The world before the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers that He raised amongst them (the most eminent) Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) from amongst themselves, who recites to them His Revelations, purifies them, and educates them on the Book and Wisdom though, before that, they were in manifest error.  Surah Ale Imran (3:64)

 

The world before the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is Himself a great bounty of Allah for all humankind.  Before Him, ignorance ruled the roost.  Along with the Arabian Peninsula, the whole world was submerged in darkness.  People were stuck in the mire of disbelief and polytheism.  They were busy in indecency.  Oppression and trampling others’ rights was rampant.  Usury and gambling was the order of the day.  Wine was consumed and blood was shed right in public.  The ties of love between people were almost nonexistent.  Instead, enmity and antagonism was common.  One tribe would be opposed to another.  One family would dislike another.  This hate and opposition would eventually culminate in a war between the 2 tribes.  Each tribe would call upon its supporters for help.  In this way, many tribes would fight each other.  They would spend all their energies in trying to wipe out the other tribe.  ‘Aus and Khazraj fought with each other over a trivial issue and the resulting war lasted for 120 years.

 

In such a terrorized atmosphere, how could human life remain safe?  If life itself had become so cheap, then what to say of material wealth and possessions?  The hearts had become hardened and mutual relations were straitened.  People would consider selfishness, pride and vanity as their honor.  Humanity itself was on the verge of death.  In such a time, to guide humanity back on to the right path, to bring them out from the gloom of disbelief and polytheism and illuminate them with the radiance of faith, to dispel ignorance and grant humanity the wealth of knowledge, Almighty Allah sent the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) to the whole world as the Seal of all Prophets.  With the arrival of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), mercy and benevolence enveloped the whole world.  Humanity was provided succor.  Bloodshed and slaughtering was replaced by peace and security.  The hardened hearts were replaced by affectionate and soft-heartedness.  Straitened relations were un-straitened.  Selfishness was replaced by sincerity before Allah.  Pride was replaced by humility.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) smoothed the whole society.  He replaced the differences of the society with unity.  He granted the beacons of knowledge to those who were wandering bewildered in the darkness of ignorance.  He granted life to humanity, which was in the throes of death.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) taught everyone that their strength was not to slaughter others, but to maintain peace by removing threats from the society.  He taught others that their energies should not be expended in creating differences but to promote and maintain unity, that our efforts should not be to deceive people but to sacrifice for their sake, that our very presence shouldn’t be to oppress others but to end falsehood and to raise the banner of truth.

 

 

The universality of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

 

Almighty Allah has made the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) universal.  He is not the Prophet for any particular nation or country but He is the Divine Guide for the whole creation.  Almighty Allah says:

 

Blessed is He (Allah) Who sent down to His (most beloved and most intimate) servant the Criterion (the Quran) that (draws the difference between right and wrong and) gives judgment in order that he may be a Warner to all the worlds;  Surah Furqan (25:1)

 

The message of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) covers all aspects of life.  It is equally beneficial for all classes and groups.  After the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) came, those who worshipper their false “gods” started worshipping the One True Lord.  He (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) safeguarded humanity.  He granted the rights due to the weak folk.  He freed humanity from the shackles of slavery and oppression and granted it the right to lead a free life.  He turned those who committed indecencies into epitomes of high morals.  He dispelled the gloom of terror and barbarism and spread the light of peace and security.  Even those who spread thorns in His path were rewarded with prayers of guidance and good wishes.  He gave such a lesson to a bloodthirsty nation that sworn enemies became brother to each other.  Almighty Allah mentions this great favor of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in the Holy Quran:

 

And hold fast to the rope of Allah, all of you together, and do not generate dissension and factions. But call to mind the blessing of Allah upon you when you were enemies (one to another). Then He created the bond of love amongst your hearts, and by His blessing you became brothers. And you (had reached) the brink of a pit of the Fire (of Hell) but He rescued you from it. That is how Allah elaborates His signs to you that you may take guidance to the right path.  Surah Ale Imran (3:103)

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) lived for 40 years in Makkah before the Declaration of Prophethood.  His life, His morals, the transparency of His affairs, His high character and His love for truth forced others to admit that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is the Truthful (Sadiq) and Trustworthy (Ameen).

 

For this reason, Almighty Allah declares His very presence as a great bounty and His Prophethood as a great favor.  Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:

 

Indeed, Allah conferred a great favour on the believers that He raised amongst them (the most eminent) Messenger (blessings and peace be upon him) from amongst themselves, who recites to them His Revelations, purifies them, and educates them on the Book and Wisdom though, before that, they were in manifest error.  Surah Ale Imran (3:164)

 

A great example of magnanimity

 

The disbelievers of Makkah had troubled the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and the Muslims to no end right from the declaration of Prophethood to the Treaty of Hudaibiyah.  They had left no stone unturned in hurting the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  Time and again they had conspired to martyr the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).  They had incited other clans of Arabia against the Muslims.  When Makkah was conquered, such sworn enemies were given this beautiful message by the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam):

 

Translation: Today, there is no reproach.  You are free to go.  (Subul Ul Huda War Rashad, Vol. 5, Pg. No. 242)

 

The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave a general declaration:

 

Translation: Today is the day of mercy and benevolence.  (Jame’ Ul Ahadeeth, Hadith No. 38481)

 

When human beings take the reins of rule in their hands, they fail to differentiate between justice and oppression.  All their victories are celebrated with the bloodshed of the defeated.  On the occasion of the Victory over Makkah, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave an example to all the rulers of the world.  He gave them a great message that when the sworn enemies were at His mercy, all of them could have been justly killed, but the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: This is a day of being merciful.

 

The world was at its nadir intellectually and morally. Humanity was submerged in their abysmal darkness.  Almighty Allah sent the Sun of Prophethood who illuminated the very horizons of the world.  The Prophet who gave the message of peace to the whole world, who taught humanity how to lead their lives, who granted the realization of their Lord Almighty, Almighty Allah says about the aim of sending Him:

 

Alif, Lam, Ra. (Only Allah and the Messenger [blessings and peace be upon him] know the real meaning.) It is a (glorious) Book which We have revealed to you so that you may bring mankind out of the darkness (of disbelief) to the light (of faith. And moreover) by the command of their Lord, (lead them) to the path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy?  Surah Ibraheem (14:1)