Gifts from
Muhammad
Khurram Murad
THE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION
Published by
THE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION,
Markfeld Conference Centre,
Ratby Lane, Markfield, Leicester LE67 9SY, UK
Tel: (01530) 244944/5, Fax: (01530) 244946
E-mail:[email protected]
Website: www.islamic-foundation.org.uk
Quran House, PO Box 30611, Nairobi, Kenya
PMB 3193, Kano, Nigeria
Distributed by: Kube Publishing Ltd.
© The Islamic Foundation 1997/1417 H.
First published 1997, Reprinted 2001, 2004/1425 H., 2008/1429 H. and 2012/1433 H.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
ISBN 978-0-86037-273-8
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A Catalogue card for this book is available from the British Library
Typeset in Baskerville 11/14
Typeset by: N.A. Qaddoura
Preface
What does the Prophet Muhammad teach?
For centuries his teachings have been bringing light and peace to countless people, enlivening the hearts and lives of billions of men and women down the ages. Him they have loved more dearly than their own selves, in him they have found their greatest source of inspiration and guidance, he has been the ultimate norm and the perfect example for them, he has been their mainstay in personal vicissitudes and tribulations, his teachings have led them through social and political turmoils as well, he has inspired them to greater and greater heights of spiritual and moral upliftment and civilizational achievements – in short, through him God has spoken to them, He has been with them.
He lived all his life in the full glare of history. Those who loved him and followed him have preserved even the minutest details of how he lived, what he did, and what he said.
It is important to know what he did teach. However, many people in the world today hear very little of his teachings. These teachings are as little known, as much misunderstood, as he himself. Yet they contain immense treasures of wisdom which, once discovered, may bring new life to individuals, communities, indeed to humanity at large. These teachings bring precious and wonderful gifts of godliness and brotherhood, love and peace, mercy and justice, kindness and fairness, generosity and forgiveness, humility and self-dignity.
Out of a vast treasure house of such priceless gifts we have selected a few, and arranged them here under forty topics. We hope that they will serve as an inviting introduction to all, especially those who are not familiar with the Prophet or those who do not believe in him as a prophet. May his gifts bring warmth and light, peace and happiness to a world which has lost its sense of direction and purpose, has become devoid of compassion, justice and forgiveness, and is plagued by discord, hatred, injustice and violence.
Finally, I pray to Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, to accept this humble effort to make the teachings of His last Messenger reach a wider audience, and forgive my shortcomings and mistakes.
| Leicester | Khurram Murad |
| 18 Jamadius Sani 1417 | |
| 1 November 1996 |
Table of Contents
4 The Prophet: God’s Mercy and Guidance
11 Finding God by Serving Mankind
12 Outward Religiosity and Ostentation