Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

In the name of Allah

(He it is Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse).

Qur'an, 9:33

(Certainly a Messenger has come to you from among yourselves; grievous to him is your falling into distress, excessively solicitous respecting you; to the believers is he most kind and merciful).

Qur'an, 9:128

(And We have not sent you but to all mankind as a bearer of good news and as a warner, but most mankind do not know).

Qur'an, 34:28

(He it is Who raised among the inhabitants of Mecca a Messenger from among themselves, who recites to them His communications and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and the Wisdom, although they were before certainly in clear error).

Qur'an, 62:2

(And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds).

Qur'an, 21:107

Dedication

To the builder of the human civilization,

The loftiest savior,

The greatest liberator of man’s will and behavior,

To him who has destroyed the beliefs of ignorance and turned them into refuse,

To the master of the prophets; the great messenger of Allah (may Allah have blessings on him and on his progeny),

I offer this effort about his life which has illuminated the universe with the high values and principles, hoping it will receive acceptance and mercy from our Lord.

The author

The Publisher’s preface

Reviewing the history of the past teaches man how to live, how to die, and how to be immortal. The studying of the lives of the great people in History especially religious personalities at the head of whom and at the top of the pyramid are the prophets, the righteous saints, and the guided and guiding infallible imams, takes humanity to the best of fruits and greatest of results; worldly and afterworldly. Besides, that scientific and practical experiments and the studying of biographies have proved that those who followed this way got to their destination sooner and obtained the happiness of the Two Abodes; this life and the afterlife.

Since our duty requires us to enliven the biographies of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) and with the assistance that Allah the Almighty has given to us in this way, the Ansariyan Publications has undertaken the translation, from Arabic to English, of the series of the lives of the Fourteen Infallibles; the Prophet, Fatima, Imam Ali, and their eleven infallible sons (peace be on them all), written by Allama Sheikh Baqir Shareef al-Qurashi…this series that may be unequalled in this concern. Besides the translation, we have printed, and published this precious series, hoping from Allah the Almighty to make it a true step in the path of fulfilling our religious duties one of which is the reviving of the holy lives of our infallible leaders…praying Allah to reward us all with the best of His reward.

Ansariyan Publications

Introduction

(1)

We are before the greatest of all propagandists of Allah who has destroyed idles, wide opened horizons of knowledge and thinking, freed man from sins of life, and erected to him a high edifice of development and creativeness.

We are before the great mercy that Allah has granted to His people to assist and guide them to that which is most upright, light to them their way, and clear to them their course.

We are before the Divine Gift that has inspired minds to do good, and given them richness and creativity in their conducts, relations, and manners.

We are before the greatest reformer in the history of mankind who has built the structures of the civilization for the nations of the worlds and the peoples of the earth after they had been living in disorder and confusion.

We are before the greatest hero in the history of the whole world who could change the history of mankind from darkness into a bright life shining with awareness, safety, love, and beauty.

We are before the great heroisms that have denied weakness, refused submission and subservience, and set out swiftly in their way to raise the Word of Allah high in the earth and to liberate man from slavery and bad habits.

We are before the great Prophet (a.s.) and with him his cousin Imam Ali (a.s.), who was a world of heroisms himself. They have established in the Arabic East the pillars of the faith in Allah on which the powers of goodness and peace are built.

We are before the gift of Allah to the whole world; the great Prophet (a.s.) who said, “I am but a gifted mercy”.

(2)

Definitely, all sides of the human greatness have existed in the conducts, manners, maxims, and teachings of the Prophet (a.s.) that enrich intellect and make it fertile all the time; not an intellect of a certain age or a culture of a special milieu, but the intellects and cultures of all ages and all milieus throughout history.

The conducts of the Prophet (a.s.) have set the educational bases and the live methods of man’s behavior with himself, his family, and his society. These methods keep pace with man’s nature and changes of time, and react with life. They do not clash with the nature or the rules of the universe, but it will remain alive and man cannot find its like or alternative until Allah will inherit the earth and all that on it.

(3)

Prophethood is the gift of Allah to His people that carry out the rules of truth and justice and repair what deviates in the systems of their life. In any case, prophethood is not bound to the laws which people are bound to in choosing their rulers and leaders, but it is in the hand of the Great Creator Who has created the universe and given life. He is most aware of whomever He chooses for the guidance of His people, the reforming of their affairs, the rectifying of their behaviors, and the purifying of their souls.

Since the first dawn of the history of mankind, Allah chose the best of His people to inform of His missions and spread goodness and love among all people. The prophets carried the mission of Allah and did all what they could in teaching and guiding their nations to better their lives that would assure to them happiness, dignity, and justice.

The last and master of the prophets, Prophet Muhammad (a.s.), as well, carried out the mission of his Lord after bearing all kinds of troubles and sufferings in the way of rescuing Allah’s people from the claws of ignorance and its sins. He caused springs of knowledge and wisdom flow to everywhere, and carried lanterns that lit the ways for all peoples, illuminated minds, and guided the deviants.

(4)

The important thing in the sending of prophets is the inviting of people to monotheism and to worship Allah alone with no partner. The faith in Allah is a base that all powers of good, safety, and peace are built on. He, who believes in Allah the One and Only, does not commit a sin, wrong, or aggression. Surely, all the disasters of wars and the calamities that afflict people result from the lack of the faith in Allah. Therefore, the invitation to the faith in Allah was the most important thing that all prophets kept on in their missions to the nations. You do not read the life of anyone of the prophets of Allah except that you see that the sincere invitation to monotheism and the true faith in Allah alone with no partner was the most prominent task in all the prophets’ missions.

(5)

The mission of Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) was distinguished, in inviting to monotheism, with irrefutable proofs that relied on perceptible notions that could not be doubted or suspected. It did not involve in philosophical studies or other complicated arguments that that simple people could not understand. Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) avoided that and he relied on the perceptible proofs that existed in all phenomena in the universe and in the creation of man himself with his wonderful systems such as his brain, sight, hearing, perceiving…etc. These clear proofs have been mentioned in many verses in the Holy Qur’an .

It is worth mentioning that most of the Qur’anic verses that were revealed on monotheism and that refuted the thoughts of the pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah; ignorance) were revealed in Mecca and not in Medina, because the people of Mecca were idolaters whereas Medina, which the Prophet (a.s.) took as his capital, was of little polytheism and atheism, and its people believed in Islam and defended it devotedly. In this good town, the Word of Monotheism was raised high and its lights extended to the nations of the world and the peoples of the earth.

(6)

The mission of the Prophet (a.s.) was not limited to monotheism and the other spiritual rites only, but also it included all phenomena and affairs of life. The Prophet (a.s.) had established the social systems for the individual, family, society, and state. He had, as well, set the foreign and interior policies of government which were based on pure justice and truth.

The mission of Islam has extended to all sides of life and opened new horizons to reason. It has fully cared for knowledge and made it the base in every thing even the witnesses that should not depend on supposition. Islam has not permitted the imitation of one’s fathers in the concerns of beliefs, but one must follow knowledge and certainty in this matter to be certain of his beliefs before Allah and before himself.

(7)

From among what the Prophet (a.s.) was very careful for in his mission was to do away with poverty and put an end to neediness. He legislated (by the command of Allah) taxes such as zakat, khums, and the social insurance, and encouraged charity with all means. He established his economic systems on the goal of spreading ease among all people and preventing the monopolizing of wealth by some few people. He strictly prohibited the means that made wealth accumulate in the hands of a certain class of people. He prohibited usury, exploitation, monopoly of foods, injustice in dealings, and swindle. He legislated the law of inheritance that would prevent excessive wealth by not limiting the inheritance to the eldest child as the case in some western countries. Indeed, the Islamic economy can achieve easiness, in its wide notion, for all people.

(8)

From the legislations of Islam is the care for the general health and the making of medicine preventive. Islam has prevented the excessiveness in having food. Allah says, (and eat and drink and be not extravagant; surely He does not love the extravagant).[1] Excessiveness in having food has many bad complications. It causes stomach illnesses, fatness, and heart illnesses. If Muslims follow that in their life, they will not need to go to physicians, and medicine will be just protective to them.

From the means that the Prophet (a.s.) has called for in this concern is cleanness which he has considered as a part from faith. Cleanness is not limited to one’s body only, but it includes what man eats, drinks, wears, and the place where he lives and works besides streets, stores, and all kinds of buildings so that to prevent the spread of diseases and epidemics.

(9)

As for the Prophet’s personality, it has filled the mouth of the universe with its highness, perfection, and virtue. In all stages of his life, the Prophet (a.s.) was the highest example of the human perfection in all senses of the word. Since his early youth, he was far away from amusement and nonsense. He did not mix with the youth of Quraysh who were sinking into debauchery and lubricity. He was the most truthful, best in retaining kinship, and most altruist, especially to the poor, of all people. His wife Khadija (may Allah have mercy on her) often said to him, “You retain kinship, carry food (to the poor), entertain guests, and help people in their calamities.”

A poet said about him,

“You have been created purified from every defect,

as if you have been created as you like.”

Indeed, Allah has created him for virtues, perfection, and high morals away from any kind of defect or error.

(10)

There was another thing in the Prophet’s personality that had exceeded the limit of description or praise; he had a great will and determination that no one had ever had throughout history. He alone undertook the mission of Allah and fought his relatives, on the top of whom was his uncle Abu Lahab, and most people of his society. He cared neither for them nor for their resistance. He remained withstanding before all their aggressions, and he announced his immortal word, “If I am given the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left one to give up this matter, I will not do until Allah will make it prevail or I shall die for it.” He remained high like a mountain. He did not delay even for a while in propagandizing for his principles and values until Allah made him win and then the word of monotheism went high in that idolatrous society. He destroyed their idols as he destroyed their ignorance, bad beliefs, bad habits, and bad traditions.

(11)

The messenger of Allah (a.s.) announced his mission in the quarters of Mecca which was his homeland and whose people were known for their selfishness, haughtiness, and pride. And naturally, his mission clashed with their beliefs, traditions, habits, and desires. They were filled with rage and spite. Therefore, they agreed unanimously on putting out this light in its cradle. They resisted this mission with all their powers and abilities. The brutal men of power and authority from Quraysh, headed by their chief Abu Sufyan, fought him with all means they had, and he met from them all kinds of sufferings and troubles. They mocked at him and ordered their children to throw him with stones, ash, and dust. He sought protection against them with his brother and cousin Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) though he was very young then. Ali (a.s.) was always beside him chasing and preventing the children of Quraysh from harming him.

(12)

During the days of his ordeal, no one sided with the messenger of Allah except his uncle Abu Talib the faithful of Quraysh and chief of Mecca. Abu Talib reared the mission, believed in it devotedly, and did his best for it. He armed his sons to defend and guard the Prophet (a.s.). At the head of his sons was the immortal hero of Islam; Imam Ali (a.s.) who sacrificed his life for the Prophet (a.s.) and supported him in all situations and battles. So, Abu Talib and his children were the striking force that the Prophet (a.s.) sought protection in against the harms of Quraysh.

Abu Talib believed in Islam, and its values and teachings went deep into his inners. It was he who recited:

“I have realized that Muhammad’s religion

is the best of religions of mankind.”

Abu Talib often and always encouraged his nephew (Prophet Muhammad) to keep on his mission and not to mind for the people of Quraysh and their resistance and harms. He said in one of his poems (addressing the Prophet (a.s.)):

“By Allah, they shall not reach you with all their crowds,

until I shall be buried in the ground.

So, reveal your mission openly feeling no fear,

And be delighted at that and rest in relief.”[2]

May Allah reward Abu Talib with all good for his devotedness and great efforts in safeguarding the Prophet (a.s.); otherwise, Quraysh would do away with him and with his mission since being in its cradle. In a coming chapter, we shall talk about some bright pages of Abu Talib’s jihad for the Prophet (a.s.) and for Islam.

(13)

The weak, the disabled, and slaves in Mecca believed in Islam and embraced its principles and goals. They were certain that Islam had come to free them from the severity and persecution of Quraysh. They were certain that they would be the masters later on and the tyrants of Quraysh would be submissive slaves to them.

Also some aware youth from Quraysh, who had good thinking and attentive minds, embraced Islam and a good group from the ladies of Quraysh believed in Islam too. They all scorned and mocked at the idols of Quraysh which were worshiped as holy gods. This thing made the people of Quraysh too much angry and they were filled with grudge that they began torturing those Muslims very severely. They concentrated the torment on the weak Muslims who had no tribe to protect them or an authority to resort to against the punishment of the masters of Quraysh. Yasir, Sumayyah, Ammar, Bilal al-Habashi, Khabbab bin al-Art, and Abdullah bin Mas’ud were from among those first Muslims who received much punishment from the arrogants of Quraysh. Abu Jahl invented, in torturing those weak Muslims, different kinds of severest torturing, but all that could not take them away from Islam. In fact, it gave them new natures in being more patient, stable, and certain. They were neither confused nor hesitated in what they had believed in.

The Prophet (a.s.) permitted those who believed in his mission to emigrate to Abyssinia to worship Allah safely there. The Prophet (a.s.) remained in Mecca with some of his family and some other believers though they received severe harms and persecution.

(14)

When the Prophet (a.s.) was afflicted with the death of his uncle Abu Talib, he no longer had a strong supporter to resort to or one of authority that might protect him from the plots and assaults of Quraysh. Therefore, the people of Quraysh agreed on killing him. Their men surrounded his house with unsheathed swords waiting for the dawn to attack and do away with him. The revelation came down ordering him to leave Mecca. He went out under the darkness of night while no one of those forty men could feel him. He ordered his brother and cousin Imam Ali (a.s.) to sleep in his (the Prophet) bed, and Imam Ali (a.s.) responded delightedly to be the sacrifice for the messenger of Allah.

The Prophet (a.s.) set out towards Yathrib (Medina) whose crowds of people received him splendidly with joys and delights for he honored their country by his coming to it. He felt with them safety after fear, strength after weakness, and ease after suffering.

(15)

The Prophet (a.s.) did not sit passively in Yathrib even for a moment. He united the people of Medina and reconciled them with each other especially the two major tribes al-Owss and al-Khazraj who suffered enmity, grudge, and bloodsheds since long ago. The Prophet (a.s.) fraternized them with each other and removed enmity and spite from among them. The Prophet (a.s.) fraternized the Muhajireen (emigrants)[3] and the Ansar (supporters) as well and bound them by the bond of the Islamic brotherhood that was stronger than the brotherhood of kinship. He established a mosque (the Mosque of the Prophet) and took it as a center to his government and an institute to spread his teachings. Islam spread as fast as light and the great Islamic state was established. This state, after no long, extended to most sides of the world and the Word of Allah raised high among the nations and peoples of the earth.

(16)

The Prophet (a.s.) changed the dark methods of life that were based on ignorance, aggression, and misery. He removed that terrible nightmare and spread instead light, knowledge, wisdom, safety, and ease.

This study sheds lights on some aspects of the great personality of Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) in whose holiness and greatness all men of knowledge and intellect have believed. The history of the Prophet’s life is full of treasures of thought, development, and creativity. Indeed, his life is a history of humanity in all its dimensions and affairs. Famous orientalists like Ernest Renan, Goldzieher, Stock Harjo, Gustave Lenon, and others have acknowledged that. Certainly, the civilization of Islam was established in Mecca, Medina, Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, al-Qayrawan, Cordoba, Granada, and led to the spread of civilization in London, Paris, Rome and Berlin.[4]

(17)

Praise be to Allah Who has given us success in writing a big encyclopedia on the lives of the infallible imams; the imams of guidance and the lanterns of Islam, may Allah have blessings and peace on them. It has covered a great deal of their concerns and received acceptance and satisfaction from readers who showed their praise and gratefulness towards it. But, I found inside me a feeling of shortcoming and in my conscience blaming and scolding for I have not written about the life of their grandfather, the master of the prophets and the last of the messengers. And now, after the assistance and kindness of Allah, I begin a comprehensive study on the life of the Master of the Prophets and the great sufferings he had faced in carrying out the mission of his Lord among that society that had no ray of understanding and in saving it from the life of superstition and ignorance.

(18)

In this study on Prophet Muhammad (a.s.), I do not mention the long isnad[5] that have been mentioned in the books of history and biographies, for there is no pleasure in that to the readers who like easiness and facility in the books.

Anyhow, the biography (of the Prophet) is full of fertile and fresh literature that satisfies reason and feelings and fits the life of all people, and it is not of a literature of a special age or a certain generation but of all ages and all generations. It has inspired geniuses and men of letters and they poetized it all or some of it like Ahmed Shawqi, the Egyptian poet, or prosed it like Taha Husayn and other old and modern writers. Anyhow, I depend in my studies on the reliable traditions that reason and logic accept and the methods of the scientific thinking match.

(19)

To be loyal, I have to offer my gratefulness to His Eminence Sayyid Ali the son of Allama ayatollah Sayyid Tahir as-Salman for publishing this book with its three volumes as a service to knowledge and to the nation and to present the genuine values and high ideals in the life of the Great Savior Prophet Muhammad (a.s.). I pray Allah to reward his efforts and satisfy his wishes, and He is the Giver of success.

Holy Najaf

Baqir Shareef al-Qurashi

251424 AH.