Name:

Muhammad dauda Buhari

Reg No:

EDU/13/BAE/00997

Dept:

Education

Course:

History of Islam (1201)

Date

10 September 2014

Question
Comprehensive notes on the life of prophet Muhammad (S.A.W)
taking into consideration
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was born of a noble family of Banu
Hashim ancestry. However, he was not fortunate enough to have
been born wealthy as he was born an orphan.
Arabic text
His fathers name is Abdullahi bin Abdul Mutalib, Son of Hashim,
Son of Abdul Manafi, Son of Quasi, Son of Khalib.
Arabic text
His father died of sickness at the age of 25 on a trading journey to
Syria, leaving his wife Amanah alone a few months pregnant.
Arabic text
His birth prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was born on the twelfth
(12th) of Rabiul Awwal 53 Bitt Age of Elephant in Makkah (570 AD
of the Christian Era) was ordinary and has no significance in Isla
1

and de celebrations on this occasion have nothing to do with

Sharia and people consider it Bidah.
Abdul Mutalib his grandfather who was the chief of Makkah at
that time, showed pride in him as prophet Muhammad (S.A.W)
compensated him for the loss of his son who died in the prime of
his youth. His mother showed affection for her son as she awaited
the best nurses to come and take care of him: the tradition at that
time was that nurses come from the desert seeking to be the
custodian of children of nobility in return for good pay and gift.
Giving that prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was not wealthy nurses
turned away from him, Halima of Banu Saad tribe was one of
them, but when she could not find any other child she was
ashamed to prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and since then Allah
showed his mercy on her; for insurance animals started giving
plenty of milk after they have been dried. Therefore, her and her
husband felt they were blessed to have taken prophet Muhammad
(S.A.W) and became very attached to him.
prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) spent five years with Bann Saad
during which nothing out of the ordinary happened except one
told incident which scared Halima and become as the splitting of
his chest when he was playing with the other boys Jibril held him,
threw him down, split his chest, took out his heart and took out a
clump from it and said, this is Satans portion of you, then he
washed him in a basin made of gold with water of Zamzam, then
sealed his chest and returned him where he was. The boys ran to
Halima and said prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) has been killed.
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They come back and found him alive but pale. (Reported by Anas
in the Hadit compilation of Muslim and Ahmad).
prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) returned to Makkah at age of five to
his mother and grandfather who took good care of him, but the
days refuse to allow him tranquility among those tender hearts,
as his mother died during visit to Madinah to visit her husband
grave. She took prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his maid Umm
Aiman with her. On the way back she fell very sick and died in
Abwaa leaving prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) with Umm Aiman.
His grandfather always took care of him and never let him alone,
he took him to all public gatherings. However at the age of eight,
Abdul Muttalib died leaving him to his uncle Abu Talibs care.
Since Abu Dalib had many children and was not wealthy,
Muhammad (S.A.W) insisted on sharing the burdens of life with
him. He went with his uncle on trading journey to Syria at the age
of thirteen, he met a monk called Bahira during the journey, who
looked at his face and the sign on his back (the sign of
prophethood) and asked Abu Talib: what is this boy to you? My
Son he said. His father should not be alive said Buhira. Abu Talib
then said, yes, in fact he is my brothers son and told him the
rest of the story. The monk said Now you are telling me the truth.
Take him back and be careful of the Jews over him.
Muhammad (S.A.W)then returned toMakkah and resumed his life
working as a shepherd in his early life. He did not acquire
knowledge on education from a monk or a philosopher or sorcerer
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as was the norm then. Instead he read through the page of life
and took what he found good. He combined the good qualities of
discipline with spiritual purity, rightness and commitment.
In this manner, he entered his third phase of life and got
acquainted with his first wife Khadija (R.A0 who was a merchant
woman of nobility and wealth. She heard of his truthfulness and
trustworthiness so she offered him to take trade to Syria (before
marrying him). He was 25 years old and she was 40 years old
when they got married. Their marriage lasted until she died at the
age of 65.
A

His Life Struggle Daawa at Makkah

The struggle daawa of Makkah can be divided into three stages;

1. The stage of the secret call: Three Years
2. The stageof the proclamation of the call in Makkah; from the
beginning of the fourth year of prophethood almost the end
of the tenth year.
3. The stage of the call to Islam and propagating it beyond
Makkah: it lasted from the end of tenth year of the
prophethood

until

Muhammad

(S.A.W)

emigration

Madinah
The Makkah Phase: nearly thirteen years he is daawa

THREE YEARS OF SECRET CALL

4

to

It is well-known that Makkah was the centre for the Arabs, and
housed the custodians at Al-Kabah, protection and guardianship
of the idols and stone graven images that received veneration on
the part of all the Arabs by lay in the hands of the Makkans.
Hence the difficulty of hitting the target of reform and rectitude in
a place considered the den of idolatry.
Working in such an atmosphere no doubt requires unshakable will
and determination, that is why the call into islam assumed a
clandestine from so that he Makkans should not be enraged by
the unexpected surprise.
The prophet naturally initiated his sacred mission right from home
and then move to the people closely associated him. He called
unto Islam whosoever he thought would attest the truth which
had come from his lord. In fact, a host of people nursed not the
prophet immediately responded and quite readily embraced the
true faith. They are known in the Islamic literature as the early
converts.
Khadijah, the prophet spouse, the mother of believers was the
first to enter the fold of islam follow by his freed slave Zaid bin
Harithah, his cousin, Ali bin Abi Tablib, who had been living with
him since his early childhood, and next came his intimate friend
Abu Bakr A-saddiq (Abu Bar the truth verifier). All those professed
Islam on the very first day of the call. Abu Bakr, and from the first
he embraced Islam, proved to be an energetic and most zealous
activist. He was wealthy, obliging, mild and upright. He invited
5

whoever he confide in to Islam and through his personal efforts a

good number of people converted to Islam, such as Uthman bin
Affan, Al-umawi, Az.zubair bin Awwan, Al-sadi, Abdur Rahman bin
Awf Saad bin Abi Waqqas, Az-zuhri and Talha bi ubaidullah AtTamimy. The prophet used to meet and teach the new conver the
religion in privacy because the call to Islam was still running on an
individual and secret basis. The revelation accelerated and
continued after the first verse.
Assalah (the prater) muqatil bin sulaiman said salah (prayer) was
established as an obligatroty ritual an early stage of the Islamic
call, a two rakah (until of prayer) salah in the morning and the
same in the evening.
Ibn Hishan reported that when it was time for prayers, the
messenger of Allah and his companion went into mountain valley
to pray secretly. Abu Talib once saw the messenger of Allah
praying and Ali praying, he asked them what they were up to
when he got to know that it was obligatory prayers, he told them
to stay constant in their practice. (Ibn Hiham 1 247).
After the messenger of Allah became sure of Abu Talib;s
commitment to his protection while he called the people unto
Allah he stood up on mount As-safa one day and called out loudly:
called quraish come to him. He called them to testify to oneness
of Allah and believed in his messengership and the day of
resurrection. In Surah (26: 214)

The messenger of Allah ascended mount As-safa and start to

call: O Bani Fahr O Bani(two septs of quraish) many people
gathered and those who couldnt sent. Abu Lahab was also
present. The prophet said you see, if I were to tell you that were
some horsemen in the valley planning to raid you, will you believe
me? He said I am a warner to you before a severe torment, Abu
Lahab promptly replied: perish you all the day! Have you
summoned us for such a thing? The verses were immediately
revealed on that occasion (Bukhari 2/720i Muslin 1 114).
The most wicked of them was the sworn enemy of Islam and
Muhammad (S.A.W), Abu Lahab, who would shadow the prophets
steps crying loud, O men, do not listen to him for he is liar, he is
a apostate. Nevertheless, Muhammad (S.A.W)

managed to

create a stir in the whole area and even a convince a few people
to accept his call. (At-Tirmidhi Masu Ahmad, 3/492, 4/34).

The consequences and the lesson hijrah to Madina in respect to

the religious, social, economic and political life at Muslim the
religion.
There of the major religions of the world, the monotheistic faiths
of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, all begin in the Middle East.
The three faiths are inextricably intertwined: Jews Christians and
Muslims all worship the same God, their prophetic traditions are
linked, and much of the religious law, doctrines, and views of
morality and the afterlife are similar. The histories of the three
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monotheistic traditions are also closely connected. Judaism arose

first, almost two thousand years BCE, and Christianity was born
from within the Jewish community and tradition.
Discover the great diversity of the nearly one and a half billion
people who belong to the community of Muslims. They are
different just like us!
SOCIAL
Muhammad was born a social and moral reformer. He assets that
Muhammad created a new system of social security and a new
family structure, both of which were a vast improvement on what
went before. By taking what was best in the morality of the
named and adopting it for settled communities, he established a
religious and social framework for the life of many races of men.
Human rights in Islam, to evaluate the effect of Islam on the
status of women, many writers have discussed the status of
women in pre-Islamic Arabia and their findings have been mixed.
Some writers have argued that women before Islam were more
liberated

drawing

most

often

an

the

first

marriage

of

Muhammads parents, but also on the points such as worship of

female idols at Makkah.
The social system build up a new system of marriage, family and
inheritance: this system treated woman as an individual too and
guaranteed social security to her as well as to her children.

Married under the Arabian pre-Islamic law, no limitation were set

on mens rights to marry or to obtain a divorce Islamic law
however, restricted polygamy (q-4 verse 3).
The institution of marriage, characterized by unquestioned male
superiority in the pre-Islamic law of status, was redefined and
changed into one in which the women was somewhat of an
interested partner.
Property under Islamic law, marriage was no longer viewed as a
status but rather as a contract. The essential element of the
marriage contract were now an offer by the men, acceptance by
the women, and the performance of such conditions as the
payment of dowry. The womens consent was imperative.
Inheritance and wealth, women given inheritance rights in a
patriarchal society that had previously restricted inheritance to
male relatives to the pre-Islamic position of woman in Islam
legislation meant an enormous progress the woman has the right,
at least according to the letter of the law, to administer the
wealth she has brought into the family or has earned by her own.
The economic unlike pre-Islamic Arabic society, the quranic idea
of economic circulation as a return of goods and obligations was
for everyone, whether donors and recipients know each other or
not, in which goods move, and society does what it is supported
to do. The Qurans distinctive set of economic and social
arrangement in which poverty and the poor have important roles,
show signs of newness. The Quran told that the guidance comes
9

to community that regulates its flow of money and goods in the

right direction.
The political Arabian Muhammad (S.A.W) in Madina Islam began in
Arabia in the 7th century under the leadership of Muhammad
(S.A.W) who eventually united many of the independent nomadic
tribes of Arabia under Islamic law.
There were also some Jewish and Christian tribes in Arabia initially
a pact was made with Jewish tribes at medina and they were
offered protection and friendship by Muhammad (S.A.W). however
during the battle of Badr in which Makkah non-Muslim attacked
the Muslims of Madina the Jewish tribes chose to help Makkah
attackers. After his incident tension started arising between
Muhammad (S.A.W) and the Jews of Madina which soon intensified
after Jewish tribes repeated this is two battles, Muhammad
(S.A.W) accused the Jews of Madina of treason and expelled some
of them from Madina and wiped out some others who he deemed
to be traitors.
The factors and outcomes of the first three battles fought by
prophet (S.A.W) and his combanias after migration to medina.
1. There are three battles fought by prophet Muhammad
(S.A.W)
a. Battle of Badr
b. Battle of Uhud

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c. Battle of Khandaq-Ahzab
a. Battle of Badr. First battle of Islam at Badr in self-defence,
honoring the first warriors of Islam.
The migration of prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to madina has
turned the enemies from makkah more hostile and they
constantly kept on thinking how they could overthrow him,
and put an end to Islam. The makkans and their allies
started to bring their raids to the very outskirts of medina,
destroying the fruit trees of the Muslims and carrying away
their flocks.
Hence the Battle of Badr is one of the greatest and most
famous battles of Islam. For the first time the followers of the
new faith were put into serious test. This was a key battle in
the early days of Islams struggle with its oppressive
opponents, amongst them the quraish in makkah. And those
who participated in it enjoyed a special distinction amongst
the Muslims. The word Badr is used in the biographies of the
companions

of

prophet

Muhammad

(S.A.W)

for

those

persons who participated in the battle of Badr.

In the middle of (Jamadi-ul-Awwal) at the second year of
migration a report was received in madina caravan was
ongoing from makkah to Syria under the leadership of Abusufyan and Muhammad (S.A.W) went up to zatul Ashirah to
pursue the caravan and stayed there till the beginning of the
following month, but could not lay hand on it.
11

On

of

the

praiseworthy

policies

adopted

by

prophet

Muhammad (S.A.W) in all the battle was that he used to

collect information about the enemy and his location. The
information received was as under;
1. It is a big caravan and all makkans have shares in its
merchandise.
2. The leader of the caravan is abu-sufyan and there are about
forty persons who guard it.
3. The merchandise is loaded on the thousand camels and it
value is about fifty thousand dinars
As Quraysh had confiscated the property of Muslim mujhajir
residing in madina. It was only appropriate that the Muslims
should also confiscate their merchandize and if they persisted in
withholding the property of the muhajir Muslim. On account of
their enmity and obstinacy, the Muslim should as a retaliatory
measures, divide their merchandise amongst themselves as war
booty.
The Muhammad (S.A.W) returned to the seat of command and
with his heart overflowing with faith, turned his face to the
Almighty and said O Lord! If this group is annihilated today none
else will worship you on the face of the earth.
The prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) picked up some dust and
throwing

it

towards

quraysh,

said:

may

your

faces

metamorphosed! Therefore he gave orders for general attack.

12

be

Allah had helped you at Badr. When you were contemptible little
force: Then fear Allah inoreder to show your gratitude. When you
did say to the believers: Does it not suffice you that your creator
should help you with those thousands angels sent down (Surah ale-imran 3: 123 -124)
Add Arabic Text
And Allah has already made you victorious at Badr, when you
were weak little force. So fear Allah much (Abstain from all kinds
of sins and evil deeds which he has ordained) that you may be
grateful.
2. Battle of Uhud: The Uhud region.
The big and lengthy valley which joined the trade route of
Syria with Yemen is called wadiul qura. Different Arab tribes
and the Jews took up their abode at a spot where necessities
of life were available. A number of village, therefore come
into existence and their sides were fences by stones yathrib
(which was later named madinatur rasul i.e. city of
prophet)was consider to be centre of these villages.
The holy prophet goes out median
The prophet offered Friday prayers and then left medina for
Uhud with an army consisting of one thousand men. He did
not take with him persons like Usamah bin Zayd, Harith and
Abdullahi bin Umar on account of their tender age but two
young men named Samurah and Rafe, who were not more
13

fifteen years of participated in the battle because in spite of

their being young they were good archers. The prophet
(s.a.w) reached Uhud in the morning of Saturday. The 7 th of
shawwal, 3 AH (January or February 625 AD)

ARRAY OF THE TWO ARMIES

The Islamic forces arrayed themselves apposite the invading
aggressive forces of qurysh (Khalid-bin walid on right, Ikrimah bin
Abu Jahl on left, Abu Sufyan in middle). The Muslim army selected
a their camping place a point which had natural barrier and
protection at the back of it the shape of mountain of Uhud. There
was however a particular gap in the middle of the mountain and it
was probable that the enemy forces might turn around the
mountain and appear at the back of the Muslin array through that
gap and might attack them from behind. In order to obviate this
danger, the prophet posted two groups of archers on a mount and
addressed their commander Abdullahi Jabir in these wors: you
should drive away the enemies(which were led by Khalid bin
walid) by shooting arrows. Dont allow them to enter the battle
field from behind and take us by surprise. Whether we are
victorious or defeated, you should not vacate this point.

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DEFEAT AFTER VICTORY

We may mention here as why the warriors of Islam were
victorious. It was due to the fact that till the last moment of their
victory they had no motive except that of Jihad in the path of
Allah, acquisition of his pleasure, conveying the message of Allah
and removal of every impediment in its path. Why were they
defeated thereafter? It was because, after achieving victory, the
aim and intention of most of the Muslim underwent a change.
Attention towards the booty which the army of quraysh had
themselves thrown in the battlefield and had fled, affected the
sincerity of a large group and they ignored the orders given by
the prophet.
The rumor about the prophet being killed spreads. A brave warrior
of qurysh lamed Layah affected muiab bin umayr, the daring
standard-bearer of Islam, was killed. As the Muslim warriors had
hidden their faces lay the thought the person killed was the
prophet of Islam. He therefore shouted and informed the chiefs of
army that Muhammad (S.A.W) had been killed.
This rumor spread from man to man in the army of quraysh. Their
chiefs were so happy that their voices were ringing in the battle
field and all of them were saying. O people! Muhammad (S.A.W)
has been killed! O people! Muhammad (S.A.W) has been killed!

15

Publicity of this false news encouraged the enemy of qurysh come

into motion. Every one of them was keen to participate in cutting
the limbs of Muhammad (S.A.W) so that he might secure high
status in the world of polytheism.
The verses of the Holy Quran tear the veils of fanaticism and
ignorance and make it abundantly clear that some companions
thought that the promise given by the prophet about victory and
success was baseless and the Almighty Allah say thus about this
group; then after sorrow He sent down security upon you, a calm
coming upon a party (a group of companions) of you and (there
was) another party whom their own sould had rendered anxious;
they entertained about Allah thoughts of ignorance quit unjustly,
saying, suratul Al-e-imran
Add Arabic Text

BATTLE OF KHANDAQ (AL-ALIZAL)

The

qurshite

community

had

are

important

dream.

The

destruction of Muhammad (S.A.W) and his religion. Pagan tribes

outside mecca were sharing with the same dream, like the
meccans, these tribes considered Muhammad (S.A.W) a serious
menace to their religions. This belief bought these tribes and the
Muslim into military confrontations in which the Muslim had the
upper hand. These tribes, therefore were like the meccan
community full of resentment and rancor towards Muhammad
(S.A.W) and his religion.
16

There were clashes between the muslim and some of the people
of scripture who were neighboring medinah caused by their
breaching of covenants with the Holy Prophet. Tribes from among
them such as Bani Al-Natheer and others were exiled by the
prophet.
The Holy Prophet received the new of the imminent invasion a few
days before their arrival at medinah. He consulted his companions
and Salman Al-fansi (the Persian) advised the prophet to dig a
moat around madina to prevent the invaders from entering it. The
messenger commanded the Muslims (who were about three
thousands) to implement the plan. The moat was dug within six
days.
Witnessing the moat, the invaders were surprised that it had
become difficult for them to enter madina. This they found it
necessary to besiege madina instead of invading it directly. Bann
qraysh, a community from the followers of the scripture, joined
the pagan army after its arrival. This community had a covenant
of peace with the prophet, their treacherous action was a
frightening surprise to the Muslim. By breaching the covenant,
this community gave the Pegan army additional forces and
equipment. It became the duty of the Muslims to add to their
defensive lines another line.
At this battle the Muslim faced a greater danger than ever before.
The elements at the Islamic deface were the same three elements
which played their role during the two battles f Badr and Uhud:
17

The firmness of the messengers and his ideal leadership: the

heroism of Ali; and the determination of the Islamic army.
A fourth element was added at this battle: the role of salam-alfarisi (the Persian) who counseled the prophet to dig the moat
around madina.
The Muslim in horro there wheremany hypocrites among the
Muslim who circulated frightening rumors, which added to the
fear of Muslim. The Holy Quran tells us the psychological crisis
with the Muslim lived during the period: Behold! They came upon
you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew
wild and the heart gaped uo to the throats, and ye imagined
various (vain) thoughts about God! In that situation the believers
were tried; they were shaken with a mighty shock. And behold!
The hypocrites and those in whose hearts there is disease (even)
say: God and hos Apostle promised us nothing but delusion
Behold! A party among them said; O people of yathrib (madina)
you cannot stand (the attack), therefore turn back! And a band of
them ask for leave of the prophet, saying: Truly our houses are
bare and exposed; they intended nothing but to flee.

THE DEATH AND SUCCESSION OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD

(S.A.W)
The pains of sickness attacked the prophet (s.a.w) since the
ending of safar of the element year. Once he fainted and his
family put medicine in his mouth, when a woke, he showed his
18

dislike of that. During his illness he would supplicate O Allah help

me in the pangs of death. (Bukhari: Narrated by Aisha R.A)
He was warning Muslims even when he was in the throes of
death that they should stay committed to monotheism by
saying Allah curse be upon the Jews and Christians, they took
their prophet (s.a.w)s grave as mosque. He was warning them
against the action. (Al-shaikhan).
The last thing the prophet (s.a.w) did before his death (according
to Aisha):
He lay down in my lap. Brushed his teeth harder than he had
ever done before, then his eyes were fixed and he was saying
Nay, the companion on high from paradise. I said to myself you
were given the choice and you have chosen, by him who sent you
with the truth. Then he passed away. (Bukhari)
This was brief study of the prophet (s.a.w) way of his life. It must
be stressed that we will never really understand the sirah unless
we study the Quran and Sunnah.

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