Unity Week Special (2)

These days most Muslims all over the world are marking the Islamic Unity Week on the occasion of the blessed birth anniversary of the Messenger of Mercy, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). According to Sunni Muslims, on the basis of the narrations of the Sahaba, he was born on the 12th of Rabi’ul Awwal, while Shi’a Muslims who regard the accounts of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt or Impeccable Household as more reliable, he was born on the 17th of this month.

Forty years ago, in order to bridge this 5-day gap and to bring the Islamic Ummah on the platform of solidarity, the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) took the dynamic initiative of declaring the Prophet’s birthday as Islamic Unity Week.

We use this opportunity to study in brief some of the merits of Allah’s Best-Ever Creation. Please stay tuned for the second episode of the Unity Week Special.

Today, it is very unlikely to find a person who has not heard the name of the Prophet of Islam. He is undoubtedly the Messenger of Mercy and the Prophet of Peace. His name Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny), was mentioned in all the previously revealed scriptures to the Prophets of the past, such Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and others (peace upon them). He was entrusted by God Almighty with the universal message of Islam for the benefit of all mankind. Today, Muslims, as those who claim to be his followers, call themselves, number almost 1.8 billion all over the globe, where his name is glorified day and night than that of any other person, as is evident by the Azan or the call to prayer that is recited from the mosques five times a day, and the ritual prayers that Muslims perform throughout the world.

The human being always seeks an exemplar to follow. Exemplars have a high status in education, psychology, management and so on. Islam has also paid attention to this fact. As we said yesterday in the previous episode of this series, God says in ayah 21 of chapter Ahzaab of the holy Qur’an, “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah there is certainly for you an Excellent Exemplar, for those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day, and remember Allah greatly.”

This ayah addresses all Muslims in every age and place. It is obvious that the Prophet of Islam is the Finest Exemplar for every believer as long as the transient world exists. The holy Qur’an has not referred to his excellent characteristics. On the one hand he is mentioned as other persons; i.e. he lives like others, he eats food, he sleeps and so on. But, on the other hand, he is the unmatched jewel of creation which shines forever. Each and every deed and word of the Last and Greatest Messenger is an example to be emulated by the believers.

The Prophet lived a simple life. He worked like all other people. For instance during the siege laid to Medina by a combined army of pagan Arabs and Israelites, the Prophet rubbed shoulders with the rest of the Muslim defenders, in digging the ditch around the city, on the suggestion of his new companion, the Iranian, Salman Farsi. The Prophet, besides reciting the ayahs of the Qur’an to the people on their revelation to him through Archangel Gabriel, the emissary of God Almighty, used to engage in humour with his companions in a polite manner, as part of his policy of educating them and imparting to them the finesse of faith. He always encouraged people, in addition to cautioning them against the conspiracies of the hypocrites. In all fields, he was the epitome of perfection to be emulated by his followers.

The holy Qur’an says in ayah 4 of surah Qalam, “Indeed, indeed you possess a great character.”

The holy Qur’an even stresses that the Prophet owes his success in attracting the people to his kind and lenient manners and the fact that he was more loving toward them than their own parents. Ayah 128 of surah Tawba says, “There has certainly come to you a Prophet from among yourselves. Grievous to him is your distress; he has deep concern for you, and is most kind and merciful to the faithful.”

The Prophet of Islam would act very prudently and he was very quick in his decisions although he was the most forbearing of the people. He was the most generous. He would ear simple food and would sit on the ground like ordinary people. His disposition would impact every viewer. His silence was as instructive and impressive as his speech. Anas ibn Malek, his servant, says, “I was the servant of God’s Messenger. By God, he never uttered a scornful word to annoy anyone. He never reprimanded for anything and never disputed with me.”

The love and affection of the Prophet was a byword among people. Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny) would always ask about the state of his companions and if they were on a journey he would look after their family. If he didn’t see a person for three days, he would ask from his whereabouts. If the man had come on a trip, the Prophet would pray for him; and if he was at home the Messenger of Mercy would pay a visit to him.

Even the enemies enjoyed his mercy. During the battle the Arab polytheists had imposed upon the Prophet at a place called Badr near Medina, the Muslim defenders took control of the water wells of the region. They made ponds and filled them for consumption. When the enemies approached the ponds, the Prophet of Islam ordered the Muslims not to block their way but to let them avail of this elixir of life!

The justice of the Prophet of Islam was very famous in every aspect. He would even divide his looks among the attendees justly. This was stressed by his sixth Infallible Successor, Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS) when he said, “The Messenger of God would divide his glances among his companions and would look at this and that justly.”

One of the congenial characteristics of human being is his logicality and reasonability. The Prophet too, invited the people on the same basis. Now, the Islamic Ummah is increasing in number every day. The Prophet of Islam staged the greatest revolution in the history of mankind.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, says, “Almighty God has ordered us Muslims to follow the Prophet. This following is in every aspect of life. That Great person, not in his speech, but through his behavior, way of living, interaction with people and family, dealing with friends, engagement with enemies and strangers, in his treatment of the poor and the weak, in everything he is the exemplar. Our Islamic society will be the perfect Islamic society, in the real sense of the word, only when it adapts its behavior with the Prophet’s behavior. If it is not practical to act 100% as he did- which is not- let us at least be similar to him; not the way that the opposite of his way of living rules in our life. Let us move in that line.”

RM/AS/SS