The Prophet's Life – Lessons for Islamic Work
| Dr. Muhammad b. Lutfî al-Sabbâgh|
The study of the Prophet's biography needs to be approached from the angle of Islamic Work. This will provide a number of benefits for those who are concerned with disseminating the message of Islam.
Indeed, every aspect of the Prophet Muhammad's life has some relevance for disseminating the message of Islam, since the Prophet (peace be upon him) was none other than Allah's Messenger.
We read in the Qur'ân: "O Prophet! Truly We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of glad tidings, and a warner, as one who calls to Allah by His permission. You are a lamp providing light." [Sûrah al-Ahzâb: 45-46]
I have no intention of simply enumerating the events of the Prophet's biography that have relevance to Islamic work, since that would mean presenting his biography in full. What I wish to focus on is how we can approach his biography in order to benefit from it in our efforts to spread Islam's message. Even this is a vast topic, and one that I will not be able to cover in its entirety.
I will rather focus on how the Prophet's biography enriches Islamic work from two important angles, the first being the angle of those involved in Islamic work, and the second being that of the people who are being called to Islamic teachings.
I. The benefit for Islamic workers
Studying the Prophet's life provides important benefit for those who are involved in disseminating the message of Islam. It can greatly enhance the quality and effectiveness of their efforts in a number of ways:
1. Studying the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) inspires us with hope. It teaches us courage in the face of adversity. It keeps us away from despair. We see how the Prophet (peace be upon him) had to face a society that was rife with polytheism, injustice, and cruelty. He faced these challenges with hard work and patience, kindness and forbearance, determination and hope. As a result, the whole of his society finally embraced his message. Only a year after his passing, his message reached every corner of the known world and soon thereafter the call to prayer was being heard from the borders of France to the frontiers of China.
2. The study of the Prophet's life shows us the steps that should be taken in calling people to Islam. We can see that the Prophet's approach to teaching Islam in Madinah differed from his approach to calling people to Islam in Mecca.
3. The study of the Prophets; gives us lessons in how to prioritize our efforts. Certain religious teachings and obligations are more critical than others and need to be addressed first. Essential matters of faith are the most important. We can see that most of the Prophet's efforts in Mecca were spent in calling people to monotheism.
4. In the Prophet's example, we can identify the essential needed by a person who wishes to call other people to Islam. Chief among these are knowledge, forethought, and a willingness to take a gradual approach. Kindness and gentleness are essential character traits, as well as showing wisdom and sagacity in dealing with others. It is also essential for a person to practice what he preaches. A commitment to the truth and a lack of focus on material gain are indispensable aspects of a caller's sincerity. All of these qualities are evident in the Prophet's life.
2. The benefit for those being called
1. When people hear about the events of the Prophet's life, it cultivates a love for the Prophet (peace be upon him) in their hearts, and this love is an essential foundation for faith.
For Muslims being exhorted to righteousness, relating the events of the Prophet's life is an excellent approach. This is because even for those Muslims who have strayed into sin and deviance, the love of the Prophet (peace be upon him) remains strong in their hearts. Therefore, they are very receptive to hearing about his life and respond positively to his good example.
2. Hearing about the Prophet's good character, impeccable manners, and exemplary conduct is a good way to get people to want to instill those qualities in their own lives.
3. Hearing about the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) increases the people's admiration of him and makes any exhortation to righteousness have a greater impact.
4. The stories of the Prophet's life illustrate to listeners how the teachings of Islam that he brought can solve the problems of the people.
5. The Prophet's life is a practical example of how Islamic principles can be carried out in a real person's life. The context of the Prophet's life gives a tangible focus to Islamic teachings and keeps then from being mere abstractions. The noble teachings of Islam come across more vividly through the depiction of actual events than they do through dry discourse.
6. The life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the biographical account of the greatest human being who ever lived. It is natural for people to aspire to emulate such a life. People also naturally like to hear stories and this is why stories are so effective in influencing people.