Meelad-Un-Nabi: the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is annually celebrated by the Muslims living across the world. Nearly two billion Muslims across the world celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during the whole month of Rabi-ul-Awwal performing religious prayers, taking part in almsgiving ceremonies, doing charity by helping the needy without regard to race, colour or religion as per the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Sri Lanka also declares a public and mercantile holiday to commemorate the birth of the Holy Prophet considering the national significance of this special day.
Muslims believe Almighty Allah (SWT) sent His messengers from Prophet Adam (PBUH) to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), from time to time to convey the truth to all mankind and guide them on the right path. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is considered the last and final of all messengers sent by Almighty Allah. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a perfect example of an honest, just, merciful, compassionate, truthful and brave human being who showered peace and mercy upon all creatures that lived on the face of this earth.
Birth and childhood
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born to a noble family in the city of Makkah in the Arabian Peninsula 1,400 years ago in the year 570 AD. According to the Islamic calendar, it is on the twelfth day of the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. He was the son of Abdulla and Amina. His father Abdulla passed away a few days before his birth. His mother then brought him up with great love and devotion.
When he was about six years old, his mother Amina also passed away. His grandfather Abdul Muthalib and then his uncle Abu Thalib took him into their care. As a young boy, he became known as a person of integrity with high moral standards. Therefore, he was known among the people as ‘Al-Amin’ – the trustworthy and also as ‘Al-Sadiq’ – the truthful. Because of these qualities, he was respected by everyone beyond race, colour, gender, age and religion in the city of Makkah.
Family and social life
Prophet Muhammad’s family life was shaped around Islamic principles ensuring peace and happiness in the family. His family life was a good example to his followers. He simply showed what peace and happiness in family life is all about. He taught his followers saying, “The best among you are those who behave best towards their wives. The best among you is the one who is the kindest to his wife and the worst among you is the one who treats his wife badly.”
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) raised four daughters. He educated them and got them married to pious husbands. Even though his children were married and had children of their own, Prophet Muhammad still rushed to his daughters’ houses, and he loved his grandchildren very much. Being a respectful husband and a loving father to his children and grandchildren, he showed a good example of peaceful family life in the way of Islamic teaching, to his followers.
As a businessman, he used to give needy people whatever he earned. He was extremely generous and sociable himself. He encouraged his followers in the same way. One of his companions asked the Prophet, which act in Islam is the best, and Prophet Muhammad replied to feed the poor and needy people whether Muslim or non-Muslim and greet the people you know and those you do not, regardless of religion or race.
Abu Huraira (RA), one of the companions of the Prophet who narrated more than 5,000 ‘hadiths’ (a collection of daily practices of the Prophet) said Prophet Muhammad was telling his followers to refrain from being angry, because an angry person cannot control his mind at all. Anger is not the quality of a strong person. A strong person is the one who can control his anger.
Prophethood and spiritual life
When Muhammad (PBUH) was 38 years of age, he chose the cave in the mountain Hira where he often spent time in meditation and solitude. Then he used to retire with food and water and spend days and weeks in meditation in remembrance of the Creator, Almighty Allah. Once he became a prophet at the age of 40, he started his mission to guide people towards the right path through kindness and mercy. Muslims all over the world follow his guidance as the last and final Prophet of Almighty Allah and his qualities and character attracted reverence and respect from Islamic and non-Islamic scholars.
He was respected by everyone because of the noble qualities he had. Especially his qualities of humour, kindness, mercy, generosity, equality, pleasantness, modesty, concern about orphans and kids, respect for the people of other religions and religious leaders and his peace-loving nature touched everyone’s heart, regardless of race, colour, gender, religion and faith.
Respect for other religions
During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Arabian Peninsula in which various faiths were present, there were Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, polytheists and others not affiliated to any religion. When one looks into the life of the Prophet, one may draw on many examples to portray the high level of tolerance shown to people of other faiths. In the city of Medina, as the ruler, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed how to treat the people of other faiths with great respect.
When he established a constitutional system, he confirmed that no one has the right to bully or annoy anyone else for their religious beliefs or rituals, and anyone, anywhere in the world, is free to live according to their religion as long as their beliefs avoided harmfulness to others. All were considered members and citizens of Medina society regardless of religion, race or ancestry. As the ruler, he protected the people of other faiths from harm as much as the Muslims. When he started as the ruler of Medina, there were provinces which followed their own system according to their tribes. The Prophet gathered these different tribes under one system of governance equally treating them under one constitutional system. This is a good example for today’s leaders to learn.
Role of a social reformist
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed exceptional traits in religious services and in handling secular issues using his leadership skills. He taught monotheism. He taught them to respect parents and elders. He taught to respect women. He taught to respect the people of other faiths, He taught respect for one’s neighbour, regardless of religion or race. He taught how to live with other communities.
He taught them equality and justice without regard to race, colour, religion and faith. Because of these renowned qualities, non-Muslim thinkers and well-known scholars have written several books about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in later centuries. He was always observed as a person of morality, honesty, truthfulness, and understanding.
Edward Gibbon, a notable English historian, scholar and writer, has written in his book, History of the Saracen Empire (1870), about Prophet Muhammad, thus: ‘The greatest success of Mohammad’s life was sheer moral force without the stroke of a sword. Reverend Bosworth Smith, Late Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford said, ‘without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a place, without a fixed revenue, if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by a right divine, it was Muhammad; for he had all the power without instruments and without its support’. (Muhammadanism, London, 1874)
Aspiring leadership
Even today, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is recognised by non-Muslim scholars as the most influential person throughout history. Today’s renowned scholars talk about the leadership qualities of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his powerful mission to keep the religion alive today and the successful decisions made by him in different circumstances to overcome critical issues. The Leadership of Muhammad is a management book based on the life story and leadership skills of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), by Professor John Adair, a British academic, leadership theorist and an author of more than 40 books on business and other leadership.
In this book, Professor Adair has taken examples from the life of Prophet Muhammad to highlight his extraordinary qualities as a leader.
Professor Adair weaves the Prophet’s life together with aspects of Bedouin culture and ancient proverbs to provide key point for leaders and aspiring leaders and has also taken examples of tribal leadership and essential attributes such as integrity, moral authority and humility of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Further, he describes in this book how Prophet Muhammad’s understanding of the tribal norms of Arabia helped him become an inspirational and effective leader, focusing on the qualities and personality traits that made the Prophet an exceptional leader, political authority, and a humane role model.
George Bernard Shaw describes in his book Genuine Islam published in 1936, the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): if a man like Prophet Muhammad were to assume the leadership of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring in much-needed peace and happiness.
As a leader, there are some general characteristics that an individual must possess to become a successful leader such as confidence, honesty, communication skills, empathy, optimism, encouragement, intuition, acting as a role model and so on. For Muslims, no one has ever come closer to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in having leadership distinctiveness and they consider Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the greatest reformist and leader. According to modern scholars’ points of view, the leadership style showed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is a good example in solving global issues to bring in much-needed peace and happiness.
Humanity of Prophet Muhammad
Well-known personalities and renowned scholars have quoted the noble qualities and humanity of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Shaw said in his book Genuine Islam, “I have studied him – a wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must called the Saviour of Humanity.”
Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi said in the journal Young India, “I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days –it was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet Muhammad, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission.”
He was complete in every regard with a beacon of guidance for people of every walk of life.
And that personality would undeniably be the personality of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Muslims follow his guidance because he is the Prophet of Almighty Allah and those do not follow Islam also hold him in high regard when it comes to human character because he was a secular as well as a religious leader.
American astrophysicist Michael H. Hart ranked Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as No.1 in his book The 100 – a rank of the most influential persons in history published in 1978. Hart says, “He was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the secular and religious level.”
Prophet’s last days
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) continued to lead his community both spiritually and in earthly matters until his death in 632. On June 8, 632 AD (Twelfth day of Rabi-Ul- Awwal) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) passed away at the age of 63 after a short illness. His 23 years of powerful prophetic mission and guidance 1400 year ago is realistic and result-oriented.
Meelad-Un-Nabi: the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is annually celebrated by the Muslims living across the world. Nearly two billion Muslims across the world celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) during the whole month of Rabi-ul-Awwal performing religious prayers, taking part in almsgiving ceremonies, doing charity by helping the needy without regard to race, colour or religion as per the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Sri Lanka also declares a public and mercantile holiday to commemorate the birth of the Holy Prophet considering the national significance of this special day.
Muslims believe Almighty Allah (SWT) sent His messengers from Prophet Adam (PBUH) to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), from time to time to convey the truth to all mankind and guide them on the right path. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is considered the last and final of all messengers sent by Almighty Allah. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a perfect example of an honest, just, merciful, compassionate, truthful and brave human being who showered peace and mercy upon all creatures that lived on the face of this earth.
Birth and childhood
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born to a noble family in the city of Makkah in the Arabian Peninsula 1,400 years ago in the year 570 AD. According to the Islamic calendar, it is on the twelfth day of the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal. He was the son of Abdulla and Amina. His father Abdulla passed away a few days before his birth. His mother then brought him up with great love and devotion.
When he was about six years old, his mother Amina also passed away. His grandfather Abdul Muthalib and then his uncle Abu Thalib took him into their care. As a young boy, he became known as a person of integrity with high moral standards. Therefore, he was known among the people as ‘Al-Amin’ – the trustworthy and also as ‘Al-Sadiq’ – the truthful. Because of these qualities, he was respected by everyone beyond race, colour, gender, age and religion in the city of Makkah.
Family and social life
Prophet Muhammad’s family life was shaped around Islamic principles ensuring peace and happiness in the family. His family life was a good example to his followers. He simply showed what peace and happiness in family life is all about. He taught his followers saying, “The best among you are those who behave best towards their wives. The best among you is the one who is the kindest to his wife and the worst among you is the one who treats his wife badly.”
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) raised four daughters. He educated them and got them married to pious husbands. Even though his children were married and had children of their own, Prophet Muhammad still rushed to his daughters’ houses, and he loved his grandchildren very much. Being a respectful husband and a loving father to his children and grandchildren, he showed a good example of peaceful family life in the way of Islamic teaching, to his followers.
As a businessman, he used to give needy people whatever he earned. He was extremely generous and sociable himself. He encouraged his followers in the same way. One of his companions asked the Prophet, which act in Islam is the best, and Prophet Muhammad replied to feed the poor and needy people whether Muslim or non-Muslim and greet the people you know and those you do not, regardless of religion or race.
Abu Huraira (RA), one of the companions of the Prophet who narrated more than 5,000 ‘hadiths’ (a collection of daily practices of the Prophet) said Prophet Muhammad was telling his followers to refrain from being angry, because an angry person cannot control his mind at all. Anger is not the quality of a strong person. A strong person is the one who can control his anger.
Prophethood and spiritual life
When Muhammad (PBUH) was 38 years of age, he chose the cave in the mountain Hira where he often spent time in meditation and solitude. Then he used to retire with food and water and spend days and weeks in meditation in remembrance of the Creator, Almighty Allah. Once he became a prophet at the age of 40, he started his mission to guide people towards the right path through kindness and mercy. Muslims all over the world follow his guidance as the last and final Prophet of Almighty Allah and his qualities and character attracted reverence and respect from Islamic and non-Islamic scholars.
He was respected by everyone because of the noble qualities he had. Especially his qualities of humour, kindness, mercy, generosity, equality, pleasantness, modesty, concern about orphans and kids, respect for the people of other religions and religious leaders and his peace-loving nature touched everyone’s heart, regardless of race, colour, gender, religion and faith.
Respect for other religions
During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Arabian Peninsula in which various faiths were present, there were Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, polytheists and others not affiliated to any religion. When one looks into the life of the Prophet, one may draw on many examples to portray the high level of tolerance shown to people of other faiths. In the city of Medina, as the ruler, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed how to treat the people of other faiths with great respect.
When he established a constitutional system, he confirmed that no one has the right to bully or annoy anyone else for their religious beliefs or rituals, and anyone, anywhere in the world, is free to live according to their religion as long as their beliefs avoided harmfulness to others. All were considered members and citizens of Medina society regardless of religion, race or ancestry. As the ruler, he protected the people of other faiths from harm as much as the Muslims. When he started as the ruler of Medina, there were provinces which followed their own system according to their tribes. The Prophet gathered these different tribes under one system of governance equally treating them under one constitutional system. This is a good example for today’s leaders to learn.
Role of a social reformist
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed exceptional traits in religious services and in handling secular issues using his leadership skills. He taught monotheism. He taught them to respect parents and elders. He taught to respect women. He taught to respect the people of other faiths, He taught respect for one’s neighbour, regardless of religion or race. He taught how to live with other communities.
He taught them equality and justice without regard to race, colour, religion and faith. Because of these renowned qualities, non-Muslim thinkers and well-known scholars have written several books about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in later centuries. He was always observed as a person of morality, honesty, truthfulness, and understanding.
Edward Gibbon, a notable English historian, scholar and writer, has written in his book, History of the Saracen Empire (1870), about Prophet Muhammad, thus: ‘The greatest success of Mohammad’s life was sheer moral force without the stroke of a sword. Reverend Bosworth Smith, Late Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford said, ‘without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a place, without a fixed revenue, if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by a right divine, it was Muhammad; for he had all the power without instruments and without its support’. (Muhammadanism, London, 1874)
Aspiring leadership
Even today, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is recognised by non-Muslim scholars as the most influential person throughout history. Today’s renowned scholars talk about the leadership qualities of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his powerful mission to keep the religion alive today and the successful decisions made by him in different circumstances to overcome critical issues. The Leadership of Muhammad is a management book based on the life story and leadership skills of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), by Professor John Adair, a British academic, leadership theorist and an author of more than 40 books on business and other leadership.
In this book, Professor Adair has taken examples from the life of Prophet Muhammad to highlight his extraordinary qualities as a leader.
Professor Adair weaves the Prophet’s life together with aspects of Bedouin culture and ancient proverbs to provide key point for leaders and aspiring leaders and has also taken examples of tribal leadership and essential attributes such as integrity, moral authority and humility of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Further, he describes in this book how Prophet Muhammad’s understanding of the tribal norms of Arabia helped him become an inspirational and effective leader, focusing on the qualities and personality traits that made the Prophet an exceptional leader, political authority, and a humane role model.
George Bernard Shaw describes in his book Genuine Islam published in 1936, the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): if a man like Prophet Muhammad were to assume the leadership of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring in much-needed peace and happiness.
As a leader, there are some general characteristics that an individual must possess to become a successful leader such as confidence, honesty, communication skills, empathy, optimism, encouragement, intuition, acting as a role model and so on. For Muslims, no one has ever come closer to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in having leadership distinctiveness and they consider Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the greatest reformist and leader. According to modern scholars’ points of view, the leadership style showed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is a good example in solving global issues to bring in much-needed peace and happiness.
Humanity of Prophet Muhammad
Well-known personalities and renowned scholars have quoted the noble qualities and humanity of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Shaw said in his book Genuine Islam, “I have studied him – a wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must called the Saviour of Humanity.”
Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi said in the journal Young India, “I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days –it was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet Muhammad, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission.”
He was complete in every regard with a beacon of guidance for people of every walk of life.
And that personality would undeniably be the personality of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Muslims follow his guidance because he is the Prophet of Almighty Allah and those do not follow Islam also hold him in high regard when it comes to human character because he was a secular as well as a religious leader.
American astrophysicist Michael H. Hart ranked Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as No.1 in his book The 100 – a rank of the most influential persons in history published in 1978. Hart says, “He was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the secular and religious level.”
Prophet’s last days
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) continued to lead his community both spiritually and in earthly matters until his death in 632. On June 8, 632 AD (Twelfth day of Rabi-Ul- Awwal) Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) passed away at the age of 63 after a short illness. His 23 years of powerful prophetic mission and guidance 1400 year ago is realistic and result-oriented.
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