with another companion, Anas inquired from
the companion whether the Prophet (S.A.W.) had already eaten. The Prophet (S.A.W.) had been
dealing with some urgent work and was delayed, and he had not eaten. Anas felt so ashamed.

There was nothing left he could offer to the Prophet (S.A.W.), if he asked for food. Still he waited
expectantly, ready to explain the situation to the Prophet (S.A.W.). Hadhrat Muhammed (S.A.W.)
immediately sensed that Anas was hesitant, so he remained silent and retired to bed hungry.

Anas used to say: "The Messenger of God never mentioned this incident during his lifetime to
anyone."

..........................................................................

13. The Orphan Boy

Rasulullah (SallallahuAlaihiWasallam) was going to Eid Salah, while going to Eid Salah, All the
Sahabah were walking and they were all saying the Takbeer. "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar". And the
streets of Medina Munawara were echoing in "Allahu Akbar".
Everyone was excited and dressed nicely and everyone had their perfume on. Rasulullah
(SallallahuAlaihiWasallam) while walking to the Eid Salah he sees this young child sitting on the
side, And this young child has his face buried on his hand and he's crying away.
Rasulullah (Sallallahu AlaihiWasallam) stopped and told the companions" You guys continue, I'm
coming".
He went to the child, he sat next to him on the side of the street, And he patted him on the back and
he said
" Young child why are you crying?"
So the young child says that" Today is the day of Eid...And all the young children are holding their
fathers hand and their going for their Eid Salah. My father was Matyred on the battle of Uhad, I have
no father, theirs no fathers hand I can hold". And he sat there crying on the side of the street. And he
said "Leave me alone, let me sit here and cry while the rest of the world enjoys itself".
Rasulullah (Sallallahu AlaihiWasallam) Said to this child "If you are crying, Muhammad will also not
celebrate the day of Eid".
Rasulullah (SallallahuAlaihiWasallam) held the child's hand and he said while all the children are
holding the hands of their fathers you will hold the hands of Muhammad (SallallahuAlaihiWasallam).
And from today onwards you will never say you do not have a father. From today onwards
Muhammed is your father and Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her) is your mother.
And Rasulullah (SallallahuAlaihiWasallam) walked with the child all the way up to the Eid Salaah and
when Rasulullah (SallallahuAlaihiWasallam) was giving the Khutbah, He had this child sit on his
thigh (in one narration he had the child sit on his shoulders).
This is the Mercy of Rasulullah (SallallahuAlaihiWasallam)

............................................................................

14. Mercy of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) toward others
"By the grace of Allaah, you are gentle towards the people; if you had been stern and ill-
tempered, they would have dispersed from round about you"
[Quran, 3: 159]

1. A Mercy Towards non Muslims and his Enemies.

The prisoners of war taken captive at the battle of Badr were amongst his bitterest enemies.
Nevertheless, he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) made sure that they
were given the best of treatment. Among them was Suhayl bin 'Amr who was a fiery speaker and
was denouncing the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ). 'Umar
may Allaah be pleased with him one the Prophet’s closest companions, suggested that two of his
lower teeth be pulled out so that he might not be so vile in his speeches. The Prophet sallallaahu
`alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) replied: “Were I to do this, Allah would disfigure
me on the Day of Judgement, despite the fact that I am His messenger.”

And the Prophet himself said, "Indeed, I am sent as a mercy." (Muslim)

When the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) went to Ta'if to invite its people to Islam they
met him with denial and ridicule and encouraged street boys to throw stones at him until his feet
bled. Even under such circumstances, when angels sought his permission to destroy the town, the
Prophet refused saying. "i am sent as a mercy and not as a punishment"

His mercy was a general mercy; which included everyone, the non-believer as well as the believer.
When Tufayl bin `Amr ad-Dausiy gave up hope on the guidance of his tribe he went to the Prophet
(blessings and peace be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of God, the tribe of Daus has disobeyed
and refused, so supplicate to God against them." The Prophet faced Makkah and raised his hands,
and the people were certain that Daus would be destroyed. But the Prophet of Mercy only said, "O
God, guide Daus and bring them [to Islam]." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

And when he conquered Makkah, entering it with ten thousand soldiers, God gave him the decision
concerning those who had abused and persecuted him, plotted his assassination, expelled him from
his homeland, killed his companions and tortured them because of their religion. One of his
companions said, "Today is a day of massacre." But the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him)
said, "No, but today is a day of mercy."
Then he went before the defeated people whose eyes were wide with fear and whose hearts were
trembling, waiting to see what the victorious conqueror would do with them. Their own practice was
that of revenge and murder. But the Prophet said to them, "O Quraysh, what do you suppose I
should do with you?" They replied, "What is good. You are a generous brother and the son of a
generous brother." The Messenger of God replied, "Go, for you are free."

Abu Huraira reported it was said to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him): Invoke curse upon
the polytheists, whereupon he said: I have not been sent as the invoker of curse, but "I have been
sent as mercy."
Muslim..vol 3..no 2112

.
2. The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) and the Appreciation of Women
Fourteen centuries ago, the Messenger of God declared through divine revelation that women were
equal in humanity and faith with men.
The Messenger of God confronted many cruel and unjust practices against women during his time.
Some of the Arabs, considering women inferior, would bury their daughters alive but the Prophet
spoke out against such evil customs. The Qur'an describes it thus:
And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he
suppresses grief. He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been
informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is
what they decide.
(16:58-59)
The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) used to encourage kindness to women and girls.
He said,“Whoever supports two daughters until they reach the age of puberty, he will come on
the Day of Resurrection with me [like this], and he joined his fingers.” (Muslim)

Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) emphasized kindness to mothers. Once a
man came to him asking, "O Messenger of God, who is most entitled to my good companionship?"
The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man said, "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother."
The man asked again, "Who is next?" The Prophet once again repeated, "Your mother." The man
asked for the fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet then said, "Your father."

The Messenger of God used to consult women, deal with them gently, support them in all situations
and give them their complete rights in a way never dreamt of before. He was also concerned with
educating women. He even appointed a day for them to assemble and would come to teach them
from that which God had taught him. (Muslim)

He did not make women prisoners within the house, but allowed them to go out to take care of their
needs, visit their relatives and the sick. He allowed them to buy and sell in the marketplace as long
as they adhered to modest conduct and proper dress. He also allowed them to attend the mosque
and forbade preventing them, saying, "Do not prevent your women from [coming to] the
mosques." (Ahmad and Abu Dawud)

He prohibited beating women and said, "Do not strike the female servants of God." (Abu Dawud)
And he urged kindness toward them with the words, "Be advised to be good to women." (Al-
Bukhari and Muslim) This means good treatment, respect for her rights, concern for her feelings and
avoidance of any kind of harm. And he told his companions, "The best of you is the best of you to
your wives." (Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi)
.
3. What Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) Said About the Environment
The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) recognized the importance of looking after the
environment. He taught that human beings were God’s agents on the earth and it is their duty to
protect it. On one occasion, he said: “The world is green and beautiful, and God has appointed
you his guardian over it.” (Sahih Muslim).
He encouraged believers to plant trees and regarded it a sin to destroy them without a valid reason.
He said: “There is none amongst the believers who plants a tree or sows a seed and then a
bird, a person or an animal eats from it, except that it is regarded as a charity [for which he
can expect God’s pleasure and reward].” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

.
4. A Mercy for Children
Allah’s Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was particularly
compassionate towards children. When he saw a child crying, he sat beside him or her and shared
his or her feelings. He felt the pain of a mother for her child more than the mother herself. Once he
said: “I stand in prayer and wish to prolong it. However, I hear the cry of a child and cut the
prayer short for the anxiety which the mother is feeling.” [Al-Bukhaari]
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle kissed Al-Hasan bin Ali while Al-Aqra' bin Habis At-Tamim was sitting beside him. Al-
Aqra said, "I have ten children and I have never kissed anyone of them," Allah's Apostle cast a look
at him and said, "Whoever is not merciful to others will not be treated mercifully."
Bukhari. vol 3. no 955

.
5. Mercy toward Animals
Naratted by hazrat Abdullah bin jaffar that "once Prophet Muhammad went to a Muslim's garden.
There was a camel. When that camel saw Prophet Muhammad, it started crying. Prophet
Muhammad went close to him and put his hand over its head and said "where is his master?" an
ansari Muslim came forward and said "oh Prophet! this is my camel" Then Prophet Muhammad said
"Allah made you owner of this camel, dont you fear Allah regarding this poor animal. He
complained me that you don't give him enough to eat and take too much work"
Sunan abi Dawood, no 2549
Masnad Ahamd, 1754

Naratted by hazrat Anas bin malik that. once Prophet Muhammad passed by a group. They had
hunted a deer and it was tied to a poal. That deer said some thing to Prophet Muhammad. Then
Prophet Muhammad asked the group "who is the owner of this dear?". Group replied "we are her
owner". Prophet Muhammad then said "free her, she want to feed her fawns and after that she will
come back to you". People asked "oh Allah's Prophet who will take guarantee of her return?"
Prophet Muhammad said "i take her guarantee". They freed the deer. she went..feed her fawns and
came back. when she came back they tied her again. After some time Prophet Muhammad passed
by that group again and then he asked. Who is the owner of this dear. That group said "we are".
Prophet Muhammad asked. "would you sell this dear to me?" . The group said "oh Allah's Prophet "it
is yours". Then Prophet Muhammad freed that deer.
Tabrani, Mojam ul owsat. no 5547
.
Naratted by hazrat Abdullah bin Masood "once we were with Prophet Muhammad during a journey.
We passed by a tree where a sparrow had two hosts (sparrow's babies). Some muslims took those
hosts. That sparrow began circling the group and was saying some thing. Prophet Muhammad then
asked "who took this sparrow's hosts and hurt her?" some people said "we did this". Then Prophet
Muhammad ordered them to put those hosts back. And they did exactly that.
Bahaki, Dalail e naboowah..vol 1. no 321.

The Messenger of God (blessings and peace be upon him) once said:
“Whilst a man was walking on a road, he became very thirsty. He found a well, climbed down
it, drank his fill, and then came out. He then saw a dog panting hard and eating the damp
earth. So he said: ‘This dog is thirsty, like I was.’ So he again went down into the well and
filled his leather sock with water. Holding his sock in his mouth, he came out of the well and
then gave the water to the dog. Therefore, God appreciated the man and forgave him his
sins.” The Companions asked: ‘O Messenger of God! Do we get reward for being kind even to
animals?’ The Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) replied: ‘There is reward for showing
kindness to every living thing.’”
(Al- Bukhari and Muslim)

.
6. Conclusion
The love and compassion of Allah’s Messenger sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his
mention ) for all kinds of creatures was not of the kind claimed by today’s ‘humanists’ and many
Muslims too. He was sincere and balanced in his love and compassion. He was more
compassionate than any other person. He was a Prophet raised by Allah, the Creator and Sustained
of all beings, for the guidance and happiness of conscious beings - mankind and jinn - and the
harmony of existence. Therefore, he lived not for himself but for others; he is a mercy for all the
worlds.

“Indeed, in this [Quran] is notification for a worshiping people. And We have not sent you, [O
Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” [Quran: 21:106-107]

Narrated Jarir bin 'Abdullah: Allah's Apostle said, "Allah will not be merciful to those who are not
merciful to mankind." Bukhari..vol 3..no 2275

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: "The
Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to those who
are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you". Abu Dawood..vol 3..no 1533

Narrated AbuHurayrah: I heard AbulQasim (peace_be_upon_him) who spoke the truth and whose
word was verified say: "Mercy is taken away only from ill fated (Caitiff)."