holy prophet as a leader

8/12/2019 Holy Prophet as a Leader

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Prophet Muhammad PBUH) as a Leader

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was both a prophet of Allah and astatesman. His leadership was most comprehensive and dynamic. He was the paragon of virtue and

spirituality. He was a noble and compassionate teacher, guide, and reformer. He was a family man.Indeed, he was also a political leader. As a political leader, the Prophet (peace and blessings be uponhim) unified the Arabian Peninsula, established a great state whose capital was Medina, defeated hisenemies, and had most successful military expeditions. However, his real political leadership was inthe realm of morality and spirituality in which he conducted himself perfectly in situations ofweakness as well as strength. His way of dealing in Makkah and Medina indicates his great political

leadership.

He was always willing to help others. Allah granted him the special gift to resolve conflicts and

disputes. Even before he became the Prophet of Allah, he was able to resolve a major disputebetween the people of Makkah. It is reported that the people of Makkah were repairing the walls ofthe Ka`bah. When the time came to place the Black Stone in its place in the southeast corner of the

Ka`bah, each tribe wanted to have this honor. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) wasasked to be the judge and decide the matter fairly. He resolved this dispute with great wisdom in anamicable way. He spread his own cloak on the ground and placed the Stone upon it. He then askedrepresentatives of each tribe to lift the cloak together. When the Black Stone reached the required

height from the ground he went forward and set it in its place. He always wanted to make peaceamong people. At an early age it is reported that when some people of Makkah wanted to establish

a committee to suppress violence in their society, he immediately joined them. This committee tooka pledge of virtue known as the Hilf al-Fudul. Later during his prophetic life he recalled this pledgeand praised it highly and said, Even n ow if I am called upon in the name of this pledge, I shall notrefuse. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was a man of ideals but he was also

a practical man. He preached the message to all and did not isolate himself from his society. He usedany of the good traditions and customs they had and benefited from them. Although his uncle, AbuTalib, did not accept his message of tawheed, he was willing to give him all his support and help in

the Islamic work. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) appreciated his uncles help. After

his uncles death he went to Taif to seek alliances with some other tribes there. He did not succeed,but it is important to note that he was trying to seek alliances for the cause of Islam.

The Hijrah to Ethiopia is also an example of his political skill in seeking alliances with others. Whenthe persecution increased in Makkah and some of his followers found it difficult to live in thatenvironment, he allowed them to migrate to Ethiopia and seek the help of the Christian King there.In Ethiopia Muslims found peace and they reciprocated the Kings hospitality with prayers andsupport for the King and his party. Muslims relations were so good with the monarch that he grew

to love Islam and before his death he became a Muslim.


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Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was a skillful and courageous politicalleader. His enemies could not scare or intimidate him. He never succumbed to any temptations. Thepeople of Makkah tried to turn him away from his message and mission by offering him a great deal

of money or anything that he wanted for himself but with one condition that he would give up hismission. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) very firmly, yet politely, turned down all

their offers.

In Madinah he established a state where all people were equal, where matters were decidedthrough consultation, and where all people had to follow the same law. It was a state without any

favoritism in favor of any family or group. Even a non-Muslim was not to be mistreated under hisrule. The story of Tumah ibn Abraq is an excellent example of justice and human rights for all people

under his authority. Tumah, who was a Muslim, stole someones armor in Madinah and then heblamed a Jew. Allah sent a special revelation to warn people against such injustice (see Surat An-

Nisaa: 110 -112). The Jewish citizen of Madinah was declared innocent and Tumah was found guilty.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took great care of his peoples religio us as well aseconomic needs. Not only did he preach, but he was also concerned about their economic well-being. He made treaties and alliances with many tribes. He had great diplomatic skills. He taught theworld diplomacy that was built on morality and honesty. He honored all his treaties and he defendedhis people. He was aware of the surrounding circumstances and made his people ready and alert. Henever initiated a battle or a war, but when he was attacked he was firm and decisive. He always

emphasized peace and harmonious relations.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was a man of great patience and resolution.There are many lessons for us to learn from his life. The most important aspect of his leadership was

that he was always honest and truthful. Even his enemies could not find any flaw in his honesty andtruthfulness. The most beautiful example of this we find in the conversation between Heraclius, theEmperor of Byzantium, and Abu Sufyan who was a bitter enemy of the Prophet at that time. This

conversation took place in the year 628 CE when Heraclius received a letter from the Prophet (peaceand blessings be upon him). Heraclius was on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem when he received thisimportant letter. After receiving the message, the Emperor sent for his chief of police and told himto search the country for a man from the same tribe as the one who claimed to be a prophet. Abu

Sufyan, a leader of the Quraysh, who was a bitter enemy of the Prophet at that time, happened tobe trading i n Gaza with some of his companions from Makkah. The Emperors search party foundthem there and they were immediately taken to Jerusalem.

Heraclius called them into his court and he had all the senior Roman dignitaries around him. Hecalled for his transl ator who translated Heraclius questions and said to them, Who amongst you is

closely related to the man who claims to be a prophet? Abu Sufyan replied, I am the nearestrelative (amongst the group) to him.


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Heraclius said, Bring him (Abu Sufyan) close to me and make his companions stay behind him. AbuSufyan added, Heraclius told his translator to tell my companions that he wanted to ask me somequestions regarding that man (the Prophet) and that if I told a lie they (my companions) should

contradic t me. Abu Sufyan added, By Allah! Had I not been afraid of my companions labeling me aliar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophet.

The first question Heraclius asked me was, What is the status of his family among you? I replied,He belongs to a good (noble) family amongst us. Heraclius further asked, Has anybody elseamongst you ever claimed the same (that is, to be a prophet) before him? I replied, No. He said,

Was anybody amongst his ancestors a king? I replied, No. Heraclius asked, Do the nobles or thepoor follow him? I replied, It is the poor who follow him. He said, Are his followers increasing or

decreasing (day by day)? I replied, They are increasing. He then asked, Does anybody amongstthose who embrace his re ligion become displeased and renounce the religion afterwards? I replied,No. Heraclius said, Have you ever accused him of telling lies before his claim (to be a prophet)? Ireplied, No. Heraclius said, Does he break his promises? I replied, No. W e have a truce with him

but we do not know what he will do. I could not find the opportunity to say anything against himexcept that. Heraclius asked, Have you ever had a war with him? I replied, Yes. Then he said,What was the outcome of these battl es? I replied, Sometimes he was victorious and sometimes

we were. Heraclius said, What does he order you to do? I said, He tells us to worship Allah andAllah alone and not to worship anything along with Him, and to renounce all that our ancestors hadsaid. He orders us to pray, to be chaste, and to keep good relations with our kith and kin.

After this conversation it is reported that Heraclius said: I asked you about his family and your replywas that he belonged to a very noble family. In fact, all the Messengers come from noble familiesamongst their respective peoples. I questioned you whether anybody amongst you ever claimedsuch a thing, your reply was in the negative. If your reply had been in the affirmative, I would havethought that this m an was following the previous mans statement. Then I asked you whetheranyone from his ancestors was a king. Your reply was in the negative, and if it had been in theaffirmative, I would have thought that this man wanted to take back his ancestral kingdom. I further

asked whether he was ever accused of telling lies before he said what he is now saying, and yourreply was in the negative. So I wondered how a person who does not tell a lie about others couldever tell a lie about Allah. I then asked you whether the rich people followed him or the poor. Youreplied that it was the poor who followed him. And in fact all the Messengers are followed by thepoor in the beginning. Then I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. You

replied that they were increasing, and in fact this is the way of true faith, till it is complete in allrespects. I further asked whether there was anybody, who, after embracing his religion, becamedispleased and discarded it. Your reply was in the negative, and in fact this is (the sign of) true faithwhen its light enters the hearts and mixes completely. I asked you whether he had ever betrayed.You replied in the negative and likewise Messengers never betray. Then I asked you what he ordered

you to do. You replied that he ordered you to worship Allah and Allah alone and not to worship


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anything along with Him and forbade you to worship idols and ordered you to pray, to speak the

truth, and to be chaste.

If what you have said is true, he will very soon occupy the place underneath my feet and I knew it(from the scriptures) that he was going to appear, but I did not know that he would be from among

you, and if I could reach him I would go immediately to meet him and if I were with him, I wouldcertainly wash his fee t.

holy prophet as a leader

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