Birth	Marriage	Persecution	Islam	Treachery
Orphaned	Battle	Hijra	Badr	Victory
Rivalry	Concilator	Tribulation	Insurgency	Triumph
Youth	Revelation	Ascension	Losses	Farewell

Muhammad was born on an August Monday, in the year 570, to the Banu Hashim family, which belonged to the tribe of Quraish in Mecca. Banu Hashim were custodians of the Ka'aba, the most sacred shrine of the Arabs in the pre-Islamic period. Muhammad's father, Abdullah, died two months before his birth; his grandfather Abdul Muttalib then took care of him. Muttalib was the chief of Banu Hashim and was highly respected, since he had restored and cleaned the ancient spring of Zam Zam. Tradition has it that the spring dates back to the time of Abraham.

In accordance with Arab custom, Muhammad was reared by a Bedouin nurse, Halima, in the desert, and was thus exposed from his infancy to the harsh rigors of nature and the life of the common people.

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Birth of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) - Laylat-ul-Qadr

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Muhammad was barely six when his mother, Aminah, died. As the Quran says, he grew up as an orphan [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'in miserable circumstances'.

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RIVALRY [578]

When Muhammad was eight, Abdul Muttalib passed away at the age of eighty-two. Young Muhammad was then taken charge of by his uncle Abu Talib. There was fierce rivalry between the two leading families of the tribe of Quraish, Banu Hashim and Banu Ummaya, with the former enjoying the dominant position. But on the death of Abdul Muttalib, Banu Ummaya gained supremacy over Banu Hashim.

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YOUTH [578-582]

Muhammad received no formal education. As a boy, he tended a flock of sheep and herded cattle.

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When he was twelve, Muhammad began accompanying his uncle on trade journeys outside Mecca, particularly to Syria. During one of these trips, he stopped at Busrah, where he met a Nestorian monk, Buhairah, who was the first to notice signs of an enlightened soul in Muhammad.

Muhammad was scrupulously honest in his business dealings. He came to be known as Al-Amin, or the trustworthy. His reputation for integrity brought him an offer to run the business of a rich twice-widowed woman named Khadijah. She offered to marry him. He was then twenty-five and she forty. She bore him four daughters and two sons, but the sons died in their infancy.

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One of the important developments in Muhammad's life was his alignment with the Quraish in the latter's fight against another tribe, Qais, which harassed pilgrims at the annual fair at a place called Ukaz on the outskirts of Mecca. The fight between the two tribes, known as the Battle of Fijar, continued year after year, with considerable loss of life and poverty. Eventually, the Quraish won, and at the instance of Zuhair, an uncle of Muhammad, an agreement called Hilf al-Fudul was reached to prevent further wars. The Quraish then formed a league to safeguard peace in future, to aid victims of oppression and to protect pilgrims from harassment. Muhammad took an active interest in all its activities, although he was not involved in the actual fighting.

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A dispute arose between the various Quraish clans over who should place the sacred black stone in the reconstructed Kaaba. Muhammad was asked to intervene. He placed the stone on a sheet of cloth and asked each tribal chief to hold one corner of it and lift the sheet. Together they then carried the stone to the Kaaba. This is an early demonstration of his skill in conciliation.

Muhammad continued to travel extensively in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain for business. But already his interest had begun to shift to the life of the spirit. Often, he would retreat to Mount Hira and meditate, pondering over the mysteries of nature, of life and death, of good and evil. As the Quran later revealed: [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'Here in the cave, he often remained for nights, plunged in profoundest thought, deep in communion with the unseen yet all-prevailing God of the Universe.'

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One day, in the month of Ramadan, while meditating on Mount Hira, Muhammad received his first revelation from God, communicated by archangel Gabriel. He was utterly shaken. On his return home, however, Khadijah assured him that he had been chosen to serve as the Messenger and declared herself to be his first disciple. She was soon followed by his cousin, Ali, through he was still a teenager, then by Zaid, his freed slave, and the Abu Bakr, his closest friend. They were the first Muslims. Slowly, the message began to spread. It was at that time conveyed in secrecy and privacy, and Muhammad could gather only thirty followers in three years. The Quraish, under the leadership of Abu Sufiyan, who were the custodians of the Kaaba whree the idols were placed, were passively hostile to Muhammad and his message. They ridiculed him and his claim to prophethood. They were particularly angered by his denunciation of their idols and his insistence that there was only one God.

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After a lapse of three years, Allah called upon Muhammad to intensify his work: [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'O you, Muhammad, wrapped in a mantle! Arise and deliver the warning, and magnify the name of your Lord. And keep your garments free of all stains. And shun all abominations. ' He was told clearly to [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'Call unto the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with the disbeliever in the best way.' Thus began Muhammad's public preaching of his faith. The Quraish, meanwhile, became increasingly hostile, persecuting the Prophet and his followers. They assaulted him physically, and one of his early disciples, Haris, was killed trying to protect him. They prevented Muhammad from worshipping in the Kaaba, strewed thorns in his path and threw rubbish at him. Street urchins were engaged to harass and abuse his followers. Some of them were brutally beaten up, others were made to lie on burning sand, while some were mercilessly tortured by having heavy boulders and rocks placed on them or a noose put around their necks.

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Unable to bear the hardships, a group of fifteen Muslims, on the advice of Muhammad, migrated to Abyssinia, where a benign Christian ruler, King Nagus, gave them shelter. This is the first emigration [Hijra], which is commended in Islam.

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TRIBULATION [615-620]

Two years after the first migration, a second group of about a hundred of the persecuted Muslims, led by Jafar, brother of Ali, left for Abyssinia. The Quraish sent a powerful deputation to King Nagus requesting him to depoert the emigrants to Mecca. Jafar pleaded:

O King, we were plunged into the depth of ignorance and barbarism; we adored idols; we lived in debauchery; we ate dead animals and we spoke abominations; we disregarded every feeling of humanity, abhorred hospitality and ill-treated our neighbors; we knew no law but that of the strong. Then God raised among us a man whose birth, truthfulness, honesty and purity everyone vouched for. He asked us to believe in the unity of God, and taught us not to associate anyone with Him. He forbade us the worship of idols and enjoined us to speak the truth, to be faithful and merciful, and to respect the rights of our neighbors. He forbade us to speak evil of women, or to defraud the properties of orphans. He ordered us to abstain from evil, to offer prayers, to render alms, to observe fast. We have believed in Him, we have accepted His teachings and injunctions. For this reason, our people have risen against us, persecuted us and asked us to forgo the worship of God and to return to the worship of idols of wood and stone and other abominations. They have tortured us and injured us, until, finding no safety among them, we have come to your country; we hope you will protect us from their oppression.

King Nagus was moved by the plea and declined to deport them. In spite of the persecution of Muslims and the exodus of many of them out of Mecca, Muhammad's mission did not collapse: gradually, it gathered strength. It received an impetus with the conversion of Hamza, an uncle of the Prophet, whose valor was renowned, and that of the powerful Umar, who later became the second caliph. Muhammad gained a number of other important adherents not only from the Quraish but also from neighboring tribes.

These developments caused great anxiety to the Quraish, who tried to arrive at a compromise with Muhammad, under which they would stop persecuting his followers provided he accepted their three goddesses, al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat as intercessors with Allah. Muhammad refused, and it was then that the 'Satanic Verses' incident occurred, which the pagans took as a gesture of reconciliation. Later, they found that there was no basis for their assumption, and their attitude towards Muslims hardened. They decided to ostracize Abu Talib and his family, who had to take refuge in a valley and suffer considerable hardships. Their women and children had to live for months on leaves and dirty water.

Meanwhile Khadijah died, followed by Abu Talib. Their loss was a great blow for Muhammad, who felt forlorn and forsaken. The years that followed were the worst for him. His enemies became even more belligerent, and they demanded his head. He repaired to Taif [the biggest town in Arabia after Mecca], to pursue his mission. But its people also scoffed at him, stoned him and drove him out. He returned to Mecca undeterred and carried on with his mission. He gave up preaching to Meccans and concentrated on travellers and pilgrims who came to Mecca.

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During the annual pilgrimage, twelve men from Yathrib, belonging to the tribes of Aas and Khazraj, came to Muhammad and became Muslims; they were persuaded by some of their friends who had been converted earlier by the Prophet during their journey to Mecca. The twelve men took a pledge known as the 'First Pledge at Akaba', a place near Mecca. They assured the Prophet that they would accept his teachings unreservedly. that they would adhere to them sincerely and that they would also propogate them among his people. They promised to stand by the Prophet against all odds. Muhammad accepted their pledge and sent some of his Companions to Yathrib to instruct them in the new faith. At this time, God assured Muhammad of His protection, and lifted him, as in a dream, to His presence in the heavens. The Quran refers to Muhammad's meraj, or ascension, in mystical terms; according to some commentators it took place a year and a half before his migration to Yathrib.

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ISLAM [621]

A year after the first pledge, another seventy persons came to Muhammad and took the pledge, the 'Second Pledge at Akaba', swearing allegiance to him and inviting him to come to Yathrib and pursue his mission unhindered. They told him that they would protect him as they protected their women. The sincere and spontaneous pledges induced the Prophet to despatch some more Companions to Yathrib and to prepare the ground for his migration. When the Meccans came to know of the move, they were perturbed, and their hostility took a more virulent form. Some of their chiefs, like Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab and Abu Sufiyan, decided to thwart Muhammad's movement by capturing him or assassinating him. They sent word to Abdullah ibn Ubayy in Yathrib that Muhammad and his followers should be thrown out. To carry out their design, the tribal chiefs met at Darul Nahwah [the Council Chamber] and agreed to provide one man from each tribe to assault, and if necessary, kill the Prophet while he was asleep. Muhammad learned of the plot well in time and was able to frustrate it. Accompanied by Abu Bakr, he went secretly to Mount Thaur. Meccans scoured the whole area, but to no avail. Muhammad and Abu Bakr hid in a cave for a few days and then proceeded on a long, tiring journey to a place called Quba, arriving on 20 September. There they built the first mosque of Islam. Muhammad and his followers entered Yathrib on 24 September. From this date, the Islamic calendar, known as the Hijra calendar, commences.

Many of the Prophet's (PBUH) Companions had already preceded him, and many more followed him. At last, they felt a sense of relief. After suffering at the hands of the Quraish in Mecca for thirteen long years, they were finally able to live as free men among friendly people. The event, therefore, has great significance in Muslim annals. The word Hijra does not mean 'flight', though it is often translated as such; it means departure, or separation from one's dwelling.

On his arrival in Yathrib, Muhammad told the people: 'I am neither desirous of riches nor ambitious of dignity or dominion; I am sent by God, who has ordained me to announce glad tidings unto you. I bring you the Word of my Lord: I admonish you. If you accept the message, God will be favorable to you, both in this world and the next; if you reject my admonitions, I shall be patient, and leave God to judge between you and me.' As a result, they gave up their licentious ways, their drunken orgies and their life of fraud and deception.

Muhammad imposed upon the discipline in the shape of prayers, fasting, alms-giving and continence, and called upon them to refrain from avarice, slander, falsehood, indecency and other vices which had permeated the society. A spirit of brotherhood was inculcated among Meccan emigrants and natives who were new converts to Islam. The religious bond proved more powerful than tribal affiliations: ancient rivalries between the tribes of Aas and Khazraj was eliminated, the two groups uniting under the banner of Islam. They were given the honorific name of ansar [helpers]. The emigrants, forty-five in number, were called muhajirun [emigrants]. They lived and worked together; they helped one another. In the building of the mosque at Yathrib, each one contributed, and even the Prophet himself laid bricks. It was a simple, unostentatious structure, built with unbaked bricks and erected on trunks of palm trees with a thatch of palm leaves serving as the roof. A few rooms were constructed adjoining the mosque, in which the Prophet and his wives lived. His followers, both muhajirun and ansar, gratefully changed the name of the city to Medinatun Nabi [City of the Prophet], or simply Medina.

Soon after settling in Medina, Muhammad called upon Jews and pagans to join him and his followers in establishing a welfare state, where everyone would be equal before the law and enjoy equal rights, provided everyone carried out his obligations to defend the city. He incorporated these assurances in a document that came to be known as the 'Constitution of Medina'. It knit Muslims, Jews and pagans into one state and a single community, with Muhammad as the sole judge or arbitrator of their disputes. Though Jews and pagans were party to it, they did not honor its terms. They joined hands with the Quraish in its attacks on the Prophet and the Muslims. They also worked with munafiqun, the hypocrites and pagans who pretended to be Muslims. Their leader, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, committed acts of treachery against Muslims. He was very close to Jews, whose interests he often protected. However, despite the pact, Jews and hypocrites started harassing the Muslims. They did not like the rise of Muhammad as the undisputed leader.

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BADR [623]

One of the most powerful chiefs of the Jews, Karz bin Jabir Fahri, organized raids on the outskirts of Medina, and destroyed fruit-bearing trees and stole flocks of sheep belonging to the Muslims. Subsequently, Jews and hypocrites established contacts with Meccans, and assured them of their help in the case of an attack on Muslims. Already, the Quraish had warned Abdulalh ibn Ubayy, 'You have given shelter to our man. You should either kill him, or turn him out of Medina, or we swear that we will attack you, kill all the males, and capture and enjoy your women.' Ubayy assured them that he was no friend of Muhammad. The Prophet, therefore, sent reconnoitering parties to keep a watch on enemy movements. One such party of twelve people, led by Abdullah, was despatched to Nakhla, a spot betewen Taif and Mecca, with orders in a sealed envelope to be opened two days after they reached Nakhla.

But Abdullah spotted a group of Meccans whom he suspected of being spies; without warning for the expiration of the two days, he killed one of them. In doing so, he had disregarded the Prophet's instructions; Muhammad was annoyed. Soon after, Abu Sufiyan passed through Nakhla with his caravan. He heard of the incident, which had already been reported to Abu Jahl in Mecca. The latter proceeded towards Medina with a thousand armed men to avenge the death of their comrade. On learning of their arrival, Muhammad organized a defense force that consisted of barely 313 ill-equipped men, with two horses and seventy camels.

Under his instructions, these men camped at Badr, a place about eighty miles from Medina. The two sides fought a pitched battle. The Prophet prayed for God's help: 'O Lord, if this little band were to perish, there will be none to offer unto you pure worship.'The Muslims succeeded against heavy odds and drove back the Meccans, killing seventy of their men, who included Abu Jahl and other notable chiefs. The Muslims lost only fourteen men and took a number of Meccans as prisoners, including the Prophet's son-in-law Abdul Asa, his uncle Abbas, Ali's brother Aqil, Abu Bakr's son and Umar's uncle.

Sir William Muir, one the most hostile biographers of the Prophet, observes, 'In pursuance of Mahomet's command, the citizens of Medina and such of the refugees as possessed houses received the prisoners and treated them with much consideration.' He quoted a prisoner who vouched that 'the men of Medina made us ride, while they themselves walked, they gave us wheaten bread to eat when there was little of it, contenting themselves with dates.' the more affluent of the prisoners paid ransom and were set free. The others were asked to teach ten children each and this was treated as their ransom.

Shortly after the battle, Ali married Muhammad's youngest daughter, Fatimah. From this union there were two sons, Hasan and Husain. This filial connection later led to the birth of a separate sect in Islam, whose adherents came to be known as Shias, as against the rest, who are called Sunnis.

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INSURGENCY [624]

Despite their pact with the Prophet, Jews did not support Muslims in the defense of Medina; Banu Qaynuqa, their most powerful tribe, 'attempted sedition druing the Battle of Badr', according to the historian Ibn Saad. Their relationship was further worsened by an incident that occurred there. A Jewish shopkeeper tried to molest a veiled Muslim woman, who cried for help. A Muslim youth rushed to her rescue, and in the altercation the Jew was killed. The Jews standing nearby killed the Muslim. The Prophet, when informed about it, remonstrated with the leaders of Banu Qaynuqa, to whom these Jews belonged, but to no avail. The two sides fought. The Muslims laid siege to the Jewish fortress and did not allow any provisions to reach them. After fifteen days, the Jews surrendered and sued for peace; Muhammad ordered Banu Qaynuqa to leave Medina with their possessions.

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Hardly had the Prophet subdued the Jewish insurgency than he learned that the Quraish, with three thousand fully-armed men, were marching towards Medina. They camped at a vantage point in the hills of Uhud, a short distance to the north of Medina. Muhammad asked other Jewish tribes for help, but they refused. Their sympathies were with Abu Sufiyan and the Meccans. Likewise, the chief of the munafiqun, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, who had at first provided Muhammad with 300 men, withdrew them at the last moment. The Prophet could enlist only 700 men. Of them, only a hundred wore mail. He could obtain only two horses.

Muhammad had to contend with trouble within his own ranks as well. He had to resolve acute differences between his Companions and the younger followers in regard to military strategy. Then there was the betrayal by Jews and munafiqun, who acted as a fifth column for the Quraish. His force was only one third of that of the enemy. Nevertheless, his exemplary leadership kept up the spirit of his men. He ordered them to take up positions below the hill, and put them in different formations. Fifty archers were posted, under Abdulalh ibn Jabir, at a pass on the hill to watch the movement of forces fromt he rear. In the fight, the Meccans paid a heavy toll; stiff resistance by the Muslims resulted in disorder in their ranks.

At this stage, instead of consolidating their gains, some Muslims started gathering booty. Seeing this, the fifty archers also left their post and joined in the division of spoils. Khalid bin Walid, a great general on the Meccan side, seized the opportunity and launched an attack from the rear. The Muslims were taken aback. Consternation broke out among them, and the Meccan forces forged ahead. A cry was heard that the Prophet had been killed, causing further confusion and dismay among the Muslims. Omar threw away his sword and cried that it was useless to continue fighting when the Prophet was no more. Though the report was false -- Muhammad was only injured -- the damage to the morale of his men had been done. The Quraish pushed forward from all sides, and although the Muslims put up strong resistance, they lost the battle.

The Meccans were, however, too exhausted to invade Medina. They returned to Mecca, declaring that they would be back the following year to take over Medina.

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Encouraged by the Meccans' victory at Uhud and the treachery of Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir plotted to kill the Prophet. They were determined to avenge the banishment of their sister tribe, Banu Qaynuqa. The Muslims learned about the plot and laid siege to their fortress. It was lifted after seven days when the Jews surrendered. Like Banu Qaynuqa, they were also exiled by Muhammad but, except for weapons of war, they were allowed to take away all their possessions. They left Medina and took refuge in Khaibar.

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The tales of woe of Banu Nadir provided their co-religionists with enough provocation to prepare for the final onslaught on the Muslims. They contacted the Meccans and sent emissaries to a number of neighboring tribes. Banu Ghaftan and Banu Asad responded readily. A strong coalition of all these people was formed, and a force of ten thousand soldiers encircled Medina under the command of the Quraish chief Abu Sufiyan. The Muslims were, however, fully prepared to thwart the attempts of the enemy referred to in the Quran as al-Azhab, or 'the confederates'. The Muslims had dug deep trenches to the north, on the sloping, open approach to the city. This was suggested by one of the Companions, Salman Farsi, the Persian, who had studied the strategy adopted by Sassanid rulers. It completely nonplussed the Meccans; they could not use the other sides as these were strewn with blocks of lava. After some skirmishes, the Meccans retreated and the 'War of the Trenches' came to an end. With this, Muhammad's position became stronger than ever before.

In view of the overt and covert help that Banu Qurayzah had given to the invading forces, the Muslims were furious with them. So, as soon as the threat to their city was dealt with, the Muslims attacked the fortress in which Banu Qurayzah lived. The Jews fought back but finally surrendered. They pleaded that their fate be decided by Sa'ad ibn Maa'z, chief of Aas, who was their close associate. The Prophet accepted their plea. Sa'ad gave his verdict on the basis of a directive in the Old Testament that all traitors should be put to death. The Muslims, it is said, carried out the verdict, although this has been disputed by several historians.

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Having won some respite from wars, the Prophet decided to perform the pilgrimage to the Kaaba; due to the hostility of the Meccans, he and his followers had long been prevented from doing so. He gathered 1400 of his followers, directing them not to carry any arms other than their swords. He put on the ahram, a pilgrim's ceremonial robe. A number of camels were also taken for sacrifice. Muhammad then sent an envoy to the leaders of the Quraish to obtain their permission. They refused, and instead they organized a force to prevent the Muslims from entering Mecca. The Muslims set forth on their journey regardless, and set up camp at Hudaibiyah, a few miles from Mecca. Muhammad then sent another envoy to Mecca to assure their chiefs that he and his followers had not come to fight but to perform the pilgrimage. After some hesitation, the Meccans agreed to negotiate with Muhammad and signed a treaty which came to be known as the 'Treaty of Hudaibiyah'. Its terms were:

that the Muslims would return to Medina that year without performing the pilgrimage to the Kaaba;
that the pagans would, however, allow them to do so the next year, provided their stay in Mecca did not exceed three days;
that Muslims would not bring any arms with them;
that no Muslim residing in Mecca would migrate to Medina, but if any migrant in Medina wished to return to Mecca, he would not be prevented;
that pagans visiting Medina would be permitted to return to Mecca, but Muslims visiting Mecca would not be allowed to return;
that tribes were at liberty to join any of the two contracting parties.
Many of the Companions were unhappy about the terms. They felt that they had almost surrendered to the pagans. The most humiliating part was the loss of face, as pilgrims had to return without performing the rites. But the Prophet advised caution. He saw in the treaty the flowering of Islam, and subsequent events proved him right. It also gave him the much-needed peace to pursue his mission. On his return to Medina, he sent his envoys with letters to a number of rulers, notably Hercules, Emperor of Greece, Khusru Parviz of Persia, the kings of Egypt and Abyssinia and the chiefs of Yamama and Syria, inviting them to join the fold of Islam.

One of the minor rulers to whom such a letter was sent was Sharhbil, a satrap of the Byzantine emperor. Instead of replying to it, Sharhbil tortured and killed the envoy. The Prophet was shocked to hear the news, and his Companions prevailed upon him to avenge the dishonor. A force of 3000 was therefore despatched under the command of Zayd bin Harith. It included many other notable warriors, like Ali's brother, Jafar, and Khalid bin Walid.

They encountered the much bigger and better equipped Byzantine force at a village called Muta, having travelled through Syria on a long and arduous journey. Zayd and Jafar were fatally wounded. Eventually, Khalid bin Walid took command, and by adopting a clever strategy brought about a ceasefire. The Byzantine soldiers were also tired; they did not press further and Khalid was able to retreat. The return of the beleaguered force created much disappointment in Medina; many Companions nicknamed the returning fighters 'runaways', but Muhammad halted them, saying they were the 'real battlers.'

Meanwhile, many of the Jewish tribes, who had become openly hostile to Muslims and had settled in Khaibar, eight miles from Medina, began to conspire against Muhammad. They contacted neighboring tribes and with their support decided to invade the city. Their chief , Usir bin Razam, incited the excitable Ghatfan; they went out and killed a herdsman and twenty camels, which belonged to the Prophet. Worse still, they took his wife as a prisoner. This served as a signal for the Battle of Khaibar. The battle raged for days, with the Muslims finally inflicting a decisive blow on the Jews and their allies. A treaty was then signed under which the Muslims allowed the Jews to keep their lands and possessions but asked them to give up their weapons. They were, however, required to pay a tax equivalent to half the produce of their lands. Later, afater a lapse of a few months, in accordance with the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, the Prophet, accompanied by over 2000 Muslims, left for Mecca to perform the pilgrimage. The Quraish did not want any contact with them. They left their homes and watched the Muslims from camps pitched on the heights of the surrounding hills. Muhammad and his followers carried out their religious rites, and after a three day sojourn returned to Medina.

Banu Khuza'a, aligned with Muslims under the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, were attacked without any provocation by Banu Bakr, who were aligned with the Quraish. Banu Khuza'a demanded protection from the Prophet. He sent an emissary to the Quraish and asked them to agree to any of the following terms:

reparations to be paid for the masacred people of Banu Khuza'a; or
the Quraish break their alliance with the Banu Bakr; or
abrogation of the Treaty of Hudaibiyah.
The Quraish abrogated the treaty; this was a signal for war. The Prophet marched with 10,000 fully-armed men and camped at a short distance from Mecca. The Meccans sent a few scouts, including Abu Sufiyan, to find out the real strength of the Muslim army. Abu Sufiyan was caught, but the Prophet freed him. He returned and advised surrender; the Meccans laid down their arms and the Prophet entered Mecca as a victor.

Clearing the Kaaba of idols, Muhammad declared: 'There is no God but God. He has no partners. He has fulfilled his promise and helped his slave and defeated all coalitions against Him. His is the final authority. There will be no revenge and no blood reparations. The guardianship of the Kaaba is secured; arrangements for supply of water to pilgrims will be free.'

Then, addressing the Quraish, he advised them to give up the arrogance of their heathen days and the pride of their ancestry. He reminded them that mankind descended from Adam and Adam was made of clay.

'Descendants of Quraish,' he then asked, 'how do you think I should act towards you?'

'With kindness and pity, gracious brother and nephew.' they beseeched.

The Prophet replied, 'I shall speak to you as Joseph spoke unto his brothers: "I shall not reproach you today; God will forgive you." He is the Most Merciful and the Most Compassionate.'

In his hour of supreme triumph, Muhammad did not allow a house to be plundered or a woman to be molested. He told the Muslims that everyone who joined their fold, irrespective of the past, was a brother. He issued a general amnesty and, except for four people guilty of treason, all were pardoned.

However, Muhammad's troubles were still not over; the tribes of Hawazin and Thakif rebelled and attacked the Muslims at Hunain, about ten miles from Mecca. The Muslims fought back and routed the rebels. With this, the last nail in the coffin of paganism had been struck, and the whole of Arabia embraced Islam.

Outside, there was some trouble, when the Roman Emperor suddenly decided to send a large force to invade Arabia. To counter it, the Prophet hastily collected 30,000 volunteers with 10,000 horses. In spite of severe famine in the provinces of Najd and Hijaz, he marched to Tabouk, a place midway between Medina and Damascus. The Roman forces, however, turned back, perhaps exhausted by the heat. Muhammad waited at Tabouk for almost a month and then returned to Medina. As a result, the Prophet's prestige was much enhanced, and a large number of deputations representing tribes from Yemen and other far-away regions came to Medina, paid homage to Muhammad and accepted Islam.

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The Prophet had a premonition of his approaching end; he therefore decided to go on a pilgrimage to the Kaaba, described in Muslim annals as the 'Farewell Pilgrimage'.

More than 100,000 Muslims accompanied him. After completing the rites, he addressed the assembled gathering from the top of a hill, Jabal-ul-Arafat, on 7 March 632, and emphasized the egalitarian character of the brotherhood. He then informed Muslims of the revelation that proved to be the last. It proclaimed to the faithful: [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'This day, O Believers! I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor unto you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.'

The Prophet then left for Medina. On the way, he halted at a place called Khum, where he told his Companions: 'All praise to God, O people! I am a human being. It may be that the angel of death may visit me soon and death may overtake me. I leave in your midst, however, two things -- the Revelationof God in which is light and guidance; you hold to it tightly. The other is my family.'

Muhammad spent the remaining months of his life in Medina. Though tired and exhausted, he worked ceaselessly to organize the community, to settle the affairs of state, to sort out problems between various tribes and groups, and to put the state on a sound footing. He paid special attention to the young, to the teaching of the Quran to them and to other aspects of their education. He often visited the public graveyard to invoke God's blessings and forgiveness for all those who died in the cause of Islam. One day, while returning from one of those visits, he fell ill. He did not rest and continued with his work, leading prayers in the mosque.

As his condition deteriorated, he had to be confined to bed. His youngest wife, Aisha, was in attendance; she tended him with great care. He told her to distribute among the poor the few gold coins that were lying in the house.

The end came at noon on Monday, 8 June 632.

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