Stages of Seerah of Prophet Muhammad PBUH

The Life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) - An Overview

The life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is traditionally divided into two major periods - the pre-prophetic and prophetic periods.

The Pre-Prophetic Period (Before 610 CE)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) last Messenger of Allah was born in the year 570 CE in Makkah. His father Abdullah passed away before he was born and his mother Aminah died when he was 6 years old. He was then raised by his loving grandfather Abdul Muttalib until the age of 8. After his grandfather's death, his uncle Abu Talib became his guardian.

As a young man, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was known as "Al-Ameen" (the trustworthy) for his honest and upright character. He used to retire to the cave of Hira outside Makkah for meditation and reflection. At the age of 25, he married the noble lady Khadijah and they lived a happy life together for 25 years until she passed away. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not marry anyone else during her lifetime.

During this period, Makkah was dominated by idol worship. The Ka'bah which was built by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) as a house of monotheistic worship, had been filled with idols. Tribal rivalries, immoral practices and oppression of the weak were common.

The First Revelation (610 CE)

When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was 40 years old, he was meditating in the cave of Hira when Angel Jibreel (AS) appeared before him and revealed to him the first verses of the Quran:

"Read! In the name of your Lord who created - Created man from a clinging substance. Read! And your Lord is the most Generous - Who taught by the pen - Taught man that which he knew not." (Quran 96:1-5)

These very first verses of Quran were the start of the prophetic period in the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He was terrified by this encounter with the angel and ran home to his wife Khadijah (RA), who comforted him and affirmed that he had been chosen as the Messenger of God.

Early Muslims and Persecution (610 - 615 CE)

After the first revelation, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) began calling people towards Islam secretly for three years. The first person to accept Islam was his beloved wife Khadijah (RA). She was followed by his young cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA), who was very close to the Prophet and accepted Islam at the tender age of 10.

Prophet Muhammad's close friend Abu Bakr (RA) was the next adult male to accept Islam. He is renowned for his constant companionship and immense devotion to the Prophet. Other early converts included the Prophet's freed slave Zaid bin Harith (RA), his foster sister and son-in-law Usman bin Affan (RA) and his close companions Talha, Zubair, Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Saad bin Abi Waqqas and Said bin Zaid (RA).

Within 3 years, there were around 40 Muslims in Makkah. At this point, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was commanded by God to spread the message of Islam publicly. The Quraish tribe who controlled Makkah vehemently opposed the Prophet's message. They persecuted the weaker Muslims slaves and even boycotted the whole clan of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for 3 years, leading to near starvation. But the small community of Muslims remained steadfast in their faith.

The Hijrah to Medina (622 CE)

As Islam began to gain more followers from the lower classes of Makkah, the persecution against them grew worse. In the year 620 CE, some people from Yathrib (later renamed Medinatun Nabi or City of the Prophet) invited Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to lead their city and become the arbiter in their internal conflicts.

In 622 CE, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) migrated from Makkah to Yathrib in an event known as the Hijrah. This peaceful transfer of power marked the start of the Islamic calendar. In Medina, the Prophet established the first Islamic state based on justice, equality and God's commands.

Battles against Makkan Opposition (622 - 630 CE)

After the Prophet's emigration, the Makkans were determined to destroy the new Muslim community in Medina. They sent soldiers to attack Medina but were defeated through God's help and Muslim unity.

Some key battles against the Makkans include:

1. Battle of Badr (624 CE): The first major battle won by the Muslims against great odds. Strengthened their faith.
2. Battle of Uhud (625 CE): The Makkans inflicted initial losses but withdrew due to their own losses. The setback tested Muslim's steadfastness.
3. Battle of Khandaq (627 CE): The Makkans were unable to conquer Madinah due to a trench that Muslims dug around the city. Their allies the Jews were expelled after this siege.
4. Treaty of Hudaibiyah (628 CE): A pivotal truce that set the stage for Muslim entry into Makkah later on.

Conquest of Makkah (630 CE)

In 629 CE, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) performed his first and only Hajj pilgrimage. In early 630, the Quraish violated the truce so the Muslims marched peacefully to Makkah with an army of 10,000 men. Makkah surrendered without a fight. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) declared a general amnesty for all his opponents and treated the people of Makkah with great mercy. Most of them accepted Islam. The idols in the Kaaba were destroyed and the House of God was purified from idolatry.

Establishing Muslim Society (630 - 632 CE)

After the conquest of Makkah, various tribes started accepting Islam and sent delegations to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) seeking peace. Within 2 years, the whole Arabian peninsula had come under the umbrella of Islam.

In his final sermons during his farewell Hajj pilgrimage, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized equality, justice and brotherhood amongst the Muslims. He passed away a few months later in 632 CE at the age of 63.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) accomplished his mission of conveying the final revelation of God to mankind in just 23 years. The young Muslim community rapidly grew into a powerful Islamic civilization after his death, following the Prophet's teachings and example.

Key Lessons from the Seerah

There are many invaluable lessons that we can learn from studying the blessed Seerah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

• Steadfastness in spreading the truth despite persecution and difficulty. The Prophet and his early followers endured immense hardships for the sake of God but remained patient and constant.
• Building a just and ethical society. As head of state in Medina, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) governed with justice and compassion, upholding human rights and dignity.
• Peaceful character and conduct. Despite facing resistance and hostility, the Prophet always sought non-violent solutions whenever possible. His character embodied the Quranic traits of mercy and wisdom.
• Simple and austere lifestyle. Despite his position as the leader, the Prophet lived a humble life, often going hungry, and disliked excess.
• Equal treatment of all people. The Prophet emphasized justice and fair treatment between people regardless of wealth, race, gender or social status.
• Establishing a relationship with the Divine. The Prophet taught us how to continually strengthen our relationship with God through worship, supplication, reflection and other spiritual practices.
• Upholding moral excellence. The Prophet exemplified the highest moral virtues such as honesty, generosity, courage, humility and compassion in his personal conduct.

In essence, the Seerah provides a timeless model for leading a principled and purposeful life committed to spreading the truth, serving others and seeking the pleasure of God. Reflecting on the Prophet's character and message Quran can guide us on the straight path towards individual and collective success, in this life and the next.