The Prophet Mohammed
Ismail Imadudeen
May 02, 2008
The little and noblest village in Arabia, Mekkah, was extremely disturbed and anxious about the news of the incoming massive army of Abraha the Abyssinian, with huge elephants aiming at the destruction of the holy mosque, the Ka´ba.
The then feeble tribes of Arabia had nothing else to do with the terrifying Abyssinians but to pray to God to save the holy mosque that was built by Abraham and his son Ismail.
Then the miracle took place when God sent against the invading troops flights of birds carrying stones of baked clay. The invading army fell like an empty field of stalks and straw. This extraordinary event had just preceded the birth of Mohammed, the Arab holy man whose life and teachings were the base of Islam.
The Quraish were the noblest tribe of Arabia, the tribe to which belonged the holy prophet himself. They had the custody of the Ka´ba, the central shrine of Arabia, and their possession of Mekkah gave them a triple advantage; i.e. first, they had a commanding influence over other tribes of Arabia, second, their central position facilitated trade and communication which gave them both honor and profit, and, third, they had a secure position and free from any danger as the Mekkah territory being by Arabian custom inviolable from the ravages of war and private feuds.
Mohammed grew up in an honorable family. He was an orphan so his grandfather nurtured him. He was known amongst his fellow tribesmen as an honest and sincere person. He never told lies nor fought with anyone. He never liked liquor nor used to engage in any carnal action like the young men who were in his age. He was a humble shepherd who used to be in a thoughtful mood thinking of the big and almighty power governing this amazing universe. Deep inside him he thought that people should be equal, and he didn´t like the discrimination that his black friends received from their masters.
Then the decisive moment came when Mohammed was alone in his prayers in a remote cave in the outskirt of Mekkah, when the divine Messenger, Gabriel was sent to him, with the message to proclaim in the name of the Lord who created man, and who taught man that which he knew not. Mohammed was shocked with what he saw and experienced. He trembled and rushed home instructing his wife, Khadeeja, to cover him. But that moment was just the beginning of a new era, and the birth of a new nation.
Mohammed started calling people to his message in a graceful way. He called for love, peace and equality. He said that there are no masters and slaves in the eye of God, and that all humanity is equal. He called people to abandon their idols and worship one God who created them, and who is the most compassionate of all.
People started following him, but his tribesmen were extremely anxious about the possible negative effects that the new message could have on their power and influence in Arabia. The new Muslims were tortured to death in public to terrorize those who might think of joining Mohammed. Even Mohammed him self was treated badly on the streets and everywhere he used to go; children were sent behind him calling him names, and throwing stones and dirt over him wherever he prayed. Nevertheless, Muslims weren´t allowed to fight back or defend themselves. They were required to be patient and supportive to their prophet.
Eventually the tribesmen decided to kill him, but God saved him, and helped him migrate to Madhinah where he established a new state. The permission then came from God to Muslims to defend themselves against the evil doers, which was known as ´Jihad.´ This clearly explains that ´Jihad´ is a defensive approach not an offensive one.
Years passed by before Muslims could enter Mekkah without any fight. Those who tortured and savagely treated Mohammed and his followers were the most apprehensive as they thought that Mohammed will cut their heads and burn them alive in revenge, but their fears came to an end when Mohammed told them that they are free either to embrace Islam or to leave if they wanted. His noble manner with them made many of them embrace Islam.
Since then and Arabia became a Muslim power from which justice, enlightenment and equality spread allover the planet.
The Islamic Empire expanded until it became the only superpower in the universe for about ten centuries or so. Everybody inside that Empire was treated with absolute justice regardless his/her religion or race. Islam abolished the principles of racial, religious and color discriminations, which encouraged more and more people to embrace Islam worldwide. Islamic cities were centers for science, education and literature. Baghdad, Cairo and Andalusia were all pilgrimage destination for those who sought prestigious education and proper learning and research environment. Amongst the great scientists who arose in the Islamic empire were many Christians and Jews. There was room for every body to innovate and create regardless color, race or religion.
But the cycle of history goes, that some nations rise and others fall, the Muslims became weaker and weaker as time went by, and their empire crumbled into pieces, but their faith remained in their hearts and minds reminding them of the great sacrifices that their ancestors had to pay to spread justice and equality to humanity.
After all these centuries we now hear voices from here and there calling Phophet Mohammed a terrorist who encouraged his followers to kill and torture others. Indeed, this shows that those voices have no idea or knowledge about him, but what I know is that Mohammed was the man who forgave his enemies when he was so powerful over them in Mekkah, he was the man who said that there is no difference, in the eye of God, between blacks and whites or Arabs and non Arabs, and he was the man who prohibited his followers from killing women, children, elderly people or the armless soldiers while in war. Mohammed was the man who prohibited his followers from cutting trees and destroying houses while in the battle field. Mohammed was the man who stood up during the funeral procession of a Jew, and said to his companions that it was a soul that had to be respected. He was the man who lived so humbly without any extravagance or greedy hopes; he never allowed his followers to call him a king or so. Mohammed was the man who taught his followers modesty, charity and compassion to the needy and the orphans.
Mohammed was the man who taught his followers to love all God´s prophets without discrimination, so Muslims indeed love Moses and the Christ the way they love Mohammed. Today, there are thousands of Muslims who name their children ´Moosa,´ the Arabic name of ´Moses,´ and ´Eisa,´ the Arabic name of the Christ, and there are hundreds of thousands of Muslim girls who are named ´Maryam,´ the Arabic name of Mother Mary..
The killing of thousands of innocent people at the World Trade Center on 9/11 was not from Mohammed´s teachings, and the shooting of Jewish students at their school in Jerusalem was not from Mohammed´s teachings.
Those who use Islam and the name of Mohammed and the holy Quran to justify their brutal deeds here and there are some politically driven people who are very similar to those clergymen in the medieval era in Europe, who used religion and the Bible for mere earthly purposes.
If those who call Mohammed a terrorist had thought it over well, they should have realized that if Mohammed were really a terrorist, then the Muslims who ruled the earth for ten centuries, should have annihilated all the non-Muslims and destroyed the Nativity Church or any other non-Muslim holy site. But they did not, instead they spread justice and equality regardless of race or religion.
Let us join hands to break the ice, and build bridges between civilizations and eradicate all calls for hatred and retribution, and replace them by calls for understanding, love and peace.
The then feeble tribes of Arabia had nothing else to do with the terrifying Abyssinians but to pray to God to save the holy mosque that was built by Abraham and his son Ismail.
Then the miracle took place when God sent against the invading troops flights of birds carrying stones of baked clay. The invading army fell like an empty field of stalks and straw. This extraordinary event had just preceded the birth of Mohammed, the Arab holy man whose life and teachings were the base of Islam.
The Quraish were the noblest tribe of Arabia, the tribe to which belonged the holy prophet himself. They had the custody of the Ka´ba, the central shrine of Arabia, and their possession of Mekkah gave them a triple advantage; i.e. first, they had a commanding influence over other tribes of Arabia, second, their central position facilitated trade and communication which gave them both honor and profit, and, third, they had a secure position and free from any danger as the Mekkah territory being by Arabian custom inviolable from the ravages of war and private feuds.
Mohammed grew up in an honorable family. He was an orphan so his grandfather nurtured him. He was known amongst his fellow tribesmen as an honest and sincere person. He never told lies nor fought with anyone. He never liked liquor nor used to engage in any carnal action like the young men who were in his age. He was a humble shepherd who used to be in a thoughtful mood thinking of the big and almighty power governing this amazing universe. Deep inside him he thought that people should be equal, and he didn´t like the discrimination that his black friends received from their masters.
Then the decisive moment came when Mohammed was alone in his prayers in a remote cave in the outskirt of Mekkah, when the divine Messenger, Gabriel was sent to him, with the message to proclaim in the name of the Lord who created man, and who taught man that which he knew not. Mohammed was shocked with what he saw and experienced. He trembled and rushed home instructing his wife, Khadeeja, to cover him. But that moment was just the beginning of a new era, and the birth of a new nation.
Mohammed started calling people to his message in a graceful way. He called for love, peace and equality. He said that there are no masters and slaves in the eye of God, and that all humanity is equal. He called people to abandon their idols and worship one God who created them, and who is the most compassionate of all.
People started following him, but his tribesmen were extremely anxious about the possible negative effects that the new message could have on their power and influence in Arabia. The new Muslims were tortured to death in public to terrorize those who might think of joining Mohammed. Even Mohammed him self was treated badly on the streets and everywhere he used to go; children were sent behind him calling him names, and throwing stones and dirt over him wherever he prayed. Nevertheless, Muslims weren´t allowed to fight back or defend themselves. They were required to be patient and supportive to their prophet.
Eventually the tribesmen decided to kill him, but God saved him, and helped him migrate to Madhinah where he established a new state. The permission then came from God to Muslims to defend themselves against the evil doers, which was known as ´Jihad.´ This clearly explains that ´Jihad´ is a defensive approach not an offensive one.
Years passed by before Muslims could enter Mekkah without any fight. Those who tortured and savagely treated Mohammed and his followers were the most apprehensive as they thought that Mohammed will cut their heads and burn them alive in revenge, but their fears came to an end when Mohammed told them that they are free either to embrace Islam or to leave if they wanted. His noble manner with them made many of them embrace Islam.
Since then and Arabia became a Muslim power from which justice, enlightenment and equality spread allover the planet.
The Islamic Empire expanded until it became the only superpower in the universe for about ten centuries or so. Everybody inside that Empire was treated with absolute justice regardless his/her religion or race. Islam abolished the principles of racial, religious and color discriminations, which encouraged more and more people to embrace Islam worldwide. Islamic cities were centers for science, education and literature. Baghdad, Cairo and Andalusia were all pilgrimage destination for those who sought prestigious education and proper learning and research environment. Amongst the great scientists who arose in the Islamic empire were many Christians and Jews. There was room for every body to innovate and create regardless color, race or religion.
But the cycle of history goes, that some nations rise and others fall, the Muslims became weaker and weaker as time went by, and their empire crumbled into pieces, but their faith remained in their hearts and minds reminding them of the great sacrifices that their ancestors had to pay to spread justice and equality to humanity.
After all these centuries we now hear voices from here and there calling Phophet Mohammed a terrorist who encouraged his followers to kill and torture others. Indeed, this shows that those voices have no idea or knowledge about him, but what I know is that Mohammed was the man who forgave his enemies when he was so powerful over them in Mekkah, he was the man who said that there is no difference, in the eye of God, between blacks and whites or Arabs and non Arabs, and he was the man who prohibited his followers from killing women, children, elderly people or the armless soldiers while in war. Mohammed was the man who prohibited his followers from cutting trees and destroying houses while in the battle field. Mohammed was the man who stood up during the funeral procession of a Jew, and said to his companions that it was a soul that had to be respected. He was the man who lived so humbly without any extravagance or greedy hopes; he never allowed his followers to call him a king or so. Mohammed was the man who taught his followers modesty, charity and compassion to the needy and the orphans.
Mohammed was the man who taught his followers to love all God´s prophets without discrimination, so Muslims indeed love Moses and the Christ the way they love Mohammed. Today, there are thousands of Muslims who name their children ´Moosa,´ the Arabic name of ´Moses,´ and ´Eisa,´ the Arabic name of the Christ, and there are hundreds of thousands of Muslim girls who are named ´Maryam,´ the Arabic name of Mother Mary..
The killing of thousands of innocent people at the World Trade Center on 9/11 was not from Mohammed´s teachings, and the shooting of Jewish students at their school in Jerusalem was not from Mohammed´s teachings.
Those who use Islam and the name of Mohammed and the holy Quran to justify their brutal deeds here and there are some politically driven people who are very similar to those clergymen in the medieval era in Europe, who used religion and the Bible for mere earthly purposes.
If those who call Mohammed a terrorist had thought it over well, they should have realized that if Mohammed were really a terrorist, then the Muslims who ruled the earth for ten centuries, should have annihilated all the non-Muslims and destroyed the Nativity Church or any other non-Muslim holy site. But they did not, instead they spread justice and equality regardless of race or religion.
Let us join hands to break the ice, and build bridges between civilizations and eradicate all calls for hatred and retribution, and replace them by calls for understanding, love and peace.
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