Muhammad

Show me just what Prophet Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs to reason properly, without violence and threats. To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death.

Emperor Palaiologos

Byzantine Empire (1350-1425)

(Quote used by Pope Benedict XVI - 12 Sept 2006)

Muhammad

To truly place the doctrines of Islam into perspective, it is imperative that we appreciate the life of its founder. Here you will find a brief summary study of his life, highlighting key events that inspired his ideology.

From reading Islamic scriptures, one can quickly discern the nature of the man who conceived them. A man who, as a poor, neglected orphan, grew up in various households in Mecca, longed to right that wrong by gaining power and control in adulthood.

Muhammad was born on April 20th 570CE. His father died not long after and he was entrusted to a foster mother. By age six his mother died and Muhammad was then passed to the care of his grand-father Abdel-Mottaleb. However three years later his grandfather also died and he was forced to move in with his uncle, Abu Talib, a businessman who utilised Muhammad as a camel driver in his fleet of trading caravans. As a result, an inquisitive Muhammad travelled widely visiting Syria, Palestine and Byzantium in the process acquiring valuable knowledge of the traditions and religions of the Jews, Christians and pagans of the regions in and around Arabia.

By age 25 Muhammad met the wealthy widow Khadija, 15 years his senior, who hired him as a camel driver and then promoting him to a supervisor in her business. It was not long after, that they were married. For Muhammad this was the golden opportunity he desperately sought to move up the rungs of Arabian society and accumulate wealth for his preconceived mission. Khadija’s father however would not agree to a union between his well to do daughter and a man he considered to be a vagabond. To achieve their aim Khadija arranged a party, got her father drunk and then married Muhammad.

Khadija’s cousin, Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin Abdul-Uzza bin Qusai, was a Christian priest who had converted from Judaism. From him Muhammad learned much about the Judeo Christian traditions.

Married to one of the wealthiest women in Arabia, Muhammad no longer needed to work. He therefore now found time to visit caves for meditation. On one such occasion, tradition narrates, that he was visited by the angel Gabriel who requested him to read. Muhammad indicated that he could not read but the angel squeezed him tightly demanding that he read. This, in the year 610, was the first visitation by the Angel, visits that would continue until his death 22 years later.

The Qur'an Revealed

The revelations of the angel in Muhammad’s head would be the material that would one day form the Qur’an. At first these revelations were memorised by his followers and written on what ever was available. It was not until many years after his death that the second Caliph, Umar, ordered that the revelations be compiled in a single source, hence creating the Qur’an.

From behavioural descriptions we have of Muhammad it has been determined that he was a man prone to epileptic fits. Muhammad conveyed an impression of communicating with the beyond while experiencing his epileptic convulsions. In reality an epileptic can be delusional during their fits, imagining a variety of hallucinations that behest their aspirations. From a study of the Qur’an and the needs of Muhammad at any given time, it is patently evident that his revelations conveniently met his immediate desires.

He had revelations or dreams that would justify his need to marry the six year old daughter of his companion Abu Bakr or the need to marry his daughter-in-law or justification for relations with the maid servant of one of his wives or the need to attack various tribes or the need to hide his womenfolk behind veils or his need for twenty percent of the booty obtained from his expeditions.

The Qur’an and Hadiths clearly portray a man who harboured delusional fantasies of wealth, power, women and longing for omnipotence.

Muhammad commenced his mission in Mecca, the city where he grew up. However he was not taken seriously by his own people the Quraysh tribe. At first Muhammad preached to the Jews and Christians claiming that Allah was the same Jehovah of the bible and that he was a prophet just as Abraham, Moses and Jesus were but he would be the last, bringing the final revelation of God. Muhammad wanted to ensure he would not be succeeded and usurped by any other person claiming prophethood. However, in an attempt to ensure an indigenous Arabian feel to his religion he incorporated the Arabian God (Allah) as the name of his Supreme God. At the time Allah had three daughters, al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat. This is confirmed in the Qur’an (53:19-20) but those verses have since been abrogated and are today referred as the Satanic verses.

At first Muhammad’s preaching in Mecca was peaceful with the aim of gaining converts. He plagiarised widely from the Torah and Bible, at times insisting that even the commands from them such as stoning to death that were no longer practiced, be adhered to, because they were God’s decree.

However Muhammad’s preaching had little effect in Mecca which increased his anger and frustration. On one occasion he approached the Kaaba, circumambulated it three times and then proclaimed to the people there that he would bring them slaughter.

The Meccans longed for a compromise with Muhammad and approached him with the proposal, “Let us worship what you worship and you worship what we worship and we shall make you a partner in all our undertakings”. After initial rejection of the request, Muhammad eventually acceded when he received the Satanic verses which tolerated the worship of al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat. But he soon realised his folly and it wasn’t long before Muhammad claimed that those verses were revealed to him by Satan, not Allah.

It was around this time, 619CE that Khadija died at the age of 65. She essentially was the first Muslim and encouraged Muhammad to pursue his mission as messenger of God. She supported him financially and emotionally while being together for twenty five years.

It was not long after her death that Muhammad experienced his infamous night journey to heaven on a white winged mule. According to Islamic sources the prophet ventured from Mecca to Jerusalem and then onto heaven transported by the Buraq as he referred to the mythical creature. In heaven he is greeted by the previous prophets as he transcends from the first heaven to the seventh. It was also on this trip that Muhammad was able to haggle with Allah to reduce the number of daily prayers from fifty to five, thus lessening the burden on his followers. Of course there were no witnesses to this miraculous tale and the response he received from the people of Mecca including many of his followers was one of ridicule and disbelief. As a result Allah revealed a Qur’anic verse indicating He granted this vision as a trial and warning, yet it only increased their inordinate transgression (Q17:60).

Marriage to Aisha

That same year, Muhammad requested from his closest companion, Abu Bakr, the hand of his six year old daughter Aisha in marriage. Although Abu Bakr refused at first, stating that they were brothers (in Islam), Muhammad eventually had his way and married the six year old child. The marriage is justified by Muslims by claiming that Allah sent Aisha to him in a dream a year earlier, when only five, to indicate that they were to be married with the blessing of Allah. The marriage though, was not consummated until Aisha’s ninth birthday (622) when she was taken to Muhammad's house still clutching her dolls.

The year after his marriage to Aisha but two years before its consummation (620), Muhammad married Sauda Bint Zama. They were both fifty years old at the time. Muhammad had a number of children with Khadija and hence required an appropriate person to take care of them and Sauda fit the bill perfectly. It was a marriage of convenience as opposed to one for marital relations as is evidenced by the agreement made between Sauda and Aisha a few years later for the latter to inherit the former’s nights with the prophet.

However it was not all about marriages, for Muhammad even tried to take his preaching outside of Mecca. On one such occasion he and some companions ventured to the town of Taif, east of Mecca. After denigrating the tribe’s pagan worship and insisting on the worship of Allah only, they were driven out under a hail of stones.

The Arabs of Mecca rejected Muhammad and his teachings, referring to him as a madman. In the Qur’an itself, Muhammad laments this fact:

Q44:14 they had turned away from him and said: “One taught by others, a madman!”

Q18:6 you {Muhammad}, would kill yourself, over their footsteps, because they believe not in this narration.

Q25:41 And when they see you, they treat you only with mockery

Q21:5 they say: “These are mixed up false dreams! Nay, he has invented it!

Muhammad was never able to convince the sceptics or detractors of the truth of his revelations. Not only was his philosophy rejected by the intellectuals of the time but they even expressed their distaste to his language style.

Mecca had been the centre of trade and pilgrimage for the surrounding Arab nations for centuries. The Kaaba is a cubed stone building, which according to mythology contains a black stone given to Adam by God. It also housed the 360 idols worshipped by the various tribes who visited Mecca annually on pilgrimage to worship their respective Gods. They were a people who respected each others’ beliefs and traded and prayed together. However this respectful, tolerant lifestyle was not to last much longer.

The Hijra (Migration)

During one of the annual pilgrimages to Mecca, a party of pagan worshippers from the city of Yatrib, two hundred miles north of Mecca, met Muhammad and was convinced with his preaching. They accepted Islam and pledged their faith to Muhammad. On their return to Yathrib they became zealous missionaries of Islam and spread the faith from house to house.

At the pilgrimage in the following year, Muhammad learnt of the tremendous growth of Islam at Yathrib. Arriving at Mecca for the pilgrimage, the enthusiastic band of disciples from Yathrib surrounded him and placed their life and property at his service.

Two months later, after nine years of non-acceptance in Mecca, the squandering of Khadija’s business and wealth, tension and ridicule, Muhammad and his followers migrated (the Hijra) to Yatrib (soon to be renamed Medina). The year was 622 which now marks the commencement of the Muslim calendar. Muhammad left Mecca with approximately seventy followers he had managed to acquire during the ten years of preaching in Mecca. However eight years later when he returned to capture the city, he commandeered an army of ten thousand.

In an attempt to ensure cordial relations with the Jews of Medina, Muhammad drew up a pact with the tribes affirming the new status of Muslims as distinct from the Jews, with conditions under which they were to co-exist. It also defined the Muslims into two groups those coming from Mecca, the emigrants (muhajiroun), and the newly converted Muslims in Medina known as the helpers (ansari). However the two groups were to be considered as one single community, ummah, uniting all believers as Muslims first then any other designation.

It was at this juncture that Muhammad drew up the sharp distinction between believers and non-believers. The document contains clauses such as:

• A believer shall be against him who spread sin or enmity between believers; the hand of every man shall be against him even if he be a son.
• A believer shall not slay a believer for the sake of an unbeliever
• No separate peace shall be made when believers are fighting in the way of Allah.
• No idol worshipper shall take the believers’ property or person under his protection nor shall he intervene against a believer.
• Whoever is convicted of killing a believer shall be subject to retaliation, unless the next of kin is satisfied with blood money.

The interest of believers was paramount with little consideration for non-believers. This trend got progressively worse for non-believers as Muhammad grew in political strength and Allah accordingly revealed further draconian commands.

The Expeditions Commence

In Medina, Muhammad had a safe haven from where he could grow in strength. With his new found confidence, Muhammad began raiding caravans headed for Mecca. His first raid, or expedition as it is referred to by Muslims, was to take place at Al-Abwa. However Muhammad and his party missed the caravan. His next expedition was the raid at Nakhla. When they met the caravan it was the last day of the sacred month, Rajab, a time when fighting was forbidden. If they waited for the following day the caravan would have been in safe territory. They therefore decided to kill as many as they could and take what they had. One-fifth of the share was set aside and presented to Muhammad on their return. At first, because of condemnation from the Meccans, he denied he commanded such an act, saying he had not ordered them to fight in the sacred month. Soon though, he received a revelation from Allah saying that the Meccans’ unbelief in him and their persecution of him was worse than the killing of their men in the sacred month (Qur’an 2:217). Therefore it was justifiable for him to accept such booty obtained from the raid.

The ideology as evolved by Muhammad certified that any action that resulted to the advantage of Muslims and Islam as a whole was good, regardless of the moral implications to non-Muslims. And conversely, evil was anything that was not beneficial to Islam and its followers.

Up to this point Muhammad had instructed Muslims to pray in the direction of Jerusalem. He had compared himself to Abraham saying he had a greater resemblance to Abraham than even Abraham’s sons. He used all this as bait to convince the Jews and Christians that he was a bona fide successor to their line of prophets with the grandiose aim of having them flock to him like blind sheep.

As this plan proved unsuccessful after fourteen years of persistence, Muhammad received a timely revelation instructing the believers to now face in the direction of Kaaba in Mecca for their prayers. This command was adopted by the believers without fuss and from this juncture in history Muhammad veered from the path of attempting to entice the Jews and Christians to one of condemning them.

He pointed out that they were not following their scriptures as revealed by God using the example of stoning to death as punishment for adultery. He asked them what the punishment for such a crime was. When they replied public lashing, he criticised them for concealing the truth of their scriptures and abandoning the judgement of God. To practically implement his reintroduction of God’s word, Muhammad ordered that a couple found guilty of adultery be stoned to death. See the chapter on hadiths for practical examples of Muhammad’s implementation of Rajam, stoning.

When Muhammad heard about a Quraysh caravan laden with goods and money headed for Mecca from Syria, he informed his followers that Allah may give them a handsome booty. Some were reluctant to venture into battles and raids, but Muhammad quickly received a command from Allah condemning those Muslims not willing to wage war for His messenger. The Meccans on the other hand, after experiencing continuous raids over the last year, were now ready with their army to defend this caravan. Muhammad led his men on the expedition, known as the battle of Badr, proclaiming that Allah had promised him victory and that he could see the enemy lying prostrate before him.

Although Muhammad's men numbered only 300 the Meccan army was waiting with a force of nearly one thousand strong. However, Muhammad dangling Allah as a carrot on a string was able to spur on his men by promising success, either by gaining great booty or by entering the gates of paradise as Martyrs in the cause of Islam. The Muslims were victorious and according to Muhammad Allah had sent an army of angels to assist them in the fight (Q3:125).

There was however contention about the sizeable proceeds from the expedition. As usual Allah came to the rescue proclaiming that all booty belonged to Him and his messenger; however it should be divided equally among the Muslims but Muhammad’s share being twenty percent (Qur’an chapter 8 ‘Spoils of War’).

With increased confidence Muhammad and his men continued their raids with new found vigour. Their next victims were the pagan Ghatafan tribe followed soon after by the Qaynuqa Jews who he warned to become Muslims or face the punishment that had beset the Quraysh. They refused Muhammad’s request resulting in their village being raided and plundered with Muhammad commanding that all adult males be killed. However many of the Muslims had friends and family among the Qaynuqa, and hence pleaded for their safety. Muhammad eventually acceded to their request but expelled them from Medina and seized their property as booty.

Dead Poets Society

By this time word was spreading around the Arabian Peninsula about the exploits of Muhammad. In those days without communication as we know it today, news was spread mainly via poets extolling the current events of the day through poetry and song. There were therefore many compositions criticizing Muhammad and his activities. Not taking kindly to such negative propaganda, an angry Muhammad ordered the assassination of a number of these poets. Among them were:

• Al-Nadr bin al-Harith was a poet from Muhammad’s days in Mecca. He was captured while defending the caravan during the battle of Badr. Muhammad ordered his son-in-law, Ali, to behead him instead of claiming a ransom.
• Uqba bin Abu Muayt was also a Meccan poet who mocked Muhammad in his prose. When captured during the battle of Badr, Muhammad ordered him to be executed. “But who will look after my children, O Muhammad?” Uqba cried. “Hell,” retorted the prophet coldly. Then the sword cut through his neck.
• Asma bint Marwan was a poetess from one of Medina’s pagan tribes. She composed a poem blaming the Medinan pagans for obeying a stranger (Muhammad). When the prophet heard this, he asked, “Who will rid me of Marwan’s daughter?” A convert from her tribe volunteered and crept into her house that night. She had five children, and the youngest was sleeping at her breast. The assassin removed the child, drew his sword, and plunged it into her, killing her in her sleep.
• Abu Afak was supposedly over a hundred years old. He wrote a derogatory poem condemning members of his tribe for submitting to Muhammad who divides the peoples with religious commands like “permitted” and “forbidden”. Muhammad queried, “Who will deal with this rascal for me?” That night, Salim b. Umayr went forth and killed him.
• Kab bin al-Ashraf, in the aftermath of the battle of Badr, wrote a disparaging poem about the acts of Muhammad which was widely circulated in Mecca. The prophet asked, “Who would rid me of Kab?” Five Muslims volunteered, one of whom was Kab’s foster-brother named Abu Naila. That night the poet’s head was severed and brought before the Prophet.
• Ibn Sunayna was killed by Muhayyisa shortly after Kab as a result of Muhammad’s proclamation “Kill any Jew that falls into your hands”. Muhayyisa’s elder brother condemned his younger brother but Muhayyisa retorted that if Muhammad had ordered that he kill his elder brother, he would. The elder was impressed: “By God, a religion which can bring you to this is marvelous!” And he became a Muslim also.

Battle of Uhud

In the year 625 the Quraysh, eager for revenge after the battle of Badr, assembled at Uhud, a mountain outside Mecca, with an army three thousand strong against the Muslim’s formation of one thousand. The Muslims at first had the upper hand; however after some confusion with their battle lines, they fell back and lost the ascendancy. Muhammad himself returned with a bloodied face and tooth knocked out. According to the Muslims the battle was lost because Satan distracted them breaking down their formation.

Muhammad also received a revelation from Allah indicating that the Muslims lost the battle because they disobeyed Him and focused on booty as opposed to victory in His (Allah’s) name, (Q3:152). Allah also promised in the Qur'an that victory would soon be theirs if they depended on Him and rejected any association with non-Muslims adding that if they remained firm against the enemy He would send five thousand angels to make a terrific onslaught.

After the defeat at Uhud, Muhammad then 55, took two wives; the twenty year old Hafsa and the thirty year old Zainab Bint Khuzaima.

Hafsa was the daughter of Umar (who would eventually become the second Caliph of Islam). She was with Muhammad for eight years until his death. She died at the age of 63. Zainab’s husband Abdullah bin Jahsh was killed in the battle of Uhud. She however died not too long after her marriage to Muhammad.

Demise of the Banu Nadir Tribe

In that same year some members of the Banu Nadir tribe fearing the threat of Muhammad to their way of life, planned an assassination attempt. However word of the plot reached Muhammad who promptly ordered that the entire tribe leave their lands. They rebutted saying that they had a covenant guaranteeing peaceable existence among the tribes. However the Muslims’ reply was “Hearts have changed and Islam has wiped out the old covenants”. Not willing to leave their settlements, Muhammad received a revelation from Allah, Qur’an 59:11-17, saying He would strike terror in their hearts.

The Muslims laid siege on the tribe and on the orders of Muhammad cut down and burnt their thriving date palm crop. When questioned about this wanton destruction, Allah again came to the prophet’s aid with a verse proclaiming that it was necessary to destroy the enemy’s trees in order that He might confound the evil-doers. (Q59:5).

After two weeks of battle, the Banu Nadir Jews surrendered. They agreed to Muhammad's terms that they go into exile taking what they could on their camels, with the exception of weapons. All that was left became the property of Muhammad. Allah again revealed to Muhammad that it was divine terror that resulted in the defeat of the Banu Nadir and that in the hereafter they would have the punishment of fire (Q59:2-3).

The following year 626, Muhammad took his sixth wife, Umm Salam Hind Bint Abi Umayya. She was 29 at the time but had four children from a previous marriage. She lived to be 84, being the last of the Muhammad’s wives to die.

Battle of the Trench

Many from the Banu Nadir Jews, now with little possessions, no property and no arms to defend themselves sought an allegiance with the Quraysh pagans of Mecca. When Muhammad heard of this alliance, he had a trench dug around Medina. The Quraysh also made a pact with other tribes, the Ghatafan and the Jews of Banu Qurayzah who after witnessing the recent demise of their neighbours at the hands of Muhammad, were prepared to take pre-emptive action as their only means of long term survival. Together they mounted an attack on Medina but with the trench in place were unable to enter the city. For three weeks the Muslims were surrounded and their position seemed to be perilous.

However life also was not easy for the opposing side, camped around the city, running out of supplies, demoralized and frustrated. Sensing the frustration swelling in his opponents, Muhammad devised a plan that would deceive them and cause animosity among the various tribes. Using the services of a new convert to Islam, Nu’aym, from the Ghatafan tribe, who were unaware that he was now a Muslim, Muhammad requested that he go to the Qurayzah whose settlement was in Medina and warn them that because of their close proximity to the Muslims they should obtain a guarantee from the Quraysh that should the battle not go well for the alliance, that they the Quraysh would continue to defend them and not retreat back to Mecca. As a pledge Nu'aym suggested the Banu Qurayzah request hostages from the Quraysh and Ghatafan who they would keep until Muhammad was defeated.

Nu’aym then hurried to the camps of the Quraysh and Ghatafan warning them that the Banu Qurayzah had made a pact with Muhammad promising to hand over men from the other two tribes of the alliance to be used as a bartering tool for their withdrawal from around Medina.

The Banu Qurayzah, unaware of Nu’aym’s deceit, sent messages to the other tribes requesting hostages to be held as a guarantee of protection until Muhammad was defeated. The Quraysh now suspicious of the motives of Banu Qurayzah, thinking they were to use the hostages as bartering tools for Muhammad, and with the increasing frustration of the army not able to easily penetrate the trench, limited supplies, dying camels and drenching rains, their leader Abu Sufyan ordered their withdrawal back to Mecca. The Ghatafan also followed suit and Islam was saved by Muhammad who said at the time that “War is deceit.”

The Banu Quarayzah Tribe

After the siege was lifted Muhammad relaxed to have a bath when the angel Gabriel appeared to him indicating that the battle had not been completed while pointing to the direction of the Banu Qurayzah tribe. Muhammad promptly marched with three thousand men against the Qurayzah Jews. The besieged Jews who were wary of this eventuality surrendered. The men were rounded up and the women and children placed with the spoils of war. To distinguish between man and boy Muhammad had all those on the cusp of manhood checked for the existence of pubic hair. He then placed the decision on the plight of the tribe in the hands of one of his chiefs, Sa'd, who had been wounded in the battle. His judgment was that the men should be put to death, the women and children sold into slavery, and the spoil divided among the Muslims. Muhammad responded “Truly, the judgment of Sa'd is the judgment of the Lord, pronounced on high from above the seventh heaven.”

During the night, trenches were dug in the marketplace. As the day dawned Muhammad commanded the male captives be brought out in groups of five at a time. They were made to sit in a row at the edge of the trench while the women and children witnessed the downward swing of swords through the necks of their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers; their bodies then being cast into the trench. The slaughter lasted all day and continued by torchlight into the night. An estimated 800 to 900 men met their demise on that faithful day.

As part of his one fifth share of the booty Muhammad selected the beautiful teenage bride, Rehana, daughter of the Qurayzah chief, for himself. A strong headed woman she refused to convert to Islam or marry the prophet. Muhammad’s options were either to kill her or add her to his list of concubines of which he chose the latter.

Marriage to Zainab

A big celebration and feast was to follow the battle, not so much for the defeat of the Qurayzah Jews, but for Muhammad’s seventh marriage, this one to Zainab Bint Jahsh. This marriage sanctioned certain restrictions previously held as taboo by the people of Arabia. Firstly the bride was the first cousin of Muhammad and secondly she was married to Muhammad’s adopted son, Zayed. She was 35 and Muhammad 58. One day the prophet while visiting his son was taken aback by the beauty of Zainab whose loosely covered body he observed from another room. Desire for her swelled and Muhammad resorted to requesting that his son divorce his wife to clear the way for him to marry her. After controversy among some believers started to brew, special revelations from Allah were revealed to sanctify the marriage – “So when Zayed divorced her, We gave her unto thee {Muhammad} in marriage, so that there may be no sin for believers in respect of wives of their adopted sons, when the son has released them.” (Q33:37). Zainab herself felt exalted for she was the only wife of the prophet whom Allah had actually sanctioned in the Qur’an. Zainab died at age 49, the first of the prophet’s wives to die after his death.

The Banu al-Mustaliq Tribe

With Muhammad now a warlord with immense control in Arabia, he sought to eradicate all tribes that he perceived opposed him. Unfortunately for them, the Banu al-Mustaliq tribe was to be the next in line for conquest. As tradition relates, Allah killed some and drove out the remaining men of the tribe and gave to Muhammad their wives, children and property. As the conquering Muslims distributed their booty they desired the women but also considered the ransom which they would not get should the women become pregnant. Muhammad however, sanctioned for his army, the use of women who they captured in any way they desired by revealing the Qur’anic verse permitting captured women as lawful to Muslims ‘Prohibited are women already married, except those whom your right hand possess’ (Q4:24).

Muhammad also revealed that it did not matter whether or not there was intercourse, because a soul that is destined to be born will be born by the will of Allah. Hence from Muhammad’s viewpoint, non-Muslim women were simply chattel to be exploited and enjoyed as Muslim men desired. The recorded histories of Islamic invasions around the world bear ample witness to the suffering of captured women at the hands of their Muslim captures.

Muhammad’s cousin Thabit bin Qays had selected the beautiful seventeen year old daughter of the chief of the tribe, Juwayriya as his lot from the women. However she argued that he was beneath her in status. She is reported to have been an extremely beautiful young lady and Muhammad wished to have her for himself. They were married in 627, when he was 57 and she was 19. She lived to the age of 65, 38 years as a widow after Muhammad's death.

Treaty of Hudaybiyya

Muhammad received a vision that he had performed the pilgrimage at Mecca which for centuries had been a festival conducted by the pagans from around Arabia. As a compromise to allow Muslims to attend the pilgrimage, Muhammad signed the Treaty of Hudaybiyya with the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. This agreement consented to the Muslims using Mecca in alternate years for pilgrimage, entering the city with only their personal swords in sheaths and spending up to three nights. Any member of the Quraysh who defected to the Muslims without the permission of his guardian was to be returned and vice versa.

However it wasn’t too long before Muhammad broke the treaty. When a woman from the Quraysh joined the Muslims her brothers came to Muhammad and requested her return in accordance with the treaty. However Muhammad refused, revealing the verse from the Qur’an, ‘…When there comes to you believing women send them not back to the unbelievers.’ (Q60:10). Muhammad was always willing to sign treaties to advance his goals and to buy time until his forces gathered sufficient strength to effectively overcome their next hurdle.

Raid on Khaybar

The next hurdle was the raid on Khaybar in 628; a rich town inhabited by Jews which Muhammad felt necessary to have under his belt prior to his main goal of conquering Mecca. Arriving outside Khaybar the night before, the Muslims camped and waited until the early morning. After their dawn prayers they set out on their surprise raid. On seeing the advancing army, the surprised people of Khaybar, who had just come out to tend their gardens, fled shouting “Muhammad with his force.” The prophet advanced with the cry of “Allah hu Akbar! Khaybar is destroyed.”

Conquering the town piece by piece, killing any who resisted, Muhammad seized all their property. Being aware that the inhabitants possessed hidden treasure, Muhammad summoned their leader, Kinana who though being threatened with death, denied any knowledge of hidden wealth. However when some of the treasures were discovered, Muhammad ordered that Kinana be tortured until he reveal where the balance was located. Laying the tribe’s honorable leader on the ground, the Muslims built a fire on his chest but to no avail. Under the torment of fire, Kinana stubbornly refused to reveal the location of his tribe’s treasures thus leading Muhammad to eventually order that he be beheaded.

The people of Khaybar were expelled from their land being ordered to take whatever they could on their camels with the exception of weapons, gold and silver. However some of the farmers begged that they stay on the land to farm it with the agreement that half their produce would be given to the Muslims. Muhammad agreed. However, after the remaining treasure was discovered, Muhammad ordered that of those allowed to continue occupation of the land, the men be killed and the women and children enslaved.

Safiyah Bint Huyay was recently married to Kinana who she witnessed being tortured and killed. Her father and other close relatives were also killed in the battle. The distraught seventeen year of girl was given to a Muslim soldier called Dahia. However, when Muhammad saw her exquisite beauty he immediately relieved Dahia of her in exchange for another girl. Safiyah had no choice but to marry the 58 year old Muhammad to save her life. The very night after the battle, Muhammad took Safiyah, still mourning the death of her husband and closest relatives, to his tent. She was with Muhammad for 4 years until his death and lived as a widow for the next 39 years until the age of 60.

Liaison with Mariyah the Copt

With his multitude of wives, Muhammad had to work out a schedule of visitation. His favourites got more time while some, the older ones, renounced their stint with the prophet in favour of others. One day the turn of Hafsa, daughter of Umar, came around. Muhammad however was feeling keen on being with Hafsa’s slave girl, the beautiful Mariyah the Copt. Informing Hafsa that her father wanted to meet with her, he took the slave girl to bed. On realising her father was not expecting her, Hafsa returned earlier than expected and caught the illustrious prophet in her bed with her slave. Though Muhammad begged that she not spread the news, she confided in Aisha and news then spread among the wives who then began to show disrespect for their husband. This resulted in an angry Muhammad separating from his wives and threatening them with divorce and replacement with better wives as revealed by Allah in Qur’an 66:1-5. At the behest of Umar, the wives apologised to the prophet for their contempt and the issue resolved. Details of this story can be found in the following ahadith, SB 43:648, SB 62.119, SM 9:3507 and SM 9.3511.

It should be noted that none of the prophet’s wives were allowed to marry again after his death. Muhammad received a revelation from Allah forbidding any of his wives to remarry. Because so many of his wives were young when he at an elderly age wedded them, most spent the majority of their lives as widows. The Qur’an (33:53) states in regard to the prophet’s wives, And when ye ask the wives of the prophet anything, ask it of them from behind a curtain. That is purer for your hearts and for their hearts. And it is not for you to cause annoyance to the messenger of Allah, nor that ye should ever marry his wives after him. Lo! that in Allah's sight would be an enormity.

Assasination Attempt

A captive from battle of Khaybar, named Zainab, who had lost her husband, father and brother, was assigned to kitchen duties for the prophet. She laced a preparation of goat meat with poison and placed the dish before Muhammad. He took for himself his favorite piece, the shoulder, and distributed portions to Abu Bakr and other friends. As he took the first mouthful he spat it out exclaiming that it had been poisoned. One of the companions who had swallowed, died not too long after. Muhammad himself was afflicted with excruciating pain, an ailment he never truly recovered from.

After this incident, in the year 629 Muhammad acquired an additional three wives. Firstly, the King of Ethiopia, Negas, presented Umm Habibah Ramla to Muhammad as a wife. She was 35 and the prophet was 59 at the time of the marriage. Her first husband was Ubaydullah Ibn Jahsh but he converted to Christianity forcing her to divorce him. Reinforcing the stipulation that a Muslim woman cannot be married to a non-Muslim man. She spent 4 years of her life with Muhammad and continued living another 33 years. She died at the age of 72.

Mariyah al-Qibtiyaa was a Coptic slave gifted to Muhammad by the King of Egypt. Muhammad married her when she was 20 and he was 60. She was extremely beautiful and gave birth to a son whom Muhammad named Ibrahim. Ibrahim died in infancy at the age of 18 months. Mariyah spent 3 years of her life with Muhammad.

The last wife of the prophet was Maimunah Bint Al Harith. She was 36 and he 60 at the time of their marriage. She was the half sister Zainab Bint Khuzaima, one of Muhammad’s other wives. She lived with Muhammad for just 3 years until his death, spending the remaining forty years of her life as a widow.

The Taking of Mecca

The treaty of Hudaybiyya signed with the Quraysh or Mecca was scheduled to last ten years. However within two years Muhammad decided he was strong enough to conquer Mecca thereby breaking the truce. In 630 he set out for Mecca at the head of a ten thousand strong army. Camping on the hills just outside the city, he was greeted by the leader of the Quraysh, Abu Sufyan. When they met, Muhammad said to him, “Has the time not yet come for thee to acknowledge that there is but one God and that I am his Apostle?” He replied that he was still in some doubt. At this, Abbas, threatening him with his sword, said, “Believe and testify thy faith at the peril of thy neck.” Abu Sufyan then under threat recited the Shahadah (testimony of belief) and was sent to prepare the city for the approach of Muhammad. Sufyan was ordered to inform all inhabitants to remain indoors. Any outside their dwelling would be deemed to be a combatant and killed.

Also joining Muhammad was a group of Quraysh soldiers pledging allegiance, hoping for a share of the booty. Muhammad however, referring to them as ruffians, indicated to Abu Huraira, one of his generals, by striking one hand over the other that they should be killed during the approach to the city.

The people of Mecca knew resistance would be hopeless and most locked themselves in their homes. Muhammad made his triumphant entry into Mecca, unchallenged, on his favourite camel. He rode around the Kaaba seven times, touching the black stone with his stick. He ordered daily prayers to be said in the direction of the Kaaba from that time on. He destroyed the 360 idols within the temple, including a wooden pigeon suspended from the roof which was regarded as one of the deities of the Quraysh. When he had finished, he came to Safa', ascended it to a height from where he could see the Kaaba, raised his hands and began to praise Allah. Then he said with his hands one upon the other: “Kill them who stand in your way.”

Muhammad produced a list of men he wanted executed because of their rejection of Islam or their criticism of him. One such person was Abdullah bin Sa’d. He was once a scribe to Muhammad, documenting the revelations Gabriel dictated from Allah. However after many discrepancies and grammatical errors, Abdullah realised the fallacy of Muhammad’s claims and had escaped to Mecca. Abdullah pleaded for his life and though granted mercy; Muhammad was upset with his men for granting him a reprieve.

During his stay at Mecca, Muhammad sent out troops into the district to destroy the temples of 'Uzza, Suwa, and Manat, and the idols of the neighbouring tribes. His high-strung deputy Khalid, ordered a whole tribe to be slain because they would not acknowledge Muhammad as Allah's prophet.

There was still one major city in the Arabian Peninsula not yet submitted to Islam. The people of Taif had already rejected Muhammad ten years earlier and were not in any frame of mind to tolerate the advancing Muslim army. Muhammad assembled a force 12,000 strong and advanced to Hunayn where they met the Taif army led by Malik ibn ‘Awf. At first Malik’s men had the upper hand to such an extent that some of the Muslims began to retreat. However Muhammad cried out to his men extolling his prophethood, encouraging them with the fact they had Allah’s assistance. This pep talk seemed to do the job and soon with the motivation of Allah and his promise of heavenly bliss for martyrs, the Muslims triumphed, conquering the last stumbling block in the way of Muhammad’s mastery of Arabia.

Next Muhammad sought to invite those territories outside Arabia, such as the Byzantines, Persians and Romans of Constantinople to Islam. In letters to them he requested they embrace Islam which would bring them bountiful rewards otherwise they would be responsible for misguiding their people.

On hearing that Chosroes, leader of the Persian Empire, rejected the call to Islam, Muhammad beckoned Allah to tear the emperor and his people to pieces. He then called for the downfall of Caesar and Chosroes and the use of their treasures in Allah’s cause. In essence his command, as revealed in the Qur’an 9:29 and several hadiths, was to offer Islam to the unbelievers, if they refused, force them to pay the Jizya (poll) tax to the Islamic state and if that also was refused, to kill them. Those forced to pay the poll tax to live in an Islamic state were referred to as dhimmis, or second class citizens.

Later in the year Muhammad set out with his army to Tabuk, part of the Byzantine Empire. On arriving, the Byzantine troops had already withdrawn, not wishing to engage in battle. They agreed to pay the Jizya tax in a state of dhimmitude and Muhammad opted to not have them put to death.

On returning from Tabuk Muhammad received the Qur’anic revelations (Q.9:38-39) condemning those Muslims who did not join the army for the battle, (Q9:41) praising jihad as the best deed a Muslim can perform and (Q9:111) guaranteeing paradise for those who shall slay and be slain in the way of Allah.

Islam now spread rapidly. Various kings around Arabia accepted Muhammad and began waging their own wars against the remaining pagan tribes. On hearing the news Muhammad sent messages informing them that he “received the news of their Islam and of the killing of the polytheists. Allah has guided you with His guidance.”

In 632, at age sixty-two, Muhammad set out with thousands of followers and all his wives for pilgrimage at Mecca. He led a hundred camels, marked by his own hand for sacrifice. At the Kaaba he performed the animal sacrifices on sixty-three of them leaving the balance to be done by Hadrat. He then ordered that a piece of meat from each of the sacrificed animals be cooked together and ate from the resulting dish. On the tenth day, proceeding to Mina, he cast stones to drive away the devil, revisited Mecca to pray, and then returned to Medina. His action on that his last pilgrimage, set an example for Muslims to follow for all time.

The Last Days of Prophethood

With the recent death of his infant son, Ibrahim, which weighed his spirits down, and the poison he had consumed at Khaybar still affecting him, Muhammad fell ill with a violent attack of fever. He summoned his wives together and said: “You see that I am very sick. I am not able to visit you in turn. If it be pleasing to you, I will remain in the house of Aisha.”

Though sick, Muhammad still had a zeal for his imperialistic politics. It was on his deathbed that he declared: “I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula and will not leave anyone but Muslims.” (SM 19:4366)

In May of 632 Muhammad began preparations for an invasion of Jordan to subdue the Christian tribes of the area. However serious illness overcame him, postponing his desired conquest.

When he fainted, his wives gave him some medicine. Reviving, he asked what they had been doing to him. On being told, he said that they had given him medicine for another complaint, and he ordered them all to partake of the medicine. So the women arose and poured the medicine in the presence of the dying prophet into each other's mouths.

A little after midday on the 8^th of June 632 Muhammad lay on his bed in Aisha’s arms and whispered his final words, “Lord grant me pardon; eternity, in paradise! Pardon. The blessed companionship on high.” He stretched himself gently, and the conqueror of Arabia was no more.

The tomb of Muhammad is on the spot where he died, in close proximity to the mosque of Medina, which ranks in holiness next to that of Mecca.