If we scan the human history, the one and only perfect and matchless personality is the Prophet of Islam, Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam). Not only in one shade of life but in all spheres of life. There are two enormous fields of life – one is individual, spiritual and moral – other is collective, social and guiding in all practical purposes. If any personality performed and embedded overwhelmingly, tremendously, elegantly and matchlessly in both the fields, that is the personality of last and final Prophet of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam).
He is the only one who has enriched this garden of whole world with roses of words, with deeply immersed character of ethics, with soul stirring personality of morals, with integrated colors of relations, with fragrance of forgiveness, with glory of patience, with sublime acts of sacrifice. He is supreme and incomparable in every walk of life either as a leader of the nation or a preacher or a teacher or a friend or a neighbor. His character as husband is with outmost love and as a father with full of compassion. As an educator and a guide, he is unrivalled. As a brave warrior and victorious leader, he is inimitable. He is foremost example in all aspects of life and all his glorious actions and merits are performed in purely natural human way not in a way of extraordinary feasts and miracles.
He is unparalleled and unprecedented on the page of human history because any great personality of past consists many unknown or undiscovered aspects of life but Prophet Mohammed’s life from childhood till now is proven and recorded. There are no myths and fables to fill the gaps in his life story. Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) says in the Holy Quraan:
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا [الأحزاب: 21]
“There is indeed a good model for you in the Messenger of Allah – for the one who has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah profusely.”(Al-Ahzaab 33:21)
In every aspects of life till the Day of Judgment, he is a role model. There are numerous examples of his dealings, feelings, emotions, vision and glorious sense of congruency and of astute observation. There are two moments of human life which demonstrates what actually a person is – gains and pains. If one remains stable, steadfast, and symmetric in pains, it means he has the highest essence of humanity and in gains if any personality has glittering and remarkably humble character, that is Prophet Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam). To quell the melodious fountain of preaching, the enemies have adopted all the means – baleful, cruel, abusive, violent, expulsive, hostile, oppressive and persecuted ways to slack his ardent reforming zeal. They tried to distort Prophetic message while ridiculing him. They tried to defame Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) as calling him a poet, a story teller, a liar, a madman, pressuring his uncle, threatening with armed conflict, false accusations, slandering, demanding from Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) superhuman attributes, offering enticement, with intimidation, physical torture, general boycott, attempt to murder. They practiced all tactics but nothing could eclipse the glittering moon!
Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam)’s two daughters Hadhrat Ruqayyah and Hadhrat Umme Kulthoom were divorced because of hatred and enmity towards his prophethood. The pagan Quraish of Makkah al Mukarramah held a meeting to outcast and complete social boycott of Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib. They agreed that no clans would marry their daughters, no business deal, no meeting or company with them, no trade, no help and once they all agreed, they put this agreement in writing. They were forced to live in a valley, leaving the town of Makkah al Mukarramah. This social boycott was so devastating and rigorous that they had to eat leaves of trees. The cries of children and women with pangs of hunger could be heard in whole valley. Not for a week or a month, rather this boycott lasted around 3 years. The message of Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) was repugnant to the haughty Quraish and they fueled their anger and spared no opportunity to demonize him. One pagan, Uqbah, strangled the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) from behind, Abu Jahl, one of the leaders of the Quraish, ordered camel intestines to be dumped over Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam), Utaibah spat in front of the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam), a woman used to throw garbage. In Taif, enemies set the young boys and slaves to abuse and throw stones at Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam). Hadhrat Sumayyah was martyred when a non-Muslim shoved a spear in her private parts. Hadhrat Bilal was tortured, whipped and made to lay on scorching sand. Hadhrat Khabbaab was forced to lie on burning coals and smell his own flesh cooking. Despite of all their abuse, boycott, expulsion, threats, cruelty, torture and smear campaign, Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) never budged an inch away from his mission and he with his inexhaustible courage and infinite patience said:
والله لوْ وضعوا الشمس في يميني، والقمر في يساري على أن أترك هذا الأمر حتى يُظهره الله أو أهلك فيه ما تركتُه
“If they place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left hand in return for giving-up my mission, I will never desist until either makes it triumph or I perish defending it”.
So this firmness, courage, steadfastness in a gracious and magnanimous way is matchless in the human history!
The other essence of human life is how a person deals with his worst enemies when they are under his captivity and specially those enemies who have tortured, intended to murder, enforced to exile, compelled to starve, divorcing daughters, pulling a daughter from camel leading to wounds, brutal killing of his Sahaabah (Companions) and so on. But history could not find such a glowing and tremendous person like Prophet Hadhrat Mohammed (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) who dealt his arch enemies as cherished guests. When prisoners from the battle of Badr were taken to Madinah al Munawwarah, Prophet Muhamad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) instructed the Muslims to treat the prisoners well and mercifully. The prisoners were treated in such a ways as captors offered best meal to the captives and kept dates for themselves. The uncle of the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam), Hadhrat Abbas was tightened hardly and when Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) heard him groaning, he could not sleep and Hadhrat Omar binKhattab came to know about discomfort of Prophet Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam), he untied Abbas. When the Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) consulted with Hadhrat Abu Bakr and Hadhrat Omar on what to do with the prisoners, Hadhrat Omar suggested to kill them and Hadhrat Abu Bakr suggested to free them while charging ransom. The most kind-hearted Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) liked Hadhrat Abu Bakr’s suggestion. The amount of ransom was from 4000 dirhams to 10000 dirhams as per captives’ financial condition.
Another form of ransom was adopted that was remarkable and distinguished in history of war prisoners. That was if any prisoner cannot afford ransom amount, he can teach 10 children the art of reading and writing for the sake of his freedom. In prisoners, there was an eloquent orator – Sohail bin ‘Amr. Hadhrat Omar wished to drew out his front teeth to make him unmelodic because he was considered a brilliant speaker and poet against Islam, but Prophet of Mercy, Hadhrat Muhammad (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) stopped Hadhrat Omar. Sohail bin ‘Amr requested to Prophet (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) telling he has five daughters and he cannot pay the ransom amount. The Prophet of Mercy released Sohail without ransom money. Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Rawaahah suggested to throw prisoners into burning fire but Prophet of Mercy (SallAllaho ‘Alaihe WaSallam) neglected his suggestion. (Continued)