Muhammad A Prophet And "Super Man"!

It is known Muhammad was a messenger of God and the last Prophet as taught by the Qur'an.

He was born and lived in Makkah for the first 52 years of his life, which was divided into two phases, that is before and after declaring the prophecy.

He was an orphan, and raised by his grandfather Abdul Mutalib, then his uncle Abu Talib.

When he was still in his teens he accompanied his uncle on trading trips to Sham Lands (Syria), gaining skills and experience as a merchant, which was his only career, Although he was illiterate and never learnt how to read or write.

His reputation as a clever trader, honest and faithful person, attracted a wealthy lady, who proposed to him to mary her. Muhammad consented to the marriage. He was twenty five years old.

When he was forty he adopted the practice of meditating in a cave on Mount Hira near Makkah. There he was visited by the angel Gabriel who appeared to him and commanded him to recite the first words of Qur'an: Read in the name of thy Lord who created. Created man from a mere clot of blood. Read and your Lord is the most generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man what he knew not. Al Alaq 1-4.
Muhammad then, proclaimed by God as his prohet and messenger, and he started his preachings, which were taught to him gradually by Gabriel, within 13 years, when the last verse of Qur'an was recited by Muhammad: Today I have perfected your religion for you, and completed My grace upon you, and approved Islam as your religion. Al Maedah 3.

However, Muhammad as a prophet and messenger was not supported by miracles, contrary to other prophets and messengers who came before him.

His only miracle is the book of Qur'an, which was not his, but writen by God and recited by him.

And albeit he was a complete illiterate, he was fully articulate, and he produced many outstanding "Sayings (Hadith)", which make him a number one author and spokesman.

Besides being a prophet, he was also active as a diplomat, merchant, philospher, orator, legislator, reformer and military general.

This what makes him so special not only as a prophet, but also as a person...

It is not easy for a normal person, to bring a group of people used to live in complete darkness and show them full light.

It is not easy for a normal person, to teach someone who never fought in his life to be a skilled soldier.

It is not easy for a normal person, to turn an enemy to a faithful friend and companion.

It is not easy for a normal person, to reform a corrupted society.

It is not easy for a normal person, to lead in battles, and put briliant military plans.

It is not easy for normal a person, to unite tribes which used to fight and kill each others for centuries.

It is not easy for a normal person, to establish roots of a new society, out from a place he migrated to, which is not his home town.

One of the first things Muhammad did in order to settle down the longstanding grievances among the tribes of Medina was drafting a document known as the Constitution of Medina, "establishing a kind of alliance or federation" among the eight Medinan tribes and Muslim emigrants from Makkah, which specified the rights and duties of all citizens and the relationship of the different communities in Medina including that of the Muslim community to other communities, specifically  "Peoples of the Book" (The Jews and Christians).

The community defined in the Constitution of Medina, Ummah, had a religious outlook but was also shaped by practical considerations and substantially preserved the legal forms of the old Arab tribes, This effectively established the first Islamic state.

Those Medinans who converted to Islam and helped the Muslim emigrants find shelter became known as the ansar (supporters).

Then Muhammad instituted brotherhood between the Emigrants and the Ansars. and he chose Ali as his own brother.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

Following the emigration, the Makkans seized the properties of the Muslim emigrants in Mecca. Economically uprooted and with no available profession, the Muslim migrants turned to raiding Makkan caravans as an act of war, deliberately initiating armed conflict between the Muslims and Mecca.

These attacks pressured Makkans by interfering with trade, and allowed the Muslims to acquire wealth, power and prestige while working towards their ultimate goal of inducing Mecca's submission to the new faith.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

The victory in his first military battle in "Badr", strengthened Muhammad's position in Medina and dispelled earlier doubts among his followers. As a result the opposition to him became less vocal. Pagans who had not yet converted were very bitter about the advance of Islam.

Muhammad expelled from Medina the Banu Qaynuqa, one of three main Jewish tribes. Following the Battle of Badr, Muhammad also made mutual-aid alliances with a number of Bedouin tribes to protect his community from attacks from the northern part of Hijaz.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

When he was defeated in "Uhud", Muhammad's policy was now to prevent alliances against him. So whenever alliances of tribesmen against him and his folowers were formed, he sent out an expedition to break them up.

His attempts to prevent formation of a confederation against him were successful, so he was able to increase his own forces and stop many potential tribes from joining his enemies.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

His most difficult situations came when he promissed his followers to make a pilgrimage march to Makkah, but when he arrived at the outskirts of Makkah, he was met with certain complications that led him to postpond the pilgrimage trip. That made his followers very angry and outraged.

He established a pledge with the pilgrims alter called "Pledge of Acceptance" or "Pledge under the Tree", where the main points included cessation of hostilities, the deferral of Muhammad's pilgrimage to the next year and an agreement to send back any Makkans who had gone to Medina without permission of their leaders.

Many of his followers were not satisfied witht he terms of the treaty, and it was only later they would realize the benefit behind the treaty. Those benefits included the recognition of Muhammad and his followers as equal; cessation of military activity and gaining the admiration of Makkans who were impressed by the incorporation of the pilgrimage rituals.
This was another power of Muhammad the man.

Immediately after this treaty, he enaged his troops in a battle with Khaybar, a Jewish oasis, who were inciting hostilities against him and his followers; their defeat regained some prestige to him and his followers.

The truce of Hudaybiyyah had been enforced for two years. Then the tripe of Bakr who are pro-Makkans raided Banu Khuaza tribe who were of Muhammad followers. Since Banu Bakr were included in the  alliance with Makkans, Muhammad considered that attack as breach of the truce and sent a message to Makkans with three conditions, asking them to accept one of them.

These conditions were that; either the Makkans paid blood money  for those slain among the Khuza'ah tribe; or, that they should disavow themselves of the Banu Bakr; or, that they should declare the truce of Hudaybiyyah null.

The Meccans replied that they would accept only the last condition. However, soon they realized their mistake and sent one of their leaders; Abu Sufyan to renew the Hudaybiyyah treaty, but now his request was declined by Muhammad.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

Muhammad began to prepare for the big military campaign and marched on Makkah with an enormous force, said to number more than ten thousand men.

With minimal casualties, Muhammad took control of Makkah. and declared an amnesty for past offences.

Most Makkans converted to Islam and Muhammad subsequently destroyed all the statues of Arabian gods in and around the Kaaba.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

After that, Muhammad was forced to make many military expeditions, to bring Arabia under his control. Then he united the tribes of Arabia into a singular Arab Muslim religious polity in th elast years of his life.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

According to some scholars, Muhammad was not only responding to the religious aspect of the situation, but also to the intellectual, economic, social and political pressures that were evolving at that time.
However he succeeded to make huge changes to all aspects of the society.

Historians generally agree that Islamic social reforms in areas such as social security, family structure, slavery and the rights of women and children improved on the status quo of Arab society as result of tremendous efforts of Muhammad..

Islam via Muhammad  denounced aristocratic privilege, rejected hierarchy, and adopted a formula of the career open to the talents.

The Message of Islam through Muhammad,  transformed the society and moral order of life in the Arabian Peninsula through reorientation of society as regards to identity, world view, and the hierarchy of values.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

Muslims experience Muhammad as a living reality , believing in his ongoing significance to human beings as well as animals and plants. They traditionally expressed extreme love and veneration to him.

In simple and articulate words and phrases (Hadith), Muhammad gave so many teachings to Muslims. They were concise, to the point and easy to remember.
Another power of Muhammad the man.

Since the world Islam in Arabic is a derivative from the word Salam or Peace in English; Muhammad described the Muslim as " He who the people are safe from his tongue and hand".

The Qur'an refers to him as "A Mercy to the worlds"

Don't you agree with me that all these powers of Muhammad would make him a true "Super Man"?
Sami Cherkaoui