Truly, even thinking about the Prophet (s.a.w)
is extremely difficult and awe inspiring.
A great personage like Ali (AS) said: "Whenever we found
the situation to be grave,
we used to take refuge in the Prophet (s.a.w) of God and sought the shelter of
his
presence in order to feel safe and protected in his loving company". How
sublime
and lofty was the personality of this great man. It is quite natural that our
limited and
little minds are unable to realize this greatness. The tools and criteria that
we have to
evaluate and measure men by, fail to assess and understand such a great being.
Hence, we are compelled to understand him within the limits imposed on our
intellects.
One of his characteristics indicates that no personage has existed in the annals
of
history in whose being both strength of character and popularity, at such a high
level,
were combined together in this way. In a personage of such greatness, which
inspires awe, fear, and another quality; which fills the heart with a special
kind of
friendly love for him, has never been integrated with each other.
The lovableness of
the Prophet (s.a.w) is separate from his Prophethood; for instance Moses (as),
Ibrahim
(as) and Issah (as) were also Prophet (s.a.w)s and all of them were loved and
respected by their people as Prophet (s.a.w)s and apostles of God. But our
Prophet
(s.a.w) possessed an additional quality, and that was the compassion of all who
came
in contact with him. (We who know and love the Prophet (s.a.w)through his words
alone can naturally imagine to what extent those who dealt with him personally,
could
love him.) This dimension of his personality was, in itself such a great
force that many
of his Companions were greatly affected by his words in such a way that they
feared
that the Qur'anic verses reflecting the Prophet’s (s.a.w)
utterances filled their hearts so
full that even the words of the Qur'an might not fit. They were anxious to
remember
whatever he said; because they loved him so much they memorized his words by
heart. Even today, after the passage of more than fourteen hundred years, his
words
are so familiar to the masses of Mecca and Medina, who now have no culture
whatsoever and have fallen to the lowest intellectual level; it is as if the
Prophet (s.a.w)
is still alive and speaking to them. His words, his reminiscences, his relics,
his
memoirs and all that belong to him are ever recounted by the people, as if he
still
resides in Medina. Even the drivers, grocers and vendors- those who are not
acquainted with history, who have never read about his life and character and
are
illiterate still feel his presence among them. As if he was still alive, and in
contact with
them.
One of the characteristics of the Prophet (s.a.w)was
that he was from among common
men. (Though this is an improper term a more suitable term
does not exist.) He was
absolutely and purely illiterate. What is training or education? To train means
to mold
and fashion a personality. What are the factors that are effective in training a
human
being?
In my view there are five factors that participate in the formation of an
individual:
First, it is the mother who shapes the first dimensions of the personality of a
child.
Second, the father. Third; ideology, educational institutions and culture.
Fourth:
Civilization. Fifth: Essentially the spirit of the period in which you live. The
Prophet
(s.a.w) of Islam did not enjoy any of these five
factors effective in molding an
individual's personality. His father died before he was born. Secondly,
immediately
after his birth, he was separated from his mother and taken to the desert to be
nursed. He remained there for two years. He should have been brought back to his
mother after that period, but on account of a plague, before his mother could
embrace him he was again taken back to the desert. The plague prevented him from
being brought up by his mother. Until the age of five, he neither saw his father
nor his
mother. At the age of five he was returned to his mother. The mother, who had
lost
her husband-and he was her only child, for the first time took him under her
care and
intended to take him to Medina so that he could visit his uncles, her father and
her
family. (The mother of the Prophet (s.a.w)belonged to the
tribe of Bani Najjar of
Medina) But his mother died on the way to Medina and the child, Muhammad,
was
left alone in the middle of the desert.
The third factor is civilization, and the Prophet (s.a.w)was
born among the crudest of
the nomadic people of the age. The Arabian Peninsula was also a peninsula from
the
cultural as well as the geographical points of view. Geographically it is a
peninsula, a
dry island. Culturally also it is a peninsula. On the one side Greek
civilization,
Palestine on the other; on this side Iran and Iraq, and India lies on that side-
all these
civilizations surrounded it, but none of the signs of the surrounding cultures
ever
penetrated it. Thus, the Prophet (s.a.w)grew up in
a virgin desert land, bereft of
culture and civilization, and was brought up in a virtual cultural vacuum.
The fifth factor time was under the domination of the Roman culture, Alexandrian
culture and Iranian culture. Time was controlled by these cultures. You can see
that
the Prophet (s.a.w) was an individual who was not
influenced in the slightest manner
by any one of the five factors that play an active role in the training and
raising of an
individual. He grew up as a completely free being, independent of any
influences. It
is on account of this that he had an immense capacity to understand, and accept
new
concepts, meanings and values that humanity could not have comprehended. It is
for
this very reason that he was able to defeat and demolish all the old values and
cultures, all the systems of education and training, all the beliefs, and all
that was
sacred to them.
He is the friend of the widows, the homeless and the strangers whom he saw in
the
streets of the city-the persons whom nobody greets with a salaam, and nobody
bothers to return greetings. Sometimes, when passing he sees that these
strangers,
shepherds and paupers who are seated on the ground have spread a cloth laying
their humble meal upon it, consisting of bread suitable for a camel only, they
invite
him to join them, and he eagerly sits down and shares their food. He sits and
chats
with them amicably and makes friends with them. He invites them to honor him by
coming to his home for supper that evening.
He comes lower and lower, as if there is no one humbler in Medina. Returning
from
(the battle of) Bani Mustalaq. Among the
inhabitants of Medina nobody was left
except old women, the crippled and children, for all the warriors had gone to
the
battlefront, and now the army was returning home they all went to receive the
triumphant soldiers, under the command of the Prophet (s.a.w).
All the women,
children, families, old and elderly persons and respectable citizens of Medina
and
those who stayed behind had formed rows. When the Prophet
(s.a.w) saw that the
people have come to greet him and formed rows, he unmounted his horse and
passed through the rows of the people, shaking hands with everyone.
. Despite saying that the Prophet (s.a.w)was a
simple person, there are still other
such qualities that are specific to his and his personality alone. One of these
qualities
is his discipline. His life was very simple and at the same time very regular
and exact.
Whenever the Prophet (s.a.w) closed his prayers he
used to stand beside the pulpit,
so that anybody who wished to discuss their problems could come forward. A
person
cheated in certain deal, would come and give an account of his difficulties. A
woman
unhappy about her husband would come and discuss her problems. Two people,
who have quarreled, come and explain their dispute. Someone has used abusive
language to someone in Medina, the aggrieved party comes to him. Whoever wants
to come comes and says whatever he or she wants to say. But sometimes he needs
to hold a commission meeting. The chiefs of the tribes have come to discuss with
him something that is related to the destiny of Islam. He ought to take an
account of
the matter. But still he does not go behind closed doors; he sits beside a
pillar. While
he is seated beside a particular pillar, all the Muslims who enter the mosque
understand that the Prophet (s.a.w)is holding a
commission meeting, and that it is not
the time for them to sit beside him. It is obvious that he has foreign visitors.
That he is
busy in important political talks, and therefore it is not a proper time to
interrupt him
(they can do so later on). They leave the place,
for when the Prophet (saw) is busy
with important discussions, order should be maintained. But his simplicity is
still
evident. No line is drawn and no walls are raised, but discipline is observed
and
everybody knows the nature of this business.
His order and discipline reached such proportions that the household goods
acquired specific names, whose list is given in the Biography of the Prophet
(s.a.w)
written by Ibn Hisham. He had several donkeys and mules, each of whom was given
a name. (He did not say; "bring the black- tailed mule",
it had a name.) He had
several caps; there were four quadrangular caps that he used to wear during
battle.
He had two or three turbans which he used to wear on Fridays, and on the
occasion
of peace talks and other important social ceremonies. Each of these turbans had
a
certain name. This naming of the caps is indicative of his keenness to have
order in
every matter
Mr.Bazargan, (May God reward him amply for his service)
has performed a
mathematical study of the Quranic verses regarding their order and their length,
and
arranged them according to their length. All the verses revealed during the span
of
twenty- three years the duration in which the Qur’an was revealed-into twenty-
three
grades, and has put them together according to their length in their respective
grades. What is the result of this? We have the following:
In the first year, 2500 words were revealed to the Prophet
(s.a.w). In the second year,
3000 words were revealed. In the third year, 3500 words were revealed. In the
fourth
year, 4000 words were revealed. In the fifth year, 4500 words were revealed. In
the
sixth year, 5000 words were revealed. In the seventh year, 5500 words were
revealed. In the eighth year, 6000 words were revealed. In the ninth year, 6500
words
were revealed, and so on.
Here we are face to face with a scientific order and discipline, not with a
normal
human personality. The Prophet (s.a.w)is indeed a
clear sign similar to the day and
night, the sea, sun and stars. He is a cross- section of the cosmos, or rather a
cosmos
in itself.
More beautiful than all the periods of his life, was his death. We have been in
the
habit of considering death always as an uproarious affair. But we cannot feel
and
comprehend a peaceful death with all its tragic profundity, greatness, beauty
and
lesson. It is for this reason that we still are not totally aware of the
dimensions of the
Prophet’s death. Otherwise, for anybody who is capable of feeling and
understanding such things, the death of the Prophet (s.a.w)is
a more sorrowful, tragic,
profound and undoubtedly more glorious incident than the martyrdom of Hussein
(as). The period of the Prophet’s last protracted
illness lasted one year. From the
time of the Hajjat ul-Widah -the Last Pilgrimage up to the time he could speak
no
more and was preparing himself for death. During this year his behavior
radically
changed and his speech assumed a completely different style. His relations with
the
Companions became calculated; and every one was treated in a particular manner,
expressing a definite meaning. In his relationship with Ali
(as), he grew more
dependent upon him daily. He is obviously worried about the fate of this man and
also seems to be anxious about the destiny of his own mission.
Man always conceals his true self throughout his life. He is always concealed
from
others behind the appearances that he assumes. It is usually on two occasions in
his
life that he raises this veil from his face: inside a prison cell and on his
death bed. As
soon as man smells death, he becomes cordial and sincere. One reveals his real
self on his death bed. The dread of death overtakes him in such a manner that he
finds no time for simulation .The soul steps out from its hiding place, where it
had
concealed itself all throughout life from the public view.
The wonderful Prophetic mission of Muhammad (s.a.w)has
come to an end. The
army is to be inspected for the last time. Whatever has been instructed during
the
span of twenty- three years is to be reviewed once again. A thorough and
comprehensive inspection, an all- embracing study of general issues, without
ignoring a single detail is to be carried out, lest a single point remains
untold and the
things that are already mentioned remain unheeded. All these tasks are to be
taken
care of in advance before this (final) journey.
The headache has started. The Prophet (s.a.w)cannot
sleep at night. He feels the
steps of death approaching and sees the black clouds gathering on the horizon
with
alarming speed. It is midnight and the stillness is dreadful. The sorrow and
distress
that could never disturb his energetic soul during a life full of hazards and
risks, has
overcome his spirit. The light of the world has passed away.