The Prophet
Before the dawn of Islam, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was someone who attracted many people towards him. He was known as the trustworthy (al-aman) and to be very truthful (sadiq). Prior to the announcement of Islam and his Prophethood, there is a famous story about a Christian monk who saw the sign of prophecy in him and informed his uncle that he must look after him as he was destined for greatness. The migration (hijrah) from Makkah to al-Madinah is another notable event in the history of Islam as well as the night of ascension (mi’raj) where the Qur’an states that he was taken up to the heavens and travelled on a mystical and spiritual journey. There are many more stories about the Prophet and his mission in his biography (sarah).
There are numerous stories about the way in which the Prophet interacted with people prior to and after the birth of Islam. He treated all people equally, male or female, prince or pauper, black or white, rich or poor. He never discriminated against anyone and everything he did was for the sake of God and for His pleasure.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the best example of spiritual and moral values. The Qur’an states:
‘Indeed you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar (of moral conduct) for he whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day and who (frequently) engages in the remembrance of Allah’ (Surah 33:21).
God tells Muslims that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the most perfect example of moral conduct and who possesses sublime ethics. He is seen as the epitome of perfection in morals, conduct and in his very being as a human, he is the manifestation of the Beautiful Names of God on earth. According to some Muslims, Imam Khomeini is an example of someone who in modern times showed something similar to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as he was a charismatic leader. His teaching and humble way of life influenced and attracted hundreds of thousands of Muslims to re-evaluate their Islam in this day and age.
Although the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) passed away more than 14 centuries ago, his teachings are still leading Muslims today. Islam is a universal religion that caters for all people of all times. Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the eternal word of God and therefore Islam and its teaching are able to accommodate any society and any people, it should be adapted to cater for the society in which someone lives.
For all Muslims, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the very person who gives a meaning to their lives, it is he who sets the standards of human behaviour and it is he whose message is the very key to salvation in this temporal world and the eternal next.