Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) was sent with a universal message to all of mankind. He is the last of the messengers. He left us with 2 things – the Quran and his example. In his example, and informed by the Quran, he demonstrated to us 3 things:
- How to submit fully to the commands of Almighty Allah
- How to behave and interact with others
- How to develop and master our selves
To submit fully to Allah, and how to react to others.
In his life he was given a mission. A difficult mission. And he showed no resistance, no reservation. No hesitation. He did what he had to do, despite the consequences. Despite the backlash.
- He was told to preach to
Arabs the Oneness of Allah.
The Arabs resented that. His own tribe, his own family. They mocked and jeered him. They made things difficult. Throwing things in his path, throwing things on him, cursing him. They tried to buy his silence. They boycotted him and his followers.
This he had to do during the age of 40 – 52, in years 610 – 622, with 4 young daughters and in the face of losing his first born son Qassim, and later his uncle-protector Abu Talib and his companion-support Bibi Khadija.
He never rebuked them, he never retaliated. He showed patience. He showed perseverance. He never thought about his own ego, or that they were embarrassing him, or disrespecting him, or threatening him. In fact, when he conquered Makkah, and he could have taken revenge, he forgave everyone. Neither did he force religion on them. Let who wanted convert. - He had to establish a base
He first went to Taif, they rejected him. They stoned him, he left there bleeding until blood ran out of his shoes. When the angel came and said tell me what you want done to them, he said – forgive them, one day they might be Muslim.
Again here, not worrying about himself and the treatment he endured, but focused on his mission, and the longer term outcomes – they are not ready to receive the message. Maybe later. - After Taif he was invited
to Miraj and met with Allah.
Imagine the trial when he came back and had to inform others – already he was being persecuted, already he was subject to ridicule, and being seen as a trouble maker. Now to come back and say you travelled days’ journey, then to the skies, then to meet Allah Himself… to say this when you are not in a position of power is difficult.
People must have thought him a madman. Yet he persevered. He struggled on. This was the year after his wife and his uncle both died. This was having 4 young daughters to mind. In the face of all of this, he kept going. And he demonstrated what our response should be. - He had to toil and struggle
for 12 years before he migrated to Madinah.
For 12 years, face the reaction of a hostile society towards him. His followers were persecuted. But he didn’t give up. He didn’t stop, or use the excuse well I don’t want more persons getting hurt. Such was his faith in Allah.
One would ask, after 5 years, or even 10, am I SURE I want to be doing this? The Quran mentions the messenger and his followers asked when would Allah’s help come? Even then they didn’t give up. - Migration to Madinah
at age 52, in a Disney movie, is where the story would end.
But not for him. The year after migrating his daughter ruqayyah died. The year after that the battle of badr. The following year the battle of uhud where he was nearly killed. He was 55. The following year the treaty of hudaybiyyah. When he agreed to the terms everyone stood against him – they all saw the terms as unjust. But he persevered. Standing alone.
The year following that was the battle of the trench. 57 years old and still trying to establish the religion. At age 59, the treaty of hudaybiyyah is broken, and that same year his daughter Zainab dies at age 30. By this time he has migrated from his homeland, fought 3 wars, buried 4 children.
Did he stop his mission? Did he say that’s enough, let me look after my family, or retire to a remote place and practice my beliefs privately? What would you say or do? Where would you draw the line? But he persevered. - In the year 630, he
conquered Makkah.
That year his daughter umm kulthum died. 5 children buried. But his son Ibrahim was born. Just 2 years later, he gave his farewell sermon. Later that same year, his son Ibrahim dies. 2 days later. DAYS. He passes away. Struggle and toil from beginning to end.
And yet his legacy lives on to this day, as a sterling example of perseverance and faith, and stands as a shining example of how someone - anyone - from the humblest of beginnings, can change the course of world history.
He is acknowledged by Muslims and non-Muslims alike as the greatest leader who ever lived. From Ghazali, Rumi and Jilani to Toynbee and Russel.
- The principles he established have led to the formation or formalization of bodies of knowledge – optics, astronomy, navigation, chemistry, biology, pharmacology, healthcare
- In social sciences pedagogy, history, anthropology, sociology, economics.
- From algorithms to algebra.
- The principles led to the consolidation of world knowledge, from the Greek, Indian, Chinese, and North Africa.
While struggling with trial after trial, from society and trials of his own family, he left an example. He came to leave an example as a husband and father, as a neighbor and as a friend. As an orphan, an employee and a migrant. As a social advocate, a revolutionary, a teacher, an Imam, a spiritual guide, a negotiator, a judge, a mediator, a statesman and leader.
While dealing with the mission and home life, he changed society:
- He united the tribes
- He changed behaviors and values
- He put the focus not on material wealth, women and horses, but on knowledge and conduct.
We are supposed to deflect the influences of society and lead society to something better. For the sake of Allah.
He came to show us:
- gentleness, firmness, focus, dedication and selflessness when dealing with others.
- strength – you think he didn’t have reason to be depressed? Or have anxiety attacks? Or be bitter? Or seek revenge? He had every reason to do so. He trusted in Almighty Allah, and knew that everything happened for a reason – everything happened for the best. In the meantime, he knew he had to be patient. And endure.
- endurance - from the rejection of his tribe and his people, their physical and verbal attacks, disrespect, embarrassment, hostilities, mocking and jeering, boycotts… he bottled his ego. It never was a factor. Bring the revelations, establish the practices, demonstrate proper conduct, in the face of all of it.
All this he did and achieved in the face of a lifetime of struggle. And a constant stream of trials.
May we follow the example that we were given, and may we achieve the levels of consistency and selflessness in all that we do, so that we can earn the best for this life, and the next.