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Notes for o’ LeveL

Islamiyat
Session: 2025-2026

Compiled by:
Hafiz Muhammad Usman
Lecturer Chenab College Jhang
Mailing Adress: [email protected]
Mobile No: 0333-6725057, 0312-0325057
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Passages from the Holy Quran

Allah in Himself:

The main theme (s) of this passage:

This verse is from Surah Al-Baqarah means “The Cow” and it is a Madni surah. This
verse is related to Allah in Himself. This verse is known as the Verse of Throne as
throne is a symbol of power and authority. This verse describes the oneness of Allah
Almighty and His unique qualitites that differentiate Him from everything else in the
universe like His ownership, His omnipotence and His omniscience. This passage
describes the complete authority of Allah Almighty on the Day of Judgement and
removes the false concept of false intercession. This passage also tells that the
knowledge of human beings is very limited. As Allah Almighty has told in the Holy
Quran; “And you were given only a little knowledge”.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

This theme is very important for Muslims today as it trains the Muslims to condemn
shirk as the qualities mentioned in this verse are only possessed by Allah Almighty.
There is repetitive mention of Allah’s attributes in order to strengthen the faith of
Muslims and to remind them that Allah alone is worthy to be worshipped and
obeyed. The importance of this verse can be understood by this fact that usually
Muslims recite this verse to protect themselves from visible and invisible enemies.
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) also guided about its importance by saying: “The
one who recites it after each of the obligatory prayers, then death will be only thing
preventing him from entering paradise”.
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The main theme (s) of this passage:

These verses are from Surah Al-An’am means “The Animals” which is a Makki surah
and this passage is related to Allah in Himself. This passage rejects the false
concept of offspring of Allah Almighty with the logic that He has no wife from whom
His children could be as the Jews and Christians believe about Hazrat Uzair and
Hazrat Isa for being the suns of God. Surah Ikhlas refused the same thing: “He does
not beget, nor is He begotten”. The unique creation of Allah Alkmighty is also
discussed here as the “Badee” means he who creates without any sample and raw
material to start with. So, this makes it clear that He is Allah Almighty who created
the orginal design of the heavens and the earth.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

The passage is very important for Muslims to clearly understand the doctrine of
Tauheed. Due to this passage Muslims can easily understand that they should not
indulge in polytheism because it is unpardonable sin as Allah Almighty said: “Allah
forgives not that partner be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else to whom
He pleases”. By this passage Muslims are encouraged that they should keep
themselves away from all evils as Allah Almighty knows everything. This passage
reminds Muslims that they should not be disappointed at any stage as Allah Almighty
has complete power and control over all the things. The importance of this passage
can also be seen by this fact that due to this Muslims feel themselves bound to
worship and obey him alone due to uniqueness of Him.
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The main theme (s) of this passage:

This verse is from a Makki surah, Surah Fussilat means “Clearly spelt out” and it is
also known as Ha Mim Al Sajda. This passage is related to the topic “Allah in
himself”. This passage shows some of the signs of Allah Almighty which signifies his
wisdom, glory and power. This passage highlights that Allah does not exist in any
physical form but His existence can be seen through these His creatures. In this
passage Allah Almighty has taught the people against shirk in a logical way that all
other things are the creatures and obedient of Allah so how they can be imagined as
a god. The Holy Quran supports it in Surah A’al-e-Imran as well “Behold! In the
creation of the heavens and earth, in the alternation of the night and the day are
sings for the people who are wise”.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

The theme of the passage is very important for Muslims today because it guides the
Muslims to observe various objects of nature that reflects Allah’s presence, majesty
and glory. Muslims in their daily lives learn from this passage that it is not the
shinning of the sun nor the shimmering of the moon but it is God who administers all
such affairs. Muslims realize through this passage that they shouls believe in only
one God and should worship Him alone because this is only path of success.
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The main theme (s) of this passage:

The passage is the part of surah Shura means Consultation. It is a Makki surah
about “Allah in himself”. It describes Allah’s exclusive ownership on the earth and the
heavens. In this passage the greatness and supremacy of Allah Almighty is shown
by the fact that the heavens are near to be burst under with the weight of His glory.
These verses also highlight the attribute of His forgiveness and the fact the He
desires that mankind should be forgiven, so it negates the concept of a harsh god.
As Allah Almighty said: “If anyone does evil or wrongs his own soul, but afterwards
seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-forgiving, most merciful”.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

This passage is very important for Muslims today because it guides the Muslims,
they should become His obedient servants due to His exclusive glowy and
greatness. This message also verifies the Muslims beliefs about Tauheed and
angels. The passage prepares the Muslims to repent over their misdeeds and ask
forgiveness like Hazrat Adam and not to be disappointed as the doors of forgiveness
are never closes. Praise of angels towards God shown in the passage also inspires
them to remember and praise Allah Almighty all the times due to His countless
blessings on human beings.

The main theme (s) of this passage:

This is an early Makki surah and the name of this surah is Ikhlas meaning “purity of
faith”. This surah is also known as Surah Tauheed. Pagans on different occasions
required from Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) about the nature and essence of
Allah to whose worship he invited them as “What is the ancestry of Allah? From
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whom has he inherited the world and who will inherit after him?” So, Allah gave the
answer of all these questions and announced His oneness by using word Ahad
means one and only. Allah’s attribute “Samad” is also mentioned here which means
“He who doesn’t need anyone rather everyone is in need of him”. In this surah all the
wrong beliefs of Polytheists, Jews and Christians about the offspring of Allah are
destroyed categorically. The Holy Quran says the same belief in Surah Muminoon as
well: “No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with Him”.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

Theme is very important for Muslims today as it purifies Muslim’s belief in Tauheed.
Muslims learn from this passage that God is unique in all aspects. It eliminates all
forms and kinds of shirk like believing suns and daughters of Allah Almighty. Holy
Prophetr used to recite this surah in his prayers and Muslims also recite this surah in
daily prayers in order to refresh their faith in Allah Almighty. The importance of this
surah can be understood by this that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
declared it equivalent to one third of the Holy Quran.

Allah’s relationship with the created world:

The main theme (s) of this passage:

It is one of the early Makki revelations and the first complete surah revealed to the
Holy Prophet. Al-Fatiha means the opening. This surah is known as Umm-ul-Kitab
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(Mother of The Book) as it is the foundation of the Holy Quran. This surah is
mentioned in the Holy Quran as “the seven oft repeated verses” because it is
repeated several times in five daily prayers. This passage is related to Allah’s
relationship with His created worlds. The word Rab is used, means the one who,
step by step, helps one to grow from lower to higher stages till he reaches the stages
of finality and completeness. The surah ends by teaching a dua for guidance from
Allah of the straight path because He is the real guide as Allah Almighty said in the
Holy Quran: “He whom, Allah sends astray for him there is no guide and he whom
Allah guides, for him there can be no misleader”.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

The passage is very important for Muslims because it sums up the message of the
Holy Quran. This passage reminds the people that Allah showers His mercy in many
ways by protecting, providing sustenance, guiding and helping to lead better lives. It
guides us about powers of Allah Almighty that He alone can help so we should
always turn to him for help and should never lose hope in Allah’s mercy. This
passage develops the sense of gratitude due to His countinuous blessings on us.
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) declared it as the part of each prayer as the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) recited it in all the kinds of prayers and all rakaat of
prayers and said “There will be no acceptance of prayers without Surah Fatiha”

The main theme (s) of this passage:

These verses are also from Surah Al-Baqarah means “The Cow”. It is a Madni surah.
The main theme of these verses is the relationship of Allah Almighty with His created
world. The theme stresses on the rank of Allah Almighty as not only the creator but
also the provider of sustenance and life for all human beings. This passage declares
that all foods and fruits are His blessings and we must recognize His powers through
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these signs as Allah Almighty said in the Holy Quran: “Among His signs are night,
and the day, and the sun and the moon. Adore not the sun and moon, but adore
Allah, who created them”. The word “Andada” means partners shows that shirk is
strictly forbidden in Islam.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

The passage is very important for Muslim’s life today as it inculcates in humans the
sense of gratitude to Allah Almighty for His countless bounties as the Holy Quran
says it repeatedly in Surah Al-Rahman: “Then which of the bounties of your Lord will
you deny”. This passage also realizes us that all the natural things are the sources of
comfort for us, so we should look after all these and not to waste them like water,
vegetables, fruits etc. By this passage Muslims are guided that worship of Allah
Almighty is His right because He is the only benefactor and provider of all blessings.

The main theme (s) of this passage:

This passage is the part of Surah Al-Alaq which is a Makki surah and first surah of
the Holy Quran. The main theme of this passage is relationship of Allah Almighty
with His created worlds. These five verses are the first revelation brought to Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) by the angel Hazrat Jibrael while he was meditating in
the cave of Hira, outside Makkah at the age of 40. This revelation was the beginning
of the Holy Quran and then it continued for the next twenty-three years. This
passage shows human’s creation from a very low origin as the word Alaq means
blood clot which is very insignificient. This passage describes the importance of
knowledge as the word Iqra means to read is the first word of it and repeated as well.
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This passage highligts that Allah Himself is the giver of knowledge as Allah Almighty
said in Surah Al-Rehman as well, “Al-Rahman, who taught (mankind) the Quran”.
The passage further tells the importance of pen, as it is the foremost important
instrument of saving and transferring the enormous treasure of knowledge.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

This passage is very important for Muslims today because this passage encourages
us to seek more and more knowledge especially religious knowledge. By this
passage we understand that after the creation of human, Allah has not left him alone
but gave him guidance through Prophets, divine books and by other means. This
passage develops the sense of thankfulness towards Allah Almighty due to His
continuous blessings on humans. By this passage the Muslims are guided that
knowledge must be used for the welfare of the humankind as it is given by the
creator of all. This passage verifies the Muslims beliefs in Prophet hood and
Revealed Books. By this passage the Muslims are realized about their origin so that
we are not be proud due to any quality because all these are given by only Allah
Almighty.
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The main theme (s) of this passage:

This is Surah Zilzal which is a Makki surah and related to Allah’s relationship with the
created worlds. The meaning of Zilzal is the violent and terrifying natural calamity
that will turns everything upside down and is very destructive. This surah shows that
Allah Almighty has not just given life on this earth to do as he pleases, rather this is a
test for him. As Allah said in the Holy Quran: “Who has created death and life, that
He may test you which of you is best in deeds”. During this test, every action big or
small is being recorded by Allah Almighty. Once the test is over, Allah Almighty will
destroy this world and all that is in it. Then He will bring back all mankind to life and
put before them all that they had done in their lives. This surah is a warning for
people to give up their lives of sins and be obedient to Allah Almighty.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

This passage is very important for Muslims today as it reaffirms Muslims belief in the
Life after Death and the Day of Judgment. This passage reminds us of the temporal
nature of this world means just for trial. This passage guides us about the powers of
Allah Almighty as He will make the earth to speak about actions. The importance of
this passage can be understood by the fact that it reminds the Muslims that all the
things including our body organs and surroundings are basically the informers and
spies of Allah Almighty. This passage urges us that we should focus on collecting
those things which shall benefit on the Day of Judgement and should also shun all
bad deeds completely. This passage develops a clear concept of that no injustice will
be done with anyone as good doers will go to paradise and only bad doers will be
thrown to hell.
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The main theme (s) of this passage:

The passage is called Surah Al-Naas means “The People” which is a Makki surah.
The theme of this surah is Allah’s relations with the created worlds. This surah was
revealed along with surah Al-Falaq, both are known as “Muawwazatain” the two
protecting surahs, as these surahs protected the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
from the magic casted over him by a Jew Labid ibn al-A'sam. This is the last surah of
the Holy Quran which concludes the whole message of Islam that is the belief of
Oneness of Allah Almighty. This passage tells the reader that the devil is the open
enemy of mankind. Man must understand that the devil attacks him in different ways
visible and invisible. The word “Al-Khannas” shows that when a person remembers
Allah Almighty, the devil holds himself back, but when he becomes unmindful, the
devil again comes forward and whispers in his heart. The surah also informs us that
only Allah Almighty is the one who can protect us from all attacks of devil. Allah said
in Surah Al-A’raf: “If an evil whisper comes to `you from Satan then seek refuge with
Allah”.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

This surah holds special importance in the life of Muslims today as it is regularly
recited along with Surah Al-Falaq as a treatment to cast away the evil spells. The
importance of this passage can be understood by this Sunnah that the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) used to recite these two surahs in every night before going to
sleep. It encorages the Muslims that they should strengthen their relations with Allah
Almighty for seeking protection against all evil forces. The surah also guides us that
we should call only Allah Almighty for protection because He has absolute control.
By this passage all the Muslims learn to beware of those who whisper in the hearts
prompting them to evil as well as those persons who encourage them towards evil
acts.
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Allah’s relationship with His Messengers:

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The main theme (s) of this passage:

These verses are from Surah Al-Baqarah, a Madni surah. The theme in this passage
is the relationship of Allah with His Messengers. It focuses on the very first
messenger, Hazrat Adam and his early life. It teaches that Hazrat Adam was created
as Allah’s representative on earth and he was granted knowledge from Allah
Almighty that made him superior to even angels. Another teaching is that if a person
accepts his mistake after committing any wrong, he can be forgiven. It also highlights
Allah’s grace and mercy as He taught Adam how to pray for forgiveness. These were
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the following words: “Our Lord, we have wronged our souls; if you forgive us not and
bestow upon us your mercy, we shall certainly be lost”.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

This passage is very important in the lives of Muslims as it verifies the Muslim belief
in the Prophets which is one of the articles of faith. Its importance can be judged by
this that humans are guided here the main purpose of their creation. By this
passage, the Muslims learn to resist Satan and his evils in their daily lives as he has
been trying to trap mankind since the creation of Hazrat Adam. As Allah said in the
Holy Quran: “O children of Adam! Let not devil put you to a trial, just as he got your
two ancestors removed from paradise”. Muslims understand through this passage
that it is quite possible they err but if they repent, forgiveness awaits them from their
merciful God. This passage also informs the Muslims that Allah puts all humans
through test including his messengers so, they should be ready for it.

The main theme (s) of this passage:

This passage is from Surah Al-Ana’m which is a late Makki surah and this is about
the relationship of Allah Almighty with His Messengers. These verses describe
Hazrat Ibrahim’s attempt that how he guided the people to recognize Allah Almighty
by the marvels of nature and not to worship these celestial bodies because these are
the creations of Allah Almighty and obedient of Him. As Allah Almighty said in surah
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Yaseen: “Neither it is for the sun to overtake the moon, nor can the night outpace the
day. Each one is floating in an orbit”. So Hazrat Ibrahim rejected the Polytheism that
was the hallmark of the society around him and declared Shahadah openly. Same
message is conveyed in surah Fussilat: “Among His signs are night, and the day,
and the sun and the moon. Adore not the sun and moon, but adore Allah, who
created them”.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

This passage contains a significant message that should be applied in Muslim’s live
as It guides the Muslims to select always a logical approach to make people
understand the reality of Islamic beliefs and practices. Muslims learn from this
passage that it is neither the shinning of the sun nor the shimmering of the moon that
enables them to be worshipped but it is Allah Almighty who has made such beautiful
heavenly bodies and He alone deserves to be worshipped. The theme encourages
Muslims to observe the marvels of nature and recognize their creator. It also verifies
that all the Messengers preached the universal message of Tauheed so we should
believe in the Oneness of Allah and equally respect all Messengers.

The main theme (s) of this passage:

This is a Madni surah whose title Maidah means “a heavenly spread”. Another
important fact about this surah is that it contains the last and concluding revelation of
the Holy Quran. The theme in this passage is the relationship of Allah with His
Messengers. The Messengers of Allah were blessed with special powers and
protection from Him. The theme elaborates on the different miracles and protection
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that Prophet Hazrat Isa got from Allah Almighty. They called him a magician and
slandered the pure and virtuous lady Maryam, his mother. But Allah was with Hazrat
Isa and restrained the Jews attempt to harm and crucify him as Allah said in the Holy
Quran: “But they killed him not, nor crucified him”. The word “by my leave” are
repeated with each miracle to emphasize the fact that they arose, not out of the
power or will of Hazrat Isa but by the will and power of Allah Almighty.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

This passage is very important for Muslims today as it guides the Muslmis that
Hazrat Isa was the messenger of Allah not the son of Him as Allah addresses him by
saying “son of Maryam”. This passage also informs the Muslims that Allah puts all
humans through tests and trials including his messengers so, they should be ready
for it. This passage verifies the Muslim belief in the Prophets which is one of the
articles of faith. The passage strengthens the faith of Muslims that Allah always
helps and protects His obedients as the Prophets were helped and supported by Him
in different ways. The passage also encourages the Muslims about the people who
are ill-wisher of the prophets and their messages will not be succeeded.
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The main theme (s) of this passage:

This surah was revealed during the early period at Makkah, when the revelation was
suspended for a time in the initial stage of prophet hood. This led to distress and
anxiety on the part of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and for him it was a period
of darkness, a spiritual night. Surah Al-Duha, meaning daybreak or the morning light,
was revealed to dispel this gloom and bring a message of hope to the Prophet just
as the morning light dispels the dark of the night. Theme of this surah shows Allah’s
special care and concern for his chosen people especially in times of crises and
difficulty. Allah puts his Messengers into a variety of tests only to bring them closer to
him and thus strengthen their faith. In case of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
, these difficulties began with his blessed birth, that he was already orphaned. But
Allah made special arrangements for him. In childhood, he was given special love
and care from his paternal family. When he began to work, he was married to a rich
lady who presented all her wealth at his services and his quest for the ultimate truth
was granted by awarding of prophet hood. So, he was also asked to show kindness
to the orphans and those who ask for knowledge.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

The oaths in this surah reflects the importance of the surah and Allah’s love with the
Holy Prophet. The passage strengthens the faith of the Muslims in prophets and
increases love for the beloved of Allah. It also reminds the Muslims that if they follow
the footsteps of the Prophets, they can also get much help from Allah. This also
develops the concept that He does not abandon His prophets and pious people at
any stage of their lives and guides the believers that they should never lose hope in
hardships and difficulties as the Holy Quran says: “So, verily with every difficulty
there is a relief”.
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The main theme (s) of this passage:

This verse was revealed at Makkah during the early stages, when the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) was enduring extremely difficult conditions. The disbelieving
Quraish especially Al-A’s bin Wi’il used to taunt him for not having any male progeny
as his sons had died in infancy: “now he is abtar (cut off from the root means he will
be cut off from his community). The revelation of Surah Al-Kawthar at this point
confirmed Allah’s support for His Messenger, and promised eternal reward. As
Kawthar means abundance of Allah’s blessings and favours to him in this world as
well as in hereafter. Kawthar is also a river in heaven, which Allah has granted to
him. It told the prophet to remember Allah through regular prayer and to develop the
spirit of sacrifice so that he could continuously strengthen his bond with Allah and to
get constant divine support.

The importance of this theme in a Muslim’s life today:

The passage contains a significant message that should be applied in Muslim’s lives.
It guides us how Allah helped the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in difficult times
and if Muslims follow the footsteps of the prophet, they can also get such help from
Allah. The passage gives hope and courage amidst the distress caused by the
remarks passed by the disbelievers. This passage is a reminder for Muslims that if
their prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not spared then how
they can be spared by oppositions, so they should be ready for it. The importance of
this passage can be judged by this fact that those who opposed and tormented the
Prophet were the ones who lost in this life and the hereafter, whereas the Prophets’
name lives on through his message. His followers are all over the world and His
lineage continued through his daughter, Hazrat Fatima and her children.
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Small references related to different themes

Small references related to Allah in Himself

Passage no: 1 Surah Al Baqarah (2.255)

1. The Only God: “There is no God but He”.

2. Immortal: Al Hayy (the living)
3. Controller of all the things: Al Qayyoom (the all sustaining)
4. Owner of everything: “His are all the things in the heaven and on the earth”.
5. Having perfect knowledge: “He knows what is before or after or behind
them”.
6. Complete authority: “His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth”.
Passage no: 2 Surah Al-Anaam (6.101-103)

1. Badee: Means he who creates without any raw materials to start with. “To
Him is the primal origin of the heavens and the earth”.
2. Alone without family: “How can He have a son when He has no consort”.
3. The only creator: “There is no god but He, the creator of all the things”.
4. Incomprehensible (not able to be understood): “No vision can grasp Him but
His grasp is over all vision”.
Passage no: 3 Surah Fussilat (41.37)

1. Manager of all the things: “Among His signs are the night and the day, and
the sun and the moon”.
2. Only worthy of worship: “Adore not the sun and the moon but adore Allah
who created them”.
Passage no: 4 Surah Al-Shoora (42.5-6)

1. Ownership: “To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on the earth”.
2. Forgiveness: “And the angels celebrate the praises of their Lord and pray for
forgiveness for beings on earth”.

Passage no: 5 Surah Al-Ikhlas (112)

1. Al-Samad:(He who doesn’t need anyone rather everyone is in need of him)

“Say He is Allah, the one and only, Allah, the eternal, absolute”.
2. Having no offspring: “He does not beget, nor is He begotten”.
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3. Unique: “And there in none like Him”.

Small references related to Allah’s relationship with His created worlds
Passage no: 6 Surah Al-Fatiha (1)

1. Cherisher: “Praise to be Allah, the cherisher and the sustainer of the worlds”.
2. Most merciful: Al-Rahman and Al-Raheem (the most beneficent, the most
merciful)
3. Just: “The master of the Day of Judgement”.
4. Guide: “Show us the straightway”.
Passage no: 7 Surah Al-Baqarah (2.21-22)

1. Provider of countless blessings: “Who had the earth your couch, and the
heavens your canopy, and sent down rain from the heavens and by it brought
forth fruits for your sustenance”.
Passage no: 8 Surah Al-Alaq (96.1-5)

1. Making insignificant very significant: “Created man out of a clot of

congealed blood”.
2. Giver of knowledge: “He who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not
know”.
3. Most bountiful: “Proclaim! Your Lord is so bountiful”.
Passage no: 9 Surah Al-Zilzal (99)

1. Warner: “On that day will men proceed in companied sorted out, to be shown
their deeds”.
2. Just: “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And
anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil shall see it!”
Passage no: 10 Surah Al-Naas (114)

1. Protector: “Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind. The king of mankind.
The God of mankind”.
Small references related to Allah’s relationship with His Messengers

Passage no: 11 Surah Al-Baqarah (2.30-37)

1. Creator: “Behold, your Lord said to angels, “I will create a vicegerent on

earth”.
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2. Giver of knowledge: “And He taught Adam the names of all things.

3. Forgiver: “Then Adam learnt from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord
turned towards him, for He is often-returning, most merciful”.
4. Utmost respect for Hazrat Adam: “And behold, we said to the angels: ‘Bow
down to Adam’.
Passage no: 12 Surah Al-Anaam (6. 75-79)

1. Powerful: “So also did we show Abraham the power and the laws of the
heavens and the earth, so that he might have certainty”.
2. Guide: “Unless my God guides me, I will surely be among those who go
astray”.
3. Creator: “I have set my face firmly and truly towards Him who created the
heavens and the earth”.
Passage no: 13 Surah Al-Maidah (5. 110)

1. Powerful: “Behold! I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit, so that you spoke
to the people in childhood as well as in maturity etc.
2. Guide: “Behold I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel”
3. Complete Authority: “By My leave” Hazrat Isa said with all miracles.
4. Protector: “I restrained the Children of Israel from you”.
Passage no: 14 Surah Al-Zuha (93)

1. Helper: “Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?”
2. Guide: “And He found you wandering, so He you guidance”.
3. Pleasure for Prophets: “Your Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He
displeased”.
4. Giver of glad tidings: “And truly the hereafter will be better for you than the
present”.
5. Blessings towards Prophets: “But tell about the bounties of your Lord”.
Passage no: 15 Surah Al-Kawthar (108)

1. Abundance of blessings: “To you have we granted abundance”.

2. End of Prophet’s enemies: “For he hates you, he will be cut off”.
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History and Importance of Holy Quran

Introduction of Holy Quran and Revelation from 610 AD to 632 AD

The Holy Quran is the last book of the revealed books of Allah. It was sent down to
His last messenger Muhammad by the angel Jibrael between the years 610 AD to
632 AD. The word Quran is mentioned frequently in the book itself. According to
scholars, it has fifty-five other names such as, Al Furqan (Distinction between truth
and falsehood), Al Noor (The light), Al Shifa (The healing), Al Huda (The guidance).

First Revelation: On the 12th of Feb, 610 AD, 27th of Ramzan, when he was in the
cave of Hira, Hazrat Jibrael appeared before him in the figure of a man and asked
him to read. This was a sudden and unexpected, he answered him “I cannot read”.
He seized prophet and squeezed him as hard as he could bear and said read.
Prophet replied I cannot read. Second time he squeezed him and said read. Prophet
gave the same answer. Third time he squeezed and said read. Prophet asked “what
shall I read? Then Hazrat Jibrael recited the first five verses of Surah ul Alaq: “Read!
With the name of your Lord, who creates (everything), who creates man from blood
clot? Read! Your Lord is the most generous who teaches by the pen, teaches man
what he knows not”.
Methods of Revelation: The Arabic word for revelation is Wahi which means to
inform secretly. The revelation would reach the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in
different ways on different occasions. As Allah Almighth said in Surah Shoora, “It is
not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him except through
revelation, or from behind a veil, or that a messenger (an angel) be sent to him who
reveals to him by Allah’s leave whatever He wishes. He is All-High, Most Wise”.

• Dreams: The Holy Prophet’s dreams are called Ruya Al Sadiqah or true
dreams; meaning whatever Allah Almighty showed him in his dreams was
Divine Truth and message from Allah Almighty as Surah Al-Falaq and Surah
Al-Naas were given to him in his dream.
• Hazrat Jibrael: The arch angel would usually bring him the message of Allah
Almighty. This too was in different ways:
 23

• The The angel Jibrael was coming in the form of a man and just giving him
the revelation as he came in the form of Hazrat Dihya Khalifa Kalbi and it was
the easiest way of receiving reverlation.
• The angel Jibrael brought the revelation and appeared as he was, without
having taken on the shape of a man. But this has happened only thrice in his
entire lifetime. First of all, it was when the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
had himself wished to see him in his real form and shape. The second time, it
was in the Mi’raj (the Ascent to Heaven), and the third time it was at Ajyad in
Makkah during the very early days of Prophethood.
• Hazrat Jibrael brought revelation without appearing physically in any form
whatsoever, let some words of the message fall into his heart. This is
technically known as (nafth fi al-rau; blowing into the heart).
• The angel Jibrael bringing it without being seen but with an accompanying
loud sound like the ringing of a bell and bees buzzing which was basically the
sound of the fluttering of the angels’ wings. This was the most intense on the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and resulted in the kind of different effects
such as feeling extremely weighty, tired, breathing heavy, and feeling
incredibly tired. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “It comes to
me sometimes as the ringing of a bell and this is hardest on me”. Hazrat
Aysheya said: “When wahy came to him, his breath would seem to stop, the
radiant face would change turning pale like the branch of a date palm, the
front teeth would shiver from cold and he would perspire so much that its
drops would roll like pearls”. On occasions, so much intensity would be
generated in this state of wahy that the animal he would be riding at that time
would sit down, wilting under his weight. Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit reported: I
was sitting near the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) when revelation came
to him. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) became calm, and his thigh
rested on mine. By Allah, I never felt anything heavier than his thigh. When
the revelation ended, he became normal. Sometimes, others could also hear
a soft sound during the revelation.
• Direct Conversation: Another mode is distinguished by a direct, not
intermediary two-way conversation with Allah Almighty. This honour was
 24

bestowed upon the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) only once, that is, in Mi’raj,
while awake.

Surah Nasr was the last surah, which was revealed completely. The last revelation
came to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in the plain of Arafat, which
completed the revelation the revelation as it said “This day have I perfected your
religion for you, for you completed my favors upon you and have chosen Islam as
your religion”.

Surah: The Quran is divided into 114 chapters, each of which is called surah which
means a degree or step, by which we climb up. The surahs are of different lengths,
the longest one is Surah Baqarah, while Surah Kausar is the shortest. Each surah
begins with Tasmiah with the exception of ninth, Surah Taubah.

Makki surahs: (86) The surahs which were revealed to the Prophet during the
Makkan phase of his mission, from 610 AD to 622 AD are called Makki. These
surahs are generally brief; consist of basic principles and beliefs such as oneness of
Allah etc and events relating to the past communities. The language was used very
strong.

Madni surahs: (28) The surahs which were revealed during Madinan phase, from
622 AD to 632 AD are called Madni. Madni surahs are lengthy and consist of social
duties and obligations.

Ruku: All the surahs, with the exception of the last thirty-five are divided into
sections which is called Ruku, each section generally dealing with one subject.

Ayaat: The surahs are made up of ayaat which means a sign or a communication
from Allah.

Juz or Parah: For the purpose of recitation, the Quran is divided into thirty equal
parts, each of these being again sub divided into four equal parts.

Manzil: This division is made for the completion of its recital in seven days.

Significance of Holy Quran

The Holy Quran is the special gift of Allah to mankind. Its significance and purposes
are the following:
 25

• Its purpose is to guide the humanity to the straight path, to awake human
conscience and to enlighten the human mind.
• Its instructions are aimed at the general welfare of human being.
• It helps them to understand their God and allow them to connect to Him.
• It is the only book which guides Muslims in their every walk of life such as
social, economic, religious etc.
• It makes the mankind very close to Him by following its teachings.
• It gives the full and perfect answer of all the questions which we have in our
minds such as creator, purpose of creation etc.
• It gives us the way of perfect and successful life.
• Allah has enlightened the whole world by revealing the Holy Quran and turned
the ungodly world back to Allah.

Need of Prophets in preaching the revelation

Allah always sent revelations through the prophets due to some reasons such as;

• They could preach the revelations practically because only a human can give
the practical demonstrations, so Allah chose the prophets for this.
• Allah sent prophets to different nations in different languages because they
could speak the native language so it was easy for the people to understand
the revelation.
• All the messengers first convinced people through their character and moral
example as many people converted to Islam because Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) never lied and never deceived any people.

The nature of prophet hood from Holy Prophet’s first experience of revelation

• This first experience showed that Allah chooses a person for prophet hood to
whom he wills without informing or giving any warning to him. That is why the
Prophet was shocked and confused on the sudden appearance of the arch
angel Jibrail.
• This experience showed that Prophet Hood is not an institution that can be
attained through penance and prayers. It is an extremely rare gift that Allah
gives to whom He wills. As Allah said: “He does send down His angels with
inspiration of His command to such of His servants as He pleases” (16:2).
 26

• This experience showed that Allah does not depend on anything he can make
prophet at any age or time as he made Hazrat Isa his prophet at the time of
his birth and Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) at the age of forty.
• This experience showed that receiving revelation is not easy that is why
Hazrat Jibrael squeezed him and transferred the divine light to bear the
revelation.
• The Holy Prophet’s reaction during his first meeting with Hazrat Jibrael can be
compared to Prophet Musa’s experience. When Hazrat Musa saw a small
glimpse of Allah’s glory on the mountain, it turned to dust, and Hazrat Musa
fainted. The Quran says: “When his Lord revealed His glory on the mount, He
made it as dust, and Musa fell unconscious.”

Characteristics of Holy Quran

The Holy Quran has many different distinguishing qualities, such as:

• The preservation of other scriptures was the duty of their respective followers,
but they changed them for their worldly purposes. When Allah revealed the
Holy Quran, Allah took the responsibility of preserving whatever is contained
in it. The following verse testifies to this:
“Indeed, we have sent down this Quran and we must surely are its guardians”.
• The revelation sent to each prophet was intended for the guidance of his own
nation, but the Holy Quran was sent for the whole mankind. As Allah said:
“The month of Ramzan in which was revealed the Quran, guidance for whole
mankind”.
• The other scriptures were revealed for a specific time of period, but the Holy
Quran is the guidance for the whole mankind till the Day of Judgment. Its
teachings apply to all times, conditions and requirements of mankind.
• The Holy Quran is not contained on some warnings and advices like the other
books, but also it is a complete code of life. The Quran give the guidance in
every field of life.
• It is the actual word of Allah and it is beyond human imagination to produce
anything like it. Some of the greatest enemies and masters of Arabic
language tried their best but remained failed. The Quran says: “If the whole of
mankind and Jinns were to gather to produce the like of this Quran, they could
 27

not produce the like, even if they backed up each other with help and
support”.
• The Holy Quran is a complete and comprehensive book, clearly defining the
permitted and forbidden, the lawful and the unlawful as the Quran itself says:
“Nothing have we omitted from the book”. Similarly, Allah says: “And we have
sent down to you a book explaining all things”.
• One of individualities of Holy Quran is in its wisdom there is a moving force
that provokes the mind and stirs as it is proved from the preaching of Islam.

Compilation of Holy Quran

The unchanged text of the Holy Quran through fourteen centuries is a divine miracle.
Corruption and changes have never touched the Quran because Allah said: “We
have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and we will assuredly guard it from
corruption”.

Compilation of Holy Quran during the Prophet’s life

Writing: Whenever, a revelation was received by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) he would call one of his writers and say to him: “Write this verse in the chapter
where such and such verses occur”. He would then ask him to read what he had
written. This was to ensure perfect accuracy. These writers are called Scribes.
These were always near the prophet to ensure the revelations were written down at
early point. At Madinah, about forty companions are believed to have acted as
scribes for the Holy Quran, such as Hazrat Abu Bakr , Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Uthman,
Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Abu Hurairah, Hazrat Abdullah bin Masud, Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit.
The Quran was written on thin and flat tablets of stone, wood, branches of palm
trees, bones of camels and goats, skin of animals and other pieces of leather. The
arrangement of the verses and surahs was done by the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) himself with the help of angel Gibrael. The proof for written scriptures is as
Hazrat Umar found his sister reading the Quranic text from parchments and Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said that reading the Quran earns a believer twice as
much reward as reciting it from memory.
 28

Memorization:

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) used to ask his companions to memorize the
verses in order to recite them in their daily prayers. It was the practice of the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) to recite loudly the text of the Quran, revealed so far,
every year, during the month of Ramzan and the companions used to compare their
memory of Holy Quran with the version of the Holy Prophet. In last year of his life, a
few months before his death, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) read out the
complete text of the Quran twice. In this way, the whole Quran was memorized and
brought in written form, but it was not in one book or copy.

Compilation of Holy Quran during the period of Hazrat Abu Bakr

During the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr some people declared themselves to be
prophets. Among them was Musailma. Hazrat Abu Bakr waged a war against him
and many companions who had committed the Holy Quran to memory were
martyred in that battle, known as the battle of Yamamah. Hazrat Umar suggested to
Hazrat Abu Bakr that the Holy Quran should be compiled so none of the revelation
would be lost. Hazrat Abu Bakr hesitated, saying “How dare I do something the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) did not do?”, but Hazrat Umar convinced him of the
need. Hazrat Abu Bakr then called Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit, one of the Holy Prophet’s
secretaries, and said to him to go and find all the fragments of the Holy Quran and
assemble it together. Hazrat Zaid also hesitated but Hazrat Abu Bakr convinced him
of the need. Hazrat Zaid bin Thabit applied the following criteria:

• The verse he received first of all used to check with his own memory because
he was a strong hafiz.
• Then he used to check with his writing because he had the whole of the Holy
Quran written with him.
• Then the verse was given to all the scribes who were strong huffaz for
verification.
• Then it was given to the Caliph for verification, as he was hafiz.
• Then the presenter of the verse was asked to give two witnesses, those who
have seen him writing in the presence of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) and checked by him.
 29

Then the verse was accepted and written in a copy. This criterion was applied so
that there should not be any mistake and nothing should be added in the Holy Quran
because many hypocrites wanted their man-made verses to be included in it. Theses
sheets remained with Hazrat Abu Bakr . After his death, these sheets were given to
Hazrat Umar and then were transferred to the daughter of Hazrat Umar and wife of
Holy Prophet, Hazrat Hafsah for the safety.

Compilation of Holy Quran during the period of Hazrat Uthman

As Islamic state expanded, people in various places recited the Quran in their local
accent and there arose a possibility of confusion and misunderstanding. The need
for final collection of the Quran arose when General Huzaifah bin Yaman reported
this problem to the caliph during to the observation in the battle of Armenia and
Azerbaijan and asked him to make a unified text. To avoid this problem from arising
in the future, the Caliph Uthman obtained sheets from Hazrat Hafsah and ordered for
the preparation of one standard version of the Holy Quran. He appointed Hazrat Zaid
bin Thabit along with three other knowledgeable Muslims Hazrat Abdullah bin Zubair,
Saad bin Aas and Abd ul Rahman bin Haris, who assisted to make copies of the
Quran from the original text. They were told to follow the dialect of the Quraish in
case of differences over the language, as the Holy Quran had been revealed in that
dialect. Copies were prepared and these were checked with the original. These
authoritative copies were sent to different parts of the Islamic state; Kufa, Basra,
Damascus Makkah etc. Two original copies from Uthman’s time still exist today, one
at Istanbul and the second at Tashkent. Due to this great service Hazrat Uthman is
known as Jami-ul-Quran. This means that he brought the Muslims around to a
uniform reading and writing of the Quran. The Quran that it is being read and written
today, is the same as in the early period of Islam.

Need of compilation:

• The Holy Quran was revealed as a guide to whole of the mankind so it was
necessary to preserve its original text for the coming generations.
• If the Quran was not compiled then it would have been lost and the coming
generations would have been deprived of its precious teachings.
• If the Quran was not compiled then Islam would have lost its significance
because the Holy Quran is the only source of guidance in every aspect of life.
 30

• If the Quran was not compiled then coming generations would have
differences and there would have been many disputes over the Holy Quran.
• The compilation of Holy Quran would allow Muslims to have access to Quran
at all times and places without any change.
• The compilation of Holy Quran ensures a standard copy.
• This compiled copy lessens the likelihood of it being reproduced with
mistakes.
• The compiled copy suggests unity between Muslims, e.g. they use the same
book, they read in its original language even if that language is not their own.
• The compiled copy can be carried by individuals and referred to with ease.

Relationship between Holy Quran and Hadith:

The Holy Quran is the basic source of Islamic law as it is God’s words and gives
guidance in our entire life. It is the most perfect book without any fault. It is
unchanged and unquestionable. The Hadith means the sayings, actions and silence
approved of the Holy Prophet; it is the second source of Islamic law. Both the Quran
and Hadith are collectively taken as the primary sources of Islamic Law as together.
As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said in his last sermon “And I leave with
you two things. If you hold fast by them both, you will never be misguided, the Book
of Allah and Sunnah of the prophet”. The Hadith is the practical demonstration of the
Quran as companion asked Hazrat Aysha about the morals of the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him), She said: “His moral was the Holy Quran”. This thing shows
that Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) never did anything, which was against
Quranic teachings.

Allah has ordered many times in the Holy Quran to follow the both as Allah says:
“And obey Allah and obey the messenger”. Similarly, Allah said: “He, who obeys the
Apostle, obeys Allah” because the Prophet did not speak of his own desire. As in
surah Najm, Allah said: “Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is only an inspiration
that is inspired”. Actually, Hadith gives full teachings of what the Quran states in brief
or where it is silent. As the verse says: “We have sent down the Quran to you O
Muhammad so that you may explain to mankind what has been revealed to them”.
Now some examples are given below.
 31

Examples of explanation:

• The Holy Quran says: “Establish prayer” but it does not give the method,
prohibition and obligatory acts. It is Hadith which explains everything in detail
as the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) himself inspired about it; “Offer
your prayers as you see me offering”. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
gave the rule about prayers; "There is no prayer for the one who does not
recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an (Al-Fatiha)."
• The Quran commands “Hajj is duty man owe to Allah those who can afford
the journey”. But it does not tell the whole method, obligatory acts, times,
places and manners of Hajj, now it is Hadith which explains in detail about
these. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) him guided about it; "Take
from me your rituals of Hajj."Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the
rules about Iharam; "Do not cut your hair or nails, and do not engage in
marital relations while in Ihram." “Hajj is halting at Arafat”.
• The Quran commands many times to give Zakat as Allah said; "And establish
prayer and give Zakat, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves,
you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing." But Hadith
explains and tells in detail that on which zakat is levied, its time when it is
given and the fixed amount that is given. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) guided; "No Zakat is due on wealth until one year has passed on it."
• The Holy Quran mentioned about usury that it is forbidden as Allah said;
"Allah has made trade lawful and usury (Riba) unlawful." But the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the details of it: "Riba is the surplus that is
received in a transaction without giving anything in return."
• The Holy Quran described the punishment of thief in short as told in the Holy
Quran; "For the thief, whether male or female, cut off their hands as a
punishment for what they have done. This is a punishment from Allah, and
He is powerful and wise." But the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
explained it: “If he steals cut off his hand, if he steals again cut off his foot, it
he steals again cut off his hand, and if he steals again cut off his foot”.
 32

Examples of those teachings where the Holy Quran is silent:

• The Holy Quran describes that pork is unclean therefore unlawful for the
Muslims. As Allah Almighty said; "Prohibited to you (for food) are: dead meat,
blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked the name of
other than Allah”. The Quran tells only one animal as unlawful but all the other
animals are declared unlawful by the Hadith as he said “All the animals having
attacked teeth and all the birds having attacking claws are unlawful (haram).
• The division of inheritance is clearly stated in the Quran as Allah Said; "Allah
instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share
of two females. But leaving of wealth for the non-Muslim relatives is not
mentioned but the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said “A Muslim may not
inherit from a non-Muslim, nor a non-Muslim inherit from a Muslim”.

The use of Holy Quran in legal thinking:

The Holy Quran constitutes the foundation of Islamic Law and is therefore most
reliable source. All other sources must be in conformity with the Quranic injunctions.

Allah said: “Whomsoever desired guidance from any other except the Quran, shall
go astray”.

The Quranic law is perpetual and everlasting. It does not change with the passage of
time. It is complete and final because no aspect of human life has been left without
guidance and nothing more is needed to supplement all that provided by it. The
Quran says: “Nothing have we omitted from the Book”, and said: “We have sent
down to you a book explaining all things”.

The Quranic law deals with beliefs, morality, worship, civil transactions, punishment
for intentional injury to the human body, property and honour; murder; breach of
public peace such as robbery; offences against religion such as nonpayment of
Zakat; against indecency; adultery; use of intoxication; gambling and offences
against the established government such as rebellion.

Some teachings of the Holy Quran are as below:

Religious teachings: “And be steadfast in prayer, practice charity”. Allah said:

“Pilgrimage there is a duty man owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey”.
 33

Economic teachings: “Allah has allowed trading and forbidden usury”. “Give full
measure when you measure, and weigh with a balance that is straight”.

Moral teachings: “And swell not your cheek for pride at men nor walk with insolence
through the earth, for Allah loves not any arrogant boaster”. “Help one another in
righteousness and piety, but help not one another in sin and transgression”.

Legal teachings: “The woman and man guilty of adultery, flog each of them with a
hundred stripes”.

Political teachings: “Obey Allah, and obey the messenger, and those charged with
authority among you”.

Domestic teachings: “And they (women) have rights over them (husbands) similar
to those of their husbands to over them to what is reasonable, but men have a
degree over them”.

Judicial teachings: “We have sent down to you the book in truth so that you may
judge between men, as guided by God”.

Ijma (Consensus)

Meaning of ijma: It is third source of Islamic law. Ijma comes from jamun or jama’at
meaning collecting or gathering or unanimity. In the terminology of the religion, ijma
means a consensus of the companions of the Prophet or Muslim jurists (Mujtahid) of
a particular age on a question of law.

Use of Ijma:

• The Holy Quran is the primary source of law.

• Holy Quran’s teachings are extended by the prophet’s Sunnah.
• Ijma is the third source of law and it will be effective when the Holy Quran and
Hadith are silent on any new Islamic issue.
• Ijma must be according to laws of Quran and Hadith.
• Ijma must not be against the fundamental teachings of Islam.

The need of Ijma: There are many instances in which no clear parable is available
in the Quran or Sunnah. The Holy Quran came across countless situations and
through divine guidance was able to clarify many issues. As time passed and
 34

mankind underwent many social and technological changes, many new questions
began to be raised. A typical example is the issue of a test tube baby or genetic
engineering, which did not exist at the time of the Holy Prophet. These posed certain
questions that needed practical solutions. So Ijma is the consensus of the scholars
dealing with such issues.

Holy Quran and Ijma: We trace the roots of ijma from the Quranic commandments
of “consulting each other” which was regularly practiced by the Prophet while making
important decisions. The Holy Quran instructs the Holy Prophet: “And consult them
in affairs (of moment)”. Some other verses are as below:

“He who opposed the messenger even after guidance has become manifest to him
and follow some path other than the believers. We will turn him over to whatever he
has turned (himself). We will make him enter Hell”. (4:115)

Hadith and Ijma: “If anything comes to you for decision, decide according to the
book of Allah. If anything comes to you which is not in the book of Allah, then look to
the Sunnah of the Prophet, then look to what people unanimously agree upon”.

In reply to Hazrat Ali as to how to proceed in cases when there was no definite
direction in the Holy Quran or the Sunnah, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is
reported to have said: “Gather together the righteous from among my community
and decide the matter by their counsel and do not decide it by any man’s opinion”.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “My community will never agree
unanimously on an error”.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A segment of my community will
always remain firm on the truth, and those who dispute them or attempt to harm
them will not be able to inflict any harm upon them, until the command of Allah (i.e.,
the Day of Judgment) comes, and they will remain in that condition."

“Avoid the branching path and keep to the general community”.

“The hand of Allah is with the community”.

Importance of Ijma for Muslims:

• Ijma gives guidance at a time when primary sources are silent.

 35

• Ijma unites the Muslims on their important issues and removes the
differences.
• Ijma makes complicated matters easy to follow.
• Ijma in not limited to any community or time but it can be done anywhere and
anytime so it will continue as the source of law till the end.
• Ijma makes the Muslims able to follow the teaching of Islam for ever because
the Muslim scholars unanimously decide the new issues in the light of Holy
Quran and Sunnah.

Kinds of Ijma: There are some kinds of Ijma:

• Ijma of the companions of Holy Prophet: This is most important form of

Ijma. The agreed upon principle is that the Ijma of any one can be reversed or
amended by one who is equal or greater than him. So, the Ijma of
companions is valid for all times to come, and this is an invariable source of
Islamic law. Some examples of this Ijma are the edition of second Azan in the
Friday prayer, Taraweeh prayers in twenty raka’at and compilation of Holy
Quran.
• Ijma of Imams: These are the elite of the scholars of the Muslim ummah like
Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Sahafa’i, Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad bin
Humble. Their grasp over theology was the best after the companions.
Example of their ijama include the issue of the missing (lost) individual, i.e.
what should be the maximum missing period for a person before he could be
considered declared dead.
• Ijma of the Scholars: Due to the blessing of Allah, all the time there are
some greatest scholars which deserve to solve some difficult issues in the
light of Islamic teachings. Example of this includes the permission of contract
a marriage ceremony via telephone and prayer timings for those living in the
North and South Poles. But this form of Ijma is not binding on all the Muslims
and could be revised or changed according to the demand of time and
circumstances.
• Ijma of Local Muslim Community: The member of a Muslim community may
also conduct of Ijma on the issues that pertain to them as individuals. For
example, the timings for Salat-ul-Eid and the amount of Sadaqat-ul-Fitr may
 36

be fixed by the local community though it must be within the time range
specified by the Holy Prophet. But this form of Ijma is not binding on all the
Muslims and can be revised or changed.

Other kinds of Ijma:

• Ijma-e-Sarih
• Ijma-e-Sukooti

Ijma-e-Sarih

Ijma-e-Sarih (Explicit Consensus) refers to a clear and direct agreement among all
scholars of a particular era on a specific issue in Islamic law. In this case, each jurist
explicitly expresses their opinion, and there is no disagreement among them. It is
considered the strongest form of consensus in Islamic jurisprudence

Ijma-e-Sukooti

It takes place when some mujtahid, one or more, give a legal opinion with regard
to specific rule about a particular legal issue, then the rest of them are informed
of this opinion and they keep silent and they neither acknowledge it nor object to
it.

Examples of Ijma:

• Ijma came into practice soon after the demise of the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) as all the Muslims unanimously agreed to elect Hazrat Abu Bakr
as a caliph of the Islamic state.
• The Holy Quran was not compiled in the book form during the life of Holy
Prophet. After his demise, on the suggestion of Hazrat Umar and by the
unanimous decision of companions, it was compiled in a book form.
• The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed taraweeh only three or four
times in congregation in his lifetime. He refrained from continuing so that it
would not become obligatory for my ummah. It was later during the reign of
caliph Hazrat Umar that the system of congregation of taraweeh was added
after Isha prayer with the consultation of all the companions.
 37

• During the time of the Holy Prophet, there was only one Azan for Jum’a. But
during the reign of the caliph Hazrat Uthman, Madinah expanded and the
Azan could not be heard. So, with the ijma of companions it was decided that
another call should be given.
• A Muslim woman is not permitted to marry a non-Muslim man.
• A man cannot be married to both a woman and her aunt or niece at the same
time.
• If there are no brothers or sisters from the same mother and father, then the
father's side siblings will get their share.

Qiyas (Analogy)

Meaning: Qiyas is the fourth source of Islamic law. It means to measure or to make
two things equal. In Islamic terminology it means applying the original law of the
Quran and Sunnah to a new sharaiah issue on the basis of common reasons.

All Muslim jurists exclusively agree that each shariah law has a reason or a cause for
it. Therefore, they try to find out the reason for every law then they apply the same
law on a new shariah issue if it has the common reasons.

Holy Quran and Qiyas: Allah has enjoined upon us to use our brains and
reasoning. As Allah said: “Take warning O you with eyes”. (59:2)

“As for these examples we cite them for mankind but none will grasp their meaning
save the wise”.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Qiyas: When Hazrat Muaz was appointed
as the governor of Yemen, then he asked: “How are you going to decide cases?”
Muaz answered: “By what is in the Book of Allah”. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) asked: “And if you do not find anything therein to guide you?” He said: “I will
decide in the way the prophet has been doing”. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) enquired, “But if you do not find any precedent from me, what then?” “I will do
my best by exercising my judgement”, Muaz replied. The Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) was overjoyed and thanked Allah for granting him such brilliant students,
whose answers brought him complete satisfaction.
 38

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) told to Hazrat Abu Musa Ashari: “Judge upon the
Book of Allah, if you do not find in it what you need, upon the Sunnah of the Prophet
and if you do find in that also, then use your personal opinion”.

Qualities of Mujtahid:

There are certain conditions for a person to exercise Qiyas. Such as:

• That person has to be a Mujtahid or doctor of law with command over the
Quranic and Sunnah matters and
• That person must be an expert of Arabic language.
• He must have sound memory and enjoy good repute as a pious person.
• He must have good knowledge of history in contemporary matters.

The use of Qiyas:

• The Qiyas is the source of law which is subordinate and subsidiary to the
Quran, Hadith and ijma.
• The Qiyas must be according to the basic principles of Islam.
• The aim of Qiyas is not to alter any Quranic or Sunnah law or text (nass).
• Its reasoning should be easily comprehended by human intellect.
• It must be applied only when there is no solution to the matter in the Quran or
in Hadith.
• It must not be against the contents of the Quran or the principles of Islam.

Elements of Qiyas: There are main four elements of Qiyas.

• Asl, which is the Quranic law.

• Far, which is the new shariah issue?
• Illah, it is the linking cause which links the current issue with the law of Quran.
• Hukum, the rule arrived at by analogy.

Examples of Qiyas:

• Holy Quran has declared consumption of wine unlawful, the reason behind
the prohibition of wine is intoxication which is quite clear. Then they apply the
same law on the new drugs if they have the same reason. Drugs like opium,
LSD, Heroin etc are declared unlawful because they have the same reasons
 39

as they are highly intoxicant. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) says: “Every
intoxicant is Khmar, so every intoxicant is Haram”.
• The verse says: “O believers when the cal is heard for the Friday prayer
hasten unto the remembrance of Allah and leave trading”. It prohibits all sorts
of business on Friday prayer from Azan till prayer, the reason behind is that it
hinders from offering Friday prayer; now this verse not only prohibits business
but all that hinders from Friday prayer, like games or getting married in the
time of Friday prayer.
• According to a tradition, reported by Hazrat Aisha, that if flour dries on the
nails and water has not reached any portion to that nail, Wuzu would not have
been considered to have taken place. Going by this tradition, with the
application of nail polish, Wuzu would be incomplete, as the nails remain dry.

Rejection of Qiyas by some scholars: There are some scholars like Ibn Hazm
Zahiri, who have rejected Qiyas. Their arguments can be summarized as given
below:

• Qiyas is a human attempt. It is personal reasoning and therefore outcome is

not the Islamic law.
• Qiyas has no evidence for it and therefore is not a source of Islamic law.
• The Illah (reason) behind a rule can be from the mind; therefore, it should not
have any authenticity.
• There are many chances of mistakes in Qiyas.
• Different scholars have different opinions and it might divide the Muslim
Ummah.

But these are their doubts and Qiyas can be proved as a source of Islamic law
easily.
 40

Biography of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)

(Life in Makkah)

The conditions of Arabia before the Holy Prophet:

The pre-Islamic period of history is known as the “The period of ignorance”. The
main conditions of Arabia were these.
Religious Conditions:
• The Arabs, before the advent of Islam were mostly idol worshippers. Every
tribe had its own deity; there were about 360 idols in the Holy Kaba at the time
of conquest of Makkah. People from different parts of Arabia used to come to
pay their homage here. Al Habal was the chief of these deities. Al Lat, Al Uzza
were the female deities and were referred to as the “Daughters of Allah”.
• Christianity, Judaism and were also practiced. The Christians and Jews had
distorted their religions. The Christians believed that the Christ was the son of
God. The Jews believed that Azra was the son of God. They had distorted
and modified their books to serve their end.
• Some people were devoted to fire-worship. They built their own shrines to fire.
• Some Arabs worshipped the sun, moon and the stars.
Social Conditions:
• The Arabs had little regard for morals. Might is right was the order of the day.
They were steeped in vices, superstitions and barbarism.
• They were addicted to gambling, drinking, stealing, usury and other unfair
trade practices were common. They indulged in fornication and adultery. The
society was morally corrupt.
• Slavery was common and the master enjoyed the right of life and death over
his slaves.
• The position of women in the Arabian society was so low that they could be
inherited like property or animals. A man could marry, as many women as he
liked, and could divorce them at will.
• The birth of female was regarded as a matter of shame to the family. Some
tribes buried the female infants alive.
 41

Political Conditions:
• There was no settled government and no law in the land. The affairs of each
tribe were governed by its own chief. The chiefs of tribes were chosen
because of their bravery, wealth and wisdom. Disputes among tribes arose
over cattle pastures, springs of water, horse racing and other trivial matters
and disputes would stretch to many years as the dispute Harb-ul-Basus
stretched to ten years.
Side by side, the Arabs had the qualities of heroism, love for liberty, excellent
memory, hospitality, bravery and eloquence. So, in these bad conditions the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) was born as a great reformer and revolutionary
person.
Date of birth: The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was born on the 9th or 12th
Rabi ul Awwal, 20th April 571AD, after two months of his father’s death, the 50 th day
of the Year of Elephant (in which year Abraha had mounted his elephant and led his
army in an attempt to storm Makkah and destroy the Ka’abah).
Name: He was named “Ahmad” by his mother, Amina bint Wahab. The meaning of
Ahmad, the one who praises too much to any other and he was given the name
“Muhammad” by Abdul ul Muttalib, the grandfather of Him, the meaning of
Muhammad is the one who is praised by a lot of people. When somebody
questioned Abd ul Muttalib about it, he said “I have named him so that his name may
be praised on the earth and in the heaven”.
Upbringing of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him): First, his mother, Amina bint
Wahab suckled Holy Prophet, second Abu Lahab ‘s slave girl, Thuabiya. But there
was a custom among the Arabs to give their suckling infants in charge of Bedouin
women, so that the baby can learn pure Arabic, to grow up in fresh atmosphere far
from the city and to get some natural qualities of villagers like simplicity, bravery etc.
So Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was given in charge of Halima Sa’dia of Banu
Sa’ad. She loved him very much. Before the arrival of Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) in her home, the conditions of Halima Sa’adia was very poor. But his arrival
made a lot of changes for her. As the barren land sprouted grass, and lean animals
came back to them satisfied and full of milk.
For the first two years of his life, he stayed with his foster mother. At the end of the
two-year term, Hazrat Halima asked his mother to allow him to remain with her a little
longer, which was accepted. So due to this kindness and love, the Holy Prophet
 42

(peace be upon him) showed great respect for her and her family. He used to call
her “my mother”. One day when she visited to Holy Prophet, he spread out his
mantle for her to sit upon as a token of special respect.
At the age of 4 years:
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his foster brother were playing with goats
outside home in the yard. Then Hazrat Jibrael appeared and he split his chest. He
took out his heart and removed a blood clot and said “It was the part of Shaytan” and
washed his heart with Aab e Zam Zam. Then he sewed his chest and went away.
His foster brother rushed to his mother and informed her. She rushed to him and
found him with white pale colour. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) informed her
complete event. This event is called Shakk-e- Sadr.
This event took place in his life four times;
• When he was four years old.
• When he was ten years old.
• When he was forty years old before receiving prophet hood.
• When he was fifty years old before the journey of Miraj.
These events gave Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) spiritual power to face the
attacks of devil and to bear the revelation. Later he was given to his own mother for
the next supervision.
At the age of 6 years:
When Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was six years old, her mother took him to
Yasrib (old name of Madinah) to visit the grave of her husband, Holy Prophet ‘s
father and also to meet her relatives. During the return journey from Yasrib, she fell
ill and died. Then she was buried at Abwa. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was
brought back to Makkah by Umm-e-Aiman (slave girl of Abdullah). Then Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) was given in the custody of his grandfather, Abd ul
Muttalib.
At the age of 8 years:
Hazrat Abd ul Muttalib loved and cared him very much because he was his orphan
grandson. Unfortunately, he also could not last for a long time and died when Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) was eight years old.
 43

At the age of 12 years:

After the death of Hazrat Abd-ul-Mutalib, Abu Talib took over the responsibility of
bringing him up as his own son. He loved his nephew more than his own sons. Abu
Talib was not rich person, so he had to attend the herds of camels and goats in order
to earn money. He trained him for trade and business. When Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) was twelve years old, he accompanied Abu Talib on a trade journey to
Syria. There they met a Christian monk called BaHira who was expert in Bible. He
asked some questions and Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) gave him satisfactory
answers. Buhaira took him by the hands and said “This is the chief of the universe;
this is the messenger of the Lord of the universe”. Some people asked how he knew
this, he said when he came over the hill all the trees and stones prostrated before
him and they prostrate only before a prophet. He advised Abu Talib to take special
care of him and go back for fear the Jews may recognize him and harm him. So,
when they finished their trading, Abu Talib lost no time in return to Makkah.
At the age of 15 years:
When Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was 15 years old, a local war broke out
during the Hajj season between the tribes of Quraish and Banu Qais. According to
books of history this war lasted for four years. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
participated in this war because Quraish were right in this matter but he did not take
any active part in this war. He only collected the arrows thrown by the enemy and
handed over to his uncle Zubair. This war is called Harb-ul-Fujjar.
Reasons for this name:
• Because it was fought during the sacred months of Hajj and this was
forbidden according to their traditions.
• This war became the cause of profanity of Makkah, so it was called battle of
fujjar means battle of sinners.
Wisdoms of his participation:
• This was his first war which showed him the disadvantages, losses of wars.
So, he became more lover of peace as his love for peace was shown in
Treaty of Hudaibiah and in other events.
• This war also gave him military experience which was applied later during
battles.
 44

It was thus called because the inviolables were made violable, the prohibited months
being included. Harb bin Omaiyah, on account of his outstanding position and
honourable descent, used to be the leader of Quraish and their allies. In one of those
battles, the Prophet (peace be upon him) attended on his uncles but did not raise
arms against their opponents. His efforts were confined to picking up the arrows of
the enemy as they fell, and handing them over to his uncles.
At the age of 19 years: Half-ul-Fazool:
Reasons:
General reason: As a result of Harb-ul-Fujjar thousands of lives were lost. When
they saw the effects of war and on the motivation of Zubair bin Abdul Muttalib, Banu
Zahra, Banu Tamim, Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib formed a league or an
organization.
Specific reason: A merchant from the Zubaid clan came to Makkah and sold some
goods to A’as bin Wail. However, A’as tried to avoid paying for the merchandise. The
salesman asked for help from different clans in Makkah, but they ignored his pleas.
In desperation, he climbed a mountain and loudly recited verses of complaint about
the injustice he had faced. Zubair bin Abdul-Muttalib heard about this and
investigated the situation. As a result, the clans involved in the confederacy met and
pressured A’as bin Wail to pay for the goods.
The leader of these people was Zubair and they made an agreement which is called
Half-ul-Fazool due to many fazal in this agreement. It is also suggested that this
alliance is called Half-ul-Fazool (Alliance for charity) because it was made for a noble
cause. This was done in the house of Abdullah bin Juda’an. The objectives of this
agreement were:
• To maintain peace in the region.
• To suppress any violence and injustice.
• To help the poor and travellers.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) also participated in this league and always
used to praise this agreement.
At the age of 25 years:
In Makkah there was a rich, respective widow lady whose name was Khadija bint
Khuwalid. She was a great businesswoman who hired men to trade goods for her
and gave them a share of her profits. She was forty years old and twice widowed.
 45

She had two sons and a daughter from her previous marriages. Due to her good
character, she was known as Tahira, the pious one. On the other side, Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) was also given the title of Al-Sadiq (the truthful) and Al-Amin
(the trustworthy). The people of Makkah had so much faith in his honesty and
trustworthiness. So, they used to keep their valuables with him even after the
prophet hood they continued to leave their valuables with him for safe custody.
When Hazrat Khadija listened about his fair dealing, truthfulness and
trustworthiness, she offered him to take charge of her business and go to Syria with
caravan of goods. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) accepted this offer and went to
Syria. She also sent Maisra (a slave boy) with him. During the trip, Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) conducted business with honesty and fairness. He avoided
deception and ensured all transactions were just and truthful. His ethical approach
resulted in significant profits for Hazrat Khadijah, more than she had previously
gained from similar ventures and Maisra told her about his fair dealing and honesty.
She was much impressed and made an offer of marriage to him through Nafeesa.
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) accepted this proposal after the consultation with
his uncle, Abu Talib. Abu Talib delivered the khutbah of ceremony. Amount of Mahr
(endowment) was 20 camels (500 dirham). At that time Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) was 25 years old while Hazrat Khadija was 40 years old but this union proved
very successful. She lived with him till her death. She proved herself a loving wife.
Allah blessed the couple with children. She bore him all his children except Ibrahim.
Their sons were two, Qasim and Abdullah (Titles: Tahir and Tayyab) and four
daughters, Zainab, Umm-e-Kalthoom, Ruqqqyas and Fatima. Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) always mentioned her with the feeling of great love and respect. This
marriage provided him financial support as Allah said in the Holy Quran “We made
you independent when you were needy”. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"Hazrat Khadija believed in me when no one else did, and she accepted Islam when
people rejected me, and she helped and comforted me when there was no one else
to lend me a helping hand”. She died at the age of 65 and was buried in Makkah.
At the age of thirty-five years: Fixing of Black Stone
The Ka’abah is situated at the lowest part in the valley of Faran and always was
flooded by rain water. So, the tribes of Quraish found it necessary to rebuild the
ka’abah in order to prevent it from collapse. The chiefs of Quraish decided to rebuild
Al-Ka'bah using only lawful money. They avoided money from harlotry, usury, or
 46

unfair practices. At first, they were afraid to demolish the wall. Al-Waleed bin Al-
MugHirah started the work, and when nothing bad happened to him, others joined in.
They demolished the walls until they reached the foundation laid by Hazrat Ibrahim.
Each tribe was given a part of the wall to rebuild. They gathered stones and started
working. A Roman mason named Baqum helped with the building. Everything went
smoothly until it was time to place the Black Stone. The chiefs began fighting over
who would have the honour of placing it. This disagreement lasted for four or five
days. Daggers were about to be drawn, and bloodshed seemed nearby. Abu
Umaiyyah bin MugHirah, the oldest chief, gave a suggestion. He said, "Let the first
person who enters the Sanctuary decide." By Allah’s will, the Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) was the first to enter. Everyone said, "Al-Ameen (the
trustworthy) has come. We accept his decision." Calmly, the Prophet (peace be upon
him) asked for a cloth, placed the stone in the middle, and told all the clan leaders to
lift it together. Once the stone reached its place, the Prophet (peace be upon him)
set it with his own hands. This solved the problem peacefully. Later, the Quraish ran
out of lawful money while rebuilding the Ka‘bah, so they left out six yards on the
northern side, called Al-Hijr or Al-Hateem. In this way, the problem was resolved
peacefully by the wisdom and foresight of holy prophet.
At the age of 40 years (610 AD): Declaration of prophet hood
With the age and growing understanding he became more aware of the corrupt
society and this thing disturbed him greatly. When he was near to forty, he became
more and more fond of solitude and he started to spend his more time into a cave
nearby mount, known as Hira, three miles away from Makkah with the supply of
dates, water etc. There he pondered and meditated over the condition of the people
of Makkah. Because there was unnecessary bloodshed, tribal disputes, oppression
of the weak and helpless people, injustice, idol worshipping and degraded status of
women. The priest and rabbis had corrupted the other religions, but he felt powerless
because he had no clear way to stop these bad practices. He also worshipped there
more and more. At the age of forty the signs of his Prophethood started to appear
and twinkle on the horizons of life; they were the true visions he used to experience
for six months. On the 12th of Feb, 610 AD, 27th of Ramzan, when he was in the cave
of Hira, Hazrat Jibrael appeared before him in the figure of a man and asked him to
read. This was a sudden and unexpected. Hazrat Jibrael said to Read (Iqra), he
answered him “I can not read”. He seized the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and
 47

squeezed him as hard as he could bear and said read. Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) replied I cannot read. Second time he squeezed him and said read. Prophet
gave the same answer. Third time he squeezed and said read. Prophet asked “what
shall I read? Then Hazrat Jibrael recited the first five verses of Surah ul Alaq: “Read!
With the name of your Lord, who creates (everything), who creates man from blood
clot? Read! Your Lord is the most generous who teaches by the pen, teaches man
what he knows not”. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) recited these verses after
Jibrael. Then he went out of the cave and heard the same voice saying “O,
Muhammad, you are Allah’s messenger and I am Jibrael”. Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) raised his eyes and saw the angel in the sky above the horizon. He stood
quite still until the angel disappeared. After this experience, he went home fearing on
the event and said cover me! And after some time, he narrated this incident to his
wife. His wife tried to calm him down and said, "Allah will never disgrace you. You
keep family ties strong. You help the weak. You support the poor and needy. You
welcome guests and face difficulties with truthfulness." Then she took him to her
cousin, Warqa bin Nofal, a learned man, a Christian scholar who said “by him in
whose hands my soul rests, you are the prophet of this nation and this was the angel
Jibrael who visited Moses, verily, your people shall call you a liar, abuse you, expel
you and start war against you”. He became astonished and asked “will they expel
me?” Warqa bin Nofal said, yes and said, “No one before you has delivered a
message like yours, but those who came before you were opposed by their people in
the same way”. If I were to live to that day, I shall stand by you and assist you, but he
died shortly thereafter. After the event of first revelation, this revelation stopped for
some time to ease the fear the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) felt and to
make him eager for the Revelation. Once the confusion passed, the Prophet knew
for sure that he was the Messenger of Allah and that the message he received was
from the divine source. His waiting and longing for the Revelation helped him remain
strong and calm when it finally returned. So, he saw angel Jibrael again, in the sky
seated on a chair. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) became frightened and
rushed home. He asked Hazrat Khadija to cover him up. She covered him up, after
which he received another revelation which said: “O you, enveloped in mantle, stand
up and warn, and pronounce the greatness of your Lord”. After this, the Revelation
came more frequently and regularly
 48

Significance of angel in this event:

• The angel was performing the duty which he had previously performed with
other messengers.
• He was the first to alert the prophet to his new career.
• His appearance was a sign that the revelations were truly from God.
• His threefold crushing enabled him to recite the verses of Holy Quran.
Significance of Warqa bin Nofal in this event:
• He was the first to explain the prophet about the significance of this
experience and confirmed that he had been appointed as a prophet of Allah.
• He helped him in realizing that he had been visited by the angel who had
appeared to others.
• This helped the prophet to understand the responsibilities to which he had
been called.
• He wished to be alive at a time when he proclaims his prophet hood.
• He promised to help him when the people will expel him.
Stages of early preaching:
Holy Prophet’s Call for Islam could be divided into two phases distinctively
demarcated:
1. The Makki phase: nearly thirteen years.
2. The Madni phase: fully ten years.
Each phase had its own unique features, visible with careful observation.
The Makki phase can be divided into three stages:
The 1st stage: Privately
When Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was 40 years old, he received first
revelation and after this revelation stopped for some time. The Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) passed this time in restlessness and anxiety, until one day, he saw
angel Jibrael again, in the sky seated on a chair. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) became frightened and rushed home. He asked Hazrat Khadija to cover him up.
She covered him up, after which he received another revelation which said: “O you,
enveloped in mantle, stand up and warn, and pronounce the greatness of your Lord”.
In obedience to the command of Allah, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) invited
his friends and relatives to the religion of Islam. He preached to them the Oneness of
Allah and warned them of the consequences of following their evil ways. But, he did
 49

not, at this stage, make any public announcement. He confined his message only to
those of his close friends and relatives that he thought would give a favourable
response. The first person to believe in him was his wife, Hazrat Khadija, who
accepted his message without any hesitation. This followed by the acceptance of
Islam by ten years old, Hazrat Ali, son of Abu Talib. The first freed slave to accept
Islam was Hazrat Zaid bin Harisa. The person to become a Muslim outside the
prophet’ immediate family was his close friend, Hazrat Abu Bakr . Hazrat Abu Bakr
was kind, wealthy, and respected. Many people trusted him and visited his house.
He invited others to Islam, and through his efforts, many people became Muslims,
like Hazrat Uthman bin Affan, Hazrat Zubair bin Awwam, Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin
‘Awf, Hazrat Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas, Hazrat Talhah bin Ubaidullah. These men were
among the first to accept Islam like Hazrat Bilal bin Rabah, an Abyssinian slave,
Hazrat Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah, known as the most trustworthy. Within a period of
three years, while the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was preaching his
message in secret, about forty God-fearing people accepted Islam. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) would meet and teach these new converts in secret and when it
was time for prayers, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions
went into a mountain valley to pray secretly. In the beginning, the leaders of Makkah
did not care much about Holy Prophet. They ignored his teachings. They thought he
was like other religious thinkers who talked about God and religion but had little
effect. However, their attitude changed. The Quraish leaders became worried. They
started watching Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) closely. They feared that his
message might spread and change people's beliefs.
The 2nd stage: Tribe and Family
After some time, he received another revelation that said:
“And warn your nearest kinsfolk”.
In order to carry out this command, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) invited his
relatives to his house. They were forty in numbers from Banu Hashim and Banu
Muttalib. He said to them: “Allah has ordered me to call you to Him, so who amongst
you will help me in this affair and be my friend, my adviser and my deputy?” No one
responded to the message positively except Ali, who said: “Though I have sore eyes,
thin legs and I am young in age, yet I am ready to support you”.
 50

• The 3rd stage: Open Preaching

Soon afterwards he received another revelation through which the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) was given the order:
“Therefore, proclaim openly that which you are commanded”.
Following this command, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) assembled the
people of Makkah at the Safa hill and said to them: “O Quraish, if I were to tell you
that a large army has collected on the other side of this mountain and is ready to
attack you, would you believe me?” They all said that they would, since they had
never heard him tell a lie. But when he asked them to believe in one Allah and his
prophet hood, they became angry and some of them shouted: “You have gone mad”.
Abu Lahab, one of his uncles, said, “May Allah destroy you. Did you assemble us for
this?” After this, all of them dispersed. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) now
started to address the people in public and private gatherings and on approach
routes to Makkah which were used by pilgrims to the Holy city. His efforts were
successful and people started embracing Islam.
Difficulties /Opposition and Persecution by the Quraish:
When Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) started preaching of Islam openly, the
response of the influential people of Makkah was hostile. They felt that unless they
met the new call with stiff opposition, it was bound to be accepted by a large section
of the population. Among those who took the lead in the opposition were most
influential chiefs of the Quraish, namely Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, Abu Sufyan, Waleed
bin Mughaira, Utba bin Rabi and Umayya bin Khalf.
Persecution faced by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him):
• The Quraish launched a campaign against the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) calling him a mad man, a poet and a magician. Poems were written to
ridicule the prophet.
• Abu Lahab forced his two sons to divorce their wives, Ruqayya and Umm-e-
Kulsum, the prophet’ daughters. When the Prophet’s son, Ibraheem died in
infancy Abu Lahab rejoiced and called the prophet “abtar” a man cut off with
no male offspring.
• His wife Umm-e-Jamil used to put thorns on the path which the prophet was
expected to take, in order to cause physical injury.
• Rubbish and thorny bushes were thrown on the Holy prophet.
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• When the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) would perform prayers, some
individuals would throw the uterus of a goat in such a way that it would fall
directly upon him. However, whenever filth was thrown on him, he would take
it on a piece of wood, stand at the door, and say, "O Banu Abd Manaf, what
kind of neighborhood is this?" Then he would throw the filth aside on the road.
• On one occasion, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was praying near
the Kaaba, Abu Jahl and some of his companions were sitting nearby. Some
of them said to one another, "Who will bring the intestines of a camel and
throw them on Muhammad when he prostrates?" The most wretched of the
group Uqbah bin Abi Mueet got up, brought the camel's intestines, and
waited. When the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) went into prostration, he
placed the intestines on his back. They all started laughing so much that they
fell over each other. Later, Hazrat Fatimah came, removed the intestines from
his back, and threw them away. Then the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
raised his head from prostration and said, "O Allah, seize the Quraysh."
• An old woman would throw garbage upon him whenever he passed her way.
One day, when the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) did not come across
her, inquired and came to know that she was ill. He went to meet her and
asked about her health! She was so embarrassed and accepted Islam.
• When insults and persecution had no effect on the prophet, the pagans tried
other methods. They offered to collect a large fortune from him, or make him
the king. They even promised to marry him to the fairest girl in the land if he
gave up preaching of Islam. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) turned
down all such offers.
• They approached his uncle, Abu Talib and asked him to prevent his nephew
from preaching of Islam or to be prepared for violence against Muhammad.
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said “If they place the sun on my right
hand and the moon on my left hand, and ask me to stop preaching the word
of God to the people, I shall never accept what they say”. Then the Abu Talib
said: “Go and preach what you please, for by God, I will not forsake you”.
• The leaders of Quraish came up with another proposal; that he should
worship their gods and they in return would worship his god. Allah revealed to
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them, that there could be no compromise on this and declared, “You have
your religion and I have my religion”.
• Finally, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers were boycotted
and forced to live in a narrow valley outside Makkah for three years. Their
condition became so bad that children cried with hunger, adults fed on boiled
leather and leaves of trees and the valley echoed with the cries of helpless
people. They were prevented from worshipping at the Ka’abah and their
means of livelihood were taken away.
• The death of Abu Talib and Hazrat Khadija deprived him of help and
protection.
• When he visited to Ta’if, he was rejected and assaulted. They set upon him a
crowed of teenagers to follow him and shout abuses at him. They even threw
stones at him. He was so badly wounded that his shoes were filled with blood.
In this way Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was tortured physically,
mentally and emotionally but he remained steadfast and continued his
preaching.
Persecution faced by the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him):
The followers of the Prophet also faced severe persecution. They were thrown into
prison, starved and then beaten with sticks. They were exposed to the scorching
heat of the desert sand where they were offered the alternative of worshipping idols
or death. Some of them were died of the effects of the torture, but none renounced
his religion.
• Hazrat Usman’s uncle would wrap him in a palm mat and smoke him from
beneath.
• When Hazrat Musab bin Umair’s mother learned of his conversion to Islam,
she cut off his food and water and expelled him from the house. He had
grown up in great luxury, but when faced with harsh conditions, his skin
became like that of a snake shedding its scale.
• Hazrat Bilal, the Negro was inhumanly tortured by his master Umayyah bin
Khalf. He was tied with a rope and dragged by the street boys on the orders
of his master. Umayyah himself would tie him up, beat him with stick, and
force him to sit under the schorching sun. He wouldn’t give him food or water,
 53

leaving him hungry and thirsty. He would go so far as to lay him on burning
hot stones under the midday sun, placing a heavy rock on his chest, and say,
“By God, you will remain like this until you die or deny Muhammad” but in this
state, he would only say, “Ahad, Ahad” (One, One).
• Hazrat Ammar bin Yasir was a slave of Banu Makhzoom tribe. When he and
his parents embraced Islam, they faced immense persecutions. The
polytheists, led by Abu Jahl, would drag them to the scorching ground during
the hottest hours and punish them with the intense heat. Once, the Holy
Proophet passed by and said, “O family of Yasir, have patience, for your
abode is Paradise”. Eventually, Hazrat Yasir succumbed to the torture and
passed away. Hazrat Sumayyah, the mother of Hazrat Ammar was martyred
when Abu Jahl stabbed her private parts with a spear, causing her to die on
the spot. Ther torture of Hazrat Ammar continued. The polytheists would tell
him, “We will not stop it until you insult Muhammad”.
• Hazrat Suhaib Rumi was tortured to the extent that he lost control over what
he said and repeated anything that his tormenter asked him.
• Hazrat Zunaira was a Roman slave girl who was tortured till she turned to
blind.
• Khabbab bin Aratt was a slve of a woman. The polytheists subjected him to
various forms of punishment, pulling out his hair and twisting his neck
violently. He was repeatedly laid on burning coals with heavy stones placed
on top of him so that he couldn’t move.
• Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Talha were also harassed. Once they were tied
up by the same rope, when they were praying, but mysteriously the rope was
untied.
• Some followers were forced to flee to Abyssinia to the protection of the king.
When the Quraish came to know about this migration they went to Abyssinia
and requested the king to return them but due to the speech of Hazrat Jafar,
the king rejected their request.
• Finally, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers were boycotted
and forced to live in a narrow valley outside Makkah for three years. Their
condition became so bad that children cried with hunger, adults fed on boiled
leather and leaves of trees and the valley echoed with the cries of helpless
 54

people. They were revented from worshipping at the Ka’abah and their
means of livelihood were taken away.
• The polytheists devised various forms of torture for the companions even
some companions were wrapped in raw animal hides and left out in the sum.
Some others were made to wear iron armor and laid on burning stone.
But these, history making noble souls set great examples of patience, steadfastness,
unshaken faith, commitment to their mission, love and devotion to their leader and
unity among themselves.
Q: Explain how their reaction to these difficulties can set an example for
Muslims today?
A: First: They set examples of unshaken faith, steadfastness and commitment to
their mission. They were not deflected from Islam and preaching of Islam even when
offered bribes. The Holy Quran appreciates such believers and called them true
believers. Today’s Muslims are required to strengthen their faith like these.
Second: They also set the examples of patience and tolerance. Today, we are living
in times when people tend to lose their temper on the slightest provocation. We
should look to the noble examples of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) who
would constantly face persecution, rejection and insults but would remain undeterred
Third: They also set the great examples of forgiveness for their enemies. They did
not take up arms and weapons against them in Makkah. They followed the teaching
of the Holy Quran in the best way as Allah gave them order about forgiveness. Allah
said in the Holy Quran: “(O Prophet,) take forgiveness (as your habit), enjoin virtue,
and ignore the ignorant”. Today’s Muslims are also required to forgive their enemies
and avoid from the habit of taking revenge.
Forth: They remained thoroughly united and disciplined against all odds. They would
neither abandon their faith nor each other. They remained loyal to one another. This
they did because Allah said: “The believers are but a single brotherhood”. Muslims in
the modern world are in the need of promoting such unity, not falling in sectarianism
and to promote strong mutual love and harmony.
Migration of Abyssinia: 615 AD
This event took place in the fifth year of prophet hood, 615 AD. When inhuman
oppression and physical torture of Quraish became unbearable for Muslims, Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed these Muslims to immigrate to Abyssinia to
seek protection. Abyssinia was selected because Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
 55

knew that Asham, who held the title of Najashi or Negus, was a just and fair ruler of
Abyssinia.
First group (Rajab 615 AD):
In first migration, a group of eleven men and four women secretly left for Abyssinia.
These included Hazrat Usman and his wife Ruqayya, daughter of Holy Prophet.
They quietly left Makkah at night and went to the sea. Two boats were sailing to
Abyssinia (Ethiopia), where they wanted to go. The Quraish heard about their plan
and sent men to catch them. However, the believers had already left Shuaibah Port.
They reached Abyssinia safely and were welcomed kindly. The Muslims in Abyssinia
(Ethiopia) were given false news that the Quraish had all accepted Islam. Believing
this, they decided to return to Makkah and arrived in Shawwal of the same year.
When they were close to Makkah, they found out the truth. Some went back to
Abyssinia, while others entered Makkah secretly or under the protection of local
leaders.
Second group:
The Quraish were angry when they heard about the warm welcome the Muslims
received in Abyssinia. They began to torture the Muslims even more harshly.
Because of this, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) allowed the Muslims to
migrate to Abyssinia again. This second migration was harder because the Quraish
were watching the Muslims closely. Still, the Muslims managed to leave before the
Quraish could stop them. This time, 83 men and 19 or 18 women migrated including
Hazrat Jafar, son of Abu Talib.
Delegation: When the Quraish came to know of this, they sent a deputation
consisting of Amr bin A’as and Abdullah bin Abu Rabia with some gifts to the
Christian king. The Quraish delegation reached and made false accusations against
them. They requested to Negus to hand over the emigrants to them. Muslims were
brought in the court of Negus. The king called the Muslims to his court and asked
them to explain their beliefs. As a reply to Negus, Hazrat Jafar explained the
principles of Islam and what the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had taught them.
He said:
“O king, we were ignorant people who worshipped idols, ate carrion and indulge in
vice. The strong among us used to exterminate the weak. Muhammad who was
already known to us for his nobility, truthfulness and trustworthiness, called us to
Islam and told us to give the worship of idols, to tell the truth, to shun bloodshed, to
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be considerate to neighbours, avoid slandering virtuous women. So, we believed in

him and gave up paganism, this is the crime for which people of our own clan
became blood thirsty enemies aiming to compel us to return to our former paganism
and that is why we sought safety in Abyssinia. The king asked Hazrat Ja‘far to recite
something from the Qur’an. Hazrat Ja‘far recited verses from Surah Maryam and
Najashi was so moved that his beard became wet with tears. Even the courtiers of
Najashi wept after listening to the recitation. Najashi said, "This and the Gospel are
the lights of same candle”. He refused to send the Muslims back and said, "They are
free to live and worship in my land." The next day, the two envoys went to the king
again. They told him that Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers
insulted Hazrat Isa. The king called the Muslims and asked them what they believed
about Hazrat Isa. Hazrat Ja‘far replied, "We believe Jesus is the servant of Allah, His
Messenger, His spirit, and His Word given to Virgin Mary." The king said, "That is
what we believe too. Blessed be you and your Prophet." He told the angry envoys
and bishops, "You can be upset, but Jesus is as Hazrat Ja‘far has described him."
The king assured the Muslims of his protection. He gave back the gifts the envoys
had brought and sent them away. The Muslims lived peacefully in Abyssinia for
several years before returning to Madinah.
Significance of migration to Abyssinia:
• The migration to Abyssinia gave the Muslims a chance to carry the message
of Islam out of Arabia.
• The migration convinced the Quraish of the sincerity of the Muslims who were
ready to undergo loss and hardships rather than give up the faith of Islam.
• The migration showed the Muslims that there are places where they could
seek shelter and protection from the persecution of the Quraish.
• This migration gave the idea of a greater migration to Yasrib.
• The migration gave the opportunity to Muslims to act upon the Islamic
teaching easily.
• The migration made the Muslims free from the persecutions by the hands of
Makkans.
Q: why did the people of Makkah pursue these Muslims?
A: The Makkans pursued the emigrants for a number of reasons.
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First:
They feared Islam might start growing and flourishing by the efforts of the emigrants.
So, they considered it a dangerous development for their religion. Because they
were addicted to idol worshipping and they were not ready to give them up.
Second:
The migration was considered as a cause of damaging their pride, prestige and
social and political position in Arabia. Because they were the custodians to Ka’ba
which was a source of religious and social prestige. They could not bear any such
damage and, therefore, hurried to Abyssinia to undo the efforts of the Muslims.
Third:
They also felt their economic interests endangered because due to this migration
many left Makkah and it was source of motivation for others. This idol worshipping
was not only part of their religious rituals but also it brought them huge earnings. So,
if the emigrants grew in number, their economy could decline.
The Socio- Economic Boycott: 7th year of Prophet hood, 617 AD
Reasons for this boycott:
When the torment and oppression by the Quraish failed to stem the advancing tide of
Islam, they decided to boycott. The acceptance of Islam by Hamza, the prophet’s
uncle and Umar, son of Khattab, greatly upset the pagans. The successful migration
of Abyssinia also enraged the pagans. So, they demanded that the Banu Hashim
withdraw their protection from the Prophet and hand over to them or face a complete
boycott.
Events: This boycott took place in the seventh year of prophet hood 617AD and this
lasted for about three years. All the heads of the Makkah assembled in the Ka’aba
and wrote the “Sanction of Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib”. This agreement was
written by Mansoor bin Ikramah. This was hung onto the wall of Ka’aba. They took
an oath that they would not marry the women of these clans or give any in marriage
to them or sell them anything or buy anything from them. They also stopped
socializing, visiting, or even talking to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his
followers. This would continue until Muhammad (peace be upon him) was handed
over to be killed. Abu Talib took the whole Banu Muttalib and Banu Hashim tribes
(except Abu Lahab, who disowned his own tribe) to a small valley on the eastern
outskirts of Makkah, the mountain pass of Abu Talib (Shi’b-i-Abi-Talib). These people
lived an extremely hard and miserable life. All the roads leading into the valley were
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blocked. Only occasionally, some compassionate Makkans would provide them

some food and they would be able to buy some stocks during the four sacred
months. Whatever little they had to eat, eventually finished and then came a time of
extreme difficulty. Their condition became so bad that children cried with hunger,
adults fed on boiled leather and leaves of trees and the valley echoed with the cries
of helpless people. At last, differences began to surface among the Makkans as
some of the kindhearted chiefs, the leader was Hasham, began to feel sorry and a
group of five leaders began to pressurize Abu Jahl and other die hard Makkans to
cancel the cruel and unjust treaty. They held negotiations within the Sacred Mosque
where Abu Talib was also present. He told them that prophet had been divinely
informed that the parchment on which the treaty was written, had been eaten away
by insects except for the word of Allah. Abu Talib challenged that if that proved
wrong, he would give his nephew up to them. A man went to see the parchment and
found the claim of Abu Talib absolutely true. Thus, the boycott was brought to an end
by the intervention of Allah himself. The Quraish, however, remained just as
unconvinced as before.
The year of Grief: 619 AD
At the end of the boycott, the prophet had to bear the loss of his two greatest
supporters, Abu Talib and Khadija and the Prophet declared the year 619AD as the
Year of the Grief (Aam ul Huzn). Both of them had served him greatly in his mission.
Khadija had been his partner in life, mother of his children and had provided undying
support always. Abu Talib had been a father to him before prophet hood and after,
and a strong pillar of support in his mission as he was the chief of tribe Banu hashim
and due to him the Quraish could not hurt the prophet beyond a certain limit nor take
his life. Abu Talib’s death marked the end of this tribal protection as the new chief of
Banu Hashim, Abu Lahab, refused this unconditional shelter. This protection
however was now continued by Mutim Bin Adi, but it was not a very strong one.
The event of Taif: 10th Year of Prophethood,
After the death of Abu Talib, the Quraish increased their attacks against the Holy
Prophet. So, he decided to explore new avenues in his search of get support and
shelter and to take the message of Islam from Makkah to the neighbouring cities.
Then he selected the city of Taif which was situated about two- or three-days
journey, southeast of Makkah, home of the Bani Thaqeef, which was the second
largest tribe in Arabia. The climate of the city was relatively more pleasant than that
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of Makkah and it was full of fertile gardens and orchards. It lies on the slopes of the
higher and cooler mountains on the way to Yemen. The hills used to be visited by
the higher classes and dignitaries of Makkah to spend their summer months. Three
brothers of the Banu Thaqif, namely Habib, Mas'ud and Abd Yalayl were the main
chiefs and leaders of the city at that time. He was accompanied by Zaid bin Haris. In
Taif the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) approached the chiefs calling upon them
to believe in Allah and to support him in his efforts to establish Islam. But they
mocked him and refused. One said, "If Allah has made you a Messenger, then let
him tear the covering of the Ka‘bah." Another said, "Couldn't Allah find someone else
for this?" The third said, "I will never speak to you. If you're truthful, you're too
serious to reply. If you're lying, I won't talk to a liar”. Seeing they would not listen, the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) left and said, "Whatever you have done, keep it
hidden”. He stayed there for ten days, delivering his message to many people one by
one, but it was all in vain. Instead, they set upon him a crowd of teenagers to follow
him and shout abuses at him. They even threw stones at him. He was so badly
wounded that his shoes were filled with blood. Zaid tried to shield the Holy Prophet,
but he too was badly injured. Retreating from this mob, they took refuge in an
orchard of two sons of Rabia to relax and refresh themselves and nurse their
wounds. The supplication that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) did was: "My
Lord, I complain to You about my weakness, lack of help, and the humiliation I face.
You are the Most Compassionate and Merciful, and the Lord of the weak. You are
my Lord. Who will take care of me? I don’t mind what I face as long as You are not
displeased with me. Still, I would be happier with Your mercy”. When the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon him) sat on the rock, raising his hands
to Allah, the two owners of the orchard saw him in a helpless state, they sent a
Christian servant with grapes. The Prophet accepted the grapes and said, "In the
Name of Allah." The servant, ‘Addas, was surprised and said, “People here don’t say
that.” The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) asked where he was from and what
religion he followed. ‘Addas replied, “I’m a Christian from Nineveh.” The Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “You’re from othe city of the righteous Younus,
son of Matta.” When ‘Addas asked if the Prophet knew Younus, he replied, “He is my
brother. He was a Prophet, and so am I.” Addas then kissed the Holy Prophet’s
hands. His masters scolded him, but he responded, “No one is better than him. He
has revealed a truth only a Prophet could know.” They warned him to stick to his own
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faith, saying it was better than the new one he was considering. On the way back,
the angel of mountain offered the Prophet, that the entire population of Taif be
destroyed by squeezing between the two mountains, but he forgave them and said:
“Why should I pray for the destruction of these people? I hope that their posterity will
certainly be among the believers in one Allah” and in 9 AH the whole of Taif
embraced Islam. On the way back to Makkah, he proceeded to Wadi Nakhlah where
he stayed for a few days. During his stay there, Allâh sent him a company of jinns
who listened to him reciting the Holy Quran; "Say, 'It has been revealed to me that a
group of jinn listened to the Qur'an and said, "Indeed, we have heard an amazing
Qur'an, it guides to the right course, and we have believed in it; and we will never
associate with our Lord anyone."
The Isra and Mairaj: (Ascension) 10th Year of Prophet hood
On the 27th Rajab, 10th year of prophethood a very unusual event took place. As the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was sleeping and resting inside the Hatim, Jibrael
came to him astride a heavenly creature resembling a horse, named Buraq, upon
which the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) rode with him in the skies towards
Jerusalem. Within the blink of an eye or even sooner, they reached the Masjid Al
Aqsa (known as the farthest mosque) where the Prophet was greeted by the past
messengers of Allah. Here the Prophet led the entire body of Allah’s messengers in
prayer and also met many of them individually. This was the first part of his journey
and is known as Isra. As Allah said in the Holy Quran;
“Glorious is He Who made his servant travel by night from Al Masjid-ul-Haram to Al
Masjid-ul-Aqsa whose environs we have blessed”. Then the Prophet ascended the
heavens along with Jibrael on the second part on journey, called Mairaij. The
Prophet again rode the Buraq, soon they reached the lowest heaven. The guardian
angel asked Gibrael as to who he was, and who was with him. When he was
informed about their identity he again asked if the prophet had been sent for. After
getting the reply in affirmative the guardian angel said, “Welcome, his coming is
good”. He met many prophets along the way. As he met Hazrat Adam on first sky,
Hazrat Yahya and Isa on the second sky, Hazrat Yosuf on the third sky, Hazrat
Idrees on the fourth sky, Hazrat Haroon on the fifth sky, Hazrat Mosa on the sixth
sky and Hazrat Ibraheem on the seventh sky. Then he saw paradise and Hell and
here he saw some kinds of chastisement for sinners and Gibrael talked about their
crimes. In this journey, two gold vessels were brought to him, one filled with milk and
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the other with wine. He was asked to choose one, and he chose the vessel with milk
and drank it. The angel said, "You have been guided to Al-Fitrah (the natural way).
Had you chosen the wine, your nation would have been misled." Then they finally
reached the Sidra tul Muntaha (The Lote Tree). Then he went alone in the presence
of Allah and received Divine commandments and gifts. It is said that Allah blessed
him 50 daily prayers then were reduced to 5 because Hazrat Mosa asked him to
pray to his lord to reduce the numbers of prayers. Along with this the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) also received last few verses of surah Al-Baqarah and also a
special pardon was granted for the Muslims Ummah if it was remained secure from
the sin of shirk. Then he came back to his home and the whole event took place in
one night. The next morning the Prophet narrated publicly all the details of both the
Isra and Mairaj phases. The pagans found yet another amusing opportunity to
criticize and ridicule the Prophet and the Muslims. But Hazrat Abu Bakr verified this
event without any confusion and got the title of” “Al-Siddique” which means the
testifier of truth.
Q: Explain the importance of this event to the prophet himself.
A: This event was very important for Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) as:
First: It occurred at a time when he was facing quite distressing circumstances. He
had lost two vital supporters, Khadija and Abu Talib, had been rejected by the people
of Taif and there was a halt of spreading of Islam in Makkah. In these circumstances
the experience of Miraj brought hope to him as he saw some of Allah’s signs.
Second: This honour marks the especially elevated spiritual status of the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) among all the chosen people of God as he led all the
prophets in prayer in Jerusalem.
Third: In order to strengthen his and his people’s bond with Allah, the Prophet was
awarded the gift of five daily prayers whose sole purpose is to remember God as is
mentioned in the Quran “And establish regular prayer in order to remember Me”.
Forth: This event assured him of his closeness with God as he met Him directly and
this gave him spiritual power.
The pledges of Aqabah:
After the visit of Taif of holy prophet, he concentrated more and more on strangers,
who came to Makkah for the pilgrimage.
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In the 11th year of prophet hood (620 AD):

Six pilgrims from the tribe of khazraj in Yasrib came to Makkah. Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) invited to Islam. In Yasrib there Jewish scholars who had often spoken
to the pagans that prophet soon to be born among the Arabs and when he will come
the Jews would destroy the idol worshippers. So, when these men saw Holy
Prophet, they recognized him because in Yasrib, the majority of the population
consisted of the Aws and Khazraj tribes, who were polytheists and idol worshippers.
Alongside them lived the Jews, who were People of the Book and knowledgeable.
Since the Jews were a minority in Madinah, whenever they had a dispute with the
Aws and Khazraj, they would say, “A prophet is soon to be sent. We will follow him,
and with his support, we will destroy you”. They began saying to one another, "This
is the same prophet the Jews used to talk about. Let it not happen that the Jews
surpass us in attaining this honor." So, before leaving that gathering, they embraced
Islam. When they returned to their city, they told their people what they had seen and
heard. These six peple were; As’ad bin Zurarah, Auf bin Haris, Rafi bin Malik, Qutba
bin Amir, Uqba bin Amir, Jabir bin Abdullah.
In the 12th year of prophet hood :( 621 AD):
Twelve persons came from Yasrib and they met him at the place of Aqabah in the
ground of Mina at nigh They declared their belief in Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) and promised; “We will worship only one Allah. We will not steal, commit
adultery, or kill our children. We will not lie or slander others. We will obey you in all
good matters.” The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fulfills this
pledge will be rewarded by Allah. If someone fails and is punished in this world, it will
be a way of forgiveness for them in the Hereafter.” They made a pledge on these
teachings. This is called First Pledge of Aqabah. Hazrat Musab bin Umair and Hazrat
Abdullah bin Umme Maktoom were sent with them. When these people arrived in
Yasrib, they stayed at the house of As’ad bin Zurarah. They invited people to Islam
and led them in prayer. In this pledge five were the previous people and seven were
new like Ubaida bin Samit, Zakwan bin Qais, Muaz bin Haris etc.
In the 13th year of prophet hood: (622 AD)
A deputation consisting of 75 persons (73 men, 2 women) came the following year
from Yasrib to take the same pledges. This is called Second Pledge of Aqabah.
These meetings were organized by Hazrat Abbas bin Abd ul Muttalib, the real uncle
of Holy Prophet. Hazrat Abbas, though not a Muslim at that time, deeply cherished
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the support and assistance of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) . Upon sitting,
he addressed the people of Yasrib and said, "Muhammad holds a position of great
honour and respect among his people. We have been his supporters and protectors,
and now he wishes to come to you. If you can ensure his complete support and
protection, remaining steadfast until death, then it is better. Otherwise, give a clear
response now." The people replied, "We have understood what you said." Then,
turning to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), they said, "O Messenger of Allah,
what do you demand from us? We are ready for it. Take any pledge from us, for the
sake of Allah and yourself." The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "I invite you
to Allah, present Islam to you, and recite the Qur'an. I ask you, for the sake of Allah,
to worship Him alone and associate no partners with Him. Additionally, I ask that you
provide shelter to my companions and me, and protect us as you protect your
families, children, and women. In all circumstances whether in joy or sorrow, ease or
difficulty, poverty or wealth, you must obey me and listen to what I say." The people
of Yasrib asked, "If we do this, what will we receive in return?" The Prophet replied,
"Paradise." The Ansar said, "We accept. Extend your blessed hand for us to pledge
allegiance." However, Abu Al-Haytham said, "O Messenger of Allah, I have
something to say. We have certain ties with the Jews. If Allah grants you victory and
success, might it happen that you return to Makkah and leave us behind in
suffering?" Hearing this, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) smiled and said, "No,
never! Your lives are my life, and I am yours. Whoever is your enemy being my
enemy, and whoever makes peace with you makes peace with me." Upon hearing
this, they all enthusiastically extended their hands and pledged allegiance to the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him). When everyone had pledged allegiance, the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Hazrat Musa had chosen 12 leaders from
among the Bani Israel. Likewise, following the guidance of Hazrat Jibreel, I will select
12 leaders from among you." Addressing the 12 leaders, he said, "You will be
responsible and accountable for your people." The next morning, when this news
spread in Makkah, the Quraysh tried to pursue the caravan, but it had already
departed towards Yasrib.
Importance of these pledges:
At that time the position of Muslims was very weak. Muslims were persecuted by the
pagans and many of them were killed by them. When Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) went to Taif, the people of Taif not only rejected him but also tortured him.
 64

Hazrat Khadija and Abu Talib were great supporters and protectors of Holy Prophet,
but after their death he became support less and helpless and in tribal system it was
too much difficult to survive without any protection. So, in these conditions these
pledges were very important for Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his
companions. As:
• These pledges gave them a great help, power, support and protection.
• These pledges became the source of spreading of Islam outside Makkah.
• These pledges set the foundations for a Muslim community to live in harmony
and with religious freedom.
• These brought a change to the conditions of the Muslims and allowed Islam to
be established.
• Ideas in the pledges still hold true for today, like the pledge to not kill their
children.
• These pledges encouraged the Muslims and finished their hopelessness as it
showed that all the people and places are not same. There are many people
who are ready to accept Islam and give them full support.
• These pledges became the major cause of Migration of Madinah which was a
great turning point in Islamic revolution.
• These pledges secured the Muslims from the persecutions in Makkah.
Importance of these pledges for the future Muslim community:
• These pledges set the foundations for any Muslim community to live in
harmony and with religious freedom.
• Ideas in the pledges still hold true for today, like the pledge to not kill their
children.
• These pledges became the major cause of Migration of Madinah which was a
great turning point in Islamic revolution.
Migration to Madinah: 622 AD, 13th of Prophet hood
Reasons for migration:
• The aggressive attitude of the Quraish and their persecution was an important
factor in the migration.
• The successful experience of migration to Abyssinia opened a door for
greater migration.
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• The preaching of Islam became standstill because the paganism was so deep
rooted among the Quraish and they were unable to accept any new religion.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) became defenseless and support less due
to the death of Khadija and Abu Talib. So, he decided.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had maternal relatives in Madinah, so he
had some support there.
• Islam is a universal religion, so it was necessary to spread Islam outside
Makkah. So, he migrated.
• Socio- Economic Boycott was another reason which forced Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) to think about migration.
• In Yasrib the two tribes of Aus and Khazraj, who had been at war with each
other looked for a strong leader who could establish peace in their land, so
they invited them.
• Some people of Madinah made pledges and invited the prophet to come to
Madinah and assured him their full support.
• The Makkans had made a plan to kill Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) at
Dar ul Nadwah and Allah wanted to save him, so he received the order from
Allah to migrate towards Madinah.
Events:
When the unbelievers came to know of growing power of Muslims, they redoubled
their persecution for Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers. Therefore,
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) advised them to emigrate to Yasrib secretly. Then
the Quraish held a meeting in the council hall, Dar un Nadwa. Many leaders were
gathered like Utba, Shaiba, Abu Sufyan, Abu Jahl, Ummaya bin Khalf and Iblees in
the form of an old man of Najad. They decided that one person from each tribe
should be selected who would collectively attack the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) and kill him. So, the Banu Hashim may not be able to take revenge from all
tribes.
As Allah said in the Holy Quran
“And remember when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you or to kill
you or to get you out, they were plotting while Allah was also planning the wisest
plan too, no doubt, Allah is the best planner”.
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The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was informed of this plan by Allah through
the angel Jibrael. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) went to the house of Hazrat
Abu Bakr and informed him about the permission for migration. Hazrat Abu Bakr
asked if he could go with him and prophet replied in the positive. After finalizing the
plan, he returned home to wait for nightfall. The Makkans had chosen 11 men, one
from each tribe to take part in the murder attempt and they surrounded the house of
prophet. Then Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) asked Hazrat Ali to sleep on his
bed and to return the valuables entrusted to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
by the people of Makkah and he left the house by reciting the verses of surah Yasin
and by throwing the handful of dust at disbelievers. As Allah said in the Holy Quran;
“And we put a barrier before them, and a barrier behind them, and we covered them
up, so they cannot see”. He took Hazrat Abu Bakr, made his way to Yasrib and
reached at the cave of Saur. On reaching the cave, Hazrat Abu Bakr entered the
cave and cleaned it. Then Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) entered it and laying
his head in the lap of Hazrat Abu Bakr, immediately went to sleep. Meanwhile a
snake appeared from a hole, Hazrat Abu Bakr put his foot on the mouth of the hole
and the snake stung it. The pain was so severe that the tears from Abu Bakr’s eyes
fell on the Holy Prophet’ face. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) woke up and on
seeing Abu Bakr condition applied his saliva on his foot and the pain was removed.
On the other side, the disbelievers were waiting for the hour when prophet used to
get out for Morning Prayer and near the morning they started peeping through the
holes of the door. They saw that Hazrat Ali is sleeping, when he rose up, they asked
about Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) but he answered that he had no idea. At
this they were stunned. Emergency was declared in Makkah and a prize of 100
camels was announced for anyone who could capture Hazrat Abu Bakr or Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) dead or alive. Many young men of the Quraish went
out in search of them and they came very close to cave that Hazrat Abu Bakr said to
prophet “if anyone of them looks down, he could find us”. Holy Quran mentions the
answer of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in these words “And he said to his
companion, have no fear, for Allah is with us”. So, the disbelievers did not bother to
look inside cave because its entrance was covered with cobwebs and there was a
pair of wild pigeon on the thresh hold. During this stay Hazrat Abdullah, son of
Hazrat Abu Bakr brought news of the Quraish, Hazrat Asma bint Abu Bakr brought
food for them. After three days Abdullah bin Ureeqat who was hired as guide came
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and they continued their journey. During their journey, the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him), Hazrat Abu Bakr, and their guide stopped near the tent of Umme Ma'bad,
a kind and generous woman who lived in the desert with her husband. They asked
her for food and milk, but she informed them that they had no provisions left. Their
goats were weak and could not produce milk due to the drought. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) then asked for permission to milk one of her goats. When she
agreed, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) touched the goat, and by the grace of
Allah, it produced a large amount of milk. He milked the goat, drank some of the milk
himself, offered it to Hazrat Abu Bakr, Umme Ma'bad, and the others. The remaining
milk was left for her. During journey Suraqa bin Malik tried to approach and capture
them but his horse’s legs sank into the ground and he realized that he could not
attack. On his request he was given statement of security and peace.
Buraidah al-Aslami, along with 70 riders, set out in search of the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) with the intention of receiving a reward of 100 camels from the
Quraysh. However, when he met the Holy Prophet, he was deeply impressed by
him, and he, along with the 70 men with him, embraced Islam. They requested that
when they entered Madinah, there should be a flag to symbolize their allegiance. In
response, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) removed his turban and tied it to a
spear, handing it to Buraidah. When they reached Madinah, Buraidah was holding
the flag in front of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) . On the way they stopped
at Quba, at a distance of three miles away from Yasrib where he was joined by
Hazrat Ali. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) built a mosque which is known Masjid
e Quba and it is the first mosque constructed on the earth. The Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) said, "Whoever performs ablution at home, then goes to the Masjid
Quba and prays two rak'ahs, will receive the reward of one Umrah." After 14 days
stay in Quba, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) left for Yasrib on Friday. On his
way, in the quarters of Bani Salim Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) offered his first
Friday prayer and addressed the people. This was the first Friday address. On their
arrival in Yasrib, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Hazrat Abu Bakr were
greeted with joy by the people of Yasrib. The girls sang songs to welcome him.
Everyone was eager that he should stay with him. They grabbed the halter of his
camel but the Prophet said: “Let it go its own way. It is under orders”.
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) Camel sat at an empty plot belonging to two
orphan brothers Sahl and Suhail. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) paid the price
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for it and built the mosque which is called Masjid-e- Nabwi. He also built two rooms
for his own abode with this mosque. During the construction of this mosque prophet
stayed in the house of Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari. The name of city was changed
from Yasrib to Madinah-un- Nabi which was later shortened to Madinah.
Effects:
• Muslims were weak and unable to defend themselves but after this they
became very strong and safe.
• Islamic calendar was started after the migration.
• The Muslims got a separate homeland where they act upon the commandants
of Allah freely and openly.
• Islam spread rapidly in Madinah and outside Madinah.
• Muslims started to live an independent life.
• Muslims displayed extra ordinary brotherhood which is incomparable in the
history of mankind.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) became the head of the state and the
Muslims got political power.
• Muslims had to leave their homes, properties and even in some cases their
wives and children, so they proved that they can sacrifice anything for the
sake of Islam.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) became able to organize his followers into
a well-knit and disciplined community.
• This migration opened a door of victories and achievements of Islam.
The importance of the Holy Prophet’s experiences in caves:
Cave of Hira:
• The event of beginning of revelation took place in the cave of Hira that not
only changed the lives of people of Arabia but also the history of the world.
• It marked the beginning of Hazrat Muhammad’s prophethood and the spread
of Islam’s universal message.
• It marked the change from polytheism to monotheism.
• It marks the beginning of God’s final guidance for humans, telling them how to
live their lives.
• The first verses revealed to him tell us about Allah, the creator and master of
everything.
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• The verses revealed in the cave of Hira shows that Allah himself is man’s
teacher because he said: “Taught man that which he knew not”.
• The verses also mention reading and writing which shows the importance of
knowledge in Islam.
• This experience of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) reveals to us that
Hazrat Muhammad was like any other human being who was scared and
frightened after the revelation.
Cave of Saur:
• The stay in the cave of Saur holds great significant in the history of Islam if it
had not been, both the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Hazrat Abu
Bakr would have been caught and brutally killed.
• The stay in this cave led to the safe emigration of the Prophet to Madinah and
so it preserved the opportunity for the spread of Islam.
• This shows that Allah protects his chosen people from the evils of this world
and proves that Allah has power and control over everything.
• The Muslims also learnt the spirit of true friendship as shown by Hazrat Abu
Bakr in this cave.
• It shows that meeting force with force is not always the way to success.

• The importance of the incident is such that the Qur’an refers to it.

Life in Madinah (622 AD to 632 AD)

First year of Hijrah:
Mosque of the Prophet:
The first important thing that the Prophet did on arriving in Madinah was to build a
mosque. The land for the mosque was bought from two orphans Sahl and Suhail.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) himself worked with his companions to
complete the building. This mosque was known as the “Mosque of the Prophet” or
Masjid-e-Nabwi. It is referred in the Quran in the following words:
“There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety”.
The walls of the mosque were made of unbaked bricks, the roof was of mud and
date palm leaves and the trunks of date palm trees were used for pillars. A large
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platform was built in one of the corners of the mosque, this was known as Suffah. It
became the training centre for Islamic education and also a shelter for Muslims
specially, the emigrants from Makkah. After the Holy Ka’abah, this mosque is the
holiest mosque.
Azan:

In order to call the believers to the mosque for offering their prayers in congregation,
the system of calling Azan was introduced. Some suggested that the Jewish way of
ringing the bell should be adopted but the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
rejected it. Another idea was to use fires to signal prayer times but this idea was also
rejected. Next day, Hazrat Abdullah bin Zaid had a dream, someone taught him the
words of Azan. Hazrat Umar had a similar dream, so it was adopted and Hazrat Bilal
was appointed as the Muezzin as he was known for his melodious and powerful
voice. The call to prayer (azan) requires a strong, clear voice to reach the community
effectively, and Bilal’s vocal qualities made him an ideal choice.

Brotherhood between Emigrants and Helpers: 1st AH

The Muslims in Madinah belonged to two categories.

Muhajirin or Emigrants: Those who had migrated to Madinah from Makkah were
known as Muhajirin or emigrants.
Ansar or Helpers: Those who belonged to Madinah and had given shelter to the
emigrants and helped them were known as Ansar or the Helpers.

Reasons for brotherhood:

I. The Ansar (residents of Madinah) and the Muhajirun (immigrants from

Makkah) came from different cultural and social backgrounds. The
brotherhood was necessary to create a strong bond of unity, ensuring mutual
support and cooperation.
II. The Muhajirun had left behind their homes, wealth, and livelihoods in Makkah
to migrate to Madinah for the sake of Islam. So, it was very important to
provide them material and emotional support to help them rebuild their lives.
III. Madinah was previously divided by tribal conflicts, especially between the
Aws and Khazraj tribes. These tribes had been fighting for 120 years. The
Battle of Bu’ath was fought between them near the city of Madina before the
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arrival of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) wanted to unite these tribes under the banner of Islam, dissolving
historical enmities.

Events:

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) gathered all the people in the house of
Hazrat Anas bin Malik. Brotherhood (Mu'akhah) was established between 45
Muhajirun (Emigrants) and 45 Ansar (Helpers). One Muhajir was paired as a brother
with one Ansari. For example: Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique, a Muhajir, was paired with
Hazrat Kharijah bin Zaid, an Ansari. Hazrat Umar bin Khattab was paired with Hazrat
Itban bin Malik. Hazrat Abu Ubaida bin Jarrah with Hazrat Sa’d bin Muaz. Hazrat
Abdur Rahman bin Awf with Sa’d bin Al-Rabi were made brothers. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) took Hazrat Ali as his brother. According to this Muslim
brotherhood, the hosts shared all their possessions with the emigrants. This is an
unmatched in human history. Hazrat Sa’d was willing to share half his property and
divorce one of his wives for Abdur Rahman to marry. He refused, saying ‘direct me
to the nearest marketplace so that I may make my fortune with my own hands.’ The
Ansar wanted to share their date palms with the Muhajirun but the Muhajirun
refused, so the Ansar offered them to work in their orchards and in return they were
given dates. This brotherhood was so strong that if an Ansari passed away, the
Muhajir would inherit his property. The Holy Quran praises the excellence of those
who emigrated and those who helped their brothers. The Quran says: “Those who
believe, emigrate, struggle in Allah’s way and those who give shelter and help, they
indeed are the true believers. For them will be forgiveness and honourable
provision”.
Treaty of Madinah (charter of Madinah): 1st AH
Reasons: After establishing pact of brotherhood between Muhajirin and Ansar,
Prophet tried to cement peace and solidarity in Madinahn society because in
Madinah there were three main tribes of Jews: Banu Qainuqa, Banu Nazir and Banu
Quraiza, who, because of their riches and property holdings, enjoyed a dominant
position.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) felt the need of pact with the inhabitants of
Madinah.
There were two main reasons.
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• The Prophet realized that the foundation of the Islamic Empire would be very
weak unless it was based upon the support of all the people living in Madinah.
• The situation called for a strong measure of co-ordination and adjustment,
particularly as the Muslims were seriously threatened by the Quraish. So, it
was an important step to secure the internal peace of the new state.
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) summoned the leaders of the Jews and told
them, “We live in one city” and we should live in peace and help each other. The
Jews accepted the idea and reached an agreement.
Terms: The terms of the treaty were:
• All the communities signing the pact would form the common nationality.
• If any of the signatories was attacked by the enemy, others would defend
him with their combined forces.
• Muslims, Jews and other communities should be free to profess their own
respective religions and perform their religious ceremonies. Nobody could
interfere in it.
• All groups (Muslims and Jews) are obligated to protect Madinah collectively
from external attacks.
• All parties are forbidden from forming alliances with enemies or conspiring
against one another
• Hence forth bloodshed, murder and violence should be Haram (prohibited)
in Madinah.
• Criminals and wrongdoers would not be protected, regardless of their tribal
or religious affiliations.
• Disputes will be referred to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) , whose
decision will be binding on all.
Importance of the treaty:
• It was the first ever written constitution of the Islamic state on which the state
affairs were to run. It had fifty-two sections.
• This charter shows the political wisdom and foresight of the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) and was the political victory of him.
• It stopped the Jews to fall in the hands of Quraish of Makkah.
• The treaty laid down the foundation of Islamic state without any opposition.
• This treaty provided the religious freedom to the Jews.
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• This treaty secured the Muslims in Madinah.

• This treaty established the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) as the
undisputed leader, ruler, judge and the commander of the people of Madinah.
Second year of Hijrah:
Fasting and Zakat:
Fasting in the month of Ramzan was made obligatory upon all adult Muslims in the
second year of Hijra in these words of Quran: “O you who believe! Fasting is
prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you so that you may learn
self-restraint” (2:183). The Zakat was also made obligatory in the same year in the
following words: “And spend of your money in the cause of Allah” (2:183).
Change of Qibla: 2 AH
The Qibla that is the direction to which a Muslim turns his face while saying his
prayers. In Makkah, the Muslims used to pray facing the direction of the Khana
Kaba. But in Madinah, they turned their faces towards Masjid-e-Aqsa in Jerusalem
for over 16 months. In 2 AH, while the Prophet was leading the Asr prayers at the
mosque in Madinah, he was ordered to pray facing the direction of the Ka’ba, which
henceforth, became the religious centre for Muslims. The Prophet and the
congregation immediately turned their faces towards the Ka’ba in the same prayers.
That is why that mosque is called “Misjid Zul Qiblatain”. The Holy Quran says: “We
see the turning of your face to the heaven now shall we turn you to a Qibla that shall
please you. Turn then your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque”.
Battle of Badr: Ramzan 2 AH, 624 AD
General Reasons:
• The Quraish were displeased with the people of Madinah because they had
invited the Prophet and given him shelter.
• The Quraish were jealous of the growing power of the Muslims.
• There were some skirmishes between the Muslims and the people of Makkah.
• Madinah was situated between Syria and Makkah, so in a sense it was a
source of continuous threat for the trade caravans of Makkans.
• The people of Makkah were very furious because they had failed to kill the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) before migration.
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Main Reason:
In 2nd year of migration, the Muslims got permission for fighting by Allah in these
words: “Permission is given to those who are attacked to fight back because they
have been wronged. Surely, Allah is powerful and will help them”.
Then the Muslims began to raid and threaten the Quraish and their allies. In 2 nd AH,
a very large trade caravan of the Quraish, laden with profits, led by Abu Sufyan, was
on its way back to Makkah, and had to pass close to Madinah. Intercepting this
caravan would strike a deadly blow to the Quraish, and the Muslims decided to
attack it. Abu Sufyan, foreseeing such attack, sent a message for help to the citizens
of Makkah. Enraged by this threat, a highly equipped army of 1000 soldiers left
Makkah for Madinah. While it was halfway news reached them that the caravan had
taken an alternate route and reached Makkah safely. The leaders of the army that
included Abu Jahl and many of the elite chiefs of the Quraish, decided to march on
to deal severely with the Muslims.
Events:
On 17th Ramadan 2 A.H, the Muslims and the Quraishite armies met for the first time
in the battlefield of Badr. The Muslim army was only 313 in number and was poorly
equipped with only two horses and a few camels. The Makkans were 1000 in
number and armed to the teeth, with seventy horses and a large number of
weapons.
Strategies adopted by the Holy Prophet:
Several strategies were employed by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) before
the battle to ensure the safety and success of his followers.
• He sent scouts to gather information about the Quraysh army, their numbers,
and movements. This helped him make informed decisions regarding the
Muslim army's strategy.
• He strengthened alliances with local tribes and ensured support from various
Muslim clans. This united front was crucial for morale and resources.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized the importance of faith, urging
his followers to remain steadfast and trust in God. He encouraged prayers
and spiritual readiness, underscoring that victory would come through divine
support.
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• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) chose the battleground carefully, taking
advantage of the geography near Badr. The location allowed the Muslims to
control access to water and put them in a strong defensive position.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) organized the supply lines to ensure that
his troops had the provisions needed for the battle. For example, they
managed water resources effectively, which was vital for survival in the heat.
• While many early Muslims were not trained soldiers, Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) prepared them for combat through training and drills. He assigned
experienced fighters to lead others, providing guidance on strategies and
tactics.
• The Muslims stationed on the firm ground of the slope of a hill whereas the
Makkans encamped on the soil below the hill. So, the rainfall proved very
helpful for the Muslim army.
• The sun, on the morning of the battle hit in their eyes but the Muslims had the
sun on their back.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) threw a handful of dust towards the
Makkans which blinded them momentarily and created confusion.
• Most importantly, Allah sent down a thousand angels to help them, as stated
in surah Anfal: "When you sought help from your Lord, and He answered you:
'I will reinforce you with a thousand angels, ranks upon ranks. And Allah did
not make it except as a give and a glad tiding for you, and to reassure your
hearts. And victory is not excepting from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the
Wise."
The battle itself was fought in three stages
• War of words
• One to one combat rounds. The Quraysh sent out three of their strongest
warriors: Utbah ibn Rabi'ah, Shaybah ibn Rabi'ah (Utbah’s brother), Al-Walid
ibn Utbah (Utbah’s son). They challenged the Muslims to send out warriors for
combat. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) selected three of the
Companions to face them: Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib (the Prophet’s uncle),
Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (the Prophet’s cousin) and Hazrat Ubaydah ibn al-
Harith (a close relative of the Prophet). Hazrat Hamzah, known for his bravery
and strength, quickly defeated Shaybah with his sword. Hazrat Ali, who was
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still a young man, fought courageously and killed Al-Walid after a fierce battle.
Hazrat Ubaydah fought fiercely, but both were seriously injured. Hamzah and
Ali intervened, killing Utbah and saving Ubaydah. However, Ubaydah later
succumbed to his injuries and became one of the first martyrs of Badr. The
Muslims’ victory in the one-on-one combat boosted their morale despite being
outnumbered. It showed the strength and courage of the Muslim fighters.
• General fighting
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) prostrated before Allah and prayed: “O Allah! If
this small band of men perishes, there will be no one alive to worship you, and your
faith will be destroyed forever”. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be
upon him) organized the ranks of the companions before the battle.
First Rank: Initially, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon him)
organized the ranks. At the forefront were the swordsmen, ready for close combat.
These warriors were the first to engage directly with the enemy.
Second Rank: Behind them were the archers. Their primary role was to target the
enemy from a distance, weakening their ranks before they could approach. At the
start of the battle, their most crucial task was to keep the enemy at bay with precise
shots.
Third Rank: Following the archers were the spearmen. These warriors were
equipped for both close combat and ranged attacks. Their role was to break through
the enemy’s lines and provide critical support during the battle.
These ranks supported one another, with each having distinct responsibilities
assigned as part of the overall battle strategy. The Muslims confronted the
disbelievers with immense passion, bravery, and unwavering determination, standing
firm in the face of adversity. The Quraish fled in disorder, leaving a large number of
dead and wounded on the battlefield. In all, seventy of the Quraish were killed like
Abu Jahl etc and seventy were taken prisoners. Among them were Abbas, uncle of
the Prophet, Aqeel, the brother of Hazrat Ali, and Abul Aas, the son in law of the
Prophet. The Muslims also captured 115 camels, 14 horses and a rich store of
clothes, carpets and equipments of war. The Muslims lost only fourteen people, six
Muhajirin and eight Ansar. The Quran mentions this victory in these words:
“Allah helped you at Badr when you were a small and weak group”.
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Treatment with prisoners: After the battle, the Holy Prophet’s treatment with these
captives was marked by compassion and a sense of justice. The following points
highlight the principles and practices he employed regarding the prisoners:
• The Prophet Muhammad instructed that the captured prisoners should be
treated humanely. They were provided with food and water, and their basic
needs were met while they were held in captivity.
• Some prisoners were ransomed, with family members or tribes paying to
secure their release. This allowed for a form of justice and restitution for the
captives.
• In some cases, the Prophet Muhammad appointed certain prisoners to teach
Muslim children in exchange for their freedom. This method not only benefited
the captives but also helped the Muslim community grow in knowledge.
Effects and Importance:
• It was the first fight between the Muslims and the Makkans which was
declared as a fight between truth and falsehood as Allah said it Yaum ul
Furqan, the day of Criterion: “And know that your possessions and your
children are but a trial, and that Allah has with Him a great reward. And
remember the day when the two armies met: That was the Day of Criterion."
• The victory of the battle of Badr encouraged the Muslims and made them
strong believers.
• Some tribes in the suburbs of Madinah accepted Islam.
• One of the tribes of the Jews, Banu Qainuqah, broke the treaty of Madinah
which was signed between the Muslims and the Jews.
• Prominent leadership of the Quraish was killed in the battle of Badr.
• The Muslims observed some miracles because Allah had sent angels to help
them.
• The predictions of the Prophet proved true because the Prophet had predicted
before the war about the fate of some Makkans who were later killed in the
battle.
• The people of Makkah became more furious and grieved because they were
not expecting such a result.
• The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) showed his great skills as a military
commander.
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Banu Qainqa: 624 AD, 2 AH

The Muslim community, under Holy Prophet, had established a Constitution of

Madinah, which included terms of mutual cooperation and protection among various
tribes, including Jewish tribes. The Banu Qaynuqa violated this agreement by
engaging in hostile actions against the Muslims. They exhibited hostility towards
Muslims, including mocking and belittling the Muslim faith and community. One
incident involved the public humiliation of a Muslim woman, which led to a violent
confrontation. This conflict showed the increasing hatred. When the matter was
brought to the Holy Prophet, he raised an army and laid siege to Banu Qainqa’s
residences. The siege lasted for 15 days and finally the Jews surrendered. They
were forced to leave Madinah taking their wives and children within three days. They
migrated to Syria.

Third year of Hijrah:

Battle of Uhad: 3 AH, 625 AD
Reasons:
Some of the causes of the Battle of Uhad were the same as that of Badr and the
main reasons for this battle are:
• The pagans wanted to take revenge.
• The people of Makkah wanted to regain the prestige they had lost in the battle
of Badr.
• The hypocrites and Jews of Madinah like Ka’ab bin Ashraf invited the people
of Makkah to attack the Muslims.
• Some of the Makkans had vowed they would not take a bath or eat until they
had taken their revenge.
• After the defeat at Badr the business community of Makkah set aside a
certain amount of their income for the next battle.
• After the battle there was a constant threat to the trade caravans of Makkah
from the people of Madinah.
• Hindah vowed that she would take revenge for her brothers and father killed
in the battle of Badr and thus inspired the Makkans to fight too.
Events: Ka’ab bin Ashraf of the Jewish tribe of Banu Nazir went to Makkah to
participate in the mourning for those killed at Badr. He and other Jewish poets wrote
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poems to instigate the Quraish to fight against the Muslims. Abu Sufyan, the
commander of the Quraish army, which was defeated at Badr, went to meet the
Jews of Banu Nazir, who promised help. Meetings were held where it was decided to
collect funds and raise a strong army for attacking Madinah and wiping out the
Muslims. Some other tribes were also invited to join in this war. Finally, a full armed
force of three thousand men left Makkah for Madinah. The Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) consulted his companions about the best way to meet the enemy. The
consensus of opinion was that the Muslims should go out of Madinah to meet the
enemy. Although the Prophet had a different opinion, yet when the majority insisted
on meeting outside Madinah, he agreed. Three miles to the north of Madinah, the
Quraish camped at the foot of a hill known as Uhad. The Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) advanced towards Uhad with one thousand companions. On the way,
Abdullah bin Ubbay, the leader of the hypocrites, deserted with three hundred of his
men on the excuse that the Prophet had turned down his suggestion of fighting the
enemy from inside the city.
The Holy Prophet, with the remaining seven hundred men, reached Uhad and also
set up camp. He posted fifty archers to protect the pass in the Uhad Mountain and
defend the Muslims from any possible attack by the enemy from behind. They were
given strict instructions not to leave their post under any circumstances.
Several Quraish women accompanied the army of the pagans including Hinda, the
daughter of Utba, who was killed in the Battle of Badr; Umm-e- Hakeem, the
granddaughter Abu Jahl, also killed in the Battle of Badr and Fatima, the sister of
Khalid bin Walid. When the fighting started, the Quraish attacked first. The Muslims
fought bravely under the command of the Prophet and killed and wounded many
warriors of the Quraish, who began to flee in disorder leaving behind a great deal of
booty. When the archers saw the enemy retreating, they left their posts to collect the
booty. Khalid bin Walid, the head of the enemy cavalry, found the opening in the
mountain undefended and he attacked from behind. The Muslims force was taken by
surprise and there was utter confusion and the Muslim army dispersed except the
prominent companion as Allah Almighty mentioned in Surah Al-e-Imran: “Indeed,
those believers who fled on the day when the two armies met were made to slip by
Satan because of their lapses. But Allah has pardoned them. Surely Allah is All-
Forgiving, Most Forbearing”. The enemy tried to reach the post where the Prophet
was. He was wounded in the head and face and lost one of his teeth. The enemy
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raised the cry that the Prophet was killed and the confusion increased. The Prophet,
however, stood firmly and called out to his companions to come back. When the
Muslims saw their leader, they rejoined the battle. Soon, more support came to the
Prophet and a group of his companions moved him to a well-protected area at the
foot of the mountain.
Now, both parties were, however, extremely exhausted and each army prepared to
leave. In this encounter seventy Muslims were killed and forty injured; while the
enemy lost only thirty of their men. Hazrat Hamzah, an uncle of the Prophet was
killed by a slave of Hindah, the wife of Abu Sufyan. Hindah mutilated the corpse and
chewed his liver in order to avenge the death of her father, Utba, killed in the Battle
of Badr at the hands of Hamza. That is why he was given the title of “Leader of
Martyrs”. It was on this occasion, that the first time, Muslim ladies went to the
battlefield to give water to the soldiers and to nurse the wounded. Allah Almighty
consoled the companions in this way: “So loose not heart and do not grieve and you
will be superior if you are true believers. If you have been wounded, then know that
they have also been wounded. And those days, we alternate among the people”.
Effects:
• The loss which the Muslims got in the battle of Uhad had a negative effect on
the relations with the neighbouring tribes who started to make plans for revolt
against the Muslims.
• Many tribes broke their treaties with the Muslims because they took the defeat
of Muslims as their weakness.
• Some of the tribes became unfaithful like Banu Salma who invited seventy
missionaries to preach Islam among them and then killed them.
• The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had to lead many campaigns to bring
treacherous tribes back to submission.
• Muslims got a moral lesson that they would not be able to get victory unless
they followed the commands of the Holy Prophet.
• It was clear that greed of wealth would lead the Muslims to destruction.
• One of the tribes of Jews Banu Nazir openly broke the treaty of Madinah and
became enemies of the Muslims. They even tried to kill the Prophet.
• After the battle of Uhad, the Jews of Banu Nazir were asked to leave
Madinah. They settled in Khyber while some of them went to Syria.
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• The Muslims lost their great commander, Hazrat Hamza.

Fourth year of Hijrah:
Banu Nazir: 4 AH, 625 AD

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) met with some of the companions at Banu
Nazir’s settlements regarding the payment of blood money to Banu Amir. They
asked the Prophet to wait under the wall of their stronghold. The Prophet was
divinely informed of their design to kill him by rolling of a big stone from above the
wall, so he left for Madinah. The Prophet went to Mosque and told his companions
about this. Then he sent an ultimatum asking them to leave Madinah within 15 days.
Upon their resistance, the Prophet laid siege to their strongholds. After 15 days siege
they began to leave Madinah for Khyber.
Fifth year of Prophet Hijrah:
Battle of Trench: (ditch, Ahzab, tribes, Allies) Shawwal 5 AH, February 627.
Reasons:
• At the Battle of Uhad, Abu Sufyan threatened the prophet that he would attack
Madinah the following year. According to this challenge Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) took fifteen hundred men and went to Badr and waited for eight
days. This humiliated the Quraish then they began to prepare themselves for
the next war.
• The growing power and influence of the Muslims frightened the Quraish and it
was a threat for their social, religious and economic benefits.
• The loss of the Muslims at Uhad also encouraged the Quraish to attack
Madinah.
• The role of Jews was an important factor because they not only invited the
Makkans to attack Madinah but also provoked other tribes to fight against the
Muslims.
Events:
Twenty chiefs of the Jewish tribe of Banu Nazir who had settled at Khyber went to
Makkah and asked for help against Muslims and the Quraish agreed to give help.
After the successful negotiation they went to Ghatafan tribe and obtained their
support too. Some other tribes also agreed to give full support against the Muslims.
So, ten thousand armed men under the command of Abu Sufyan marched towards
Madinah to uproot Islam and Muslims. When the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
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was informed, he consulted his companions. Hazrat Salman Farsi advised to dig a
trench because Madinah was safe on three sides due to population, impassable hilly
tracks, thick gardens and trees. The fourth side on the Syrian root, the northern part
of Madinah was unsafe and accessible area for disbelievers. This suggestion was
accepted by Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and all his companions. So, all the
Muslims with Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) started digging the trench and
1
completed it in a week. The dimensions of this trench were: Length: 5.5 km, width: 42
1
meters, depth: 42 meters. During digging some extra ordinary signs appeared as

Hazrat Jabir slaughtered a lamb and invited all the Muslims. All of them ate to their
fill and still there was spare food. Similarly, while digging the trench all the
companions failed to break a strong rock and Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
broke it and he said “I have been given the keys of Syria, Persia and Yemen. When
the non-Muslim army reached there, they became surprised and thet decided to lay
siege to Madinah. The Quraysh surrounded Madinah and looked for weak spots in
the trench to enter the city. The Muslims defended themselves by shooting arrows
and fighting back. The Quraysh fighters became frustrated. A group led by Amr bin
Abdood, Ikrima bin Abi Jahl, and Nofil bin Abdullah, crossed the trench and Amr
challenged the Muslims to a fight. Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib stepped forward, fought
him, and killed him. The other Quraysh fighters ran away in fear. The Quraysh tried
to attack again in the next few days, but the Muslims stopped them every time with
bravery and strong defense. The Banu Quraiza was one of the Jewish tribes residing
in Madinah. They had a previous alliance with the Muslims, especially after the
migration of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers to the city in 622
AD. While the Muslims were facing the siege, it is believed that the Banu Qurayza
engaged in secret communications with the attacking coalition and tried to help the
disbelievers. So, in this way Mulsims were caught from both sides as it is mentioned
in Surah Al-Ahzab: “(Recall) when they came upon you from above you and from
below you, and when the eyes were distracted, and the hearts reached the throats,
and you were thinking about Allah all sorts of thoughts. At that occasion, the
believers were put to a trial and were shaken with a violent convulsion”. But Hazrat
Naeem bin Masood played a pivotal and clever role during the Battle of the Trench
as he successfully created divisions among the enemy forces, which contributed to
the Muslim victory. The hypocrites among the Muslim army, when they saw the
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dangerous situation, asked permission from Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) to
return on the excuse that their homes were not safe. As Allah Almighty said in Suarh
Al Ahzab: “And a group of them was seeking permission (to leave) from the prophet,
saying, “In fact our homes are vulnerable,” while they were not vulnerable; they
wanted nothing but to escape”.
The siege lasted for a month. So, Allah’ help came one night and strong wind blew
which overturned the allies camp and forced them to retreat as Allah said in surah
Al-Ahzab: “O you who believe, remember Allah’s favours to you, when the forces (of
the infidels) came upon you, and We sent upon them a wind, and the forces (of
angels) you did not see. Allah is watchful of whatever you do”. Next day none of the
disbelievers was seen anywhere.
Effects:
• Islam spread rapidly among the neighboring tribes.
• The trade of the Quraish with Syria stopped.
• It was the last attack by the Makkans as he received the glad news that the
enemies of Makkah would not attack in future.
Lessons for Muslims in this battle:
• Success in war does not depend on numbers and weapons.
• If the Muslims remain firm on faith in God, nobody could harm and defeat
them.
• Muslims should remain strong, patient and hard working for their victory.
• Muslims should remain hopeful in time of difficulty as they were in this battle.
• Muslims should decide everything with consultation as Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) did.
• Muslims should get and use new skills as Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
used in this battle. So, science and technology are not against Islam.
• Muslim must remain united and disciplined as they were disciplined in this
battle.
• Muslim leaders should also participate in any mission as Muhammad worked
like laborers with his companions
Banu Quraizah: 5 AH, 627 AD

During the battle of Ahzab, they held negotiations with the Quraish and this greatly
endangered the Muslims who were on the defensive situation. The Holy Prophet
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(peace be upon him) was, therefore, compelled to take serious action against them.
After the battle was over, the Prophet marched with his army towards them and laid
a siege to them. The siege lasted for a month, so they decided to surrender. After
this, the Jews of Banu Quraiza demanded that their fate should be decided by Saad
bin Muaz. He decided the fate by the Law of Torat, so all the men about 700 were
put to death, their women and children were enslaved and their property was
confiscated.

Sixth year of Hijrah:

Treaty of Hudaibiyah: (Zul Qa’da 6 AH, March 628 AD)

Once Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) saw a dream that he was entering the
sacred mosque and was performing Umra with his companions. When he informed
some of his companions about the dream, they became very happy and they
decided to go to Makkah for performing Umra. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
with 1400 unarmed companions, in two sheets of unsewn cloth (ihram) and 70
camels for sacrifice set out for Makkah. When the Quraish was informed about the
approach of Muslims, they held a meeting and decided to resist their entry at any
cost. They sent 200 horsemen under the command of Khalid bin Waleed to stop the
Muslims. So Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) stopped at Hudaibiyah, a place at a
distance of about 3 miles from Makkah. Quraish sent Budail, Mikraz, Urwa bin
Masud to inform the prophet about the decision of Quraish and to advise them to go
back this year without Umra. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Khrash bin
Ummayah as messenger but he was ill-treated. Then he desired to send Hazrat
Umar but he had personal enmity with the Quraish, so the decision was made about
Usman. The Quraish allowed him to perform Umra alone but he refused and said
“how is it possible that I avail of this opportunity while the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) is denied of it. So Hazrat Usman was detained for a long time and rumor
broke out in Muslims about the murder of Usman. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
called his companions to take a pledge of fight to take the revenge the blood of
Usman. This oath is called Bait- e- Rizwan (Pledge of God’ pleasure) because Allah
said in the Holy Quran about this “Allah indeed was pleased with the believers, when
they gave their pledge to you under the tree”. This pledge is also called Bait-e-
Shajarah because this pledge was done under the tree. When the Quraish heard
about this pledge they decided to negotiate with Muslims. They sent Suhail bin Amr
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for reconciliation. After a prolonged debate the treaty of Hudaibiyah was done.
Hazrat Ali wrote it. The terms of this treaty were;
• There would be no war for ten years.
• Anyone who flees from Makkah to Madinah shall be returned but any Muslim
who flees to Makkah will not be returned to Muslims.
• Any tribe is free to join either party (Muslims or Makkans) as allies.
• Muslims will go back this year without Umra but may return next year and will
stay in Makkah for three days.
During the negotiations of the treaty, Hazrat Abu Jindal, the son of Suhail ibn Amr
(who represented the Quraysh in the negotiations), was among the early converts to
Islam and had faced severe persecutions for his faith., he managed to escape from
the Quraysh and sought refuge with the Muslims at Hudaybiyyah. As Hazrat Abu
Jindal was brought before the Quraysh representatives, he pleaded for his right to
remain with the Muslims, emphasizing the persecution he had endured. Despite the
emotional weight of his plea, the adhering to the treaty's terms was deemed
essential for the greater goal of peace and the eventual spread of Islam and he
allowed Hazrat Abu Jindal to return to his captors. Most of the Muslims, including
Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Abu Jindal, were upset by the terms, but the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) encouraged them to be patient and emphasized the long-term
benefits of the treaty. Allah Almighty said about this: “Verily, we have granted you a
manifest victory”. Hazrat Umme Salma, the wife of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) played a significant role during the events surrounding the Treaty of
Hudaybiyyah as when the treaty was signed, there was reluctance among the
Muslim pilgrims to conclude their rituals of pilgrimage (Umrah) and return to their
homes. It was Hazrat Umme Salma who advised the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) to instruct the men to proceed with the rites. She suggested that he should
demonstrate the act himself, which would encourage the others to follow suit. So, all
the companions after it slaughtered their animals, heads were shaved and ihrams
were removed.
Effects and Importance:
• This treaty gave the time to Muslims to preach Islam more openly, confidently
without any fear of Makkan’s aggression.
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• It gave the chance to disbelievers to study the Islamic way of life in peaceful
atmosphere. So a large number of non-Muslims accepted Islam as Khalid bin
Waleed who conquered Syria and Amr bin A’as who became the conqueror of
Egypt later.
• This treaty was a turning point in the struggle of Islamic revolution which laid
the foundation of later successes as the conquest of Khyber and Makkah.
• After this treaty he had secured position and he dispatched messengers to
rulers with invitation of Islam and many of them accepted Islam.
Seventh year of Hijrah:
Letters to the different kings and emperors: 7AH
The term of treaty of Hudaibiyah gave the time and opportunity to Prophet to extend
Islam outside of Arab peninsula. He wrote letters to different kings. Envoys were
chosen by the Prophet according to their qualities. In order to authenticate the
identification of his envoys, a silver seal was made which was engraved
“Muhammad, the messenger of Allah”.
• King of Abyssinia:
His real name was Ashmah bin Al-Abjar, title was Negus. The message of Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) was dispatched by Amr bin Umayyah. When Negus
received the letter, he touched it with his eyes, descended to the ground, confessed
his faith in Islam and wrote a letter for him. Negus died in Rajab 9 AH. The Prophet
of Allah announced his death and led his absent funeral prayer.
• King of Egypt:
His real name was Jaraij or Binyamin, famous with Cyrus or Maquqas. Hazrat Hatib
bin Abi Baltah was the messenger of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) for him.
Cyrus thought deeply and read the contents of the letter carefully. He wrote the reply
that “I have read your letter and I already know that a prophet was due but I used to
believe he would be born in Syria. So, I am sending you two maids as presents,
some clothing and an animal for riding on”. Cyrus did not avail the opportunity but his
presents were accepted. First maid named Maria was married with Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) and the other Syreen was married to Hassan bin Sabit. Hazrat
Ibrahim, the son of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was born from Hazrat Maria.
 87

• King of Rome (Byzantines):

His name was Heraclius, title was Caesar, the letter was sent by Hazrat Dihyah bin
Khalifah Kalbi. The letter was read out to him and later he called Abu Sufyan bin
Harb to his court. Abu Sufyan was the leader of the Quraish and bitterest enemy of
Islam who came there for trade. Heraclius put some questions to Abu Sufyan about
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and was much impressed by what Abu Sufyan
told him. Then Heraclius said “If it is true, then the Prophet will soon govern the land
under my feet. I already knew that a prophet will arise but was not sure that he would
be an Arab. If I were with him, I would have washed his feet”. A tense atmosphere
was created by the churchmen present at the court and he was ordered to leave. So,
the king did not embrace Islam.
• King of Persia (Iran):
His real name was Khusro Pervez, title was Kisra. He was sent letter by Hazrat
Abdullah bin Huzaifah. Khusro was very proud emperor. On seeing the name of
prophet above his own name, he burst into anger and said “how dare a slave
address me like that”. He tore the letter into pieces and ordered the governor of
Yemen to present the new messenger before him. When Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) was reported about his reaction, he replied “Allah will rend and scatter his
kingdom into pieces in the same way that he tore my letter”. Later his son killed him
and captured the throne, but after sometime he drank poison and died.
• King of Damascus:
His real name was Al-Haris bin Abi Shimr Al-Ghassani and Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) sent Shuja bin Wahab with letter. He heard the contents of the letter and
said “who can dare to dispose me of my country. I shall fight that prophet”. So, in
pride of power, he rejected the invitation to embrace Islam.
• Kings of Oman and Bahrain:
The names of Oman kings were Jaifer and Abd, both sharing the kingship,
messenger was Hazrat Amr bin Al Aas. The name of Bahrain governor was Manzir
bin Sawa, messenger was Ibn Hazrami. All they accepted Islam.
Khyber Expedition: (Muharram 7AH, 629 AD)
The Banu Nazir and other Jewish tribes after being exiled from Madinah had settled
at Khyber, 70 miles away from Madinah. They were always plotting against Muslims.
They had the support of Ghatfan and hypocrites of Madinah. When they came to
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know of the terms of Hudaibiyah, they took it as a sign of weakness and began to
make preparations for attacking Madinah. When Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
came to know of this, he prepared 1400 men against the Jews of Khyber. After
reaching Khyber, the Muslims slept at night. The next morning when the Jews came
out for work, they were attacked. They took shelter in their fortresses. These were
designed for fighting. They were 20,000 and they hurled stones and showered
arrows on the Muslim army from their fortresses. The first to be conquered by
Muslims was the fortress of Naim. The strongest and best fortified was Qamus. So
for this fortress the fighting prolonged to 20 days. Each day they had to return
without success. Until one day Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said “Tomorrow I
will give the banner to the man who loves Allah and his prophet and Allah and his
prophet love him”. The next morning, all the Muslims encircled the prophet hoping to
be chosen as the next bearer of the banner. But Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
called Hazrat Ali who was not present at that time because he had some problems in
his eyes. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) applied his saliva to his eyes while
praying for his success. Hazrat Ali’ eyes were soon cured. He went out for fighting
then a proud warrior named Marhab (who is said to have moved a door by himself
who would have taken 40 to 50 men to move) came out but Hazrat Ali killed him in
the first attack and was given the title of Lion of Allah by the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him). Then a fierce battle started in which the Jews were forced to surrender
and the Muslims captured the fort. The Jews requested the prophet to grant them
peace. They were allowed to stay in Khyber on the condition that they would live in
peace and give half of the produce of their land to the Muslims. Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) always used to send Hazrat Abdullah bin Rawaha to get half produce
from them.
Eighth year of Hijrah:
Battle of Mu’tah: 8 AH, 629 AD
Reason:
In 8 AH, 629 AD, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) sent Hazrat Haris bin Umair
with a letter for the ruler of Basra, (currently located in Hauran, Syria). Basra’s
governor and people were Arabs but they were Christians and they were subject to
the Byzantine Empire. On his way, Hazrat Haris was intercepted by Shurahbil bin
Amrul-Ghassani, the governor of Al-Balqa and representative of Byzantine Emperor.
When Shurahbil heard that Hazrat Haris was the envoy of the Holy Prophet, he killed
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him brutally. Killing envoys and messengers used to be regarded as the most awful
crime at that time and amounted to the degree of war declaration.
Events:
After this murder, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) consulted his companions and
decided that the killing of an envoy is an act of war, so the Prophet dispatched an
army of 3000 men under Zaid bin Haris with detailed instructions regarding the chain
of commanders.
As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered them: "Fight the disbelievers in
the Name of Allah, neither breach a covenant nor entertain treachery, and under no
circumstances a new-born, woman, an ageing man or a hermit should be killed;
moreover, neither trees should be cut down nor homes demolished.” When they
listened about the Muslim’s advancement, Shurahbil collected one lac army and
Heraclius also sent one lac army. So, the Muslims met two hundred thousand strong
army at Mu’tah. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was shown the battle by
Allah’s power while he was in Madinah and he related the events as they happened
hundreds of miles away. Zaid bin Harisa, then Jafar Tayyar (the great flier, Zul
Janahain, because Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said Allah gave him two wings
in place of the two hands he had lost in this battle), then Abdullah bin Rawaha were
martyred in succession and then Khalid bin Walid took the command. He planned to
terrify the enemy. He changed the places of warriors and troops. So, the enemy
assumed that a fresh army had joined the Muslim army and they frightened. During
this time, the Muslims safely retreated to Madinah.
Effects:
The number of martyrs was twelve while the casualties of the Byzantines were large
in number. Although the Muslims were not satisfied with the result of the war but
their reputation in warfare threatened the non-Muslims when they came to know that
only 3000 men with simple equipment had fought so bravely against such a large
army.
Conquest of Makkah: (January 630 AD, Ramzan 8 AH)
Reason:
After the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, the Khuza tribe joined the Muslims, while the Banu
Bakr tribe became an ally of the Quraish. One of the terms of treaty was that neither
party would fight an ally of the other party. In violation of this clause of the treaty, the
Quraish, along with the Banu Bakr attacked and killed 20 to 30 men of Banu Khuza.
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A deputation of the Banu Khuza came to Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and
asked for his aid and protection. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) promised to
help them. Then he sent a message to the Quraish offering them three alternatives:
• To pay compensation or blood money for the men of Banu Khuza.
• To dissolve their alliance with the Banu Bakr.
• To declare that the treaty of Hudaibiyah stood dissolved.
The Quraish took the third option. This behaviour by the Quraysh was a clear breach
of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and a hostile act against the Muslim allies, the Banu
Khuza'ah. Realizing the gravity of the situation and the potential consequences, the
Quraysh immediately called for an emergency meeting and elected to send their
leader, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, to Madinah for the renegotiation of the treaty. Following
the incident, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb journeyed to Madinah with the intention of
renegotiating the Truce. He made a direct visit to the residence of his
daughter Hazrat Umme Habiba, who was also the wife of Holy Prophet. Upon
entering the house, Abu Sufyan attempted to take a seat on the carpet of Holy
Prophet. However, his daughter, Hazrat Umme Habiba, promptly folded it. "My
daughter," Abu Sufyan stated, "I hardly knew if you think the carpet is too good for
me or that I am too good for the carpet." Hazrat Umme Habiba responded, "It is the
Messenger of Allah's carpet, and you are an unclean polytheist." Abu Sufyan had a
brief meeting with the Holy Prophet, but the Prophet was aware of Abu Sufyan's
cunning nature and did not provide him with any reassurance. Abu Sufyan first asked
Hazrat Abu Bakr for help, but was rejected. Then, he asked Hazrat Umar, but was
refused again. Finally, he turned to Hazrat Ali and begged for his help in a very
humble way, hinting that if he helped, he could control all of Arabia. However, Hazrat
Ali also expressed his inability to assist him. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb returned to
Makkah in a state of disappointment and despair.
Events:
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) left Madinah on the 10th of Ramzan 8 AH
with an army of ten thousand. He maintained complete secrecy, to prevent Quraish
from organizing an alliance with their neighbouring tribes. But Hazrat Hatib who was
a companion of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his family was in Makkah.
Hazrat Hatib felt the need to send a message to the Quraysh about the forthcoming
Muslim attack, believing that sharing this intelligence would protect his family. Hatib
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secretly wrote a letter to the Quraysh. He entrusted this letter to a woman from the
Arab tribe, urging her to deliver it to Makkans. The news of Hatib's actions reached
to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) through divine revelation. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) called upon his followers and informed them of Hatib's betrayal.
Hazrat Ali bin Abi Talib and Hazrat Miqdad bin Aswad were sent to intercept a
woman carrying a letter from Hazrat Hatib to the Quraysh. They retrieved the letter
and brought Hatib before the Holy Prophet, who explained that his actions were
driven by a desire to protect his family, not betrayal. The Holy Prophet, recognizing
Hatib's past sacrifices and loyalty, forgave him, showing compassion despite the
misdeed. Muslim army started their journey and camped outside Makkah at the
place of Marr ul Zahran. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had ordered his
followers to light up the torches. The sight of many fires made the Muslim army look
much bigger to the Quraysh. Abu Sufyan, who was spying on the land for the
Quraysh, was completely surprised. Hazrat Abbas saw him there and brought him to
the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and he accepted Islam. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) divided his army into four groups and gave instructions to all
that no blood was be shed and they were not to fight unless they were attacked in
which case, they should defend themselves. Before entering Makkah, the Prophet
proclaimed that who so ever remained in his house would be safe, whoever was in
Ka’ba would be safe and even those entered the house of Abu Sufyan would be
safe. Thus, safety was guaranteed to virtually everyone, even the worst enemy of
Islam. The Quraish who had never seen such a huge, well-armed and disciplined
army before, offered no resistances; but the unit under the command of Khalid bin
Walid was attacked by the tribesmen of Banu Bakr and also by some of the most
hostile Quraish. Khalid had, therefore, no option but to fight back. In this encounter
twenty-eight men were killed. Then the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) entered
his native city as a conqueror. The inhabitants expected revenge for their past
misdeeds and they were totally demoralized by the might of the Muslim army. The
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) however proclaimed a general amnesty and said:
Today, there is no blame on you, there will be no punishment; go, all of you are free”.
However, it was decreed regarding 10 individuals that there would be no forgiveness
for them, yet a few of them were also pardoned later on like Ikrama bin abi Jahl,
Wahshi bin Harb and Hind bin Utba etc. The forgiveness and generosity shown by
the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is unique in the history of conquests. In its
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relief and surprise the whole population of Makkah embraced Islam. The Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered all the idols which were in the sanctuary of the
Ka’abah to be destroyed, saying: “Truth has come; darkness has vanished away”
and for the first time the Muslim’s call for prayer was heard in Makkah. The Quran
says regarding the conquest of Makkah, “When comes the help of Allah and victory
and you see people entering the religion of Allah in throngs”.
Effects:
• The Muslims recovered their native homeland.
• The Muslims purified Ka’abah of idols.
• The Muslims conquered the economic, cultural, political, spiritual, social and
international centre of Arabia.
• Many people accepted Islam in groups as the next year is called “The Year of
Delegations”.
• The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) pardoned every one and showed that
he was sent as a mercy for the whole world.
• The Holy Prophet, for the first time appointed someone as the governor of
Makkah, and went back to Madinah.
• The whole Arabia came under the control of the Muslims.
• Allah’s promise proved true that after the battle of trench the Makkans would
not attack the Muslims and with the conquest of Makkah their chances of
attacking Madinah vanished forever.
Battle of Hunain and Siege of Taif: 8 AH, 630 AD
Reason:
Conquest of Makkah was shocking for the neighbouring pagan tribes and they were
looking for an opportunity to undo the efforts of the Holy Prophet. The two tribes of
Hawazan and Banu Thaqeef of Taif under the command of Malik bin Auf collected
some other tribes like Nasr, Sa’d, gathered a large army at the place of Autas for
attacking the Muslims.
Events:
After the conquest of Makkah, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) stayed in Makkah
for fifteen days. During this stay, he received reports about the preparation of these
tribes. Therefore, he postponed his departure for Madinah and made preparation for
meeting this new challenge. He proceeded against them with an army of 12000
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Muslims, ten thousand of which had come from Madinah and two thousand were
new converts to Islam. At first the strength of non-Muslims was 4000, but later it was
increased and became 20000. This army was well equipped, accompanied by their
families, with wealth and with their livestock; they were to fight till death. Probably the
enemy had received reports of the route to be followed by the Muslim army. So, they
posted archers in secret places and made a surprize attack on the Muslims while
they were passing through a narrow valley near Hunain. As a result, Muslims began
to retreat in disorder. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions
called the retreating men to return. The Muslim army responded to the call and the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) rallied his forces. Thus, within no time, the defeat
was changed into victory. As Allah said in the Holy Quran, “Allah has blessed you
with His help on many battlefields, and on the day of Hunain, when you were proud
of your great number, then it didn’t help you at all”. In this battle four Muslims were
martyred and 70 non-Muslims were killed. The Muslim army took six thousand
prisoners of war, twenty-four thousand camels and forty thousand goats. The Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered that all the captives be sent to a place called
"Ja’rana." He then appointed Masood bin Umar Ghaffari to look after them and
ensure their safety.

Siege of Taif:
The leader of opposing army, Malik bin Auf managed to escape and along with a
great many soldiers, sought refuge in the fortress of Taif. So, the Muslim army under
the Prophet’s own leadership besieged that city and they camped outside the walls
of Ta'if. The Muslims tried to break through the city’s defenses, but the people of
Ta'if fought back strongly. They used their strong walls and launched counterattacks.
Many Muslims were injured, and 12 were martyred. In response, the Muslim army
used a manjaniq (catapult) to throw stones at them. This idea was given by Salman
al-Farsi. The siege lasted about 20 days, and the defenders held firm. During the
siege, problems came up. The Muslims needed water and supplies. They faced
ongoing resistance from the Thaqif warriors. During the siege of Ta'if, the people of
Ta'if shot many arrows at the Muslims. The siege showed the strength and
determination of both sides. Seeing the challenges of a long siege and needing to
save resources, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) decided to end the siege.
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Distribution of booty: After the end of siege the Holy Propohet went to Ja’arana
and distributed prisoners and booty among the companions. At this place, the tribe of
Hawazin came to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon him) and
made a request on behalf of Halima Sa’diyah, who belonged to the Sa’d tribe. In
response, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) gathered all his companions and
made an announcement for Banu Hawazin; "All the captives that are in my and Banu
Muttalib's share, consider them free and take them with you." Upon hearing this, the
companions, moved by the Holy Prophet's mercy and kindness, also announced that
they would forgive the remaining prisoners, extending the same act of forgiveness
and freeing them. Among the captives of battle was Sheema, daughter of Halima
Saadia. Muslim warriors took her to the presence of the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) to find out whether she was telling the truth or not. Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) recognized her and put his garment on the ground and let her sit on it.
Then, he said to Sheema: “If you want, stay here with me; I will show respect to you;
or I can give you some goods and send you to your tribe.” Sheema chose the
second option. Meanwhile, Sheema became a Muslim and the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) gave her with abundance of gifts including two slaves and then she
returned to her tribe.

Ninth year of Hijrah:

Tabuk Expedition: 9 AH, 631 AD
Reason:
In the 9th year of the Hijrat the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) received
information that the Roman Emperor, Heraclius had organized a huge army and this
force was commanded by the emperor himself. So, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) ordered for preparations to meet this challenge.
Events:
At that time there was famine in Hejaz and scarcity of water in Madinah and the
surrounding areas. It was also the time for the ripening of fruits and plucking of
dates. Moreover, the arms and equipments for fighting the large army of the Roman
were not available. The weather was very hot and it was very long journey. For these
reasons, the Tabuk expedition is called “Expedition of Straitness”. Allah Almighty
guided about it: “March forth (in the way of Allah), no matter whether you are light or
heavy, and carry out Jihad (struggle) in the way of Allah with your wealth and lives.
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That is good for you, if you were to realize”. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
made an appeal for donations and subscriptions. On this occasion, Hazrat Usman
gave one thousand gold dinars and three hundred camels laden with grains. Hazrat
Umar contributed half of all his cash, household goods and cattle and Hazrat Abu
Bakr donated everything that he had. The Muslim ladies too gave their ornaments as
donations. However, many hypocrites and other Arabs made excuse for not
accompanying the Muslim army as it is mentioned in Surah Taubah: “Had it been a
gain at hand or an average journey, they would have certainly followed you, but the
distance seemed too far to them. They will swear by Allah: “We would have certainly
set out with you, if we were able to.” They are putting themselves to ruin.16 Allah
knows that they are liars”. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) left Madinah with
an army of thirty thousand men and encamped at Tabuk. The strength of the army
demoralized the Roman who dispersed without any fighting. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) stayed at Tabuk for twenty days, during which a number of
tribes came to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and embraced Islam. When
the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) returned to Madinah, those who had not
joined the expedition came to make their excuses. Three true believers (Ka’ab bin
Malik, Murara bin Rabi, Hilal bin Umayya) however admitted their mistake. They
were pardoned by Allah while the others were condemned by the Holy Quran. As
Allah said: “And the three whose matter was deferred until when the earth was
straitened for them despite all of its vastness”. The Tabuk expedition was the last
military expedition in which the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) personally took
part.
Tenth year of Hijrah:
Last sermon of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him): 632 AD, 10 AH
In the tenth year of Prophet hood, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) declared his
intention to go for pilgrimage and the Muslims started to prepare for the journey.
When news of it spread outside Madinah, people flocked to the city wanting to go on
pilgrimage with the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). The Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) left Madinah on Saturday, 25 Zul Qa’da after offering the prayer of Zuhr.
Before the prayer, in a sermon, he explained the essentials of putting of Ihram. As he
departed, he recited the Talbiyah. The party reached Makkah on the 4th of Zul Hajj
and went straight to the Masjid-e-Haram and performed Tawaf of the Ka’ba and the
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Sayi. He stayed in Makkah for four days and on the 8 th, the Day of Tarwiyah, he
made for Mina with his companions and spent the night there.
At sunrise on 9th, he left Mina and made for Arafat followed by all the pilgrims. Then
he delivered his farewell sermon near Jabal e Rahmat, the Mount of Mercy, in the
plain of Arafat to over 1, 00,000 believers. Rabi bin Umayyah was repeating his
words so that all could hear. The sermon is the ultimate charter of human rights, and
the final message to his Ummah. The contents of that sermon are as follows:
• Sacredness of blood, property and honour:
O’ people! Listen to my words, because I do not know whether I shall meet you after
this year at this place or not. Your blood, your property and your honour are as
sacred as this day, this month and this city.
• No usury and no revenge:
Keep in mind, O’ people! All the practices of the days of ignorance now under my
feet. The blood revenge of the days of ignorance has been uprooted. Usury is
forbidden and for this I make a beginning by remitting the interest that Hazrat Abbas
was to receive. Bear witness that this interest has been totally remitted.
• Rights of women:
O’ people! Fear Allah regarding the treatment of women. You must respect their
rights and they should not commit acts of indecency and if at anything they do so,
you have the authority to chastise them, but not severely. If, they refrain from
indecency and unlawful practices and are faithful to you, feed them and provide them
with clothes properly.
• Brotherhood and equality:
“You know that every Muslim is brother of another Muslim. You are all equal. Nobody
has superiority over other except by piety and good action”.
• Rights of slaves:
“And your slaves see that you feed them such food as you eat and cloth them with
what you wear”.
• Day of Judgement:
“Remember, one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So
beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone”.
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• Importance of Holy Quran and Sunnah:

Verily, I have left among you two things, the Quran and my Sunnah, and if you follow
these you will never go astray.
• Finality of Prophet hood:
“O’ people! There will be no prophet after me and likewise there will no nation after
you”.
• Performance of Pillars of Islam:
“I advise you to worship Allah, to say the obligatory five times prayers, fast in the
month of Ramzan and offer the Zakat on your provisions willingly. I advise you to
perform the pilgrimage to the Holy House of Allah and obey those who are in charge
of you. Then, you will be permitted to enter paradise”.
Then the Prophet asked that if you are asked about me, what are you going to say?
They all replied, “We bear witness that you have rightly conveyed the message of
Allah and fulfilled your mission”. He then raised his fore finger towards the sky and
moved it down towards the people saying, “O’ Allah bear witness”. And the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) repeated it thrice. As soon as, the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) had completed his speech, the following verse of the Holy Quran was
revealed to him.
“This day I have perfected your religion for you. Completed my favour upon you and
have chosen for you Islam as your religion”. After the sermon, he said his Zuhr and
Asr prayers combined. After the sunset he left for Muzdalifah. In Muzdalifah, the
Prophet offered Maghrib and Isha prayers combined and slept until morning. Then
he went to Mina and performed Rami of the Jamarat-ul-Aqabah. The Prophet went to
the place of sacrificing at Mina and sacrificed sixty-three camels, one for each year
of his life. After this he shaved his head. Then he rode to Makkah for performing
Tawaf-e-Ziyarat. Then he spent three days in Mina to perform the ritual stoning of
Satan. After completion of pilgrimage, he returned to Madinah.
Importance of this sermon:
This sermon is a charter of human rights. It is final message of last Prophet to
humanity. It is essence of preaching done by Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
during his life. It explains basic duties of Islam. It bans use of usury in business
transactions. This sermon declares Quran and Sunnah as final source of guidance. It
confirms the finality of prophet hood.
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Eleventh year of Hijrah:

Death:
Soon after his return to Madinah the Prophet fell ill with headache and fever. He
remained sick for about two weeks. On the fifth day of his illness, he retired to the
apartment of Hazrat Aisha. During this illness, he appointed Hazrat Abu Bakr to lead
the prayers. On the last day of his life, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) came
in the mosque supported by his attendants, and joined the congregational prayer
behind Abu Bakr. Then he begged forgiveness and exhorted them to follow the path
of Allah. Then he advised the Muslims to be careful about the rights of Ansar and to
treat them well. The Holy prophet (peace be upon him) died on Monday, June 8, 632
AD, 12th Rabbiul Awwal, 11th AH. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was buried
in the same place where he died; in the house of Hazrat Aisha. His funeral prayers
were performed in batches. His family members including Hazrat Ali and Hazrat
Abbas lowered him in his grave for eternal rest.
Relationship of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) with Jews

In early days of migration to Madinah:

There were three Jewish tribes in Madinah, Banu Qainqa, Banu Nazir and Banu
Quraizah. Banu Qainqa was mainly goldsmiths and other two tribes were
agriculturists. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was quite aware of the
importance of the Jews in Madinah and was hopeful of winning them over through
peaceful invitation to Islam, which had many things in common with the Jews and the
Christians as they were declared by the Quran as the Ahl e kitab (the people of
book). With this hope, he included them in the Charter of Madinah and they were
declared as a single community or Ummah, complete religious freedom was granted
to them and they were given equal rights. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
tried his best to make them friend but the Jews gradually distanced with themselves
from him and they always remained hostile towards him.

• Banu Qainqa: 624 AD,2 AH

The Muslim community, under Holy Prophet, had established a Constitution of

Madinah, which included terms of mutual cooperation and protection among
various tribes, including Jewish tribes. The Banu Qaynuqa violated this
agreement by engaging in hostile actions against the Muslims. They exhibited
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hostility towards Muslims, including mocking and belittling the Muslim faith and
community. One incident involved the public humiliation of a Muslim woman,
which led to a violent confrontation. This confrontation underscored the growing
animosity. When the matter was brought to the Holy Prophet, he raised an army
and laid siege to Banu Qainqa’s residences. The siege lasted for 15 days and
finally the Jews surrendered. They were forced to leave Madinah taking their
wives and children within three days. They migrated to Syria.

• Banu Nazir: 4 AH, 625 AD

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) met with some of the companions at Banu
Nazir’s settlements regarding the payment of blood money to Banu Amir. They
asked the Prophet to wait under the wall of their stronghold. The Prophet was
divinely informed of their design to kill him by rolling of a big stone from above the
wall, so he left for Madinah. The Prophet went to Mosque and told his companions
about this. Then he sent an ultimatum asking them to leave Madinah within 15 days.
Upon their resistance, the Prophet laid siege to their strongholds. After 15 days siege
they began to leave Madinah for Khyber.

• Banu Quraizah: 5 AH, 627 AD

During the battle of Ahzab, they held negotiations with the Quraish and this greatly
endangered the Muslims who were on the defensive situation. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) was, therefore, compelled to take serious action against them.
After the battle was over, the Prophet marched with his army towards them and laid
a siege to them. The siege lasted for a month, so they decided to surrender. After
this, the Jews of Banu Quraiza demanded that their fate should be decided by Saad
bin Muaz. He decided the fate by the Law of Torah, so all the men about 700 were
put to death, their women and children were enslaved and their property was
confiscated.

• Khyber Expedition: 7 AH, 629 AD

Most of the Jews expelled from Madinah took shelter at Khyber. Here they began to
plot against the Muslims in cooperation with the tribes. So later the Khyber was also
conquered and they were allowed to remain there by contributing a half share of their
produce to the Islamic government.
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Relationship of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) with Hypocrites:

The hypocrites who had apparently accepted the faith but were the enemies of Islam
from the core of their hearts. The Holy Quran mentioned them as “Those whose
heart is diseased” (5:51).

Beginning of Hypocrisy: Before the arrival of the Prophet in Madinah, Abdullah bin
Ubayy of Khazraj tribe had gained prominence and he strong wished to become the
chief of the Madinite politics with the help of his Jewish allies. He was therefore,
greatly perturbed over the arrival and subsequent rise of the prophet. He
continuously intrigued with the chiefs of Makkah to wage war against the Muslims.
Some of their conspiracies are mentioned here.

• These hypocrites, mainly during the first five years of the Hijrah, were
engaged in weakening the prophet’s position by verbal arguments and
criticizing the Quran, especially some of the most recent revelations.
• In the battle of Uhad the hypocrite party tried to find excuses of not
participating in the battle and their leader deserted the Muslim army with his
300 men.
• They made lame excuses and deserted Muslims when they were in need of
help in the battle of Trench and tried to help the people of Makkah.
• After the battle of Trench, their leader was in secret contact with the Jews who
had been exiled from Madinah, to inform them of the movement of the
Muslims.
• Abdullah bin Ubayy even made a malignant effort by scandalizing the
Prophet’s wife Ayesha until her innocence was declared by the Quranic
verses.
• Abdullah bin Ubayy built a mosque outside Madinah, where, he used to hold
meetings against the Holy Prophet. When Allah revealed verses against this
house of conspiracy, which the hypocrites called a mosque, it was demolished
and burnt by the order of the Holy Prophet. Soon after the Tabuk Expedition,
Abdullah fell ill and died. With his death, many of the hypocrites repented and
turned to the genuine faith.
• The attitude of the Prophet towards the hypocrites was not very strict,
although Allah had identified them all to the Prophet and this, he had shared
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with his close companion Huzaifa bin Yaman. The major reason was that if he
had taken punitive action against them his repute might have been damaged
for turning against his own people. So, he acted in a wise way to let
hypocrites die their own death.

Muslim State and their relations with other states

The guiding principles about the foreign policy of a Muslim state were laid down by
the Holy Quran, implemented by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) between 622
AD and 632 AD and finalized by the Rightly Guided Caliphs from 632 AD to 661 AD.

Basic Rules:

• The international relations of a Muslim state are based upon respect for other
people’s interests and rights of life, honour and property. As Allah said: “And
indeed we have honoured the Children of Adam”.
• The foreign relations of Muslim states with other states are based upon justice
both in peace and war. As Allah said: “And let not the enmity and hatred of
others make you avoid justice”.
• The Islamic state has been enjoined to follow the terms of the agreement. As
Allah said: O you who believe! Fulfill your obligations”.
• Muslims are instructed to give full freedom of religion and their places of
worship should be protected by Islamic state. As Allah said: “There is no
compulsion in Islam”.
• Muslims are instructed not to mutilate dead bodies, not to destroy crops and
fruit trees, houses and of worship, not to kill women, children and old people
and not to torture war prisoners.

Examples from Holy Prophet’s life:

During a period of ten years in Madinah, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had
to fight several wars with the unbelievers of Makkah. The number of unbelievers
killed in these wars was over two hundred. This was an example for contemporary
rulers to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was a
symbol of peace, so, he signed a ten years truce with the blood thirsty enemies,
which is called “Treaty of Hudaibiyah” in 6 AH. He did so, even though the
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circumstances as well as the terms of treaty were apparently not in favour of his
fellow Muslims. In 10 AH, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon
him) invited the Christians of Najran to Islam. A delegation visited Madinah for
discussions but declined to accept Islam. Instead of invoking Mubahala (mutual
prayer for judgment), they opted for a peace treaty. The terms of treaty were the
following;

• The Christians of Najran were allowed to practice their religion freely without
any coercion to accept Islam.
• The Muslims guaranteed the safety of the lives, properties, and places of
worship of the Najran Christians.
• The Christians agreed to pay an annual tax (jizya) in exchange for protection
and exemption from military service.
• The Christians pledged not to ally with any enemies of the Muslim state or
take part in any actions against Muslims.
• The Najran Christians retained autonomy in managing their internal religious
and communal affairs.
• Any disputes between the Muslims and the Christians of Najran would be
resolved peacefully, with the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) or his
representatives acting as arbitrators.

Hazrat Abu Bakr: During the caliphate of Hazrat Abu Bakr, when the place of Hira,
in Iraq fell to the Muslim army, the Muslim commander, Hazrat Khalid bin Waleed
signed the famous treaty of Hira. In this treaty, the following rights were given to
them.

• The people of Hira were allowed to practice their religion freely. They were not
forced to convert to Islam but were expected to respect the Islamic rule and
maintain peaceful coexistence with the Muslim community.
• In return for recognizing the authority of the Muslim state, the people of Hira
were guaranteed protection from external threats, including attacks from the
Byzantine and Persian empires.
• The Muslims ensured their safety and security, as long as they fulfilled their
obligations under the treaty.
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• The people of Hira were allowed to manage their internal affairs

independently, as long as they did not oppose the Muslim authority. Their
local governance system and traditions were respected, and they were not
forced to change their way of life, except in matters relating to the Islamic
state’s interests.
• The people of Hira were required to pay the jizyah (a tax imposed on non-
Muslims) in exchange for protection and the benefits of living under the
Muslim rule. This tax was a form of financial contribution to the Islamic state,
which helped maintain security and support the Muslim army, which protected
them from external threats.
• This treaty allowed them to continue their prosperity without interference, as
long as they adhered to the terms of the treaty.

Hazrat Umar:

The rights and protections granted to the people of Jerusalem during the caliphate of
Hazrat Umar are outlined in what is known as the Treaty of Jerusalem or The Pact of
Umar. This treaty was established after the city of Jerusalem surrendered to the
Muslim forces in 15 AH during the caliphate of Hazrat Umar.

• The people of Jerusalem, both Christians and Jews, were guaranteed the
right to practice their religion freely. They were allowed to continue their
religious practices without interference from the Muslim rulers, ensuring that
they could worship according to their beliefs.
• Hazrat Umar and the Muslim forces pledged to protect the lives and
properties of the residents of Jerusalem.
• The places of worship, including churches and synagogues, were to be
preserved. There would be no forced conversions or destruction of religious
symbols.
• The Muslims would protect the city from any external threats or attacks,
ensuring the safety of its inhabitants.
• The inhabitants of Jerusalem, especially the non-Muslim population (mainly
Christians and Jews), were required to pay the jizyah, a tax imposed on non-
Muslims living under Muslim rule. This tax was in exchange for protection and
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the right to practice their faith freely. The amount of jizyah was fixed and
reasonable, depending on the individual's ability to pay.
• One of the key terms of the pact was that the people of Jerusalem were not
forced to embrace Islam. They were allowed to continue practicing their own
religion without fear of persecution.
• The local Christians were allowed to continue governing their internal affairs,
with the condition that they would adhere to the overall governance of the
Muslim rulers.
• There was no imposition of Islamic law on the Christian community, but they
were expected to respect the Muslim rule.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) as a Model of Excellence

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is the greatest reformer in the entire history
of the world. He was blessed with the attributes of mercy, tolerance, forgiveness,
love, compassion, truthfulness, piety, righteousness and steadfastness to the degree
of perfection. The Quran bears witness to these great qualities of the Prophet at
many places. As Allah said: “And you stand on an exalted standard of character”.
Some of his qualities are mentioned below.

• Honesty and Truthfulness:

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) proved by his examples that he was the most
honest and truthful person, and all the people of Makkah acknowledged this fact.
Due to his honest and fair dealings with people, he came to be known as Al Sadiq
and Al Amin (the truthful and trustworthy). When he was told to preach Islam openly,
he gathered the Quraish near the mount of Safa and asked them: “O Quraish! If I say
that an army is advancing on you from behind the mountain, would you believe me?”
They all replied! Yes, because, we have never heard you tell a lie”. Even Abu Jahl,
his bitterest enemy often said: “Muhammad, I do not say that you are a liar, but what
you say I do not think right”. Abu Sufyan, the chief of the Quraish accepted his
truthfulness in the court of Roman king that he had never told a lie. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) practiced honestly and truthfulness in his life and preached it to
others.
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• Mercy and forgiveness of the Holy Prophet

He set several examples of forgiveness and amnesty in his life. The Holy Quran
endorses this fact as: “We sent you not but as a mercy for all the creations”. (21:107)
Throughout his life he faced utmost and worst kind of opposition and inhuman
persecution but he would never curse his enemies. An old woman would throw
garbage upon him whenever he passed her way. One day, when the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) did not come across her, inquired and came to know that she
was ill. He went to meet her and asked about her health! She was so embarrassed
and accepted Islam. Similarly, the event of Taif and the conquest of Makkah are
clear examples of his mercy and forgiveness.

• Steadfastness and patient perseverance

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was tortured and teased both physically and
mentally but he remained unshaken in his faith. He was mocked by his own uncle
Abu Lahab and other Makkan chiefs, over the death of his son and this saddened
him but his faith was bound to be strengthened. The Quraish approached the uncle
of the Prophet, Abu Talib and asked him to pressurize his nephew to abandon his
mission. The Prophet reply, however, was even more frustrating for them when he
said: “O my uncle! If they place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left
hand, and ask me to stop preaching the word of God to the people, I shall never
accept what they say until God has made me victorious or I perish therein”. The
Quraish changed their strategy and sent Utbah bin Rabiah to negotiate with the
Prophet and offer him marvelous worldly attractions, chiefdom of Makkah, immense
wealth or marriage with the most beautiful woman. Utbah, too, was disappointed
when the Prophet flatly refused all the offers. Then he had to bear the hardships of
Shi’b of Abu Talib for three years and gave the best examples of steadfastness and
patience.

• Dynamic leadership and superb administration

Another wonderful quality of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was his
leadership and administration. He remained calm yet steadfast in the hostile
environs of Makkah and then he established his worth as a successful and strong
leader at Madinah. He, for example, managed to unite the mutually hostile tribes of
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Aus and Khazraj on the one hand and the Muslims and the Jews on the other. He
established a new kind of brotherhood between the Muhajireen and Ansar. His great
success was to foil the attempt of the allies to win over the Jews of Banu Quraiza
during the siege of Madinah in 5 AH. In spite of his own genius, he was in the habit
of consulting his Shoora, the body of his advisors, on all important occasions. The
Prophet took special care of the rights and protection of the non-Muslim citizens of
the Republic of Madinah. They were never forcibly recruited in the Muslim army and
they just they had to pay a nominal tax in return for the security provided to them by
the Muslim government. The Prophet set several examples of dispensing justice
without any prejudice or discrimination. The Holy Prophet, in many instances, gave
strong rulings even against some of the noted companions.

• Humblesness (Humility):

The life of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is full of examples humblesness
and humility. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) would not think of himself as above
the other companions, like a king, and would take part in all the tasks the rest of the
community would, like digging the Trench in battle despite his hunger, or taking part
in the building of the mosque in Madinah. He would take part in household chores,
like cleaning and mending his garments, milking the goats, etc., and would not
expect others to do it for him. He would sit on the floor and eat, saying, “I am only a
servant, I eat like a servant or a slave eats, and I sit as any servant sits.” When the
Prophet entered Makka after the conquest, he did not enter with a big display of
victory; rather he was riding at the back of the army remembering and thanking God.
He was so hunched over that his beard was touching the back of his animal. Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) treated everyone equally. Whether they were rich or
poor, slave or free, he greeted them with warmth and respect. He never considered
himself above others and was always approachable. He would sit on the floor, eat
with his companions, and would never seek to elevate himself in status. He did not
boast about his accomplishments or talk about his status. He always referred to
himself as a servant of Allah. When the people praised the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him), he would often direct the praise towards Allah. He never sought or
expected recognition. For example, when someone praised him, he responded, “Do
not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising the son of
Mary.”
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• Justice and Fairness:

The life of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is a profound embodiment of
justice, demonstrated in every aspect of his words and actions. He did not treat
those he knew or was related to differently to those who were strangers. Once, a
noble woman of Makhzum Fatimah bint al-Aswad committed theft. Her relatives tried
to intercede on her behalf. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) called the people
saying: “What destroyed your predecessors was just that when a person of rank
among them committed a theft (or any crime), they left him alone, but when a weak
one of their number committed a theft (or any crime), they inflicted the prescribed
punishment on him. I swear by Allah that if Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad, should
steal, I would have her hand cut off.” Many Jews of Madinah brought their affairs and
problems to him, knowing that he would always be fair. In administering justice, he
made no distinction between believers and non-believers, friends and foes, high and
low. When a Jewish man came to demand back the money the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) owed him, he grabbed the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) by the
collar. Hazrat Umar got angry at the Jew, but the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
smiled. He asked for the debt to be repaid and extra given due to the harsh
treatment by Hazrat Umar. The Prophet was just in his treatment of his wives. He
treated them equally and fairly, providing for them according to their needs, and
never showed preference to one over the others. He would visit each wife in turn and
divide his time equally between them. Hazrat Usama bin Zaid, a young companion of
the Holy Prophet, was appointed as the commander of an army towards Syria near
his demise that included many prominent companions. One of the soldiers in his
army, who was a Muslim, killed a non-Muslim during a battle. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) was very angry when he heard about the incident, stating that
the man had recited the Shahada (the declaration of faith) to escape being killed.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) questioned the soldier, “Did you kill him after
he said, ‘There is no god but Allah?’” The soldier tried to justify his actions, but the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized the importance of justice and mercy,
warning that such an action would lead to severe consequences in the Hereafter.
The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) showed fairness to people of all faiths.
During his time in Madinah, he established a constitution, known as the Constitution
of Madinah, which outlined the rights and duties of all citizens, including Muslims,
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Jews, and other non-Muslims. He ensured their protection, freedom of religion, and
participation in the community. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) always
ensured that the poor, the weak, and the marginalized in society received fair
treatment. He would listen to their concerns and take action on their behalf. He was
particularly attentive to the needs of orphans, women, and slaves, emphasizing their
rights and ensuring they were treated with respect and dignity.

• Generosity:

Generosity is giving freely without expecting anything in return. The life of the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) is a shining example of unparalleled generosity. He
showed generosity by different ways like generosity with enemies, in food etc, in
knowledge and prayers. Abdullah ibn Ubayy, one of the hypocrites, was an enemy of
Islam, yet on his death the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed for him and
gave his own shirt to enshroud Abdullah’s body. He would never refuse the beggar,
would feed the poor and hungry, going hungry himself. He would give away his
possessions and money. He never turned down anyone who asked him for
something, and once a person asked for the clothes he was wearing, the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) took off his garment and handed it to the man. Once,
70 000 dirhams were brought to him and he laid them on the floor and gave them out
until they were all finished. A woman once came to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) with a bowl of dates. He didn’t hesitate to share the dates with others present,
even though he was hungry himself, demonstrating that he prioritized the needs of
others over his own. He was most generous in Ramadan. When he returned a debt,
he gave more than what he owed. He was generous with his prayers, praying for
those who hurt him rather than asking for their destruction such as at the time of
event of Taif and conquest of Makkah. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
shared his knowledge with anyone who sought it, regardless of their social status.
His teachings have been passed down through generations, benefiting millions
worldwide.

• Simplicity:

Simplicity is living with few things and not being extravagant even when you have the
chance. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) would do things with his own hands,
rather than asking others to do it for him, such as milking his goats, patching his
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clothes, mending his shoes. He worked on the construction of the mosque and
digging the trench at battle. He did not like the companions to stand up for him when
he entered. He would eat as others ate, and sit on the floor as others sat. He would
take his meals with slaves and people from any class of society. He would eat very
little. He would sleep on a simple mattress on the floor without home comforts or
decorations. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) wore simple clothes, often made of
rough fabric. He did not seek luxury or adornment and preferred clothing that was
functional rather than fancy. He is reported to have said, "The best of clothes are
those which are simple." Holy Prophet's meals were very simple. Holy Prophet’s
simplicity extended to his actions and interactions. He would greet everyone equally,
whether they were rich or poor, young or old.
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) Attitude towards non-Muslims and enemies:

• The teachings of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) are based and aimed
at promoting universal brotherhood, peace and love. He showed very kind,
sympathetic, forgiving, cooperative and humble attitude towards non-Muslims.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) did not encourage any kind or degree of
compulsion towards the non-Muslim subjects living in a Muslim state. As the
Quran clearly says: “Let there be no compulsion in religion”.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) took special care of the rights and
protection of the non-Muslim citizens of Madina. He said: “Whoever
committed any excess against a non-Muslim or used force against him
unjustly, I will advocate against such a Muslim on the Final Day”.
• In the treaty of Madinah, the Prophet set a great example of complete
religious and civic freedom and liberty to the non-Muslims of Madinah and
declared as the Jews and the Muslims as one unit and Ummah. They were
given equal political and cultural rights, autonomy, they would fight with the
Muslims against the enemy of the community and have the same
responsibilities in war as others.
• The Prophet was always fair in his dealings with the non-Muslims, e.g. when a
Muslim and non-Muslim were having a dispute, the Prophet sided with the
non-Muslim as it was the just thing to do.
• The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) imposed a special tax (Jizya) upon the
non-Muslims living under a Muslim ruler who was responsible for protecting
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the life, honour and property of the non-Muslims. But women, children and
poor people were exempted from Jizya and there were several other incidents
of exemption.
• Throughout thirteen years of Makkan life as a messenger he was abused,
taunted, mocked and tortured but he never cursed anybody on a single
occasion and instead he would always pray for the guidance of his enemies.
The exemplary demonstration of this was on his visit to Taif where a gang of
hooligans tortured him so much that his body began to bleed profusely. When
Hazrat Jibrael asked him if his enemies should be crushed by the command
of God, his reply was a humble prayer for the mischievous people of Taif. He
said: “Why should I pray for the destruction of these people? I hope that their
posterity will certainly be among the believers in one Allah”
• The prisoners of the battle of Badr were treated also serves as an example to
follow. The prisoners were all treated politely and kindly and those who could
afford to pay ransom money were released soon. The poor, the weak and the
elderly were freed while some of the educated captives were released after
each of them had taught ten Muslims at Madinah.
• Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) put a complete ban on the inhuman and
heinous practice of mutilation of the dead bodies of the enemy’s soldiers,
which was prevalent among the pre-Islamic Arabs. The Prophet even forgave
Hinda who had mutilated the body of his beloved uncle Hazrat Hamza in the
battle of Uhad as well as his assassin Wahshi bin Harb.
• One night an unbeliever was a guest of the Holy Prophet. One by one, he
drank the milk of all the goats, but the Prophet did not show any sign of anger
or dislike. Next day, impressed by the Prophet’s behavior, he embraced Islam.
• Hazrat Abu Huraira’s mother who lived with him in Madinah, was an
unbeliever. She used to abuse the Prophet, about which Abu Huraira
complained to him, but he prayed for her.
• The leader of hypocrites Abdullah bin Ubay and his followers embraced Islam
but were not true Muslims. This behavior at the time of the battle of Uhad and
other occasions was damaging to Islam, but the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) always treated them with kindness.
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• The Jews were very hostile towards Muslims but the Prophet was kind to
them. Once, the funeral of a Jew was passing by the Prophet and he stood up
as a mark of respect.
• The unbelievers of Makkah made his life miserable, compelling him to leave
the town and subjected him to the worst kinds of torture. But when Makkah
was conquered, he forgave every injury inflicted upon him and proclaimed a
general pardon for everyone. He announced: “Today, there is no blame on
you, there will be no punishment; go, all of you are free”.
Holy Prophet’s attitude towards Mothers:

The Holy Quran says: “Worship none but Him and do well to your parents”. This
shows that after the worship of Allah the noblest deed is to serve parents.

But the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) accorded an exalted status to mothers.
He summed up all the Islamic teachings about the status of mothers by saying:

“Paradise lies under the feet of mothers”.

This special status was given to mothers because of their sufferings and endurance
during the pregnancy period and upbringing of the children. The Holy Quran
mentions the pains suffered by a mother in this verse:

“And we have enjoined upon man to be good to his parents; his mother bears him in
weakness upon weakness”.

For the same reason the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in an incident thrice
insisted on serving one’s mother and only the fourth time he told the questioner to
serve his father.

The Holy Prophet’s own kind treatment towards his foster mother Halima is
wonderful example. He used to call her “My mother”.

The Prophet had a foster sister Sheema (daughter of Halima). When she was
captured in Hunain, he released her immediately and upon hearing that she was his
sister, the entire clan of Banu Sa’d was freed by the companions of the Holy
Prophet.
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Holy Prophet’s attitude towards wives:

It was the custom in Arabia that women were not given any right, people used to
marry as many women as they could afford and at their will, they used to divorce
them and were treated inhumanely. But Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) gave
them full rights.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) raised the status of women equal to the status of
man in matters of rights and said in his last sermon: “O people you have rights over
your wives and your wives have rights over you and treat them with kindness”.

The Holy Quran says: “They (women) have the rights against them (man) according
to what is equitable”.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) repeatedly instructed the believers to be kind to
their wives. In a Hadith he said: “The most perfect believers are the best in conduct
and the best of you are those who are best to their wives”.

On the other side the Prophet said: “The one who treats his wife unjustly will come
on the Day of Judgement half of his body paralyzed”. It shows that we must be
careful in regard to the rights of women.

Women were also ensured a due share in the property left by their deceased
husbands and parents. Islamic law even granted the right to seek divorce by a
woman from her husband through Khula.

A Muslim husband is required to be caring, loving and considerate towards his wife
and the wife should in return reciprocate her husband’s love by taking full care of his
needs.

The way the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) treated his wives can be assessed
by the fact that he would send gifts to the family and friends of Khadija even after
she had passed away.

Holy Prophet’s attitude towards daughters:

According to Islamic teachings, daughters are considered the blessings in the house.
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The one who brings up two daughters,
feeds them, educate them and gets married is sure to enter paradise”. This shows
that bringing up daughters has a great reward.
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Before Islam, the daughters were considered as an insult and they were buried alive
at the time of their birth but the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) put a stop to the
burying of the daughters alive. As the Holy Quran says: “And when the girl-child that
was buried alive will be asked, for what sin she was killed?”.

When his daughter was born Hazrat Fatima, he said “Fatima is a piece of my heart
the one who annoys Fatima annoys me and the one who pleases her pleases me”.
This shows that daughters must be given preference as they love their parents more
than the sons.

Holy Quran has also fixed an amount for the daughters in inheritance from the
deceased parents. This shows that Islam gives financial rights to woman.

History and Importance of Hadith

Difference between Hadith and Sunnah:

Hadith: Hadith literally means a story or a report, talk, conversation, represents an

account of what happened. But in Islamic terminology Hadith means the sayings, the
doings (actions) and the silent (Tacit) approval of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
is called Hadith. Hadith can be divided into three parts:

Hadith Quoly: The sayings of the Holy Prophet.

Hadith Fi’ely: The actions of the Holy Prophet.

HadithTaqreery: Something that happened in front of the Holy Prophet (peace be

upon him) and he kept quiet, showing his tacit approval. The Hadith is also known as
Tradition.

Sunnah: The word Sunnah literally means a practice, a way, or a course, a rule, a
mode or mode of life, a precedent, or a custom. In the Islamic terminology the
Sunnah means the doings and practices of the Holy Prophet. The Sunnah also
refers to religious duties namely that which is recommended although not obligatory.
Briefly, the Sunnah is what was practised by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
and Hadiths are the records of what was said and practised by the Holy Prophet.
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Difference between Hadith Nabawi and Hadith Qudsi:

Hadith Nabawi: A Hadith that contains words that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) himself spoke is called Hadith Nabawi.

Hadith Qudsi: A Hadith that contains words from Allah is called Hadith Qudsi. For
example: “Allah says, ‘Fasting is for Me and I shall certainly compensate it’, is called
Hadith Qudsi. Some more examples are these; “O son of Adam, as long as you call
upon Me and ask of Me, I will forgive you for what you have done, and I will not
mind”. "My mercy overcomes My wrath." Hadith Qudsi is not the part of Holy Quran,
yet this is recognized as the most important kind of Hadith because this provides
guidance on the important Islamic laws. This Hadith is known as the Divine Hadith.

The relationship between Holy Quran and Hadith:

The Holy Quran is the basic source of Islamic law as it is God’s words and gives
guidance in our entire life. It is the most perfect book without any fault. It is
unchanged and unquestionable. The Hadith literally means the sayings, actions and
silence approved of the Holy Prophet; it is the second source of Islamic law. Both the
Quran and Hadith are collectively taken as the primary sources of Islamic Law as
together. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said in his last sermon “And I
leave with you two things. If you hold fast by them both, you will never be misguided,
the Book of Allah and Sunnah of the prophet”. The Hadith is the practical
demonstration of the Quran as companion asked Hazrat Aysha about the morals of
the Holy Prophet. She said: “His moral was the Holy Quran”. This thing shows that
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) never did anything, which was against Quranic
teachings.

Allah ha/s ordered many times in the Holy Quran to follow the both as Allah says:
“And obey Allah and obey the messenger”. Similarly, Allah said: “He, who obeys the
Apostle, obeys Allah” because the Prophet did not speak of his own desire. As in
surah Najm, Allah said: “Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is only an inspiration
that is inspired”. Actually, Hadith gives full teachings of what the Quran states in brief
or where it is silent. As the verse says: “We have sent down the Quran to you O
Muhammad so that you may explain to mankind what has been revealed to them”.
Now some examples are given below.
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Examples of explanation:

• The Holy Quran says: “Establish prayer” but it does not give the method,
prohibition and obligatory acts. It is Hadith which explains everything in detail
as the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) himself inspired about it; “Offer
your prayers as you see me offering”. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
gave the rule about prayers; "There is no prayer for the one who does not
recite the opening chapter of the Qur'an (Al-Fatiha)."
• The Quran commands “Hajj is duty man owe to Allah those who can afford
the journey”. But it does not tell the whole method, obligatory acts, times,
places and manners of Hajj, now it is Hadith which explains in detail about
these. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) him guided about it; "Take
from me your rituals of Hajj."Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the rule
about Iharam; "Do not cut your hair or nails, and do not engage in marital
relations while in Ihram."
• The Quran commands many times to give Zakat as Allah said; "And establish
prayer and give Zakat, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves,
you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing." But Hadith
explains and tells in detail that on which zakat is levied, its time when it is
given and the fixed amount that is given. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) guided; "No Zakat is due on wealth until one year has passed on it."
• The Holy Quran mentioned about usury that it is forbidden as Allah said;
"Allah has made trade lawful and usury (Riba) unlawful." But the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the details of it: "Riba is the surplus that is
received in a transaction without giving anything in return."
• The Holy Quran described the punishment of thief in short as told in the Holy
Quran; "For the thief, whether male or female, cut off their hands as a
punishment for what they have done. This is a punishment from Allah, and
He is powerful and wise." But the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
explained it: “If he steals cut off his hand, if he steals again cut off his foot, it
he steals again cut off his hand, and if he steals again cut off his foot”.
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Examples of those teachings where the Holy Quran is silent:

• The Holy Quran describes that pork is unclean therefore unlawful for the
Muslims. As Allah Almighty said; "Prohibited to you (for food) are: dead meat,
blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked the name of
other than Allah”. The Quran tells only one animal as unlawful but all the other
animals are declared unlawful by the Hadith as he said “All the animals having
attacked teeth and all the birds having attacking claws are unlawful (haram).
• The division of inheritance is clearly stated in the Quran as Allah Said; "Allah
instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share
of two females. But leaving of wealth for the non-Muslim relatives is not
mentioned but the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said “A Muslim may not
inherit from a non-Muslim, nor a non-Muslim inherit from a Muslim”.

Parts of Hadith: For the purpose of verification and study, a Hadith is basically
divided into two parts, Sanad and the Matn, its text.

Sanad: The first part of Hadith is called Sanad. The basic meaning of Sanad is
support and it its terminology, it is the list of authorities who narrated the Hadith from
the Holy Prophet. These authorities are also called Narrators, Transmitters and
Muhaddisin.

Importance of Sanad:

• The Sanad allows scholars to trace the reliability of each narrator in the chain.
By examining the biographies, character, memory, and accuracy of the
narrators, scholars can assess whether the Hadith is authentic (Sahih), weak
(Da'if), or fabricated (Mawdu'). A strong, unbroken Sanad with trustworthy
narrators adds credibility to the Hadith.
• The Sanad system is established to protect the authenticity of Islamic
teachings. By relying on an unbroken chain of narrators, scholars ensured
that the Prophet's words and actions were accurately transmitted over
generations.
• The reliance on a chain of narrators acted as a safeguard against the creation
of false or fabricated Hadiths.
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In short, the Sanad plays a pivotal role in preserving the authenticity of the Hadiths,
preventing the spread of false narrations, and ensuring that the teachings of Islam
remain accurate across generations. Therefore, it is said; “if there is no sanad,
anyone can claim anything”.

Matn: The second of Hadith is called the Matn. The word Matn which means the text
itself of a work. This is the actual sayings of the Holy Prophet. The Matn is all above
what Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said, did or approved the actions of others.

Example: Yahya narrated from Malik who narrated from Nafae who narrated from
Abdullah bin Umar that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “He who misses
the Asr prayer is as if he lost his family and property”. (Muwatta Imam Malik)

So, in this Hadith, the series of the names from Yahya to Abdullah bin Umar is called
the Sanad and the statement of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is called the
Matn.

The authenticity of Sanad: Hadith researchers developed Ilm ul Hadith to check

their authenticity. Within Ilm ul Hadith were many branches like the Asma ul Rijal
which studied the lives in great detail of the narrators. Checks were made on both
the transmitters of Hadiths and the text of the Hadiths. Some rules are given below
to check the authenticity of Sanad.

• All the narrators must be of sound mind, very strong memory, must not have
the habit of forgetting.
• All the narrators must be honest, trustworthy.
• Each narrator must know the narrator before him and also the narrator after
him.
• The first narrator in the chain must be the companion of the Holy Prophet.
• There must be no gap or weakness in the chain. It means the chain must be
unbroken and continuous.
• Every narrator must be a sane Muslim who has never committed a major sin
and is known to avoid even the minor ones.
• The narrator must be true Muslim and he must never have been accused of
making false statement. As Imam Bukhari went to Persia for getting Hadith
from a Muslim and when he saw that he was prompting his horse by showing
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it an empty barrel of food in order to get it inside its premises. So, Imam
Bukhari returned and said when he was deceiving his horse how he can be
fair to me.
• Every narrator must be careful and must have shown responsibility in the
narration or writing of the Hadith.
• The name, nickname, title, parentage and occupation of the narrator should
be known so his entire biography can be investigated.
• If a narrator referred his Hadith to a narrator, the two should have lived in the
same period and must have met each other.

The authenticity of Matn: The authenticity of any Matn can be checked in the

Following way:

• The Matn must be according to the Quranic teachings and must not go
against Quran in any way.
• It must not go against the main teaching of Islam.
• It must not go against the teachings of the reliable Hadith.
• It must be in the pure Arabic without any grammatical mistake and must be in
the Arabic style.
• The Matn must agree with common sense and what is reasonable.
• It should not give precise details of events that occurred after the Prophet’s
demise.
• It should not contain expressions uncharacteristic of the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) and other prophets.
• It should not praise any individual or place.
• It should not mention the dates of any specific event, and should not go
against any historical fact.
• It must not give high rewards for minor deeds and severe punishment for
minor sins or crimes.
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Kinds of Hadith on the basis of Validity or Invalidity of Hadith:

There are main four kinds of Hadith.

Sahih (The Most Authentic Hadith): The Hadith that passes all the tests and can
be regarded without question as coming from the Prophet. There should be no
weakness both in the chain of transmitters and the Matn. Example of Sahih Hadith
is; "Actions are judged by intentions, and everyone will be rewarded according to
what they intended." This Hadith is widely cited and is considered Sahih because it
has a strong, unbroken chain of narrators (Sanad) and was transmitted by reliable
narrators.

Hassan (The Strong/Approved/Good): The Hadith in which some doubts are

raising about their authenticity. This is similar to the Sahih Hadith except that its
narrators or some of its narrators are found defective in memory in comparison with
those of the Sahih Hadith. Example of Hassan Hadith is "Whoever relieves a
believer's distress in this world, Allah will relieve his distress on the Day of
Judgment." The narrator in this chain who has been identified as weak is Al-Hasan
al-Basri, who is sometimes regarded with a slight issue in terms of memory and
reliability when narrating from certain sources. Although Al-Hasan al-Basri is
generally considered trustworthy, his narrations were sometimes scrutinized due to
concerns about his memory. Because of this, the Hadith is not classified as Sahih
(authentic) but is accepted as Hasan (good).

Da’if (The Weak): The Hadith in which many questions raise about their authenticity.
If any of the narrator in the isnad was known to have been a liar or have a weak
memory or was known to have not met the one he was supposed to be narrating
from than the Hadith is regarded as weak. Example of Da’if Hadith is; "Whoever
recites Surah Al-Ikhlas 100 times, Allah will forgive his sins, even if they are as much
as the foam of the sea." This Hadith is classified as weak (Da'if) because of
problems in its chain of narration. One of the narrators, Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaiba, has
been questioned by some scholars regarding his reliability and memory. While
reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas is highly virtuous, this specific Hadith is weak, meaning it is
not strong enough to be used as an established practice or rule in Islamic teachings.
Scholars generally do not rely on weak Hadiths for legal or theological matters, but
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such narrations may still be used for encouragement or general spiritual advice when
they do not contradict authentic sources.

Mau’do (The Fabricated): Sometimes the Hadiths were fabricated; sayings and
doings were attributed to the Prophet which he had not said or done and cannot be
used to prove any point of law. Example of this kind of Hadith is; "Whoever recites
Surah Al-Fatiha seven times before going to sleep, Allah will grant him protection
from all harm." This Hadith is considered Mawdu' because it is falsely attributed to
the Holy Prophet. The chain of narrators in this Hadith includes individuals who were
known for fabricating narrations. The content itself is not consistent with the
authentic teachings of Islam, and there is no proof in the Quran or the authentic
Hadith collections that such a specific benefit is promised in this manner.

Kinds of Hadith on the basis of Strength of Narrators:

Mutawatir: It is Hadith reported by a large number of people in different times whose

agreement on lie becomes in conceivable. It is very authentic Hadith and its status is
equal to the verse of Holy Quran. So, the rejection of this Hadith is considered as
Kufr. Example of this Hadith is; "Whoever lies about me deliberately, let him take his
place in the Hellfire." This Hadith is considered Mutawatir because it has been
narrated by such a large number of reliable narrators in every generation from the
time of the Prophet Holy (peace be upon him) until it was compiled into Hadith
collections. The chain of narrators is so extensive that there is no possibility of it
being fabricate

Ahad (single or isolated): Hadith Ahad refers to a Hadith that is reported by a

limited number of narrators at each level of its chain (Sanad), and it does not meet
the criteria of Mutawatir (which requires a large number of narrators at each level).
Subdivisions of Ahad:

Mashhur (well known): The Hadith which is narrated by three or more than three
narrators at every stage is called Mushhur Hadith. Example of this Hadith is; "None
of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." This
Hadith is classified as Mashhur because it has been widely reported by multiple
narrators and is well-known in Islamic tradition. It is not a Mutawatir Hadith, which
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would require an even larger number of narrators at each level, but it is still
commonly cited and recognized across Islamic scholarship.

Aziz (strong or corroborative): The Hadith which is narrated by two narrators in all
ages, is called Aziz Hadith. Example of this Hadith is; "Whosoever performs wudu
and does it well, his sins will fall from his body, even from under his nails." This
Hadith is considered Aziz because it has a chain of narrators that is strong but only
includes two narrators at each level of the chain, making it distinctive in its structure.
It is reported by a small number of narrators compared to Mutawatir Hadiths but is
still accepted as authentic due to the reliability of the narrators involved.

Ghreeb (rare or unfamiliar): The Hadith which is narrated by a single narrator at

any particular time, is called Ghreeb Hadith. Example of this Hadith is; "The strong
person is not the one who is able to overpower others in wrestling, but the strong
person is the one who controls himself when he is angry." This Hadith is classified as
Gharib because it is reported by a single narrator at a particular point in the chain of
transmission, making it rare compared to other types of Hadiths. While the Hadith
itself is accepted as authentic (Sahih), it is considered Gharib because of the limited
number of narrators in the chain.

Advantages of different categories of Hadiths: It is very important to know the

different categories of Hadiths because the authentic Hadiths can form the basis of
Islamic teachings and Muslims can follow according to their level of authenticity. The
authentic Hadiths unite Muslims and make the Islamic teachings easy whereas the
Daif Hadiths may lead to conflicts and may give the wrong teachings. So, it is
necessary to have different categories to Hadiths to be aware of which one is
authentic and which one is weak.

Compilation of Hadiths:

During the life of Holy Prophet:

The Hadiths of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) were preserved during the life of
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in different ways. Such as:

Memorization: Arabs had excellent memories and they were known to learn by
heart countless verses of their poets and their tribal histories. Similarly, they used to
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learn the Hadiths of Holy Prophet. There are a number of traditions which show that
the companions of the Prophet were greatly encouraged by Him, for memorizing the
Hadiths. As the Holy Prophet: “May Allah give freshness to a servant who hears my
saying, keep it in memory and preserves it and communicates it”. Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) also warned his companions about care in the Hadiths as he
said; "Whoever intentionally lies about me, let them prepare their place in Hell." The
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had also a unique method of teaching to make
memorizing and understanding easy: he would repeat important things more than
once. A party of students called Ashab-e-Suffah lived in the mosque itself and was
learning the verses of Holy Quran and the Hadiths of Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him). One of them was Hazrat Abu Hurairah. He complained to the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) (peace be upon him) about forgetting things, and the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon him) prayed for him. As a result of this
prayer, he never forgot anything afterward. He narrated more Hadiths than any other
companion. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "O Abu Huraira, you are a
vessel of knowledge."

Writing: Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon him) instructed that the
Quran be written down from the very beginning because every word of it is divine
revelation, leaving no room for substitution, even with synonymous words. Whenever
a verse was revealed, the Prophet would ensure people memorized it and would call
a scribe to write it down. In contrast, the words of Hadith were not miracles but the
meanings and interpretations being inspired to his blessed heart. The Prophet
(peace be upon him) would then convey these meanings in his own words, which
could vary according to the context and need. Additionally, the Prophet (peace be
upon him) had complete trust in the memory and retention abilities of his people. For
this reason, the systematic writing of Hadith was not deemed necessary in the early
days of Islam. However, it was made clear that anyone who knowingly attributed
false statements to the Prophet would secure their place in Hell. Moreover, If the
companions had recorded every detail of the Prophet's daily conversations, actions,
and sayings, it would have resulted in an extensive and voluminous collection of
writings, which would have been challenging for the people of that time to manage.
This was also a fact that at that time literacy was rare, and the number of people who
could read and write was limited. Moreover, there was a scarcity of writing materials.
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People wrote the Quran on palm branches, tree leaves, shoulder bones of camels
and goats, animal hides, wooden boards, and thin stones. There was also a concern
that the companions might mix up the Quran and Hadith, as both were in Arabic.
However, after some time, when such issues no longer remained and the Prophet
(peace be upon him) was confident that the companions would no longer confuse
the Quran with Hadith, he then allowed them to write down Hadith as well. Hazrat
Abu Hurairah said that one of the companions told him of his inability to remember
what he heard from him. His reply was that he should seek help of his right hand i.e,
write it down. Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr bin A’as was the great writer of Hadiths , he
said; I used to write down whatever I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace be
upon him) to memorize it. However, the Quraysh stopped me, saying, "You write
down everything you hear, even though the Messenger of Allah is a human being
who speaks in anger as well as in happiness." Upon hearing this, I stopped writing
and mentioned it to the Prophet (peace be upon him). He pointed to his blessed
mouth with his finger and said, "Write! By the One in whose hand my soul is, nothing
comes out of this except the truth." Not only the Holy Prophet’s personal sayings and
actions were written and preserved, but also all the treaties made with various tribes
during the time of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon him) , and the
letters sent to different rulers for inviting them for Islam, were also written by the
companions and preserved like the Treaty of Madinah, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah,
and the letters to the King of Rome, the King of Persia, the King of Abyssinia and
other rulers.

The age of Companions: (11-100 AH)

After the Holy Prophet’s death, the Companions assumed both religious and political
leadership in the community. For example, Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas in Makkah,
Hazrat bin Masud in Kufa, and Hazrat Salman Farsi in Isfahan had the responsibility
of teaching the new generations of Muslims and new converts about the religion and
Sunnah of the Prophet. The study of Hadiths began as a practical effort to gather,
arrange, and verify the sayings, actions, and approvals attributed to the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) to ensure their authenticity and accuracy. The younger
Companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) played a key role as the most
active collectors and transmitters of Hadiths, preserving his teachings for future
generations. Hazrat Abu Hurairah narrated 5374 Hadiths, which were written by his
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student Humam bin Munabbah and collected in the Sahifa Sahiha. Hazrat Abdallah
bin Umar was 23 years old when the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) died but is
the second largest source of Hadiths, narrating 2630 Hadiths, Hazrat Anas bin Malik
narrated 2286 Hadiths, Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas narrated 1660 Hadiths. Hazrat
Abdullah bin Amr bin A’as narrated almost 1000 Hadiths, which were collected in the
Sahifa Sadiqa. Though narrators like Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas and Hazrat Abu
Hurairah knew the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) for a short period of time they
gathered their vast volumes of Hadiths by seeking them out from the senior
Companions. The Holy Prophet’s wives were also a great source of Hadiths. Hazrat
Ayesha was gifted with a great memory and not only narrated 2,210 Hadiths but was
known for her careful attention to their accuracy. She criticized weak or poorly
remembered narrations and played a key role in preserving Islamic teachings.
Companions like Hazrat Abu Bakr , Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Ali they
did not record many Hadiths. Instead, they preserved the teachings through their
actions as the became the caliphs after the demise of the Holy Prophet. But after
their caliphate, it became important to compile the Prophetic Hadiths due to some
reasons such as;

• The Qura’nic teachings cannot be properly followed without the support of

Hadiths, such as those related to prayers, zakat, and other important
practices. Therefore, it was essential to preserve this treasure of knowledge.
• Future generations could use the Holy Prophet’s example to clarify and
resolve questions and disputes.
• The increasing number of people accepting Islam needed guidance on the
Islamic way of life and wanted to follow the pattern of conduct set by the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him).
• The close companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) were also
passing away due to age or wars, and a need was felt to preserve the Hadiths
of the Holy Prophet.
• Some dishonest and greedy individuals fabricated false Hadiths, attributing
them to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), in order to gain personal
benefits. This led to the need for the compilation and verification of authentic
Hadiths.
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• Islamic jurisprudence was developing rapidly and needed a compiled

collection of authentic Hadiths as a source material.
• To correct mistakes in Hadiths caused by memory errors or forgetfulness, it
was important to compile them.
• The command to follow the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is given in the
Holy Qur’an and it could be done by the preserving of them.
• There was no single main collection of Hadiths, so students had to visit
companions to learn them. Hazrat Jabir bin Abdullah even travelled from
Makkah to Syria to hear just one Hadith.

So, the Umayyad Khalifa, Hazrat Umar bin Abd-ul-Aziz who ruled towards the
closeof the first century of Hijra, was the first person who wrote to governor of
Madinah, Qazi Abu Bakr Al Hazmi and other governors of state to collect Hadiths
from every possible person and compile them. A number of scholars played a
vital role in the compilation of Hadiths. One of the prominent figures in this effort
was Imam Zuhri whose collection (Musnad by Imam Zuhri) is considered very
important in the collection of Hadiths. Imam Zuhri, along with other scholars,
worked diligently to gather authentic narrations and preserve the teachings of the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Their efforts contributed significantly to the
preservation and later compilation of Hadith collections.

The age of followers of the companions (Tab’eyin 101-200 AH)

This is the age of the followers of the companions of the Prophet. They took the
matter earnestly and spared no pain in collecting traditions from different centers of
learning. The important works of this period were carried out by: Hazrat Abdullah bin
Mubarak, Hazrat Abu Bakr Rabi, Imam Makhool. During this period, the traditions of
the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) were not only collected, but the verdicts and
sayings of his companions were also carefully compiled due to certain reasons such
as;

• The companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) were the first
generation of Muslims who directly received and witnessed the teachings of
the Holy Prophet. Since they had firsthand experience, their reports about the
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Holy Prophet’s life, actions, and teachings were considered reliable sources of
knowledge.
• After the death of the Holy Prophet, the companions played a key role in
preserving and spreading Islam. They were responsible for transmitting the
Holy Prophet’s teachings to the wider Muslim community, and their sayings
and actions helped establish the context in which the Holy Prophet’s message
was understood and implemented.
• The companions' actions, decisions, and reflections often helped clarify how
the Holy Prophet’s teachings were applied in different situations.
• Many companions, especially those who were close to the Holy Prophet, such
as Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Uthman, Hazrat Ali, and others,
were regarded as sources of knowledge in their own right. Their opinions and
actions were considered authoritative and influential in shaping Islamic law
and social norms.

The outstanding works of this period were:

• Al Mutta by Imam Malik bin Anas.

• Kitab ul Aathar by Imam Abu Hanifa.
• Musnad of Ahmad bin Hanbal.
• Al Jami by Saeed bin Musayyib.

The age of followers of followers (Taba Tabeyin 200-300 AH)

This was the golden age of traditions. Hadith literature flourished under the laborious
and critical research of the traditionists of that time. Principles were laid down to
differentiate a Sahih Hadith from a fabricated one as the knowledge of Asma ul Rijal
(biographies of the narrators), Jarh o Ta’deel (criticizing and praising). In this period,
not only unwritten traditions were collected but also written traditions were
rearranged in different chapters and under various topics.

Six authentic books of traditions (Sahah-e-Sitta) were written. They are the most
reliable books of all the books on traditions. Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan
Abu Dawood, Sunan Nisai, Jami Tirmizi, Sunan ibn Maja.
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Sahih Bukhari: It was written by Muhammad bin Abdullah Ismail Al Bukhari (194-
256). He had a sharp retentive memory. He learned Hadiths from a very early age.
He travelled throughout the Muslim world nearly forty years for the collection of
Hadiths. He went to meet every traditionist. His Sahih is the next to Quran in
authenticity and is most reliable and original. All the other works are based on this.
He selected nearly 7275 out of 600,000 traditions (including repetitions). Without
repetitions, the number is about 2,360. Sahih Bukhari is divided into 97 books
(kutub) or chapters (abwab), covering various aspects of faith, worship, ethics, laws,
and daily life. Each Hadith includes a detailed chain of narrators (isnad), ensuring its
reliability. He did not accept any tradition unless all the narrators were reliable and
until there was a proof that one reporter met another. Imam Bukhari said that he
wrote his book Sahih al-Bukhari in Masjid al-Haram. Before writing any Hadith, he
would pray two rakat of Istikhara to seek Allah's guidance. Only after being sure of
the Hadith's authenticity, he included it in his book. That is why it took 16 years to
complete this book.

Sahih Muslim: It was written by Abul Hussain Muslim bin Hajjaj (204-261 AH). He
was born in Nishapur (present-day Iran). He was a student of many great scholars
and traveled widely in pursuit of Hadiths. He devoted his life to the collection,
verification, and preservation of authentic Hadiths. Sahih Muslim contains around
7,500 Hadiths out of 300,000 including repetitions. Without repetitions, there are
approximately 4,000 unique Hadiths. The Hadiths in Sahih Muslim are divided into
58 books (or chapters), covering a wide range of topics including theology,
jurisprudence, ethics, rituals, and the Prophet’s biography. The collection includes
sayings, actions, and approvals of the Holy Prophet Prophet, as well as those of his
companions, providing a detailed understanding of Islamic practices. It is considered
next to Bukhari in accuracy and authenticity. Any tradition accepted by both Bukhari
and Muslim has been termed as Agreed Upon and both Hadith books are called
Sahihain. According to some scholar Sahih Muslim is somewhat superior to Bukhari
in details of arrangement to traditions.

Sunan Abu Dawood: Sunan Abu Dawood is one of the six major books of Hadith. It
was compiled by Abu Dawood Sulaiman bin Ash’ath Sajistani (202-275 AH). He was
a great scholar of Hadith who traveled extensively across the Muslim world to collect
authentic narrations. He was known for his expertise in Hadith sciences and his deep
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understanding of Islamic jurisprudence. He was also a teacher of Imam al-Tirmizi

and Imam al-Nasa’i, two other compilers of major Hadith collections. He wrote many
books on traditions and Islamic laws. His Sunan is the most important and is
considered by most jurists and traditionists to be the next to the Sahihain. This
collection focuses on Hadiths related to Islamic laws and practical life. It is
particularly useful for scholars and students of Islamic law. It consists of 4800
traditions selected out of 500,000 and it took twenty years to complete his book. The
book is divided into 35 books (kutub) or chapters, covering topics such as
Purification (Tahara), Prayer (Salah), Fasting, Marriage, Trade, Hudood
(Punishments), and more. It includes authentic (sahih), good (hasan), and some
weak (da'if) Hadiths, as Imam Abu Dawood wanted to present a comprehensive
guide to legal issues, leaving it to scholars to assess their validity. It also addresses
unique issues and rare Hadiths that are not found in other collections.

Jami Tirmizi: It is is one of the six major books of Hadith. It is written by Abu Isa
Muhammad bin Isa (209-279 AH). He travelled a great deal in search of Hadiths,
visiting the great centres of Islamic learning, where he was able to associate with
eminent traditionists such as Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim and others. Imam Tirmizi
was not just a compiler but also a muhaddith (scholar of Hadith) and a faqih (jurist).
His deep understanding of Islamic jurisprudence shines through his analysis of
Hadith. His work has been accepted by the jurists as the basis of Islamic law. The
book contains approximately 3,963 Hadiths and these are divided into 50 chapters.
This book is given two titles; Al-Jami which highlights its comprehensive coverage of
various topics such as; Ahkam (Rulings), Adab (Etiquettes), Zuhd (Asceticism),
Tafsir (Interpretation of Holy Quran), Aqaid (Beliefs), Sirah (Biography of the Holy
Prophet). Second title is “Sunan” which are the books of Hadiths in which the Hadiths
are arranged according to the chapters of Fiqh (Shari’ah). He was the first to identify
the narrators of traditions by their names, surnames, and titles to remove the
confusion about narrators. Unlike Imam Bukhari or Imam Muslim, who strictly include
only Sahih narrations, Imam Tirmizi includes Hassan and da’if narrations for
educational purposes, with commentary to guide readers.

Sunan Nasai: It is one of the six major collections of Hadith in Islam, known as
Sihah-e-Sitta (The Six Books). It was written by Ahmad bin Shoaib from Nasa in
present-day Turkmenistan (214-303 AH). He was a renowned scholar of Hadith who
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studied under the leading scholars of his time. He travelled widely in search of
Hadiths and was considered as the leading traditionist of his day. He was extremely
rigorous in accepting Hadith, often regarded as stricter than Imam Abu Dawood or
Imam Tirmizi. His expertise in Hadith criticism earned him great respect. This book is
often referred to as “Al-Mujtaba" or "Sunan Al-Sughra". It is smaller than Al-Sunan al-
Kubra, which contains many more narrations. It contains 5,758 Hadith organized into
51 books (chapters). Each chapter deals with a specific topic, including Purification
(Taharah), Prayer (Salah), Zakah, Fasting (Sawm), Marriage (Nikah), and Trade
(Bay'), among others. This book is often praised for its focus on fiqh-related
(jurisprudence) narrations and is considered superior in authenticity to Sunan Abu
Dawood and Jami' at-Tirmizi. It is a critical text for students and scholars of Islamic
studies.

Sunan Ibn Maja: It is one of the six major collections of Hadith in Islam, known as
Sihah-e-Sitta (The Six Books). It was written by Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Yazid
from Qazveen (Iran) (209-273 AH). He visited important centres like Makkah,
Madinah, Baghdad and studied under great traditionists of his day. His book consists
of 4,341 narrations (Hadith) of which a significant number are related to
jurisprudence (fiqh), rituals, and theology. Like other collections in the Sunan genre,
it covers a wide range of topics including purification, prayer, fasting, hajj, marriage,
inheritance, and more. In this book, many of Hadiths are categorized as Hasan
(good) and some classified as weak (Da'if). One of the distinguishing features of
Sunan Ibn Majah is that it includes numerous Hadiths not found in other major
collections, the authenticity of which has been questioned by some scholars. It
includes many narrations about the virtues of actions (fada'il), such as the benefits of
specific deeds and the qualities of certain individuals, including the companions of
the Holy Prophet.

Types of Hadith books: The followings are the main Hadith books.

Al-Jami: It refers to a comprehensive compilation that gathers a wide range of

Hadiths. It contains Hadiths concerning: Siyar (biography of Holy Prophet), Adab
(social behaviour), Aqaid (Beliefs), Tafseer (Interpretation of Holy Quran), Zuhd
(Asceticism), Ahkam (Rulings). Sahih Al-Bukhari and Jami Tirmizi are the best
examples of this kind of Hadith book.
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Al-Musnad: A Musnad is a type of Hadith collection in which the Hadiths are

organized according to the name of the companion of the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) (peace be upon him) who transmitted the Hadith. The compiler of a
Musnad Hadith collection has several possible ways to organize the narrations,
depending on the approach and focus of the work. Some common methods of
organization include:
By the Rightly Guided Caliphs: In this arrangement, the Hadiths are grouped by
the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, who were the Holy Prophet’ s (peace be upon him)
closest companions and the leaders of Ummah. This method emphasizes the crucial
role played by these companions in preserving and transmitting the Holy Prophet's
teachings.
By the First Acceptors of Islam: Another method involves categorizing narrations
based on the companions who embraced Islam in its early days. This organization
gives information about the early converts and highlights their contributions for Holy
Prophet’s words and actions.
By Region: Some Musnad collections may organize narrations according to the
geographical regions from which the companions hailed. For instance, companions
from Makkah, Madinahh, Kufa, or Basra. This approach can reveal regional
differences in how Hadiths were shared and show the views of different areas in
early Islam.
Alphabetical Order: In some instances, a Musnad may use an alphabetical system
to categorize the companions by their names. This method makes it easier for
readers to find Hadiths transmitted by specific companions quickly.
Importance: These books are prepared irrespective of their themes. These books
help to know the authenticity of Hadith because they are narrated by a particular
companion that is why this book is called Musnad means supported. These books
are very useful if anyone is interested in learning the views attributed to a specific
companion. These books are very useful if any Hadith is related to any companion
and we want to verify it. For example, the Musnad of Imam Ahmad bin Hunble,
Musnad of Zaid bin Ali etc.

Al-Musannaf: In these books Hadiths (sayings and actions of the Holy Prophet) and
Athar (sayings and actions of the companions) are arranged according to their
themes and topics irrespective of first narrator. The main chapters (Kutub) are
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divided into subchapters (Abwab) such as main chapter is Al-Salah and subchapters
are ablution, times of prayers etc. Such collections were previously called
• Abwab due to division of Hadiths into chapters and sub chapters
• Al-Muasannaf which means “divided up” because it divides the Hadiths
according to their themes.
• New name is Al-Sunan due to arrangements of Hadiths according to books of
law (Shari’ah).
Importance:
• Scholars can easily access narrations related to specific legal or social issues
like purification, marriage, trade, or inheritance.
• These books include Prophetic Hadiths as well as sayings and practices of
the Companions and Tabi'un, offering a broader perspective on Islamic
teachings.
• These books preserve the practices and rulings of the early Muslim
community, showing how Islamic law developed.
• Jurists use Musannaf books to derive rulings and understand different
opinions in Islamic jurisprudence.
The Sihah-e-Sitta are the best examples of musannaf collections, Musannaf Abdul
Razzaq, Musannaf Ibn Shaiba etc.
Major teachings about individual life of a Muslim:

The aspects of an individual life which receive focus in these traditions are as
follows:

Sincerity: These Hadiths teach that a Muslim should be an embodiment of sincerity.

He should be sincere to Allah, his prophet, his book, the leaders of the Muslims and
to the common people. As Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Religion is
sincerity, we said: to whom? The Prophet said: “To Allah, His books, His messenger,
the leaders of the Muslims, and to their common people”.

Fulfillment of obligations: These Hadiths tell us that the Muslim must fulfill the
pillars of Islam. The performance of these obligations is a sign of true Muslim. So,
Muslims must perform these fundamental practices. A man asked the Messenger of
Allah do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramazan, treat as
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lawful that what is lawful and treat as forbidden that what is forbidden and do nothing
further, I shall enter Paradise; He said; yes.

Sacrifice: A Muslim sacrifices his comforts and pleasures for Allah’s sake and if
necessary, he lays down his life as well in His path. It was said: O Messenger of
Allah, who is the most excellent of men? The Messenger of Allah said: “The believer
who strives hard in the way of Allah with his person and his property”.

Hard work: Hard work should be an ornament of a believer. The very act of work,
physical or mental, is worship in the sight of Allah. A man who works and earns his
livelihood by the sweat of his brow is dear to Allah. As the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) said about the value of hardworking: “No one eats better food than that
which he eats out of the work of his hand”.

Recitation of the Holy Quran: A believer is required to act according to the

injunctions contained in the Holy Quran. It is possible only when he recites the
Quran, understands it and ponders over it. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
said: “He who studies the Holy Quran is like the owner of tethered camel. If he
attends to them, he will keep hold of them, but if he lets them loose, they will go
away”.

Modesty: Modesty and shame are qualities which carry great merit in the divine
court. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) motivated for it too much, as he said:
“Modesty produces nothing but good”.

Purification of heart: Every Muslim is required to make his heart pure from pride
and arrogance. Pride is a sign of sinful person and this sin leads the Muslim to hell.
As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “He who has in his heart as much
pride as a grain of mustard seed will not enter Paradise”.

Behaviour about Lawful things: Muslims are required to treat as lawful that which
is lawful and treat as unlawful that which is forbidden and earn livelihood in a lawful
manner. A man asked the Messenger of Allah do you think that if I perform the
obligatory prayers, fast in Ramazan, treat as lawful that what is lawful and treat as
forbidden that what is forbidden and do nothing further, I shall enter Paradise; He
said; yes.
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Attitude towards this World: In these Hadiths Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
has told us that a true Muslim remembers that his ultimate destination is the
hereafter and so he will not indulge in this world too much. Because of this belief, he
or she is like a traveller who is not truly at ease until the journey ends. Unlike a
disbeliever considers this to be his only life, and loves it to make it as comfortable as
possible. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The world is the believer's
prison and the unbelievable Paradise”.

Main teachings of the Hadiths regarding life in community:

Some of the selected Hadiths deal with the guiding principles concerning life in
community. These are as follows:

Brotherhood: All the Muslims are brothers to each other in society. Deceiving,
hating and harming others go against the nature and spirit of Islam. The Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The believers are like a single man, if his eye is
affected, he is affected, and if his head is affected, he is all affected”.

Manners of conversation: This brief summary of traditions teaches us to speak well

and truth. No lies should be employed to entertain others or to get in the good books
of others. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Let him who believes in Allah
and the last day either speak good or keep silent”.

Human rights: The champion of human rights, Islam enjoins us to observe human
rights: the rights of parents, children, spouse, the poor, etc. An ideal person believes
and devotes his life to the welfare to others. Fulfillment of human rights is not just an
optional matter for a Muslim rather it is compulsory for him. As the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) said: “Let him who believes in Allah and the last day be
generous to his neighbour and let him who believe in Allah and the last day be
generous to his guest”.

Charity: Helping out others, Muslims or non-Muslims, has been stressed in this
collection of traditions. Giving a good piece of advice, teaching and talking to others
with a smile on face, all these are are considered as a charity. As the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) said; “To act justly between two two people is a charity, to help
a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto is a
charity, a good word is a charity”.
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Attitude towards Neighbours: The Muslims are also required in these Hadiths to
be kind and helper towards neighbours. Many Hadiths have been made a great
stress on the rights of neighbours. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Let him
who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbour”.

Guidance for Rulers: These Hadiths tell us the rulers should be kind for their
people and make every effort to win their hearts. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
sent Hazrat Abu Musa and Hazrat Muaz bin Jabal to Yemen, and he sent each of
them to govern a part, then he said; “Be gentle and do not be hard and cause
rejoicing and do not alienate”.

Eradication of evil: The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) commands the Muslims
to work for the good of humans to turn society into a beautiful paradise on earth, a
believer must engage in struggle for elimination of mischief, tyranny and violence
from the face of the earth. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand, and if he is
not able to do so, then with his tongue, and if he is not able to do so, then with his
heart, and that is the weakest of faith”.

Help for others: In this collection of Hadiths the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
has inspired us to help the poor, widow, orphans and other people. He also told the
great reward for those people. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I and
the man who brings up an orphan will be in a paradise like this and he appointed
with his two fingers, the index finger and the middle one”.

Preference for others: In these Hadiths, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) also
gave a golden rule to Muslims that they should be ready to put his brothers before
his own self in ordinary and routine matters of daily life. As he made it the sign of
true believer. He said: “None of you believes until he wants for his brother what he
wants for himself”.

Mercy: Following in the footsteps of his Prophet, a Muslim deals with everyone with
a pure, soft tender and sound heart. Seeking revenge or behaving arrogantly cannot
be expected of noble believer. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “God
will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others”.
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Articles of Faith

The fundamental beliefs, which serve as the foundation of a religion, are called
doctrines or articles of faith. Every action of man is motivated by his beliefs. These
beliefs dominate his mind and heart and serve as incentives for his actions. These
are basically six beliefs which are mentioned in Iman e Mufassal,

“I believe in Allah Almighty, in his angels, in his books, in his messengers, in the last
day and in the fact that everything, good or bad, is decided by Allah Almighty, and in
life after death”.

Belief in Unity and Oneness of Allah Almighty (Monotheism)

Tauhid is the first and foremost belief of Islam. All the Prophets from Hazrat Adam to
the last Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) Hazrat Muhammad preached Oneness of
Allah Almighty. It means that Allah Almighty is the omnipotent, the omniscient, the
omnipresent, the Supreme Being, the creator, sustainer, master of the universe and
exclusively worthy of worship. The first surah of Holy Quran begins with these words:
“Praise be to Allah Almighty, the cherisher and sustainer of all the worlds”. He is and
will always be. He has no beginning and no end. He is the first and the last. He has
no parents or son. Allah is beyond anything which the mind or senses of man can
grasp or comprehend or imagine. Giving life and death is in Allah’s hands as the
verse shows: “Allah is the one who creates living from the dead and the dead from
living”. The Quran has laid the greatest emphasis on Allah’s absolute unity and
oneness. The concept has been summed up in surah Ikhlas:
“Say He is Allah, the one and only. Allah, the eternal, the absolute. He begets not,
nor was He begotten. And there is nothing like Him” (112). The vast universe with its
flawless system clearly indicates that there is one creator and one controller. The
Quran says: “If there were in the heavens and the earth other gods besides Allah,
then verily both would have been ruined”. There are three types of Tauhid:

Oneness of the Lordship of Allah Almighty: It means that Allah Almighty is the
one and the only lord. There is no plurality of gods and there is no one to share His
entity and reality. No one is equal to Him and He has no parents and no offspring.
The Quran says: “Take not two gods; for He is just one God”. Similarly, Allah
Almighty says: “He begets not, nor was He begotten. (112)
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Oneness of the worship of Allah Almighty: It means that none but Allah Almighty
is worthy of being worshipped and adored because He is the only one who has
unique qualitites. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: And your Lord has
commanded that you should worship none but Him alone. So, Muslims should
observe all the religious practices such as prayers and giving charity for Allah’s sake
only. As we say in every prayer: “You (alone) we worship and you (alone) we ask for
help”.
Oneness of the names and attributes of Allah Almighty: This signifies that no
other being can be equal to Allah Almighty in His attributes and only Allah Almighty
possesses powers and characteristics which are found in no one else. He is unique
in his knowledge, power, will, hearing, sight and all other qualities. For example, man
may attain a degree of the attributes of kindness, power, knowledge, but only Allah
Almighty possesses the perfection of all these attributes. Similarly, Allah’s qualities
are His own but man’s qualities are God gifted. That is why Allah Almighty said:
“There is nothing like Him”.

Effects of Tauheed:

• This belief makes man good, well mannered, pious and obedient as he
worships and surrenders himself completely to the will of Allah Almighty.
• This belief gives self-respect, as the believer does not bow in front of anything
but only Allah Almighty. He feels no need to degrade himself by worshipping
lifeless idols or powerful human beings.
• This belief makes him to lead a modest life because he believes that Allah
Almighty is everywhere and He knows the innermost secrets of man. A man
may be able to conceal his crimes from the eyes of other people but Allah
Almighty always has the knowledge of his deeds as well as intentions. This
faith prevents a man from committing sins in public or in private and
encourages him to perform good deeds.
• This belief makes him brave that nothing can harm him without Allah’s will that
is why he is not scared of death. This belief enables the believer not to be
afraid of anyone else. He becomes an embodiment of courage and
determination. He is able to challenge and defy the greatest of tyrants.
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• This belief makes man content and satisfied in every condition because he
believes that whatever comes to him is from his Lord.
• Tauheed develops an attitude of humility because a true believer realizes that
he is helpless before Allah Almighty and everything in his possession is a gift
of Allah Almighty Who is the only provider as well as depriver. Therefore,
there is no justification for man to show arrogance.
• A believer in the Oneness of Allah Almighty is never narrow-minded. He has
firm faith in the mercy and beneficence of Allah Almighty Who is the Creator
and Provider of the universe. As a result, a true believer possesses a
universal sense of sympathy, love and service. He works for the betterment of
mankind as his first and foremost ideal.
• It stimulates unity and brotherhood and broadens the outlook of a believer as
they realise that God’s love and sympathy is not confined to any one group of
people but to His entire creation.
Shirk (Polytheism):

The Arabic word shirk means “Sharing or partnership”. In religious sense it means
associating partner with Allah Almighty in His Lordship, in His worship and in His
attributes. Shirk is too much criticized in the Holy Quran and Hadith of the Prophet.
The reason for condemnation is that it is against the human nature as all the souls
accepted Oneness of Allah Almighty in Alam-e-Arwah. As Allah Almighty asked
souls: “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Of course, You are”. It is also against the
teachings of all the prophets and revealed books. It is against the fundamental
teachings of Islam. It is illogical because attributes of Allah Almighty are His personal
and the attributes of mankind are God gifted and Allah Almighty is the creator and all
others are His creatures so how creator and creature can be equal in qualities.
Therefore, shirk is called the only unforgivable sin in the eyes of Allah Almighty. Allah
Almighty says:

“Allah forgives not that partner be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else to
whom He pleases”. (4:48) Allah Almighty also said: “If someone associates any
others with Allah, Allah will prohibit paradise to him and his shelter is the fire”. (5:72)

Similarly, Allah Almighty said in the Holy Quran: “Shirk is the greatest of all sins”.
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Even Allah Almighty has talked about polytheists “O you who believe! The
associators are simply unclean”.
Types of Shirk:

Shirk in the Lordship of Allah Almighty: This means the belief in the existence of
someone equal to Allah Almighty or having some physical or family relation to Him.
Polythiests of Makkah were belieing angels as the daughters of Allah. Jews believe
that Hazrat Uzair is the son of Allah and Christians believe that Hazrat Isa is the son
of Allah. But Allah Almighty says: “He begets not, nor was He begotten. (112)

Shirk in the worship of Allah Almighty: It is to set partner in the worship of Allah
Almighty as to worship Allah Almighty and some other creatures as well. Polythiests
of Makkah used to worship idols, some people worship fire, some people worship
animals like cow, some nations worship celestial bodies like sun, moon, stars etc.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “And your Lord has commanded that you
should worship none but Him alone”.

Shirk in the names and attributes of Allah Almighty: This means that the belief
that attributes and characteristics of Allah Almighty are possessed by someone else
or to consider that someone else possesses the same knowledge, power and will
similar to Allah Almighty or to consider some one Omnipotent as Allah Almighty is
Shirk in the attributes of Allah Almighty. As Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
“There is nothing like Him”.

Belief in Angels (Malaika)

Belief in the existence of angels is an article of Islamic faith. Allah Almighty said in
the Holy Quran: “It is righteousness to believe in God, the last day, the angels, the
messengers and the books” (2:177). The non-believers considered angels to be
deities, omnipotent and Allah’s daughters as the polytheists of Makkah were
believing that angels are the daughters of Allah. So, this article of faith purifies the
belief in the oneness of Allah Almighty. The Holy Quran denies their false concepts
by these words: “Has then your Lord preferred for you sons and taken for Himself
daughters among the angels”. Muslims believe that Allah Almighty created Malaika
or angels out of divine light; hence they are not visible to humans. Angels have no
gender and they are; therefore, neither males nor females. Angels have been given
the necessary qualities and powers to carry out their duties. They have no
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knowledge except what Allah Almighty has taught them. Angels are special
creatures of Allah Almighty to whom is entrusted the noblest task of communicating
between Allah Almighty and his prophet.

Angels can change themselves into any shape they like. Angels are the obedient
servant of Allah Almighty and free from sins even they are unable to disobey Allah
Almighty as described in the Holy Quran: “They do not disobey Allah in what He
commands them but do what they are commanded”. Angels cannot be seen unless
they appear in human form as they appeared in human form before Hazrat Zakaria,
Hazrat Maryam and before Hazrat Ibrahim to give them the glad tidings of the birth of
their sons. Muslims believe that the exact number of angels is unknown as Allah
Almighty said “And none knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him”. Angels play a
significant role in the everyday lives of human beings for example, according to
Hadith, they breathe life into the foetus a few months after conception with the
permission of God; an angel then writes the answer to four questions in this human
being’s book of deeds: Will it be male or female? Will this person be happy or sad?
How long will his/her life be and will the person perform good or bad deeds. The
most prominent angels and their duties are below:

Hazrat Jibrael: He is the chief among all the angels. He has been referred to as Ruh
ul Qudus, Ruh ul Amin. He brought messages, commandments and scriptures from
Allah Almighty to the last prophet Muhammad and to all other prophets. As Allah
Almighty said: “Say the Holy Spirit (Jibrael) has brought the revelation from your Lord
in truth”. He was who took the prophet of Allah Almighty on the night of journey. He
also announced the birth of the prophet Hazrat Isa to his mother Hazrat Maryam.
Sometime, he also came to the last prophet in the form of his companion Hazrat
Dihya bin Khalifa Kalbi and some times as a stranger.

Hazrat Mikael: He is in charge of sending rain and providing nourishments for

creatures. Many others are assigned to work under him who is in charge of clouds,
seas, rivers, air etc. This angel gets his orders from Allah Almighty and then passes
them to the angels who assist him.

Hazrat Izrael: He is also called Malak ul Mawt (The angel of death). He is in charge
of taking people’s souls at the time of their death. A good person has his or her soul
removed gently at death while an evil person’s soul is ripped violently away.
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Hazrat Israfael: This angel will blow the trumpet twice at the end of time by the order
of Allah Almighty. The sound of first blow will destroy everything on earth and the
second blow will be for the Day of Resurrection at which everything will be brought
back to their Lord. Allah Almighty said in the Holy Quran: “The Trumpet will be blown
and all those in the heavens and all those on the earth will fall dead, except those
Allah wills to spare. Then it will be blown again and they will rise up at once, looking
on in anticipation".

Kiraman Katibin: The angels which record our deeds are called Kiraman Katibin
(respected writers). One sits on the right shoulder and records all the good deeds
while the other sits on the left taking note of all the evils. This book of deed will be
presented to Him on the Day of Judgment. Allah Almighty said about these: “And
appointed over you are watchers, who are noble writers of the deeds, who know
whatever you do”.

Munkir and Nakir: These angels visit the souls of the dead people in their graves
and interrogate them. They ask three questions, who is your Lord? Who is your
prophet? What is your faith?

Rizwan and Malik: The name of angel in charge of paradise is Rizwan while Malik
rules over Hell.

Some other angels have their different common duties such as:

• Some angels move about on the earth and participate in the gatherings and
meetings held in the remembrance of Allah Almighty and His prophet.
• Some angels carry forward the greetings and salutations (Durood ‘o Salam) of
the Muslims to the Prophet Muhammad.
• Some strengthen the hearts of righteous servants of Allah Almighty and help
them as they did on the day of battle of Badr against the non-believers. As
Allah Almighty said in the Holy Quran: “Your Lord would help you with five
thousand angels”.
• Some angels celebrate the praise of their Lord and ask forgiveness for the
dwellers on the earth.
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• Angels are also responsible for guarding people throughout their lives, as the
Holy Quran described it; "For each one are successive angels before and
behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah”.

Effects of this belief:

• This belief makes the believer a righteous, God fearing and humble because
he knows that the angels record all he does.
• This belief makes the believer obedient to Allah and keeps him away from
sins.
• The angels Munkir and Nakir remind Muslim that he must prepare himself for
questing before death.
• The angel Israfeel reminds the believers to get ready for accountability on the
Day of Judgment after the second blow of trumpet.
• Bringing of divine revelation by the angel Jibrael teaches that it is from Allah
and must be obeyed.

Belief in Revealed Books

Human beings are the servants of Allah who are in need of guidance to carry out
their various duties and responsibilities. This guidance is contained in the books of
revelation sent to mankind through prophets and messengers. As Allah has provided
everything for man’s physical needs, has also provided him with spiritual guidance.
Allah said: “It is righteousness to believe in God, the last day, the angels, the
messengers and the books” (2:177).

Revelation is not due to the prophet’s own thoughts, intelligence or knowledge. It is a

special gift from Allah. There are two types of books revealed by Allah: Kutub (large
books) and Suhuf (small books), like the Suhuf of Mosa, Ibraheem, Idrees etc. Allah
mentions it in the Quran: “Verily, this is in the former suhuf, the suhuf of Ibrahim and
Mosa”. Following main books were revealed to the different prophets:

Taurat: It is the first revealed book and it is called the Old Testament as well. It was
delivered to the prophet Musa. As Allah said: “"Indeed, we sent down the Taurat, in
which was guidance and light..." (5:44). It contained the guidance, commandments
and warnings for the Bani Israel. According to Islamic tradition, parts of the original
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Tawrat were either altered, concealed, or misinterpreted by some of the Jewish

scholars over time. This idea is supported by verses in the Quran: “So, woe to those
who write the Scripture with their own hands, then say, ‘This is from Allah,’ in order
to exchange it for a small price...” (2:79) “They distort words from their proper
usages...” (4:46)

Zabur: it is the second book which was revealed to the prophet Dawood. As Allah
said in the Holy Quran: “And we bestowed the Zabur on Dawood. (4:163). The
Zaboor primarily contains hymns, praises, and supplications glorifying Allah. The
Quran also mentions that Dawood was gifted with a beautiful voice and would recite
the Zaboor in his melodious tone, which inspired both humans and animals to glorify
Allah. It was focused on spiritual guidance and worship rather than detailed laws or
commandments, which were already given in the Tawrah revealed to Prophet Musa.
Many Muslims believe the Zaboor corresponds to the Psalms in the Bible. However,
they view the Psalms in the Bible as altered over time and no longer in their original
form as revealed to Prophet Dawood.

Injil: It is the third revealed book and it is also called the New Testament or the
Bible/ Gospel. It was revealed to the prophet Isa. As Allah said in the Holy Quran:
“And we gave him Injeel, in which was guidance and light”. Muslims believe that over
time, the original message of the Injeel was distorted, and the current versions of the
Gospels in the Christian Bible do not fully reflect the original teachings of Hazrat Isa.
This is in contrast to the Quran, which Muslims believe has been preserved in its
pure form since its revelation.

Holy Quran: It is the fourth and the last revealed book for human enlightenment and
guidance. It was revealed to the last Prophet Muhammad. It was not sent down by
Allah all at once. Its revelation to the prophet was spread over a period of twenty-
three years.

Similarity and dissimilarity: The guidance sent by Allah from time to time to his
messengers was basically the same. The principles of religion relating to basic
beliefs like the unity of Allah, his attributes, belief in prophet hood, the Day of
Judgment, concept of reward and punishment, ethics and basic forms of worship like
prayers, fasting, zakat etc are common to all the revealed books. However, the
details of laws were different according to the needs of the people for particular
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period as according to some other revealed books prayer was compulsory only twice
a day but according the Holy Quran it is for five times a day.

Characteristics of Holy Quran: The Holy Quran has different distinguishing

qualities, such as:

• The preservation of other scriptures was the duty of their respective followers,
but they changed them for their worldly purposes. When Allah revealed the
Holy Quran, Allah took the responsibility of preserving whatever is contained
in it. The following verse testifies to this:
“Indeed, we have sent down this Quran and we must surely be its guardians”.
• The revelation sent to each prophet was intended for the guidance of his own
nation, but the Holy Quran was sent for the whole mankind. As Allah said:
“The month of Ramzan in which was revealed the Quran, guidance for whole
mankind”.
• The other scriptures were revealed for a specific time of period, but the Holy
Quran is the guidance for the whole mankind till the Day of Judgment. As
Allah said: “It is not but a message of guidance to all worlds”.
• The Holy Quran is not contained on some warnings and advices like the other
books, but also it is a complete code of life. The Quran give the guidance in
every field of life. Allah Almighty said; “And we have not omitted anything in
the book”.
• The message of Holy Quran is perfected by Allah. As Allah announced this
thing: “This day I have perfected your religion for you, complete my favour
upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion”. (5:3)
• The languages of other revealed books became dead with the passage of
time but the language of the Holy Quran is still alive and it is spoken in more
than 20 countries of the world.
• The Holy Quran has challenged its opponents to produce a single verse
identical to any Quranic verse but no one succeeded in doing so. It is a
miracle as Allah announced in the Holy Quran; "And if you are in doubt about
what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a
surah like it and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be
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truthful. But if you do not and you will never be able to, then fear the Fire
whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers."

Belief in Prophets

Prophet hood is the channel of communication between Allah and mankind. Human
beings lack the capacity to receive anything directly from Allah. Therefore, prophets
and chosen representatives were appointed to serve as intermediaries. They
received knowledge and messages from Allah and conveyed them to their respective
nations. Muslims believe in the long line of prophets from the prophet Adam to the
last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and they show respect to all the
prophets. The Holy Quran says: “We make no distinction between one and another
of his messengers.” (2:285)

Prophet Hood is not an institution that can be attained through penance and prayers.
It is an extremely rare gift that Allah gives to whom He wills. It is called in Arabic
Wahbi not Kasbi means it does not depend on stuggle of any one. All these prophets
were chosen by Allah, as As Allah said: “He does send down His angels with
inspiration of His command to such of His servants as He pleases” (16:2).
Prophethood was given to His chosen people at any age or time as he made Hazrat
Isa his prophet at the time of his birth and Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) at the
age of forty.

Among the chosen representatives, some were given a new book, new laws, new
Sharia, they were also designated as Rasul as well Nabi as the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) is titled Nabi and Rasool both in the Holy Quran. However, those who
were not given a new book or law continued to follow and uphold the teachings of
the previous prophets. These individuals are referred to as Nabi rather than Rasul as
Hazrat Yahya, Hazrat Zakariya etc.

The Holy Quran says that Allah sent a Warner and guide to every nation as Allah
said; “And for every nation is a messenger”. Holy Quran mentions the names of
many of them. According to a tradition of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
(peace be upon him) , their number is said to 1, 24,000. Holy Quran mentions almost
thirty names such as: Hazrat Adam, Hazrat Nuh, Hazrat Mosa, Hazrat Isa, Hazrat
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Saleh, Hazrat Ibraheem, Hazrat Ismael, Hazrat Ishaq, Hazrat Dawood, Hazrat
Yousuf, Hazrat Sulaiman, Hazrat Zakaria, Hazrat Muhammad etc.

The Holy Quran insists that the prophets were raised to be obeyed and followed; as
Allah said: “We sent not a messenger, but to be obeyed, in accordance with the will
of Allah”. (4:64)

Duties of Prophets: Prophets were sent to educate the people, to correct their
beliefs and actions, to give the glad tidings of paradise for doing good deeds and
warn the people in case of doing bad deeds and to practice their teachings first, so
that they can prove that these teachings are practicable.

Books: Some of the Prophets were blessed with the Divine books like Hazrat Mosa
was given Taurat, Hazrat Dawood was given Zabur, Hazrat Isa was given Injeel and
the last prophet was blessed with Holy Quran. Some Prophets were blessed with
small books (suhuf), like Hazrat Ibraheem, Hazrat Idrees etc.

Miracles: Many prophets were blessed with some miracles to show the people to
believe in their teachings as Hazrat Mosa’s stuff became a snake and his hand
started gleaming when he drew it, Hazrat Isa gave life to the dead with the
permission of Allah, made birds out of clay and breathed in them life that they
became the original birds, Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) split moon into halves.
During a time when there was no water, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) caused water to flow from his fingers, allowing his companions to drink and
quench their thirst. On several occasions, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
(peace be upon him) fed large numbers of people with small amounts of food, and it
miraculously increased to suffice everyone.

Mulims belief about their guidance: The guidance given by all these messengers
was basically the same. The principles of religion relating to basic beliefs like the
unity of Allah, his attributes, belief in prophet hood, the Day of Judgment, concept of
reward and punishment, ethics and basic forms of worship like prayers, fasting,
zakat etc are common to all the revealed books. However, the details of laws were
different according to the needs of the people for particular period as according to
some other revealed books prayer was compulsory only twice a day but according
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the Holy Quran it is for five times a day. In the same way about Zakat, fasting, basic
guidance was same but method, times and some rules were different.

Prophets and their character:

• All the prophets were human beings and men. No woman, jinn or angel was
ever accorded the status of a prophet. Holy Quran informs us about it; "And
We did not send before you except men to whom We revealed, so ask those
who have knowledge if you do not know."
• Messengers were essentially innocent. No one else enjoys this level of
distinction. Even Allah has talked about the Holy Prophet; "He does not speak
from his own desire. It is nothing but a revelation revealed."
• The prophets had the best moral, habits and the finest characters. As Allah
said about Holy Prophet: “And verily you are on an exalted standard of
character”.
• Prophets conveyed to the people whatever was sent to them without any
alteration and corruption.

The prophet hood of Hazrat Muhammad is distinguished in many ways:

• Holy Prophet’s prophethood is for all, that means, he was not sent for any
particular country or community as it was in the past, but he is sent for the
whole world and the entire mankind. As Allah says: “We have not sent you but
as a universal messenger to men”.

• His message is perfect in all respects. The Holy Quran says: “This day have I
perfected your religion for you, complete my favour upon you, and have
chosen for you Islam as your religion”. (5:3)
• Allah has protected his message from change and corruption. As Allah said:
“We indeed sent down the message and we will assurely guard it (against
corruption)”. (15:9)
• His prophet hood is eternal. With him, the chain of revelation and prophet
hood has come to an end. As Allah said: “But he is messenger of Allah and
the seal of the prophets”. He is termed as Khatam-un-Nabiyyin. The meaning
of Khatam is to seal, to close, to bring to end, to accomplish a task. As Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I am the seal of the prophets and there
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will be no prophet after me”. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace
be upon him) said: "The example of me and the Prophets before me is like a
man who built a house, completed it, and made it beautiful but left a space for
one brick. People began to walk around the house and admire it and say, 'If
only the brick was put in its place!' I am that brick, and I am the Seal of the
Prophets." This metaphor illustrates that Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
completed the structure of Prophethood, leaving no need for another Prophet.
All the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) were unanimous
in the view that no Prophet would follow Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon
him). That is why, the first caliph Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique and the
companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) fought against those
who claimed to be Prophets.
Effects of the belief in prophet hood on Muslim’s life:

• This belief flourishes the interfaith harmony among the different religious
people, as the basic message was same of all the prophets.
• The believer starts realizing the significance of the moral teachings conveyed
by the long chain of prophets and he will try to become a better and well-
mannered person.
• This belief gives the detailed knowledge to the people about the perfect life
and divine teachings.
• This belief helps the believers to understand and then follow the divine
commands keeping in mind the fate of the earlier communities who had
rejected their messengers and faced God’s punishment.
• This belief provides the clear demonstration to the people about the divine
teachings and it makes them easy to follow the divine teachings. As Allah said
about Holy Prophet: “Indeed in the messenger of Allah you have a good
example to follow”.

Belief in Predestination or Divine Decree

Meaning: The Arabic word for it is “Taqdeer” means “the measuring out of
something or fixing of a limit to it”. Faith in predestination means that we believe in
our heart and confess with our tongue that the Highest Allah has decreed all things;
what happens in the world, good and evil, obedience and disobedience, faith and
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infidelity, sickness and health, wealth and poverty, life and death and all these are
written in the Preserved Tablet (Loh-e- Mahfuz). Allah is the sole creator, all powerful
(Omnipotent) and all knowing (Omniscient). Therefore, Allah can write easily all the
things before happening.

Muslims also believe that Allah is powerful over all things that happen in the world,
and nothing happens unless he wills it. All the things we do are because of Allah’s
will and power. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There is no ability or
power except through Allah”.

Holy Quran and Decree: The following verse testifies to this belief:

“No misfortune or calamity can happen on the earth or in yourselves but is recorded
in a Book before we bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah”. (57:22)

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Decree:

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah recorded the fates of all creatures
50,000 years before creating the heavens and earth”. Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) also said: “The first thing Allah created was the pen. He told it to write and when
it asked Him what it should write what was decreed, so it wrote what had taken place
and what would take place to all eternity”.

Divine Decree and Human responsibility:

Most non-religious people say that if everything is fated already, then how people
can be blamed for committing crimes in society and will be punished. In answer to
this objection, we say;

Firstly, Allah is believed to be All-Knowing (Omniscient). This means that Allah

knows everything past, present, and future before it happens. His knowledge
encompasses all events in existence, whether they are physical or spiritual. God
knows everything perfectly. Denying this knowledge is a denial of His perfection, as
ignorance or forgetfulness are imperfections.

Secondly, guidance is provided properly. It is mentioned in many verses of the Holy

Quran; "Indeed, We have guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful”
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and "There shall be no compulsion in religion, for the right course has become clear
from the wrong”.

Thirdly, God will not hold us accountable for things we cannot do, and He does not
burden us beyond our ability. The Holy Quran says clearly; “Allah does not require of
any soul more than what it can afford”.

Fourthly, it is a fundamental truth that the entire universe operates through the power
and will of Allah. While celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and stars, as well as
other elements of nature, are bound by Allah's command and function without any
free will. But humans have been granted a unique gift, the freedom of choice. This
is what distinguishes humans as the best of Allah’s creation.

Humans have the autonomy to choose their path in life, and their decisions shape
their destiny. If they choose to follow the right path in accordance with Allah's
guidance, using their free will to obey Him, they will be rewarded with Paradise. On
the other hand, if they choose the wrong path, rejecting His guidance, they will face
punishment for their bad decisions, although Allah's ultimate will be for people to
choose the right path and earn His pleasure.

This ability to choose between right and wrong, is what makes humans accountable
and worthy of reward or punishment in the Hereafter.

As Allah has said categorically about the consequences of human’s struggle; "As for
those whose scales are heavy with good deeds, it is they who will be successful. But
those whose scales are light, they will have doomed themselves, staying in Hell
forever”. (23: 102-103)

Some effects of this belief on Muslim’s life:

• It makes him brave and he will have no fear of any person because life and
death are decided by Allah.
• It makes him humble for he knows that he does not know what has been
decreed for him. This makes him admit his weakness and need of Allah.
• It will help him to overcome the vice of envy for he knows that the people have
got these bounties according to their decree.
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• It makes him satisfied and pleased in every situation; good and bad because
he knows everything comes to him is from Allah and according to his own
decree.

Belief in Life after death

Belief in the life after death, resurrection, final judgment, Akhirah is one of the articles
of faith. Following verse of the Holy Quran describes this fact as; “Anyone who
denies God, his angles, his books, his messengers and the Day of Judgment has
gone far, far astray”. (4:136)

The Holy Quran gives great importance to this belief, placing it next in importance to
faith in Allah at many places in the Holy Quran. It says; “Any who believe in Allah
and the last day and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord”.

Mulsims belief about Akhirah:

The worldly life of men is followed by another life which is called Akhirah (Hearfter).
The life in the world is temporary and the life in the world hereafter is permanent.
The consequences of all the actions of men do not arise completely in this temporary
life of the world. The real consequences are faced by men in the life in the world
hereafter.
Human’s life in this world:

In Islam, life is viewed as a test or trial that serves as a means to evaluate a person's
faith, actions, and character. The Quran and Hadith emphasize that the purpose of
life is to worship Allah and live in accordance with His guidance as told in the Holy
Quran; “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me”. Trials and
challenges are seen as part of this process, helping to distinguish between those
who remain steadfast in their faith and those who falter.

Another verse of the Holy Quran tells the purpose of this life; “He who created death
and life to test you as to which of you is best in deeds”. As it is test that’s why all the
actions good or bad, smaller or greater are recorded; the Holy Quran describes it;
“And every small and great thing is recorded.”
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Alam e Barzakh:

A man’s life on this earth ends with his death, after which another life begins that is
called the life of Barzakh. This is place of mini judgement as the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) said; “When a person is placed in the grave, two angels come to him
and ask, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He will reply, ‘I do not know.’ Then, they will say, ‘We
do not know you.’ Then, the grave will tighten around him until his ribs are pressed
together”. On the other side when good doers are buried in the grave, so the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said; “When the believer is buried, the grave becomes
wide and filled with light. The believer experiences peace in the grave until the Day
of Judgment.”

Qiamat e Kubra:

As every object existing in this world has a fixed age and expires after its prescribed
limit similarly the entire system of the universe has fixed age that is known to only
Allah Almighty, after which it will expire and will be replaced by another system. This
world will be brought to an end with a deafening noise that will be made by Hazrat
Israfeel through his trumpet. Then this earth will split apart and become a level
stretch; the mountains will crumble to dust and will fly here and there like wool. The
sun will be folded up, the moon will be in darkness, the stars will become dim and
fall, the oceans will boil over and burst forth and all those who are alive on earth at
that time will die.
The Day of Judgment:

It means the day on which the bodies of the dead will be raised from their graves and
rejoined with their souls by the second blow of the trumpet by Hazrat Israfeel. All
men will then stand before Allah to give an account of their actions in this world.
Different evidences:

• People will be given their record in their book of deeds prepared by Kiraman
Katibeen and they will be asked to read it.
• Allah will set the Scale of Ultimate Justice and actions will be weighed in it.
• Body organs of every individual will speak to tell the details of deeds as
mentioned in the Holy Quran; “This Day, We seal up the mouths, and their
hands speak to Us, and their feet testify as to what they used to earn.”
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• The earth will also speak about the deeds of people. Surah Zilzal telles us;
“And the earth discharges its burdens, And man says, "What is wrong with it?"
That Day, it will report its news, because your Lord has commanded it”.

Finally, according to the deeds people will be treated as the good doers will go to
Paradise and wrong doers will go to Hell. Allah Almighty described it in Surah Al
Zilzal; “Then anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, shall see it. And
anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it”.

Surah Al Qariah guides us about it; “Then he whose balance of good deeds will be
heavy, will be in a life of good pleasure and satisfaction, but he, whose balance will
be light, will live in a bottomless pit, it is fire blowing fiercely”.

No injustice will be done on that day. There will be no bargaining, no friendship or no

intersession at all.

Effects of this belief:

• If we have developed this faith that the good and obedient people will be
rewarded in graves and in paradise and the sinners and wrong doers will be
punished in graves and in Hell, then we will try our best to be pious, pure,
disciplined, caring and compassionate because we know that Allah will give
us the reward of even the smallest act of good deed.
• It will develop the sense of responsibility, the love for good, hatred for evil, the
obedience of Allah, the fear of Allah, humility and patience.
• This world, then is seen by Muslims as a temporary place where their actions
and behaviour will determine what will become of them in their next life.
• It keeps the Muslims on the path of righteousness fulfilling the obligations of
the creator and their fellow beings.
• The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “This world is a seed-bed for the
world hereafter”. He meant that the actions that we perform ourselves will give
us reward or punishment.
• It is source of great comfort and prosperity on earth.
• In the absence of this belief, there will be no deterrence to evil, sin, crime and
transgression, and this will lead only to disobedience, chaos, disturbance and
injustice and destruction in the world.
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Pillars of Islam

1st Pillar: The Shahadah

It is the 1st pillar of Islam. The Shahadah literally means to bear witness. In Islamic
terminology, it refers to bearing witness that “there is no god but Allah and
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. It is clear that the Shahadah consists of two
separate but closely interlinked components. First component is the expressing of
Tauheed and oneness of Allah. Second part of the Shahadah is the declaration
about the messenger hood of the prophet Muhammad. These two components sum
up all the basic teachings of Islam in a concise manner.

First part: Tauhid is the first and foremost belief of Islam. All the Prophets from
Hazrat Adam to the last Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) Hazrat Muhammad
preached Oneness of Allah Almighty. It means that Allah Almighty is the omnipotent,
the omniscient, the omnipresent, the Supreme Being, the creator, sustainer, master
of the universe and exclusively worthy of worship. The first surah of Holy Quran
begins with these words: “Praise be to Allah Almighty, the cherisher and sustainer of
all the worlds”. He is and will always be. He has no beginning and no end. He is the
first and the last. He has no parents or son. Allah is beyond anything which the mind
or senses of man can grasp or comprehend or imagine. Giving life and death is in
Allah’s hands as the verse shows: “Allah is the one who creates living from the dead
and the dead from living”. The Quran has laid the greatest emphasis on Allah’s
absolute unity and oneness. The concept has been summed up in surah Ikhlas:
“Say He is Allah, the one and only. Allah, the eternal, the absolute. He begets not,
nor was He begotten. And there is nothing like Him” (112). The vast universe with its
flawless system clearly indicates that there is one creator and one controller. The
Quran says: “If there were in the heavens and the earth other gods besides Allah,
then verily both would have been ruined”. There are three types of Tauhid:

Oneness of the Lordship of Allah Almighty: It means that Allah Almighty is the
one and the only lord. There is no plurality of gods and there is no one to share His
entity and reality. No one is equal to Him and He has no parents and no offspring.
The Quran says: “Take not two gods; for He is just one God”. Similarly, Allah
Almighty says: “He begets not, nor was He begotten. (112)
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Oneness of the worship of Allah Almighty: It means that none but Allah Almighty
is worthy of being worshipped and adored because He is the only one who has
unique qualitites. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: And your Lord has
commanded that you should worship none but Him alone. So, Muslims should
observe all the religious practices such as prayers and giving charity for Allah’s sake
only. As we say in every prayer: “You (alone) we worship and you (alone) we ask for
help”.
Oneness of the names and attributes of Allah Almighty: This signifies that no
other being can be equal to Allah Almighty in His attributes and only Allah Almighty
possesses powers and characteristics which are found in no one else. He is unique
in his knowledge, power, will, hearing, sight and all other qualities. For example, man
may attain a degree of the attributes of kindness, power, knowledge, but only Allah
Almighty possesses the perfection of all these attributes. Similarly, Allah’s qualities
are His own but man’s qualities are God gifted. That is why Allah Almighty said:
“There is nothing like Him”.

Second Part:

The second component of the Shahadah is the declaration about the messenger
hood of the Prophet Muhammad. This is interlinked with the first component. The
expression means that the Prophet Muhammad, like all other chosen people of
Allah, was a specially selected human being who received Divine message through
the arch angel, Jibrael. He, too, was opposed by his community while spreading the
same message of Tauheed as was done by all his predecessors. He, however, had
combined in himself, qualities and merits of all the prophets and messengers to the
degree of perfection. The prophet hood of Hazrat Muhammad is distinguished in
many ways:

• Holy Prophet’s prophethood is for all, that means, he was not sent for any
particular country or community as it was in the past, but he is sent for the
whole world and the entire mankind. As Allah says: “We have not sent you but
as a universal messenger to men”.

• His message is perfect in all respects. The Holy Quran says: “This day have I
perfected your religion for you, complete my favour upon you, and have
chosen for you Islam as your religion”. (5:3)
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• Allah has protected his message from change and corruption. As Allah said:
“We indeed sent down the message and we will assurely guard it (against
corruption)”. (15:9)
• His prophet hood is eternal. With him, the chain of revelation and prophet
hood has come to an end. As Allah said: “But he is messenger of Allah and
the seal of the prophets”. He is termed as Khatam-un-Nabiyyin. The meaning
of Khatam is to seal, to close, to bring to end, to accomplish a task. As Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I am the seal of the prophets and there
will be no prophet after me”. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace
be upon him) said: "The example of me and the Prophets before me is like a
man who built a house, completed it, and made it beautiful but left a space for
one brick. People began to walk around the house and admire it and say, 'If
only the brick was put in its place!' I am that brick, and I am the Seal of the
Prophets." This metaphor illustrates that Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
completed the structure of Prophethood, leaving no need for another Prophet.
All the companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) were unanimous
in the view that no Prophet would follow Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon
him). That is why, the first caliph Hazrat Abu Bakar Siddique and the
companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) fought against those
who claimed to be Prophets.

2nd Pillar: Prayer

Meaning of Salah: Literal meaning of Salah is dua and mercy and in Islamic
terminology Salah is a physical worship which is performed by all Muslims male and
female five times a day according to the prescribed method.

On whom Salah is obligatory: It is the 2nd pillar of Islam and surely the most
important mode of worship, as it is obligatory on each and every grown-up Muslim,
male and female. No one in his conscious state of mind can abandon its
performance; even if he is too sick or weak to perform, even in peaceful condition or
in a war condition, even during travelling but the Salah must be offered.

Holy Quran and prayer: The Quran commands the performance of prayer more
than it commands any other activity. The Holy Quran said: “Guard the prayers
strictly, especially the middle prayer”.
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Similarly, Allah said: “Verily, prayer is enjoined on the believers at stated times”. In
surah al Ankaboot it is emphasized: “Verily, salah guards against indecency and evil
acts”.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and prayers: The Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) called salah the “centre pole” of religion. The Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) declared: “Salah differentiates between belief and disbelief”. One day he
said to his companions: “Tell me, if there is a stream at the door of the one of you in
which he washes himself five times a day, what do you say, will it leave any dirt on
him?” and on receiving the reply that it would not, he added, “This is the likeness of
the five prayers with which Allah washes away all faults”. And said: “The first thing
which a person shall be called to account for on the Day of Judgment is salah”.

Objective of prayer: The objective of prayer is to remember Allah. That is why Allah
said in the Holy Quran: “Establish prayers for My remembrance”. It is, therefore, the
chief reason why prayer was dearest to the Prophet and he said: “Prayer has been
made coolness for my eyes”.

Benefits of Prayer:

• Purification from one’s sins can be attained through prayers as One day the Holy
Prophet (peace be upon him) said to his companions: “Tell me, if there is a
stream at the door of the one of you in which he washes himself five times a day,
what do you say, will it leave any dirt on him?” and on receiving the reply that it
would not, he added, “This is the likeness of the five prayers with which Allah
washes away all faults”.
• Prayer strengthens the belief in the existence and goodness of Allah.
• It helps the Muslims to suppress any evil and immoral tendency and raises good
qualities in them as the Holy Quran says: “Verily, salah guards against indecency
and evil acts”.
• It teaches the worshipper humbleness as he stands like a servant and bows
down his body infront of Allah.
• Regular offering of prayers teaches one cleanliness and purity because without
purity of body, clothes and place of worship his prayer will not be accepted as the
Holy Propet said: “A prayer is invalid without purification”.
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• Regualr prayers creat the habit of punctuality as these prayers are performed on
their times. The Holy Quran says, “Verily, prayer is enjoined on the believers at
stated times”.
• Regular prayers draw the mind away from personal worries and calm down
passions.
• Regular prayers demonstrate our obedience to the Creator and the Holy Prophet,
which brings pleasure to Allah and His prophet.
• It instils a sense of peace as they perform prayers together.
• Engaging in regular prayer cultivates patience, courage, hope, and confidence.
Prayer in congregations is a proof of true equality, solidarity, unity and universal
brotherhood.
• When Muslims stand shoulder to should in well-organized rows before their Lord,
their hearts also come closer.
Conditions of Prayers:
The following conditions must be met before you start the prayer, and if anyone of
these is missing, the prayer will not be valid.

Intention: Before a Muslim start to prayer, it is important for him, to make the
intention of performing the prayer, which is about to be undertaken. This involves
either saying or thinking that they are going to perform a specific prayer facing the
Qiblah for the sake of Allah. It is very important that intention must be genuine
because Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Actions are judged according to
the intentions”.
Time: It must be the time for that particular prayer because prayers must be offered
at fixed hours. According to the Quran: “Verily, prayer is enjoined on the believers at
stated times”. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) fixed the following times for the
five ritual prayers.
• Fajr Prayer: The time of the Fajr prayer is from the appearance of dawn
and lasts till the rising of the sun.
• Zuhr Prayer: The time of this prayer commences when the sun begins to
decline. It ends when the shadow of everything becomes equal to twice
the size of its shadow at noon.
• Asr prayer: The time of this prayer commences after the end of the time
for Zuhr prayer and ends before sunset.
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• Maghrib prayer: The time of this prayer commences immediately after

sunset and lasts until the disappearance of the twilight
• Isha prayer: After the twilight disappears, Isha time begins and ends
before dawn but it is desirable to say this prayer before midnight.
Ritual purity: A Muslim should be clean inwardly as well as outwardly at all times,
especially at the time of saying prayers. As the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
said: “Allah does not accept prayer without purification”. Purity demands cleanliness
of one’s body, clothing as well as place of prayers. Muslims must be pure from
Najasat-e-Haqiqi (visible) and Hukmi (invisible). Najasat-e-Haqiqi like flowing blood,
pus, waste products discharged from body, alcohol etc, and it can be removed by
washing if falls on the body, and if it falls on clothes, it must be removed and washed
thrice, squeezing the cloth each time. While Najasat-e-Hukmi can be removed by
making ablution or ghusl (bath).
Covering of the parts: Covering of the private parts (satar) based on the statement
of Allah: “O children of Adam! Look to your adornment at every place of worship”.
For men this concerns the covering of body from the navel to the knees, and for
women the whole body and hair except the face, hands and feet.
Facing the Qiblah: Turning towards the direction of the House of Allah, because of
the words of Allah: “So turn your faces towards the inviolable place of worship”.
❖ Components of Prayer:
Each rakat consists of six items which are Farz and are called as Arkan.

(1) Takbir Tahrima, (2) Qiyam, (3) Qirat, (4) Ruku, (5) Sajdah,
(6) Qa’adah Akhira. If any item is left out, the salah shall have to be repeated.

Methods and conditions of Ablution or Wuzu

Ablution or Wuzu in the prescribed manner is necessary for a person who intends to
say his prayers. Wuzu can purify the person who is in the state of impurity of Hads-e-
Asghar which is brought by answering the call of nature, by passing wind or vomiting
and flowing blood. The Holy Quran says: “O you who believe! When you prepare for
prayer, wash your faces and your hands to the elbow and make mash (wiping by
hands) of your heads and wash your feet up to the ankles”. (5:6)

The proper method of performing Wuzu is as follows:

• Intention to perform Wuzu should be made.

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• Then Muslims should recite Tasmiyah.

• Both hands are washed, gargling is done thrice and then rinsing of nostrils
thrice with the right hand and blowing them with the left.
➢ The face is then washed thrice, from the top of the forehead down to the
throat and from ear to ear.
➢ Both forearms are washed thrice, from the wrist to the elbows beginning from
the right side.
➢ Wet palms are passed over the head once, which is called Massah of the
head.
• Massah of the ear with forefingers and the Massah of neck should be
performed with the back of the hands.
➢ The right and then the left foot are washed up to the ankles thrice.
Now wuzu is completed and then the second Kalima should be recited facing the
sky.

Method and conditions of taking bath

The Arabic word for bath is Ghusl derived from ghasl that means to wash. It is the
act of washing the whole body after the Hads-e-Akbar which is impurity caused by
marital relations, menstruation or the period of childbirth.

The approved, traditional method of Ghusl is as follows:

• Make the intention (Niyyat) to say “I intend to take a bath for seeking
purification”.
• Both hands including the wrists should be washed.
• Any impurity that there may be on any part of the body should be removed.
• Wuzu should be performed in the proper manner.
➢ Gargling should be done carefully ensuring that water reaches the throat
except in the state of fasting.
➢ Nostrils should be washed properly.
➢ Water should be poured thrice on the entire body from the head to the feet.
No portion of the body should remain dry.
Dry Ablution or Tayammum
Tayammum is the alternate of ablution. As Allah said in the Holy Quran: “If you are ill
or on a journey or any of you comes from answering the call of nature, or you have
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been in contact with women and you find no water, then perform Tayammum with
clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it”. For this, Niyyah is must. After
this, both hands should be struck gently on dry soil, sand or stone hands and then it
should be blown off from the hands and after it should be wiped on the face as in
Wuzu. Then the act of striking the hands is repeated as well as the blowing off the
dust and then forearms are wiped. This completes the Tayammum and it acts as an
alternative to Wuzu and Ghusl both.

Azan and Iqamat:

The Azan (call to prayer) was instituted during the time of Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) (peace be upon him) in Madinah. Before the Azan, Muslims would gather
for prayers, but there was no formal call to notify them. When the number of Muslims
grew, the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon him) and his
companions discussed ways to gather people for prayer. Suggestions such as using
a bell (like Christians) or a horn (like Jews) were made, but the Holy Prophet (peace
be upon him) disliked imitating other religions. A companion, Hazrat Abdullah ibn
Zayd, had a dream in which he saw a man teaching him the words of the Azan. He
went to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon him) and narrated his
dream. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) confirmed it as a divine inspiration
and instructed him to teach the words to Bilal ibn Rabah, who had a beautiful voice.
Hazrat Bilal ibn Rabah, the Prophet’s muezzin, climbed to a high place and recited
the Azan for the first time. His powerful and melodious voice moved everyone.
Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab later came to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and
said he had seen the same dream. This further confirmed the divine nature of the
Azan. Every prayer with the exception of the two Eid prayers and funeral prayers is
preceded by an Azan. This Muazzin should be an adult Muslim male. The Muazzin
should stand on a raised platform with his face towards the Qibla. The Azan should
be announced by inserting the tips of his forefingers in his ears as it helps to focus
on projecting his voice clearly and loudlyIt and it also prevents external distractions,
enabling the Muazzin to concentrate on the Azan. When the congregational prayers
are about to start, people stand up and form rows, then the Muazzin should recite
the Iqamat which is the second call to prayer that happens right before the prayer
begins. It is meant to alert the worshippers that they should line up and prepare for
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the congregation to begin the prayer. The words of Iqamat are the same as those of
Azan except the words of “The prayer has been established" are added.

Method of prayer: The Muslim makes intention after the purification and faces
towards Qibla, and then he raises his hands towards the ears and recites Takbeer-e-
Tahreema which is an obligatory act. Then he folds his hands on the navel, the right
hand folded on the left hand and stands straight. It is known as Qiyam, which is an
obligatory act. Afterwards Sana (Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise is due to You.
Blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty. There is no god but You) is
recited. Then Taawwuz (I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Satan), Tasmiah
(In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful), Surah Fatiha (Praise be
to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, Master of
the Day of Judgment, You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help, Guide
us on the Straight Path, The path of those who have received Your grace; Not the
path of those who have brought down wrath upon themselves, nor of those who
have gone astray) and another part of the Quran is recited; it is known as Qirat which
is an obligatory act. Then while reciting Takbeer a worshipper bows which is known
as Ruku and recites tasbeeh ruku that is “Glory to my Lord, the greatest”, it is an
important act. Then he withdraws while reciting a Tasbeeh “Allah listens to him who
gives him praise” and stands for a while, reciting another Tasbeeh that is “Allah
hears the one who praises Him; Our Lord, to You is due all praise”, it is known as
Qauma, and then goes to sajdah, and recites a tasbeeh sajdah that is “Glory to my
Lord the highest”. Then withdraws from the first sajdah while reciting the takbeer and
sits for a while which is known as Jalsah and goes to the second sajdah, recites the
same tasbeeh. In this way, one rakat is completed. Then after the second rakat a
believer sits and recites Tahayyah (All compliments, prayers, and pure words are for
Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be
upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god
but Allah, alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant
and messenger), then drood on the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and
supplication are recited. It is known as Qa’dah AkHira, which is an obligatory part. At
the end he performs salam (Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you) to both sides.
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Importance of different postures in prayer:

• Raising of hands towards the ears shows his empty hand to him that he
depends only on him.
• Standing straight facing Qibla and folding hands shows his respect that he is
standing in front of him like beggar and shows an attitude of humility.
• Performing ruku shows believer’s greater humility that he has bowed in front
of his Lord.
• Performing sajdah is a sign of utmost humility that he has placed his sign of
respect on the ground in front of his Lord.
• First sajdah teaches that a human has come from this earth and second
sajdah teaches him that he has to go back to this earth and buried in it.
Delayed Prayer or Qaza prayer

The believers are enjoined to offer prayers at the appointed times. If prayer is not
offered within the prescribed time or a person misses a single prayer without
legitimate reason, he commits a great sin as the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
said: "Whoever misses a prayer deliberately, it is as if he has lost his family and his
wealth." The scholars have listed certain conditions under which salah may be
delayed. For example, if someone is losing consciousness, is undergoing surgery, in
life threatening situation or similar emergencies or women in the period of childbirth.
So, these prayers have to be offered as soon as possible except at times when
prostration is forbidden. Qaza can be offered for only the Farz and Witr of Isha
prayer. If a person is unable to offer his missed prayers before death, he should
make a will to pay compensation which is according to Islam, 1 ¾ kg of wheat or its
price for per prayer. It is considered an act of God's mercy as He allows Muslims to
make up missed prayers. This provides an opportunity to repent for the lapse and
seek forgiveness, rather than leaving the person without a way to make up for their
neglect. Qaza allows the persons to maintain their connection with Allah through
worship, even after missing a prayer.

Shortened Prayer or Qasr Prayer

If one is on journey, the prayers are shortened. The Quran says: “When you travel
through the earth, there is no blame on you if you shorten your prayers”. The Sunnas
are dropped with the exception of Fajr prayer and the number of four Farz Rakaat in
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Zuhr, Asr and Isha prayers are reduced to two. The Maghrib prayers and Witr of Isha
prayers are retained. According to jurists, prayers may be shortened if the journey is
less than 15 days and the distance should be more than 48 miles (about 77 km) or
more from their home.

Friday Prayer
On Friday, the Zuhr prayer is not offered in the mosque. Instead, a special
congregational prayer is performed. The following verse of Surah Jum’a relates to
congregational prayers on Friday: “O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed
to prayer on Friday hasten earnestly to the remembrance of Allah and leave off
business that is best for you if you know”.

On whom it is compulsory: Friday prayer is obligatory on all males of sound mind,

who are healthy and are residents. Those exempted from attending the mosque for
Friday prayer are minors, slaves, the sick, travellers and women (women may also
attend but it is not mandatory as in some places they are allowed). These people are
to offer Zuhr prayers in their homes.

Method: First of all, other activities must be halted and men should proceed towards
the mosque when they hear the first Azan. The prerequisites are the same as for
other prayers, although the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has urged the
Muslims to bathe and wear special dress for the prayer as he himself used to do.
Then the second Azan is announced and the imam of the mosque delivers sermons
in Arabic language, known as Khutbah. The sermon consists of two parts. First part
of the sermon begins with the praising of Allah Almighty and sending blessings upon
the Holy Prophet. Then imam reminds the congregation of their duties to Allah, the
importance of following Islamic teachings, and may include references to the Qur'an
and Hadith. The imam may also address contemporary issues, social problems, and
provide moral guidance, urging people to act righteously, maintain good character,
and strengthen their relationship with Allah. This second part of Khutbah is shorter
and follows the Jumu'ah prayer. It is generally a continuation of the first Khutbah,
further emphasizing guidance and reflection. The second Khutbah often includes
supplications (du'a) for the well-being of the Muslim community, the leaders, and the
ummah (global Muslim community). It also ends with a reminder of faith and an
invocation of peace and blessings upon the Holy Prophet. Then the imam leads the
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congregation in two raka’at of prayers. This prayer cannot be offered individually.

There is no Qaza prayer for Juma. If missed, then routine Zuhr prayer is to be
offered.

Benefits of Congregational Prayers:

• The reward of congregational prayer is more than the individual prayer. As the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The merit of congregational prayer
surpasses that of the individual prayer by twenty-seven degrees”.
• It is the obedience of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his immediate
successors who always led the congregational prayers in the mosque at
Madinah.
• Congregational prayer serves as a strong force in uniting the believers.
• Congregational prayer helps in the establishment of healthy social relations
between different sections of the Muslim community.
• Congregational prayer is a great and clear demonstration of the Muslim’s
unity and dignity.
• Congregational prayer levels the social differences of the society.
• Congregational prayer promotes an atmosphere of equality when a king may
stand shoulder to shoulder with his poorest subjects and the white man with
the black.
• Two khutbas at Eid prayers and Friday prayers are the great source of
increasing knowledge for Muslims.
• Congregational prayer shows that all men are equal before Allah and the most
honorable person in the eyes of Allah is only pious.
• Congregational prayer is a great source of motivation to the weak Muslims.
• Congregational prayer develops brotherhood among the Muslims.
Eid Prayers
Meanings: The two main festivals in Islam are Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. Eid
means recurring happiness or festival.

Eid –ul-Fitr: It is celebrated on the 1st of Shawwal which follows Ramazan or the
month of fasting.
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Eid-ul-Azha: It falls on the 10th of Zul Hajj which follows the completion of Hajj and
Sunnah of the Prophet Ibrahim and the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Reason: When the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah, the
people had two days in which they engaged in games. He asked, “What is the
significance of these two days?” The people answered, “We engaged in games in
them in the pre-Islamic period”. Allah’s Messenger said: “Allah has substituted for
them something better: the day of sacrifice and the day of the breaking of the fast”.

Method: Eid prayers are wajib on all those persons on whom Friday prayer is
obligatory. These are congregational prayers and cannot be said individually. As
soon as the sun has completed risen, time of the Eid prayers begins and ends at
noon. On 1st of Shawwal, Sadaqatul Fitr should also be given before going to Eid ul
Fitr prayer as it is compulsory on all wealthy Muslims. Preparations are identical to
all other prayers, but as it is a festival, it is mustahab (desirable) to wear one’s best
clothes and leave home after performing ghusl or at least wuzu. There is no Azan for
this congregation. The Muslims proceed to the nearby grand Masjid or a vast open
space reserved for the purpose, glorifying Allah. The believers form rows behind
Imam and offer two rakaat of salah after making intention. The only variant is that
after the takbeer-e-tahreema, three additional takbeers are pronounced by the Imam,
and likewise, in the second rakat, three additional takbeers are pronounced before
the takbeer for the ruku. After the end of the salah, the congregation must remain
seated as the imam delivers two khutbas which play a central role in conveying
spiritual guidance to the congregation. In the first part of Khutbah, the imam starts it
by praising Allah, the Creator, and reminding the congregation of His greatness and
mercy. It is customary to emphasize gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to gather in
celebration of Eid, reflecting on the blessings received during Ramadan and
throughout the year. The imam often reminds the congregation of the importance of
seeking forgiveness from Allah and being merciful towards others. The first part
highlights the significance of Eid as a time for joy, unity, and communal worship. The
message encourages people to cherish the relationships and peace created during
Ramadan and carry them forward. In the second part of Khutbah, the imam may
provide advice for the coming days, including acts of charity, maintaining good
conduct, and fulfilling obligations toward family and society. Then imam concludes
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this Eid by offering supplications for the well-being of the Muslim community and the
whole world. After this, the believers greet each other and depart.

Importance:

• Eid prayers are a special example of brotherhood.

• These prayers make possible for Muslims to get together and shares each
other’s joy and troubles which brings them closer together.
• Sadaqat-ul-Fitr is given before the prayer at Eid-ul-Fitr which helps the less
fortune in the community to meet their needs.
• Muslims sacrifice their animals in the way of Allah at Eid-ul-Azha which is a
clear display of their obedience to their Lord.
• Meat of the sacrificed animal is distributed among the poor at Eid-ul-Azha
which is great source of happiness for them.
• Two khutbas after Eid prayers are the great source of increasing knowledge
for Muslims.
• Eid prayers are the great manifestations of Muslim’s unity and their dignity.
Private prayer (Du’a)
It means literally to call out; in term of shariah, it means to entreat Allah Almighty for
something. Aside from the daily prayers, Muslims are encouraged to call upon Allah
forgiveness, guidance, strength, fulfillment of a need or removal of a suffering. Allah
has motivated for du’a many times in the Holy Quran. Allah says: “And your Lord
says: Call upon me, I will answer you”. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Du’a
is the core of worship” and also “Du’a is worship itself”. Du’a is so important that it
can change the pre destination and decree. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
called it the weapon of a believer, as it is the main source to get the blessings of
Allah. Invoking the assistance of angels, saints is strictly forbidden. There are
several times and situations when du'a (supplication) is more likely to be accepted in
Islam. These include:

I. During the last third of the night: The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)
mentioned that in the last third of the night, Allah descends to the lowest
heaven and asks who is seeking forgiveness or making a supplication so that
it may be granted.
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II. On Fridays: Specifically, the moment of the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah), which is
a special time when Allah grants the wishes of His servants. The Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) said there is a moment on Friday when if a Muslim asks
Allah for something, it will be granted, though the exact time is not specified.
III. Between the Adhan and Iqama: It is a time when du'a is not rejected,
according to the teachings of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).
IV. While breaking the fast (Iftar): The du'a of a fasting person at the time of
breaking their fast is not rejected, as mentioned in various Hadiths.
V. When it Rains: The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said that when rain is
falling, it is a time when du'a is accepted.
VI. While performing Tawaf (Around the Kaaba): When making Tawaf in
Makkah, it is a blessed time for supplications.
VII. After Obligatory Prayers (Salah): The supplication after the obligatory
prayers is considered a time when du'a is more likely to be accepted because
Allah becomes happy due to performing prayers.
VIII. When one is in distress or hardships: Du’a made during times of difficulty,
when a person is in a state of need or distress, is often answered. Allah
promises to respond to those who call upon Him in times of hardship.
IX. On the Night of Qadr (Laylat al-Qadr): This is the most blessed night of the
year, especially in the last ten days of Ramadan, where du'a is believed to be
accepted in abundance.
X. During Traveling: It is said that the supplications of a traveler are often
accepted.

Difference between regular prayer and personal prayer:

• Regular prayer is always performed according to the pattern set by Quran and
Sunnah, but personal prayer is not necessarily said according to a pattern.
• Regular prayer is obligatory, whereas personal prayer is voluntary.
• Regular prayer has set timings, whereas du’a can be performed at any time.
• Regular prayer is directed towards the Ka’ba but in du’a it is not compulsory.
• Regular prayer is always in Arabic, but du’a can be offered in any language.
• For regular prayer we need purification, but it is not obligatory for du’a prayer.
• Regular prayer is worship to God but du’a prayers comprises requests for
oneself or others.
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Mosque or Masjid in Islam:

Masjid means the place of prayer. About the holiness of Masjid, the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) stated: “The parts of the land dearest to Allah are its Masjid”.
The Masjid was one of the first institution established by the Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) after he emigrated from Makkah to Madinah in 622 AD. During the time of
the Prophet the Masjid functioned for many purposes and now Masjid can also be
used for many purposes. The importance of Masjid in the society is mentioned
below:

Place of worship: The mosque is used for five times daily prayers by the Muslims in
congregations and offering prayers in the mosque is 27 times rewarded. Friday
prayers, Eid prayers and funeral prayers can also be held in mosque.

Place of spiritually development: From the mosque daily five times the Azan is
pronounced which reminds the Muslims to obey Allah. So, Muslims come to mosque
and perform prayers and become very close to Allah. In this way, the Muslims
develop themselves spiritually.

Centre of education: The mosque was used as a centre of education in the time of
early period of Islam. The people used to come here to acquire knowledge. These
people were lodged in rooms called Suffah, attached to the mosque. In the later
times, libraries were also established in the Masjid. So, we can also use mosque as
a centre of education.

Council Hall: The mosque was used as the council Hall for the Muslims. Hazrat
Umar appointed two councils to advise the caliph. The meeting of the shura used to
take place in it and all the administrative affairs of the caliphate used to be carried on
from mosque.

Court: The mosque also served as a court during the early period of Islam. All the
judicial affairs were also settled in the mosque.

Political centre: In the time of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his
successors all matters relating to war and peace, administration and community
welfare were addressed from the Masjid. Similarly, all the important announcements
were also made from the Masjid.
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Cultural centre: In the Masjid Muslims offer congregational prayers which level
social differences and promote an atmosphere of equality and brotherhood. These
prayers help in the establishment of healthy relations between the different sections
of the Muslim community. These prayers lead to the realization among the
worshippers that all men are equal before Allah.

Centre of preaching: In the time of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and four
caliphs, mosque was used as a centre of preaching of Islam. Deputations from non-
Muslim tribes were received and preached in the Masjid. Some of them were also
lodged there.

So, the Masjid is the focal point in the lives of the Muslims.

3rd pillar: Zakat (Obligatory Charity, Alms Giving)

Meaning of Zakat:

Zakat is the 3rd pillar of Islam. It was made compulsory in the 2 nd year of Hijra. The
word “Zakat” literally means to purify and also means to increase because it makes
wealth grow and because the giving away of wealth as Zakat is a source of
purification. It purifies the giver’s heart of the love of wealth and from greed and
selfishness and the receiver’s heart from hatred and envy of those who are better off
than him. In Islamic terminology, Zakat is a financial act of worship that is obligatory
for every Muslim who possesses the minimum required wealth (nisab) to pay a
specific portion of their wealth once a year.

Holy Quran and Zakat:

Allah said in the Holy Quran: “Take charity from their belongings in order to purify
and sanctify them” (11:103).

Similarly, Allah says: “By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give of
that which you love and whatever of good you spend, Allah knows it well” (13:92).

Allah has promised a great reward for those who pay charity. The Quran says: “The
parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of
corn, it grows seven ears and each ear has a hundred grains” (2:261). The Holy
Quran contains several warnings for those who do not pay zakat. As Allah said: “And
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there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah,
announce unto them a most grievous penalty” (2:34).

The two commandments to keep up prayer and to give charity are often mentioned
together in the Holy Quran. As Allah said: “And establish regular prayer and give
regular charity”.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Zakat:

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Allah has enjoined zakat upon you so that
the rest of your wealth is cleansed through it”.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: “Save yourself from Hell-fire even
by giving half a date-fruit in charity”.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Every day two angels come down from
heaven and one of them says, O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in
your cause, and the other angel says, O Allah! Destroy every miser”.

Who is required to pay Zakat?

Zakat is obligatory on that wealth which remains in possession of a believer, for a

period of one year, without interruption, and whose value has reached a certain
level, known as Nisab. This person is called Sahib-e-Nisab. Zakat is paid at the rate
of two and half percent from the whole wealth after becoming Sahib-e-Nisab. Zakat
is not levied on buildings, shops or total capital, but on the savings of the income.
Zakat is not payable on precious stones and immovable property or on machinery.
Muslims often give this form of alms for the year in the month of Ramzan.

Commodity Nisab Rate

It is levied at the rate
It is 7 ½ tola or 87.48 grams.
Gold of two and half
percent

Silver 52 ½ tola or 612.32 grams. Two and half percent

If the amount of the currency equals to the

Cash Two and half percent
Nisab of silver or gold
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One goat of a year

Cattle 40 to 120 goats or sheep
old
One calf of one year
Bull and Cow 30 to 39 bulls and cows
or older

Camel 5 to 9 camels One goat

1. One tenth of the

Produce of 1. Naturally irrigated land. produce (10%)
land 2. Artificially irrigated. 2. One twentieth of
the produce (5%)
One fifth of the
Mines
produce

Recipients of zakat:

The Holy Quran lays down the heads on which zakat may be spent. The Quran says:
“Alms are for the poor, the needy, those employed to administer the funds; for those
whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to truth), for those in bondage and in
debt, in the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer” (9:60).

According to this verse the following people are entitled to receive the zakat:

• Al-Fuqara: Individuals who are in need and do not possess sufficient means
to meet their basic needs.
• Al-Masakeen: Those who may have some means but still struggle to meet
their essential needs.
• Al-A’mileen: The collectors who are appointed by the state to collect and
distribute zakat.
• Al-Muallafatul Quloob: This category includes new Muslims or those who
may be inclined toward Islam but need financial support to strengthen their
faith.
• Al-Riqab: Prisoners of wars and slaves so that they may pay their masters to
buy their freedom.
• Al-Gharimeen: Individuals who are in debt and unable to repay, helping them
to achieve financial stability.
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• Fi Sabeelillah: It may be spent on people who are engaged in activities

relating to services of Islam such as preaching of Islam and jihad.
• Ibn ul Sabeel: Travelers who are in need and may not have enough
resources to complete their journey.
To whom zakat cannot be paid:
Zakat cannot be paid to well to do Muslims, to the non-Muslims, to one’s husband or
wife, to one’s parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren, or to the
descendants of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). According to Islamic law the
recipient of zakat should be made owner of it, therefore, zakat cannot be spent on
the coffins, burial expenditures like burial shroud, land, for the payment of deceased
person’s debt or on the construction of the mosque, school, bridge or other public
utility.

Sadaqa-ul-Fitr:

Sadaqa-ul-Fitr is a duty, which is wajib on every Muslim whether male, female, minor
or adult as long as he has the ability to do so. The head of the house-hold may pay
the required amount for other members. Its main purpose is to provide those who
fasted with a means of making up for errors during the month of Ramazan. It also
provided the poor with a means with which they can celebrate the festival of Eid-ul-
Fitr along with rest of the Muslims. It should be paid before going to the Eid prayer
and in the present day it is about 1.63 kg of wheat or its price at the market rate.

The Benefits of Zakat:

There are many benefits of zakat such as:

Spiritual Benefits:

• Zakat purifies the heart from greed, selfishness, and attachment to material
wealth.
• It cultivates generosity, humility, and gratitude, aligning the giver closer to
Allah.
• By fulfilling the command of Allah, a believer demonstrates obedience and
trust in Him.
• It fosters a sense of reliance on Allah, reinforcing the understanding that all
wealth belongs to Him.
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• It reminds the giver that their wealth is a trust from Allah and must be used
responsibly.
• By giving to those in need, zakat nurtures empathy, love, and concern for
others.
• It encourages believers to prioritize others' well-being, reducing egotism and
pride.
• Zakat serves as an act of worship, bringing the giver closer to Allah and
earning His pleasure.
• It strengthens the bond between the giver and Allah, fostering inner peace
and satisfaction.
• It shifts focus toward spiritual and eternal goals rather than transient material
gains.
• It opens the doors for divine blessings, both in this world and the hereafter.
• Zakat instills a sense of accountability before Allah, reminding the believer of
their responsibilities toward others.
• Zakat is a great source of forgiveness of sins of a person. As the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) said: “Charity that is concealed appeases the wrath of
Allah”.
• It shows the person’s sincerity of faith that he is ready to sacrifice even the
beloved one in the way of Allah.
Economic Benefits:

• It is a blessing for the giver and a blessing for the receiver. The wealth of the
person is multiplied. The Quran says: “The parable of those who spend their
substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn, it grows seven ears
and each ear has a hundred grains” (2:261).
• It leads to equal distribution of wealth in the society and helps to reduce
inequalities in wealth.
• It prevents accumulation of wealth in a few hands, the rich do not get richer
while the poor do not get poorer and it establishes just and right balance
between the two extremes.
• Zakat ensures the circulation of wealth from the affluent to the
underprivileged. This helps bridge the gap between the rich and the poor,
reducing income inequality.
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• By directing resources to those in need, zakat enhances social equity and

promotes inclusive economic growth.
• Zakat provides financial assistance to the poor, enabling them to meet their
basic needs, such as food, shelter, and education. By alleviating poverty,
zakat helps improve the standard of living and reduces dependence on
others.
• When zakat funds are spent, they boost demand for goods and services,
creating a positive multiplier effect in the economy. This increased
consumption can lead to job creation and stimulate economic activity.
• Since zakat is levied on unused wealth above a certain threshold, it
incentivizes individuals to invest their money rather than let it remain idle. This
Investment contributes to economic growth and infrastructure development.
• Zakat funds can be used to support small businesses and entrepreneurs,
particularly among disadvantaged groups. This creates opportunities for self-
reliance, job creation, and economic diversification.
• Zakat discourages the accumulation and hoarding of wealth, ensuring that
money remains in circulation and benefits society. This promotes a balanced
and sustainable economic system.
Social Benefits:
• It fosters good will and brotherhood in the society, because the rich Muslims
go to the poor to fulfill their needs which shows that the rich do not forget the
poor and the poor people become satisfied and thankful to the rich Muslims.
• It uproots many evils from the society caused by economic disparity like
looting and stealing because when poor get their share, they will not use the
unfair means to acquire wealth.
• It removes the differences between the rich and the poor as the wealth is
equally distributed throughout the community.
• It eradicates poverty in the society and reminds the Muslims that they are
responsible for others besides themselves.
• It promotes open-handedness, generosity and sympathy in a Muslim towards
the needy person.
• It makes the people closer together like a single family.
• It prevents extreme financial disparity.
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• It is a sacrificial giving which results in the welfare of the have-nots.

• This reduces resentment and creates a spirit of mutual support and unity
within the community.

• Zakat is a tool for achieving social justice. It ensures that the resources of
society are shared fairly, reducing exploitation and promoting a balanced
distribution of wealth.
• Zakat directly supports marginalized groups, such as orphans, widows, and
the disabled, by providing them with the resources they need to live with
dignity.
• Through zakat, individuals purify their wealth and hearts from greed,
selfishness, and materialism. This purification fosters a spirit of cooperation
and goodwill in society.
• Funds collected through zakat can be used for community development
projects such as schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, which benefit society
at large.
• If zakat is paid properly by all rich Muslims of the world, it reduces global
poverty and creates a more just and compassionate world.

4th Pillar: Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Meaning of Hajj:

Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam which was made obligatory in 9 th year of Hijra. The
literal meaning of the hajj is the intention to visit, but according to Islam it means to
make intention to visit the Holy Ka’ba in a prescribed manner, during the prescribed
time.

Holy Quran and Hajj:

Allah said in the Holy Quran about Hajj: “Pilgrimage to the house is a duty that men
owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey” (3:97).

“Accomplish the Hajj and the Umrah for Allah” (2:196).

“The Hajj is (to be performed in) the months that are well-known” (2:197).
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Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Hajj:

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) enjoined upon people to fulfill the obligation
of pilgrimage: “Pilgrimage has been ordained for you people, so perform it”.

“If anyone performs the pilgrimage for Allah’s sake without talking immodestly or
acting wickedly, he will return free from sins as on the day his mother bore him”.

“Hajj which is free from sins and defect is rewarded with Paradise”.

"The Hajj and Umrah are a means of expiation for sins, and they erase the past sins
of a person."

For whom Pilgrimage is compulsory:

The pilgrimage to Makkah once in a life is religious duty and an act of ibadah for all
the Muslims. There are some conditions for it, such as:

• It is obligatory on every adult, sane, free Muslim.

• It is obligatory on those who have sufficient money to pay for their journey to
Makkah and they have sufficient money to meet all their expenses during their
stay over there and sustain his dependents and house hold until his return.
• It is only obligatory on those who are physically fit to undertake the journey.
Hajj is not binding on people who are very sick and cannot undergo the
hardships of long journey.
• A woman is not allowed to proceed to pilgrimage without a mahram male. In
case, she cannot find a mahram to accompany her, it is not obligatory for her
to perform pilgrimage.
Method of Hajj:

Faraiz of Hajj:

Ihram, Wuquf-e-Arafat, Tawaf-e-Ziyarat

Wajibat-e-Hajj:

Wuquf-e-Muzdalifa, Rami Jamarat, Sacrifice, Halq or Qasr, Saee, Tawaf-e-Wida

Ihram: Ihram basically consists of three things: two things are common for both
males and females, and one thing is specific only to males. The common things are
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making the intention for Hajj and reciting the Talbiyah. The thing that is different and
only required for males is to wear two white, unstitched sheets.

Tawaf-e-Qudoom:

Upon arrival in Mecca, pilgrims proceed to the Masjid al-Haram to perform the
Tawaf. This is where the sacred Ka'bah is located, the focal point of the pilgrimage.
Pilgrims perform Tawaf al-Qudum, which is a circumambulation of the Ka'bah upon
entering the Masjid al-Haram. Pilgrims walk around the Ka'bah seven times in a
counterclockwise direction, starting from the Hajar al-Aswad (Black Stone). The
intention behind Tawaf is to demonstrate the pilgrim's submission to Allah. As the
pilgrim walks, they may make supplications or prayers (du'a) to Allah. The first three
rounds are often done at a faster pace (for men), followed by the remaining four at a
normal pace. After completing the Tawaf, the pilgrim should offer two units of prayer
(Rak'ah) at the Maqam Ibrahim (the Station of Abraham), if possible. The next step is
to perform the Sa’i, which involves walking back and forth seven times between the
hills of Safa and Marwah, located within the Masjid al-Haram complex. Pilgrims start
at Safa, reciting the Takbir ("Allahu Akbar") and then walk towards Marwah. Once
they reach Marwah, they repeat the same procedure in the opposite direction back to
Safa. The act of Sa’i commemorates the search for water by Hagar, the wife of
Prophet Ibrahim, when she ran between the two hills while looking for water for her
son, Prophet Isma'il.

8th of Zul Hajj (Wuquf-e-Mina) (Yaum-ul-Tarwiyah:

The pilgrims go to Mina, a place three to four miles away from Makkah. They have to
reach Mina before noon and offer their Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha prayers there.
They also sleep the night at Mina, offer the Fajr prayer of the 9 th of Zul Hajj and go to
Arafat.

9th Zul Hajj (Wuquf Arafat) (Yaum-ul-Arafa):

On the 9th the pilgrims go to Arafat, a barren valley at a distance of about six miles
from Makkah. Staying at Arafat is an essential part of the pilgrimage, if one misses it,
the pilgrimage shall be void. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Hajj is
halting at Arafat”. The pilgrims offer Zuhr and Asr prayers combined and listen to the
sermon of the Imam. All the pilgrims are required to stay in Arafat until sunset, then
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they move towards Muzdalifah after sunset, without offering Maghrib prayer. About
this day the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There is no day on which Allah
frees more people from the fire than the Day of Arafah”.

Night at Muzdalifah:

After sunset, on the 9th of Zul Hajj, all the pilgrims go to Muzdalifah where they offer
their Maghrib prayer and Isha prayers together. This place is also called “Mashar-ul-
Haram”. The pilgrims spend all night here in praising Allah, recitation and
supplications. The next day, they offer Fajr prayer and collect 70 pebbles for Rammi
means casting stones at the devil.

10th Zul Hajj (Yaum-ul-Nahr, Day of sacrifice):

On the 10th Zul Hajj, which is known as Eid al-Azha and the Day of Sacrifice, the
major rituals of Hajj are performed. This day marks the culmination of the Hajj, and
its rituals include several important actions:

• Rami:
The pilgrims come back to Mina on 10th of Zul Hajj and go to the Jamarh tul Aqaba
and throw seven pebbles, which is called Rammi. Immediately after Rammi the
Talbiyah is stopped. This act symbolizes the rejection of evil and the devil, as it
commemorates the actions of Hazrat Ibrahim, who rejected Satan's temptations to
disobey God's command regarding the sacrifice of his son.

• Sacrifice:
Pilgrims are encouraged to sacrifice an animal (usually a sheep, goat, cow, or
camel) as a symbolic act of devotion to God. This follows the example of the Prophet
Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son Isma'il in obedience to God's command.
The act signifies obedience, sacrifice, and submission to God's will. The meat is
often distributed among the needy, with some given to the pilgrim's family, and part
kept for personal consumption.

• Shaving and trimming of hair:

After sacrifice, the pilgrims have their head shaved or their hair cut as a sign of
humility and purification and then come out of the state of Ihram. The female pilgrims
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cut a small portion of their hair (usually about an inch). Shaving or trimming the hair
is a symbolic gesture of renewal and spiritual cleansing.

• Tawaf-e-Ifadah (Tawaf-e-Ziyarat):

The pilgrims go to Makkah on the same day for Tawaf-e-Ziyarat (also called Tawaf-
e-Ifadah and Tawaf-e-Rukn) and this tawaf is an indispensable part of the Hajj and if
it is not performed the Hajj becomes void. But it is permissible to perform this tawaf
later during the next three days or even later.

Ayyam-e-Tashriq (11th, 12th and 13th):

The pilgrims come back to Mina after Tawaf-e-Ifada, and remain there for two or
three days known as Ayyam-e-Tashriq. The pilgrims

perform Rammi on all three satan symbols on these days. The pilgrims start with the
Jamara tul Aqaba, then Jamara tul Wusta (the middle stone) and then Jamara tul
Sughra (the smallest stone).

Tawaf-al-Wida:

Before leaving for their homes, the pilgrims must offer the farewell (wida) tawaf of
Ka’ba. They go round the Ka’ba seven times and offer two rakat prayers at the
station of Hazrat Ibrahim.

Kinds of Hajj:

Hajj can be performed in three different ways, which are:

Ifrad: In Ifrad, the pilgrim is called Mufrid. He puts on Ihram at the Miqat prescribed
for him for Hajj alone. He shall continue wearing it until the completion of all the rites
of Hajj. It is desirable to offer a sacrifice but it is not obligatory.

Qiran:

In the Qiran, the pilgrim is called Qarin. He puts on Ihram at the Miqat prescribed for
him for both Umra and Hajj. On reaching Makkah he will perform Umrah but does not
shave his head nor puts off Ihram. He shall take off his Ihram after performing the
Hajj. Sacrifice is obligatory in this method.
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Tamatt’u:

In Tamatt’u, the pilgrim is called Mutamatte. He puts on Ihram for Umrah, after
Umrah he shaves his head or cuts his hair and gets out of Ihram. Now he is free of
all the prohibitions of Ihram. On the 8th of Zul Hajj, he again puts on Ihram for Hajj.
For Mutamatte, the sacrifice is obligatory.

Umrah and its method:

The Method of Umrah refers to the steps and rituals performed during the Islamic
pilgrimage known as Umrah, which can be undertaken at any time of the year (unlike
Hajj, which has specific dates). Umrah is a highly recommended act of worship in
Islam, though not obligatory like Hajj. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Accomplish the Hajj and the Umrah for Allah”. It involves a series of religious rites
that symbolize a pilgrim's submission to God, and it is a deeply spiritual experience.
Below is a detailed explanation of the steps involved in performing Umrah:

Faraiz of Umrah:

Ihram, Tawaf of Holy Ka’ba

Wajibat-e-Umrah:

Saee, Halq or Qasr

Ihram: Ihram basically consists of three things: two things are common for both
males and females, and one thing is specific only to males. The common things are
making the intention for Hajj and reciting the Talbiyah (Here I am, O Allah, here I am.
Here I am, you have no partner, here I am. Verily, all praise, bounty, and sovereignty
are Yours. You have no partner). The thing that is different and only required for
males is to wear two white, unstitched sheets (one for the upper body and one for
the lower body), while women wear simple, modest clothing that covers the entire
body, with only the face and hands visible. Certain actions are forbidden during the
state of Ihram, such as cutting hair, trimming nails, using perfumes, and engaging in
marital relations.

Tawaf-e-Ka’ba:

Upon arrival in Mecca, pilgrims proceed to the Masjid al-Haram to perform the
Tawaf. This is where the sacred Ka'bah is located, the focal point of the pilgrimage.
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Pilgrims perform Tawaf al-Qudum, which is a circumambulation of the Ka'bah upon

entering the Masjid al-Haram. Pilgrims walk around the Ka'bah seven times in a
counterclockwise direction, starting from the Hajar al-Aswad (Black Stone). The
intention behind Tawaf is to demonstrate the pilgrim's submission to Allah. As the
pilgrim walks, they may make supplications or prayers (du'a) to Allah. The first three
rounds are often done at a faster pace (for men), followed by the remaining four at a
normal pace. After completing the Tawaf, the pilgrim should offer two units of prayer
(Rak'ah) at the Maqam Ibrahim (the Station of Abraham), if possible.

Sa’i: The next step is to perform the Sa’i, which involves walking back and forth
seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwah, located within the Masjid al-
Haram complex. Pilgrims start at Safa, reciting the Takbir ("Allahu Akbar") and then
walk towards Marwah. Once they reach Marwah, they repeat the same procedure in
the opposite direction back to Safa. The act of Sa’i commemorates the search for
water by Hagar, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim, when she ran between the two hills
while looking for water for her son, Prophet Isma'il.

Shaving or Trimming the Hair: After completing the Sa’i, male pilgrims are required
to either shave their heads (Halq) or trim their hair (Qasr). Shaving the head is
considered more rewarding, but trimming the hair is also acceptable. Female
pilgrims are required to cut a small portion of their hair, typically about an inch or so
from the end of their hair, to signify their completion of the Umrah rites.

Differences between Hajj and Umrah:

The word Umrah is usually translated as minor pilgrimage. It is commonly called

Hajj-e-Asghar. Many acts of Umrah are similar to Hajj but there are some
fundamental differences. Some of the basic differences are:

• Hajj is obligatory while Umrah is not.

• Hajj can only be performed during prescribed month and dates while Umrah
can be performed at any time of the year.
• In Hajj, a person has to go and stay in Mina while in Umrah there is no need
to go to Mina and stay there.
• Wuquf of Arafat is one of the most important components of Hajj without
which Hajj is void, there is no Wuquf of Arafat in Umrah.
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• Similarly, there is no Wuquf of Muzdalifah or combining the prayers of

Maghrib and Isha in Umrah but it is very important in Hajj.
• In Umrah the Talbiyah is stopped while starting the Tawaf while in Hajj the
Talbiyah is stopped on the 10th of Zul Hajj after the stoning of the devil.
• Rammi of Jamarat is the essential part of Hajj but it is not part of Umrah.
• In Hajj, the pilgrim gives a sacrifice on the 10 th of Zul Hajj while no sacrifice is
offered in Umrah.
Importance and significance of pilgrimage:

Spiritual Benefits:

• Hajj above all is a great spiritual experience. It is the experience of coming

closer to Allah until the pilgrim feels that all the barriers between him and his
Lord are removed and nothing stands between them because Hajj is the only
pillar among the fundamental pillars of Islam which requires both physical and
financial sacrifices.
• Similarly, a person’s sins are washed away due to it. As the Holy Prophet
(peace be upon him) said: “When the day of Arafat comes, Allah descends to
the lowest heaven, and praise them to the angels, saying “look at my servants
who have come to me dishevelled, dirty and crying from every deep valley, I
call you to witness that I have forgiven them”. The Holy Prophet (peace be
upon him) also said: “If anyone performs the pilgrimage for Allah’s sake
without talking immodestly or acting wickedly, he will return free from sins as
on the day his mother bore him”.
• It is specially focused at the affluent class, and prepares them for the trial of
wealth.
• It makes the Muslims ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of Allah.
• The expense in the way of Allah, sacrifice of time and energy and the rites
themselves prepare one for the true purpose of a believer’s life.
Social Benefits:

• One of the most important benefits of Hajj is that it demonstrates the

worldwide Islamic brotherhood. As the people of all nationalities, all colours,
races and all ranks from all over the world assemble at one place and interact
for quite some time.
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• Similarly, the Hajj is a great exhibition of equality, when all the pilgrims come
before their Lord in extreme humility, wearing the same uniform (two white
sheets), without any distinction between the high and low, the king or the
servant, gather at the same place and utter the same words of Talbiyah.
Political Benefits:

The Muslims assemble every year in Makkah, each year it provides them the chance
of agreeing on many topics of common interests. They can discuss and formulate a
common policy to be followed by all Muslim countries.

Economic Benefits:

Trading is allowed during pilgrimage. The pilgrim may engage in buying and selling;
thus, he can meet the expense of this journey. The pilgrimage has many other
economic benefits for Muslims. People from all occupations come for the pilgrimage
where they can discuss their economic problems and chalk out strategies for mutual
benefits, exchange views on economic issues, devise ways of providing financial
assistance to the needy groups, institutions or nations and adopt a common
economic strategy that can benefit all the Muslim countries.

Terms associated with Hajj:

The Holy Ka’ba:

Ka’ba is a building that stands in the centre of the city of Makkah. The Holy Ka’ba
was the first house of worship on the earth appointed by Allah for His worship. As the
Holy Quran says: “The first house of worship appointed for men was that at Bakkah
(Makkah), full of blessing and guidance for all” (3:96). It is also called Bait Ullah and
Bait-al-Attiq (the ancient house). It is believed that it was constructed by angels,
nearly two thousand years before the creation of Hazrat Adam. Then it was
constructed by Hazrat Adam. Later the Ka’ba was destroyed by the flood during
Hazrat Noah’s time. Then it was reconstructed by Hazrat Ibrahim and Ismail, as
Allah has mentioned in the Holy Quran: “And remember Ibrahim and Ismail raised
the foundations of the house (with this prayer): “Our Lord accept this service from us
for you are the All Hearing, All Knowing” (2:127) and then it was again in the time of
Holy Prophet. Since those days of Prophet Ibrahim, people have been coming to the
Ka’ba either for a short visit (Umrah) or for the Pilgrimage. It is the focus of Muslim
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prayers from all parts of the world. During pilgrimage Muslims make Tawaf round it
seven times and they try to kiss the Black Stone which was received by Hazrat
Ismail from the angel during the rebuilding of Ka’ba.

Miqat:

There are boundary lines of Haram (forbidden) area beyond which no pilgrim can
proceed without Ihram. Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) appointed these places,
such as Zul Hulaifa for the people of Madinah, Al Juhfa for the people of Syria,
Yalamlum for the people of Yemen etc.

Ihram:

Ihram is an obligatory act of Hajj. It consists of two sheets of white unstitched cloth,
one for the upper part covering the shoulder and other round the waist for the lower
part of the body. After getting cleanliness at the place of Miqat, the pilgrim puts on
Ihram and makes intention of Hajj or Umrah. Then he offers prayers before starting
the journey to Makkah. During the condition of Ihram some conditions must be
followed, such as:

• The footwear should be below the ankle.

• For women Ihram is their ordinary clothes.
• Men must not cover the head while women should not cover their faces.
• To shave, trim hair or nail.
• To indulge in marital relationship.
• To hunt or kill an animal, however harmful animals can be killed.
• To put on stitched clothes, but the women are exempted.
• To use perfume, oil or soap.

Ihram is the declaration of one’s intention for Hajj or Umrah. It symbolizes purity,
renunciation of all evils and brotherhood of all the believers. It also removes signs of
distinction and makes all pilgrims appear equal.

Talbiyah:

Talbiyah means the proclamation of following words: “Here I am at your service, O

Allah! Here I am at your service. There is no partner with you. Here I am at your
service. All the praises and all blessings belong to you, and all sovereignty is for you,
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and there is no partner with you”. It is imperative to proclaim Talbiyah after one
enters the state of Ihram. One should continue repeating Talbiyah till casting of
stones at first Jamarat on 10th of Zul Hajj. It is desirable to pronounce Talbiyah in a
loud voice. The recitation of Talbiyah means that the pilgrim presents himself whole-
heartedly before Allah with no other thought than the Divine encounter.

Tawaf:

Tawaf means going round the Ka’ba. The Holy Quran says: “Then let the complete
the prescribed duties (Manasik-e-Hajj) for them, and perform their vows, and make
Tawaf the Ancient House” (22:29). The Prophet moved around the Ka’ba seven
times running three circuits and walked the remaining four. Then he offered two rakat
of salah at the station of Ibrahim. The Tawaf starts and ends at the Black Stone
(Hajr-e-Aswad). There are several kinds of Tawaf, such as Tawaf-e-Qudoom, Tawaf-
e-Wida, Tawaf-e-Ziyarat, Tawaf-e-Umra and Tawaf-e-Nafal.

Mutaf:

It is the place inside Masjid-e-Haram, and around the Ka’ba on which Tawaf is
performed.

Istilam:

The act of kissing the Hajr-e-Aswad in the beginning of Tawaf is called Istilam. The
palms of both hands are placed on it, with the face between the two palms and the
stone is kissed in such a way that no sound is produced. If it is not possible to kiss
the stone in this manner, it may merely be touched with the right hand and the hand
kissed or if it is not possible, one may raise the palms of the hand towards it and kiss
the palms.

Sayi:

Sayi is walking briskly seven times between Safa and Marwa hills. Sayi is
commenced from Safa and ends at Marwa. The pilgrim should first climb on the Safa
hill. It is not necessary to climb to the top of the hill. He should climb to such a height
only as would afford a view of the Ka’ba. After descending from Safa, the pilgrim
should move towards Marwa and therefore, walk briskly between two hills. Only men
are required to walk briskly. Women may walk at their normal pace. Sayi is
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performed in the memory of the Prophet Ibrahim’s wife Hajra and their son Ismail.
The Prophet Ibrahim left his wife and son in barren valley of Faran in Makkah by the
command of Allah. There she ran seven times between these two hills in search of
water. While doing so she left the baby on the ground. It was here that the water
gushed out in the form of a spring near the feet of the baby. The commandment
about Sayi is contained in the Holy Quran: “Indeed! Safa and Marwa are among the
symbols of Allah. So, whoever comes to the house for Hajj or Umrah, there is no sin
for him if he makes round between them”.

Mina:

It is a plain, which lies between Arafat and Makkah. The pathway into this plain pass
through a hill called Aqabah which is famous in the history of Islam as the place
where the Prophet took the two pledges from the Ansar of Madinah.

Arafat:

This plain is situated at a distance of nine miles from Makkah and about six miles
from Mina. According to tradition, Hazrat Adam and his wife were re-united in this
plain after years of wandering. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) also delivered
his last sermon here and received the final revelation.

Muzdalifah:

It is plain between Mina and Arafat, about six miles from Makkah and three miles
from Mina. In the Holy Quran, this place is called the Sacred Monument and Muslims
celebrate the praises of Allah at the Sacred Monument”.

Rami:

The act of stoning the devil is called Rami. The approved method of doing Rami is
to stand about five or six feet from the stone pillar, hold the pebble with thumb and
forefinger of the right hand and throw each pebble, one after other and while doing
so, the takbeers should be recited.

Jamarat:

The three stone pillars situated in Mina are called Jamarat. It is reported that Satan
tried to deceive and mislead Hazrat Ibrahim at these three places and Hazrat
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Ibrahim stoned the devil. In memory of this the devil is symbolically stoned at Mina
during Hajj. It is to show that we reject the devil and obey no one but Allah.

Halq or Qarsr:

Halq means getting the head shaved. Qasr means getting the hair of the head cut or
shortened.

Ayyam-ul-Nahr:

The 10th, 11th and 12th of Zul Hajj during which sacrifice of sheep, goats, cows and
camels is offered are known as Ayyam-ul-Nahr or the Days of sacrifices.

Ayyam-e-Tashriq:

The 11th, 12th and 13th of Zul Hajj are known as Ayyam-e-Tashriq. The pilgrims are
required to stay in the plain of Mina after the sacrifice and perform Rami.

5th pillar: Fasting (Saum)

Meaning of Fasting:

Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam. It became obligatory in the second year of Hijra
in the month of Ramazan, which is the ninth month of Islamic calendar in which the
Holy Quran was revealed. Saum generally meanings, “to abstain from something”. In
the terminology of Shariah Saum implies abstaining from eating, drinking and
satisfying sexual desires with the intention of fasting from dawn to dusk.

Holy Quran and fasting:

Allah said in the Holy Quran: “O believers! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it
was prescribed for those before you so that you may restrain against sins” (2:185).

Similarly, Allah said: “It was the month of Ramazan in which the Quran was first sent
down as guidance to humanity and to provide clear signs for guidance and
judgement. So, whoever of you is present during that month should fast throughout
it”.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and Fasting:

The Prophet said, “Allah said, all the deeds of Adam’s sons are for them, except
fasting which is for Me and I will give the reward for it”.
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Similarly, the Prophet said: “Fasting is a shield and protection from the fire and from
committing sins”.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “By Him in whose hands my soul is, the
unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in sight of
Allah than the fragrance of musk”.

“Whoever fasts in the month of Ramazan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a
reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven”.

Importance of Ramzan:

Allah said in the Holy Quran: “It was the month of Ramazan in which the Quran was
sent down as guidance to humanity and to provide clear signs for guidance and
judgement. So, whoever of you is present during that month should fast throughout
it”.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “When the month of Ramazan starts, the
gates of the Heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are
chained”.

Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “During Ramazan, the provisions of the
believers are increased”.

Method of Fasting:

• Fasting is obligatory on every adult, sane and healthy Muslim.

• Fasting starts with the sighting of the moon of Ramazan and it ends with the
sighting of the moon of Shawwal.
• Muslims get up early in the morning before dawn and take their meal, which is
called Sahoor or Sehry (pre-dawn meal). The Holy Prophet (peace be upon
him) said: “Take sehry as there is a blessing in it”.
• The Quran specified the time for fasting. “And eat and drink until the white
thread of dawn appears to you distinct from its black thread”.
• Then they make intention of fasting. It needs not to be spoken aloud as it is in
reality an act of the heart, which does not involve the tongue. He recites these
words: “I intend to keep tomorrow’s fast of Ramazan”.
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• Afterwards they move to Masjid for Fajr prayer and keep themselves busy in
the worship of Allah such as recitation, supplications and Nawafil. Muslims try
to spend most of the time in the Masjid when they are fasting.
• During this period, the Muslims are to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking,
taking medicine and marital relations. In the fasting, extraordinary care is
taken to observe Allah’s commandments, such as five daily prayers and
preventing from shameful deeds.
• In the state of fasting, the Muslim should live their life as normal and should
not demand for any concession due to the lack of food and drink because it is
the month of training to get self-control.
• The breaking of fast is called “Iftar”. It is commended to break the fast
immediately after the sunset. The Muslim breaks the fast with the following
supplication,
“O Allah! I have observed the fast for your sake and I believe in you, and I put
my trust in you and broken it with the provision you have bestowed me with”.
• The breaking of fast should be with dates, if dates are not available, then
water should be used.
• Muslims should also perform Taraweeh prayers in the month of Ramazan at
night after Isha prayer.
• This practice should be continued throughout the month.
• The last ten days of Ramazan are very special because worship in those days
is abundantly rewarded, as there lies a night, Shab-e-Qadr (Night of Power),
worship at this night values more than in one thousand months as described
in surah Al-Qadr. As Allah Almighty said: “The Night of Decree is better than a
thousand monthsIt”. It lies in the five ten odd nights. Therefore, Muslims make
special preparations to search for this night and spend the whole night in
prayers. Even some of the Muslims retire themselves in the mosques and sit
for Aitikaf which has abundance of reward.
Exempted people:

There are certain people who are exempted from fasting, such as:

• The Muslims who are suffering from sickness and if they fast it will worsen
their conditions.
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• The Muslims who are travelling and they are to perform Qasr prayers. As
Allah said in the Holy Quran about both things: “But if anyone is ill or on a
journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later” (2:185).
• The Muslims who are too old or too weak that are unable to fast or if they
fast that will cause them serious weakness.
• Abnormal and unconscious are exempted.
• The children who are below the age puberty are exempted from fasting.
• The females who are in the state of menstruation or child birth are not
allowed to keep fast.
• The females who are pregnant or suckling their babies.
Qaza, Kaffara and Fidya:

The Qaza fasts are those which are missed in the month of Ramzan due to certain
reasons for example pregnant woman, menstruation, childbirth, mothers suckling
babies, travellers and sick. They have to make Qaza and fast for the number of the
days missed in Ramzan.

Breaking of fast intentionally without any reason causes Kaffara fast that is to keep
sixty continuous fasts without a break in between, if any fast is missed in between
then he has to start all over again. For women the menstruation is not considered as
a break. If a person is unable to fast then feed the 60 poor twice a day.

For those who are very old or permanently sick they have to give Fidya, which is
feeding a poor twice a day or give grain, or its cash.

Times when fasting is forbidden:

There are some times when fasting is prohibited. These include:

• Eid-ul-Fitr
• Eid-ul-Azha
• Uninterrupted fastings
• Ayyam-e-Tashriq the 11th, 12th and 13th of the month of Zul-Hajjah.
Voluntary Fasts:

• Each Monday and Thursday of a week.

• The 13th, 14th and 15th of each lunar month.
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• Six days after Eid-ul-Fitr.

• The day of Arafat (9th of Zul-Hajjah).
• The 9th and the 10th of Muharram.
Benefits of Fasting:

Moral Benefits:

• Fasting strengthens willpower and develops self-control and self-restrain as

fasting person avoids all kinds of evils for the whol The Prophet said: “Fasting
is a shield and protection from the fire and from committing sins”.
• It purifies our soul, mind and our private life from immoralities as it inculcates
in us the presence of Allah at all times.

• This practice teaches endurance and tolerance in the face of discomfort or

delay, building emotional resilience.
• Fasting cultivates appreciation for the blessings in life, such as food and
comfort, leading to a more grateful and humble attitude.
• Fasting encourages individuals to focus on their spiritual and ethical goals,
promoting sincerity in actions and thoughts.
• By refraining from harmful behaviors and words during fasting, individuals
practice self-monitoring, which leads to better moral conduct.

Social Benefits:

• When the Muslims fast and experience hunger and thirst then they realize the
sufferings of the poor and it renews their brotherly ties.

• By fasting individuals may develop a greater sense of empathy for those who
regularly face food insecurity. This heightened awareness can lead to
increased charitable activities and support for social justice causes.

• Muslims offer extra prayers together which keep them into contact with each
other.
• Equality is shown in the month of Ramzan when all the Muslims rich and poor
fast together.
• Muslims give Zakat in this month which brings the rich and the poor closer to
each other.
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• Fasting instigates the Muslims to help the poor in the society, so the whole
society develops and progresses.
Spiritual Benefits:

• Fasting brings a man closer to Allah and removes all barriers between him
and his Lord. The Prophet said, “Allah said, all the deeds of Adam’s sons are
for them, except fasting which is for Me and I will give the reward for it”.
• Muslims realize the blessings that God has given to them and they become
grateful and thankful to him.
• Fasting strengthens the spiritual power of the believers.
• Fasting is a source of forgiveness for the previous sins of believers. As the
Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts in the month of
Ramazan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his
previous sins will be forgiven”.
• Fasting increases the spirit of obedience and it protects him from all kinds of
temptations.
• It is a confidential worship, which is between Allah and believers so it brings
them closer to Allah.
Physical Benefits:
• Abstention from food and drink for a full month does a lot of good to a
person’s health as it gives rest to the stomach.
• Due to fasting of the full month the whole system is cleansed of undesirable
materials.
• Due to fasting the body gets rid of fat, cholesterol and the other toxic matters.
Economic Benefits:

Fasting brings enormous economic benefits for the Muslim community. Such as:

• During the month of Ramzan the rich people spend generously on the poor to
seek the blessing of Allah and this enables the poor to receive funds to meet
their needs for at least a part of the year.
• The old and permanent sick people feed the poor lavishly in the month of
Ramzan. As Allah said: “For those who can do it (with hardship) is a ransom
the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more of his own free
will, it is better for him”.
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• Due to this month the economy of any country flourishes as the money is
circulated in the society.