Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION IX

CHAPTER ONE 1

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD 1

HIS CHILDHOOD 2

HIS ADULTHOOD 4

START OF HIS MISSION 6

RESONANCE OF HIS CALL 7

‘NEUTRALISE THE MESSENGER AND HIS MESSAGE’ 8

END OF ONE TORMENT AND START OF OTHERS 11

MIGRATION OF THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH 12

MESSENGER OF ALLAH ARRIVES AT MEDINA 14

FIRST MUSLIM COMMUNITY 16

MECCA LIBERATED 17

IDEAL ISLAMIC ORDER 20

THE TWO MOMENTOUS THINGS 22

CHAPTER TWO 29

SUBLIME QUALITIES OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD 29

INSPIRATIONAL CONDUCTS 29

HIS DEALINGS WITH THE PEOPLE 30

HIS HUMILITY 34

THE SYMBOL OF LOVE AND BLESSINGS 36

HIS CLEMENT AND FORGIVING NATURE 38

HIS STEADFASTNESS 39

HIS ABSTINENCE 41

HIS MERCIFUL NATURE 42

HIS KINDNESS TO ANIMALS 43

HIS BRAVERY 44

HIS PRAYER 45

HIS FASTS 48

HIS JUSTICE 49

ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS 51

PRAISING ALMIGHTY GOD 51

ENCOURAGEMENT OF ALMSGIVING 52

HIS HUMOUR 53

QUALITIES REFLECTED IN HIS CONDUCTS 54

CHAPTER THREE 60

POLICIES OF THE PROPHET AT TIMES OF CONFLICT 60

AN OVERVIEW 60

IN THE EYES OF HIS OPPONENTS 66

CONDUCTS AND STRATEGIES OF BATTLE 70

WITH THE PRISONERS OF BATTLE OF BADR 73

RANSOM OF HIS SON-IN-LAW 74

PROHIBITION OF TORTURE AND MUTILATION 75

RETURNS EVIL WITH GOOD 76

GIVES HIS FOES THE CHOICE OF PEACE 77

HIS MAGNANIMITY 79

HIS CARE FOR HIS COMPANIONS 80

HE GOES HUNGRY 81

FOE TURNS INTO FRIEND 82

TOLERATES THE ENEMY OF THE STATE 83

HIS ADHERENCE TO THE PEACE TREATY OF HODAYBIYAH 85

AMONG THE BLESSINGS OF THE TREATY OF HODAYBIYAH 86

KINDNESS TO CAPTIVES 88

THE PROTECTORATE 89

THE JEWS ENTER ISLAM 90

FORGIVENESS NOT REVENGE 91

A JEW’S WORD WAS ENOUGH 92

THE BEARER OF THE WHITE BANNER 93

THE PROPHET FORGIVES THE TRAITOR 94

BEFORE ENTERING MECCA 98

CONDUCT OF ISLAM UPON VICTORY 100

WITH THE CUSTODIAN OF THE KA!BAH 103

FORGIVE YOUR ARCHENEMIES 105

WITH HIS WOULD BE ASSASSIN 108

ABANDONING THE PROPHET’S TEACHINGS 109

TREACHERY AND MAKING AMENDS 110

CHAPTER FOUR 112

SOCIAL POLICIES OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD 112

HIS GOVERNMENT 114

HIS MANNERS AND ETHICS 116

HIS COMPASSION 118

HIS TOLERANCE 119

HIS FORGIVENESS 120

HIS GENEROSITY 121

WITH A JEW 123

HIS HELPING AND HOSPITALITY 124

HE ENDEAVOURS TO PLEASE OTHERS 127

EARN YOUR LIVING 129

HE TURNS FOES INTO FRIENDS 130

FOES TESTIFY TO HIS DISTINCTION 131

KINDNESS BEAUTIFIES 131

HIS LOYALTY 132

HIS HUMBLENESS 133

HE SERVES AT HOME 134

THE TRUSTWORTHY ONE 134

YOU FIRST 135

THE PRAGMATIC STATESMAN 136

HE NEVER CHANGED 137

THE PROPHET SHOULD BE EMULATED 138

CHAPTER FIVE 139

SELECTED SAYINGS OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD 139

ON SUPPLICATION 139

ON FAMILIAL BONDS 141

ON GOOD MORALS AND CONDUCTS 142

ON CLEMENCY 146

ON BEING CONSCIOUS OF ALMIGHTY GOD 148

ON FORGIVENESS, KINDNESS AND MERCY 150

ON TOILING AND EARNING THAT WHICH IS LAWFUL 152

ON HUMILITY 153

ON THE REPREHENSIBILITY OF ARROGANCE 155

ON CONSULTATION 158

ON GENEROSITY 159

ON DISCOURAGING MISERLINESS 160

ON FULFILLING PROMISES 162

ON PATIENCE AND BEARING HARDSHIPS 162

ON ALMSGIVING 163

ON TRUTHFULNESS 164

ON ABSTINENCE 165

ON BACKBITING 168

ON JUSTICE 169

WORDS OF LIGHT 171

CHAPTER SIX 178

THE PROPHET AS SEEN BY WESTERN THINKERS 178

TRANSLITERATION 192

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 198