Who is
Muhammad
Peace Be Upon Him
Khurram Murad
The Islamic Foundation
Published by
The Islamic Foundation,
Markfield Dawah Centre,
Ratby Lane, Markfield,
Leicestershire LE67 9SY, UK
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.islamic-foundation.com
Quran House, PO Box 30611, Nairobi, Kenya
PMB 3193, Kano, Nigeria
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Copyright © The Islamic Foundation 1998/1419 H. reprinted 2004/1425 H.; 2006/1427 H.; 2007/1428 H. and 2010/1431 H.
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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 or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
ISBN 978-0-86037-290-5
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A Catalogue card for this book is available from the British Library
Typeset in Baskerville by N.A. Qaddoura
Foreword
Khurram Murad has been a source of guidance and inspiration to thousands of people the world over. His death in December 1996 has deprived the Ummah of one of its great sons – a thinker, a prolific writer, a teacher, a guide and a leader of the Islamic movement. During the last months of his life he planned to write a trio on the Qur’an and the life and message of Prophet Muhammad sallallaho ‘alaih wassallam, particularly directed towards the Muslim youth in the English-speaking world. These small tracts were meant to reach the hearts and souls of our youth, yearning for guidance, seeking ideals to live by. The Qur’anic Treasures and Gifts from Muhammad were proof-read by him on his death bed. Who is Muhammad was still in the form of a first draft when he breathed his last. Now we are able to present this last work of Brother Khurram. We are grateful to Br. Abdur Rashid Siddiqui who has worked meticulously to edit and prepare this tract for publication. I have gone through the manuscript and made minor editorial modifications, keeping in view the purpose and style of Br. Khurram. I hope this small booklet will be of immense assistance to all those who want to understand Muhammad, sallallaho alaih wassallam, the man and his mission.
| Leicester | Khurshid Ahmad |
| 11 April 1998 |
Table of Contents
1
The Prophet Muhammad Today
One in every five persons on this earth firmly believes that the Prophet Muhammad is the last Messenger of God. He was a Muslim and there are more than 1.3 billion such Muslims today.
Not only individuals but entire countries take pride in declaring their allegiance to him. There are 54 such Muslim states today, ranging from those as large as Indonesia and Bangladesh, with populations of 200 and 125 million respectively, to those as tiny as the Maldives or Brunei with populations of 230,000 and 260,000. Even in non-Muslim countries, large Muslim populations constitute significant minorities; as much as 120 million in India and 20 million in China. Indeed, within the last half century, Islam, the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad, has become the second largest religion in most European countries, as also in America and Canada.
Black and white, red and yellow, followers of the Prophet Muhammad come from all human races. Whether in Asia or Europe, Africa or America, in every nook and cranny of this globe, you are sure to find Muslims. They live in the most advanced, sprawling megalopolis as well as in the most primitive nomadic tent, village, hamlet, and even in the bush.
As now so always, down the centuries, across the planet, from end to end, billions and billions of men and women have lived all their lives, loving the Prophet and trying to follow in his footsteps, as no one else has been so loved and followed. They have lived and died, believed and acted, married and raised families, worshipped and ruled, made war and peace, even eaten and dressed, walked and slept, just as he did or taught them to do.
Indeed, never in history has a man influenced mankind, even beyond his death, so deeply and so pervasively as he has. He brings light and peace to countless hearts and lives. They love him more dearly than their own selves. In him they find their greatest source of inspiration and guidance. He is the ultimate norm and the perfect example for them. Faith in him is their mainstay, and he is their chief source of support and comfort in all personal vicissitudes and tribulations. To him they also look to lead them through social and political turmoil. He has always inspired them to greater and greater heights of spiritual and moral upliftment and civilizational achievements. And still does.
In short, they believe that through him, a human like themselves, God has spoken to them, and guided him to live amongst them, setting an example and a model for all times to come. Even today he motivates and induces whole populations to yearn and strive to shape their private lives, politics and policies according to his teachings.
Who, then, is this man Muhammad?
2
Early Life in Makkah
It was in the year 570, after Jesus, that Muhammad was born in Makkah, in what is now Saudi Arabia. Arabia, by all accounts, is the cradle of the human race. All the oldest human remains so far found come from the area of its location.
Hemmed in by red, black and brown volcanic hills about 80 kilometres to the east of the Red Sea, stands the city of Makkah. It was then a small merchant town on the ancient ‘incense’ route through which passed the great trade caravans between the south and north.
However, Makkah was, and remains, important for an altogether different reason. For here lies the Ka
Close by the Ka