Book Summary: Muhammad Man and Prophet, by Adil Salahi

This book — Muhammad: Man and Prophet, by Adil Salahi — is hands down my favourite in the English language. It's just the right level of detail and it's written in good, simple language. I'm going through it with my niece and, in the process, I'm creating  a set of slides for each chapter which captures the key points. You can find links below to these slides.

Chapter 3 – From Youth to Maturity (Pre-Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 4 – The Makkan Scene at the Start of Prophethood (Pre-Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 5 – Up There in the Mountain (Beginning of Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 6 – A Community in the Making (1st to 3rd year of Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 7 – The Call to Islam Goes Public (4th year of Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 8 – Objective Containment (4th year of Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 9 – Misrepresentation (5th year of Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 10 – Moving Out (5th year of Prophethood)

• Summary

Chapter 11 – Hope and Despair (6th to 10th year of Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 12 – Difficulties in Abundance (10th to 11th year of Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

Chapter 13 – A Major Breakthrough (11th to 13th year of Prophethood)

• Summary
• Questions

...

Qur'an: Gentleness

So it is through Mercy from God that you were gentle to them.

Had you been rough and hard-hearted,

they would have surely dispersed from around you.

So pardon them, seek forgiveness for them,

and consult them in the matter.

And once you have taken a decision,

place your trust in God.

Surely, God loves those who place their trust in Him.

(Al-Qur'an, Surah Aal Imran, Verse 159)

Muhammad - Example for the East and the West

Attended this course last Saturday ('Muhammad - Example for the East and the West') conducted by Shaykh Akram Nadwi and organised by Cambridge Islamic Science Seminars.

Nice course. Not too structured but beneficial nonetheless. (Or, to put it more positively, quite free in its delivery.) Anyhoo, a point I liked and wanted to share: He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not come to teach us those things which we can learn from experience. He came to teach us 'uboodiyyah', i.e. how to be grateful slaves of the Most Merciful. One to think about it. There was also much emphasis on reducing the time we spend consuming/preparing food (three prepared meals daily the shaykh felt was unnecessary) and mention of discarding our televisions (and internet joy browsing I guess too) for increased productivity in our days/lives.

Paying wife's personal expenses for the year

Was just reading in Mufti Taqi Uthmani's 'Islam in Today's World' how the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would give to his wives, all in one go at the beginning of the year, their due money to cover their expenses for the year, for them to spend as they chose. Amazing maa sha Allah!

It's rude to point :)

"...If for some reason he [sallallahu 3alayhi wa wasallam] made a gesture or pointed at something, he did it with a full hand..."

"... The ulama say the reason being is that it is against humbleness to point with one finger only. Some ulama say it was his noble habit to signal the oneness of Allah with one finger, therefore he did not signal anyone in that manner..."

(Source: Shamaa'il Tirmidhi)

The Speech of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam (2 of 2)

"Hadith Number 2:
Anas ibn Maalik Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: 'Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (sometimes) repeated a word (as was necessary) thrice, so that his listeners understood well what he was saying'."

"Commentary:
If what he was explaining was difficult or it was something that had to be given thought, or if there were many people, he faced all three sides and repeated it to every side, so that those present understood well what he said. Repeating a thing thrice was maximum. If saying a thing twice only sufficed, he only said it twice."

(Source: Shamaa'il Tirmidhi with commentary)

There is a third Hadith in the chapter. Worth buying the book just for this. Really!! (It's just £4.)

The Speech of Sayyidina Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam (1 of 2)

"Hadith Number 1.
'Aayesha Radhiyallahu 'Anha relates that the speech of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam was not quick and continuous as that of yours. He spoke clearly, word for word. A person sitting in his company remembered what he said."

"Commentary.
The speech of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam was not of an abridged nature nor was it fast, that nothing could be understood. He spoke calmly and clearly, word for word. A person sitting by him remembered what he said."

(Source: Shamaa'il Tirmidhi with commentary)

Turn and Face

wa idhaa-altafata iltafata ma3an (jamee3an)

"When he addressed a person he turned his whole body towards that person.

(He did not only turn his face towards the person he addressed, as this is considered impolite, and sometimes it denotes pride. Sayyidana Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam faced the person he spoke to, with his chest and body...)..."

(Source: Shamaa-il Tirmidhi with commentary by Shaykhul Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhelwi)

A very difficult Sunnah to incorporate. Maybe it's just me. Try it for a day.

The toothstick (miswaak)

"... The Prophet said: 'Your mouths are the pathways of Quran. Cleanse them therefore with toothstick'.

The Prophet said: 'Prayer after the use of toothstick is better than prayer without its use by seventy-five times'.

He said: 'Had it not been difficult for my followers, I would have ordered them to use toothstick before every prayer'.

... Hazrat Ibn Abbas said: 'The Prophet has so repeatedly commanded us to use toothstick that we thought soon a revelation would come for its use'.

... Hazrat Ali said: 'Use of toothstick increases memory and removes phlegm'.

The Companions of the Prophet used to keep toothstick in their ears even at the time of journey..."

(Source: Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-id-Deen)