This article points only to hints in the biography of the chosen prophet, prayers and peace be upon him, to be as an introduction to the Muslim boys and girls and to let them have deeper studies in this eternal prophetic biography.
All praise is due to Allah Who made the right path clear to us and relieved our foresight from the darkness of whims. Prayers and Peace be upon the chosen prophet and messenger who had been sent as mercy to the realms and as guide to whoever looks for the right path, and peace be upon his family, companion and whoever follows them till the Day of Judgment.
O Muslims; among the best ways of spending times is to study the prophetic redolent biography and know the eternal Muhammadan days, because it makes the Muslim feel the great events that the early Muslims faced; moreover, it might enable the recent Muslim to imagine himself as one of those Honorable and obedient Muslims who erected the buildings of glory and the sense of heroism.
During the study of the biography of the prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) the Muslim gets to know numerous aspects from the character of the last prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him), the way of his living and his call during peace and war.
Moreover, it enables the Muslim to know the points of strength and weakness, the reasons of victory and defeat, and the way of dealing with the events regardless of the level of its importance.
By studying the prophetic biography, Muslims could restore their self-confidence and be sure that Allah would be on their side and would help them to gain victory if they obeyed Him and followed the rules of His Shar'iah. Allah Almighty says:
{If you help (in the cause of) Allh, He will help you, and make your foothold firm} [Muhammad 47:7]
Transliteration: in tansuroo Allaha yansurkum wayuthabbit aqdamakum
and He says:
{Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe (in the Oneness of Allh Islmic Monotheism) in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth, (i.e. Day of Resurrection) -} [Ghafir 40:51]
Transliteration: Inna lanansuru rusulana waallatheenaamanoo fee alhayati alddunya wayawma yaqoomu alashhadu
and He says:
{Verily, Allh will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allh is All-Strong, All-Mighty} [Al-Hajj 22:40]
Transliteration: walayansuranna Allahu man yansuruhu inna Allaha laqawiyyun AAazeezun
This article points only to hints in the biography of the chosen prophet, prayers and peace be upon him, to be as an introduction to the Muslim boys and girls and to let them have deeper studies in this eternal prophetic biography. Allah Almighty says:
{Muhammad (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) is the messenger of Allah} [Al-Fath 48:29]
Transliteration: Muhammadun rasoolu Allahi
He is Abu al-Qasim Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdel-Muttalib Ibn Hashim Ibn Abd-Manaf Ibn Qusay Ibn Kilab Ibn Murrah Ibn Ka'b Ibn Lu'ay Ibn Ghalib Ibn Fahr Ibn Abd-Malik Ibn An-Nadr Ibn Kinanah Ibn Khozayma Ibn Madrakah Ibn Elias Ibn Mudar Ibn Nizar Ibn Ma'd Ibn Adnan. This is what scholars had agreed upon concerning the lineage of the Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him; also, they agreed that Adnan is one of Ism'ail's (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) children.
Jubair Ibn Mut'am said that he heard Allah's Apostle saying: "I have several names: I am Muhammad and I am Ahmad, and I am Al-Mahi with whom Allah obliterates Kufr (disbelief), and I am Al-Hashir (gatherer) at whose feet (i.e. behind whom) the people will be gathered (on the Day of Resurrection), and I am Al-Aqib with no messenger after after him (i.e. who succeeds the other prophets in bringing about good). [Agreed upon]
Abu Musa al-Ash'ari reported that Allah's Messenger, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, mentioned many names of his and said: "I am Muhammad, Ahmad, Muqaffi (the last in succession), al-Hashir, the Prophet of repentance, and the Prophet of Mercy. [Reported by Muslim]
You must know, may Allah mercy us all, that Allah has protected the parents of our chosen Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) from committing illegal sexual intercourse. He (the Prophet prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) had been born after sound marriage. Wathila Ibn al-Asqa' reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) as saying: "Verily Allah granted eminence to Kinana from amongst the descendants of Isma'il and he granted eminence to the Quraish amongst Kinana and he granted eminence to Quraish amongst Banu Hashim and he granted me eminence from the tribe of Banu Hashim. [Reported by Muslim]
When Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan Ibn Harb about the status of the Prophet's family among their respective people, Abu Sufyan said: "He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us. So, Heraclius said: "In fact all the Apostles come from noble families amongst their respective people. [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
The prophet prayers and peace of Allah be upon him was born on Monday in the month of Rabi' the first. It has been said that it was in the second day of the month, others said it was in the eighth day, others said it was on the tenth day, and others said it was on the twelfth day. Ibn kathir said: "The most sound opinion is that that he had been born on the year of the elephant. This had been said by Ibrahim Ibn Al-Munthir Al-Hizamy (the sheikh of Al-Bukhari) and Khalifa Ibn Khayyat and others unanimously.
The scholars who recorded the biography of the Prophet Reported that Amina (the Prophet's mother) said: "When I conceived him, I did not feel his weight, and when he had been delivered; he came with a light illuminating every corner between the east and the west.
Al-Erbadd Ibn sariyah, may Allah be pleased with him, Reported that he heard the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) say: "It had been written in the mother of the book that I am the seal of prophets while Adam was still in the state of clay, and I will explain it to you; I am Ibrahim's invocation, the glad tiding of Jesus to his people, and the dream that my mother had seen in it that light had come out of her and illuminated the palaces of Ash-Sham. [Reported by Ahmad and Authenticated by Albani]
His father had died while he (the Prophet prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) was still in the womb of his mother. Some scholars said that he died after months of the prophet's birth and others said after year.' However, the first saying is the well-known opinion.
The Prophet prayers and peace of Allah be upon him was breastfed by Thuwaiba (slave girl of Abu Lahab) for days, and then they sought for him a wet nurse from the tribe of Bani Sa'd, and Halima As-Sa'dia breastfed him. The Prophet stayed with Halima in Bani Sa'd for about four years, after the incident where his heart taken out of his chest to cleanse is from the influence of Satan and the self, Halima returned him to his mother after that.
Then his mother had died in Al-Abwaa during her journey to Makkah when he was six years old. When the Prophet passed by Al-Abwaa in his way to Makkah in the year of the Fath (Conquer), he asked permission from his Lord to visit the grave of his mother; so, Allah permitted him and he wept till those who were surrounding him wept too, and he said: "Visit the graves because it reminds you with death. [Reported by Muslim]
When his mother died Umm Ayman cared for upbringing him under the auspices of his grandfather, Abdel-Muttalib. When the Prophet became eight years old his grandfather died after giving Bequest to his uncle Abu Talib to put him under his auspices. Abu Talib took care of the Prophet, helped and supported him very well when Allah sent him as a messenger; although he continued to be a polytheist till his death! So Allah made his help to the prophet a reason for decreasing the level of his torment.
Allah Almighty had protected him since his childhood and purified him from the filth of Jahilliya and any demerit. Moreover, He granted him noble manners, till people named him the honest', because of his purity, truthfulness and honesty. When Quraish wanted to reconstruct the Ka'ba (when the prophet was thirty five years old); they disagreed about who has the right to put the black stone in its place, then they agreed to accept the judgment of the first person who would enter upon them. The Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, was the first person to enter upon them, so they said the honest has come' and declared their acceptance to his judgment. The Prophet ordered for a piece of clothes to be brought; then he put the stone in the middle of it and ordered every tribe to carry one end of the piece of clothes, then he pushed the stone in its place. [Reported by Ahmad and Al-Hakem]
Khadija had married him when he was twenty five years old. This was after his going to Ash-Sham with her slave Maysara in a trade journey. Maysara saw what amazed him in the prophet, and witnessed his truthfulness and honesty. When he returned he told his owner what he had seen; so, she encouraged him to marry her.
Then Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) died three years before the migration; he married none till her death. After the death of Khadija he married Sawda Bint Zam'aa, then he married Aisha Bint Abu Bakr the truthful; he had never married a virgin except her. Then he married Hafsa Bint Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, then Zaynab Bint Khozayma Ibn Al-Hareth and Umm Salama Hind Bint Umayya and Zaynab Bint Jahsh, then he Married Juwairyah Bint Al-Hareth, then Umm Habiba Bint Abu Sufyan, and he married after the conquest of Khaybar Safyah Bint Hoyay Ibn Akhtab, then Maymona Bint Al-Hareth who was the last one he had married.
All his children were from Khadija Bint Khwailed except Ibrahim. Ibrahim was from the Maria from Egypt that had been a slave girl the king of Egypt sent to him as a gift.
His sons: Al-Qasim (the prophet is nicknamed by him) who lived a few days, and At-Tahir and At-Taiyb.
It has been said: "Khadija delivered Abdullah during the period of Islam, so he had been nicknamed At-Tahir and At-Taiyb. As for Ibrahim, he had been born in Al-Madina and lived 22 months and died three months before him.
His daughters: Zaynab was the eldest; she married Abu Al-Aas Ibn Ar-Rabie' (the son of her maternal aunt), and Ruqayyah; she married Uthman Ibn Affan, and Fatima; she married Ali Ibn Abu Talib and delivered to him Al-Hassan and Al-Hussain the masters of paradise's youth, and Umm Kalthoum; she married Uthman Ibn Affan after the death of Ruqayyah.
An-Nawawy said: "So, the daughters are four with no disagreement. And the sons are three according to the most authentic sayings.
The Prophet, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, had been sent with the message when he was forty years old. The angel came to him in the cave of Hira on Monday 17th Ramadan.
It is reported that "The angel came to him in it and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, "I do not know how to read. (The Prophet added), "The angel embraced me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and again asked me to read, and I replied, "I do not know how to read, whereupon he embraced me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it anymore. He then released me and asked me again to read, but again I replied, "I do not know how to read (or, what shall I read?). Thereupon he embraced me for the third time and pressed me and then released me and said, {Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not} [Al-Alaq 96:1-5]
Transliteration: Iqra biismi rabbika allathee khalaqa (1) Khalaqa alinsana min AAalaqin (2) Iqra warabbuka alakramu (3) Allathee AAallama bialqalami (4) AAallama alinsana ma lam yaAAlam
Then Allah's Messenger returned with the Inspiration, his neck muscles twitching with terror till he entered upon Khadija and said, "Cover me! Cover me! They covered him till his fear was over and then he said, "O Khadija, what is wrong with me? Then he told her everything that had happened and said, I fear that something may happen to me. Khadija said, Never! But have the glad tidings, for by Allah, Allah will never disgrace you as you keep good ties of kinship, speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guest generously and assist the deserving, calamity-afflicted ones. [Reported by Bukhari]
"The revelation was intermitted for me for a small span of time, then while I was walking I heard a voice from the sky, and raising my head I saw the angel who had come to me in Hira', sitting on a Throne between heaven and earth I was terror-stricken on that account and came back (to his family) and said: "Wrap me up, wrap me up! So they wrapped me up, and the Blessed and Exalted Allah sent down: {O you (Muhammad prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) enveloped in garments! Arise and warn! And magnify your Lord (Allh)! And purify your garments!} [Al-Muddaththir 74:1-4]
Transliteration: Ya ayyuha almuddaththiru (1) Qum faanthir (2)Warabbaka fakabbir (3) Wathiyabaka fatahhir
Allah Almighty ordered him in these verses to warn his people. So, the Prophet did his best and preached all people; the old and the young, the free and the slaves, the men and the women, the white and the black. The servants of Allah followed him from everywhere. They converted to Islam, and the ignorant people of Makka punished and harmed them constantly.
The prophet faced the torment of his people by patience and seeking the reward from Allah. Then he ordered his companions to get out to the land of Ethiopia to get rid of the injustice and mistreatment; so, they went out.
Ibn Ishaq said: "When Abu Talib died, Quraish did to the prophet what it could not do during the life of Abu Talib.
It is Reported in the two Sahihs that while the Prophet was praying close to remains of slaughtered camel. Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ayt took the remains of the slaughtered camel and threw it over the back of the Prophet. The prophet continued his Sujoud till Fatima came and took it from his back, and then he said: "O Allah, punish the people of Quraish. [Reported by Bukhari]
When the torment became severe after the death of Abu Talib and Khadija; the Prophet went to At-Taef and called the tribes of Thaqeef to accept Islam, but he received nothing but mocking and harm; moreover, they threw stones over him till his heels started to bleed. Therefore he decided to go back to Makkah. The Prophet said: "I departed, overwhelmed with excessive sorrow, and proceeded on, and could not relax till I found myself at Qarn ath-Tha'alib where I lifted my head towards the sky to see a cloud shading me unexpectedly. I looked up and saw Jibreel in it. He called me saying, Allah has heard your people's saying to you, and what they have replied back to you, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.' The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, "O Muhammad! Order what you wish. If you like, I will close Al-Akh-Shabain (i.e. two mountains) on them. The Prophet said, "No but I hope that Allah will beget children from them who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship none besides Him. [Agreed upon]
Then the Prophet had gone out with Abu Bakr to Al-Madina. First, they went to the cave of Thawr and stayed there for three days while the people of Quraish were doing their best to find them. Eventually, he arrived to Al-Madina and its people welcomed him and he built his Masjid and house within it.
The height of the prophet was medium; he was neither tall nor short. He was white and hairy. His pupils were dark black, and there was no hair on his chest or abdomen except fine line in the midst of the chest and abdomen.
He was the most generous humankind, the most truthful and the kindest. Allah Almighty says: {And Verily, you (O Muhammad prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) are on an exalted (standard of) character} [Al-Qalam 68:4]
Transliteration: Wainnaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheemin
He was the most courageous person, the chastest, the most modest and the shyest (he was shyer than a virgin girl). He used to accept the gift and reward for it; on the other hand, he had never accepted taking charity. He had never become angry for himself; rather he used to be angry for the sake of his Lord only. He used to eat whatever is presented to him. And he had neither eaten while lying down, nor had he eaten on a table.
Dar Al-Watan
References: Tahzeeb Al-Asmaa wa Al-Lughat by An-Nawawy; At-Tabsera Wal Hadaek by Ibn Al-Jawzy; Zad Al-Maad by Ibn Al-Qayim; The prophetic biography by Az-Zahaby; Jawame As-Sirah An-Nabawya by Ibn Hazm; Al-Fusul fi Serat Ar-Rasul by Ibn Katheir; Sahih As-Sira An-Nabaweya by Ibrahim Al-Ali.