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Introduction
(A Noble Messenger) possessing great strength,
securely placed with the Lord of the Throne, obeyed there, trustworthy.
(Surat at-Takwir:20-21) |
As a verse of the Qur'an reveals, "… Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allah and the Final Seal of the Prophets." (Surat al-Ahzab:
40), the Prophet Muhammad (saas) was sent to mankind as the last
prophet. He was a living example of the sublime morality of Allah's last
revelation. He was a friend of Allah and inspired humanity by his nearness
to Him. He was His representative, noble in His eyes, and a friend to
all believers.
As Allah has revealed in another verse, "We will
impose a weighty Word upon you..." (Surat al-Muzammil: 5), he charged
His last prophet, Muhammad (saas) with a heavy responsibility. Due to
the Prophet (saas)'s strong faith in Allah, he fulfilled that responsibility
in the best possible way, called mankind to the path of Allah and Islam,
and illuminated the way for all believers.
Although we have never seen the Prophet (saas), we can still do our very
best to come to know his exemplary behavior, his sayings and the pleasing
morality he displayed, by means of the verses of the Qur'an and the hadiths
(the sayings and teachings of the Prophet (saas). We can try to be like
him, in order to be close to him in the hereafter. People today, and the
young in particular, take many individuals as role models, imitate the
way they behave, speak and dress, and try to be like them. Yet, since
the great majority of thesepeople are not on the right road themselves,
they lack proper morality and attitudes. It is therefore a serious responsibility
to lead people to the truth and the best morality and behavior. A Muslim
needs to try to emulate the behavior and the morality of the Prophet Muhammad
(saas). Allah confirms that in a verse:
You have an excellent model in the Messenger of
Allah, for all who put their hope in Allah and the Last Day and remember
Allah much. (Surat al-Ahzab: 21)
 Like
the Prophet Muhammad (saas), the other prophets were also role models
for believers, and enjoyed Allah's good pleasure. Allah says in one verse:
There is instruction in their stories for people
of intelligence. This [the Qur'an] is not a narration which has been invented
but confirmation of all that came before, a clarification of everything,
and a guidance and a mercy for people who believe. (Surah Yusuf: 111)
The aim in writing
this book is to introduce various characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad
(saas), by showing the superior features and qualities a society may enjoy
when it adopts such a morality, thus encouraging others to adopt that
same morality. As the Prophet (saas) has revealed in the hadith, "Verily,
I have left amongst you the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Apostle
which if you hold fast, you shall never go astray,"1
a Muslim's two truest guides are the Qur'an and Sunnah (the practice of
the Prophet Muhammad (saas)). The Prophet Muhammad (saas) was an example
to all humanity with his morality, to which he called on mankind to live
by. It was the Prophet (saas) who said "I was sent to perfect good character"2
and "By One in whose hand there is my life: None shall enter Paradise
except one who has got good conduct."3
Those Muslims who follow the way of the Prophet (saas) need to be foremost
in their morality and behavior, and to invite others to adopt that same
morality.
We only send the Messengers to bring good news
and to give warning. Those who disbelieve use fallacious arguments to
deny the truth. They make a mockery of My Signs and also of the warning
they were given.(Surat al - Kahf:56)
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