A Mercy To Mankind - He Was Muhammad

Fantastic video.

Prophet Muhammad: A Model of Change.
lt is agreed upon, even by non-Muslims, that Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessings be on him) is the most influential person throughout
history. He was raised in a community that worshipped several idols, but
he never followed the footsteps of his people. From his early
childhood, he resorted to meditation inside a cave called Hira'. At the
age of 40, he received a Revelation from Allah, which marked the first
and most revolutionary change in his life. Upon receiving the
Revelation, he felt the responsibility to share it with others, and he
was commanded by Allah to convey it to all people.

Change: Mission of All Prophets

Let us mention in brief the kind of teachings that the Prophet taught
his people. He made it clear to them that his Message is a continuation
of the previous Prophets' Message: to change from worshipping idols to
worshipping the One and True God. So, he taught them monotheism and
corrected their beliefs. He taught them to respect parents and
elderlies. He taught them to respect women. He taught them equality and
justice. He taught them that the rich and the poor are equal before
Allah and that it is only one's deeds that will get one to Heaven.

This is what the Prophet came with; very simple teachings. But the
people of Makkah did not accept these teachings, though they believed in
his honesty and truthfulness. They antagonized and persecuted him and
his followers.

Prophet's Steps to Change

Now imagine with me
what the Prophet (peace be on him) did to change his community. First,
he made it clear to them that despite receiving a Revelation, he is
still a human being like them. The Revelation did not make him a
superman. We read in the Qur'an: (Say (to them O Muhammad), "I am only a
mortal like you") (Fussilat 41:6).

The people of Makkah had their own customs in eating, drinking,
clothing, dealings, etc. The Prophet did not start with the differences
between what he came with and what they believed in. He approved and
adopted the customs that are not in conflict with the teachings of
Islam. For example, Muslims in the beginning did not have a special
style of clothing, so the Prophet consented to the way the people of
Makkah clothed themselves, just as he did with the ways they used in
selling, buying, building, etc.

Gradual, Flexible Change

The Prophet's approach is called flexible change, i.e., he focused on
the major things and did not pay attention to the minor details. This
is because customs differ from one place to another, and the Message of
Islam is not meant to be only for the people of Makkah. It is a
universal Message for all people and jinn everywhere.

From the Prophet's biography, we notice that the major changes that
the Prophet introduced were made in Makkah, the birthplace of Islam.
Therefore, it can be argued that change was made in a place where
Muslims were a minority. It was not applied by force. When they were
still in Makkah, Muslims had not been yet ordered to defend themselves.
The right to self-defense was ordained only after they migrated to
Medina. In Makkah, Muslims' duty was: (Withhold your hands and establish
worship) (An-Nisaa' 4:77).

Change was not applied overnight. It took the Prophet 13 years to make a difference in his people.
In
order for change to have an impact on people, the Prophet started with
his own family, then he addressed the people of Makkah and surrounding
areas, until his Message expanded to reach the whole world.

The Prophet was ordered to apply a gradual change on certain issues.
For example, prohibiting alcohol went through three stages, and it was
finally prohibited in the eighth year of the Prophet's Hegira. Usury was
prohibited in the ninth year of Hegira. Rulings governing inheritance
were legislated in the third year of Hegira. The family system was
completely formulated and applied in the seventh year of Hegira.

In order for change to have an impact on people, the Prophet started
with his own family, then he addressed the people of Makkah and
surrounding areas, until his Message expanded to reach the whole world.
We read in the Qur'an the following verses: (And warn your tribe of near
kindred) (Ash-Shu`araa' 26:214), (That you may warn the Mother of
Villages (i.e., Makkah) and those around it) (Al-An`am 6: 92), and (We
sent you only as a mercy for the worlds) (Al-Anbiyaa' 21:107).

After the Prophet gained more people to his side, he started to
preach his Message openly. This move was a pivotal change in the Islamic
history. Allah ordered the Prophet as follows: (Proclaim that which you
are commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters) (Al-Hijr 15:94). The
people of Qurayshhis an open declaration of opposition to their beliefs
and customs. Therefore, they did every possible effort to stop him. The
Prophet held several meetings with the people of Makkah to tell them
about the new way of life he came with. They did not listen to him and
abused him. They used his uncle Abu Talib as a mediator to convince him
to give up his ideas. But he told his uncle that he will convey his
Message till his last breath.

Youth and Change

If we read the historical resources carefully, we will notice that
the first people to support the Prophet were young men. For example, the
Prophet's cousin `Ali Ibn Abu Talib was a child. The list of supporters
includes Az-Zubayr Ibn Al-`Awwam (who was 15 years old); Sa`d Ibn Abu
Waqqas (17); Mus`ab Ibn `Umayr, Suhayb Ar-Rumi, and `Ammar Ibn Yasir
(who were all in their 20s); Bilal Ibn Rabah (who was in his 30s), and
`Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (28).

When Muslims were put to torture and persecution, the Prophet
responded to this by continuing preaching through peaceful means. He
used to pray at the Kaaba and surrounding areas. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq
supported the move, and he himself performed prayers at the Sacred
Mosque and talked to people after each prayer, but he was beaten.

The wave of change initiated by the Prophet was supported by women, who are an integral part of society.

In face of injustice, the Prophet was allowed to ally with those who
did not drive Muslims away from their houses. We read in the Qur'an: (As
for such [of the unbelievers] who do not fight against you on account
of [your] faith, and neither drive you away from your homelands, Allah
does not forbid you to show them kindness and to behave toward them with
full equity; verily, Allah loves those who act equitably)
(Al-Mumtahanah 60:. Therefore, there is no harm in forming alliances
withhose who do not share our faith, to fight corruption and oppression.

Women and Change

The wave of change initiated by the Prophet was supported by women,
who are an integral part of society. The Prophet's beloved wife Lady
Khadijah supported the cause of Islam with her money. She cared for the
Prophet and his Mission.

The first martyr in Islam was Sumayyah Bint Al-Khayyat, the mother of
`Ammar Ibn Yasir. Muslim women participated in the first and second
Migrations to Abyssinia. Women also participated in the Second Pledge of
Al-`Aqabah. Half of the slaves who were tortured in Makkah were women.

Model of Change

Finally, the Prophet showed his followers the best course of change:
"He among you who sees something abominable should modify it with the
help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he
should do it with his tongue; and if he has not strength enough to do
it, (even) then he should (abhor it) by his heart; and that is the least
of faith" (Muslim).

Hadith commentators maintain that changing with the help of the hand
is left to the ruler or people who has legal authority to change.
Changing with the tongue is to express your objection to any injustice
or oppression in society. The hadith is a call for everybody not to be
selfish and to be an active member of society by commanding good and
forbidding evil.

When asked what kind of jihad is better, the Prophet replied, "A word
of truth spoken in front of an oppressive ruler" (An-Nasaa'i).

This is how the Prophet made a difference in his community and how he
dramatically changed the face of the world with his teachings.

By Tabu



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Assalimu Alaikum.
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