Balagal Ula Bi Kamal’hee
Kashaf-ul-Doja Bi Jamal’hee
Hasunat Ja’mai-e-Khasal’hee
Saloo Alay’hee Wa’al’hee
These lines relating the multi-faceted eminence of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) are untranslatable in their beauty, says Syed Ameer Ali—great chronicler of Islamic history and spirit of Islam, nevertheless could be put as:
He attained the height of eminence by his perfection;
He dispelled the darkness of (of the world) by his grace;
In all his qualities; he surpasses excellence, stands supreme;
Join the prayer for blessings on him and his posterity!
On the advent of Khatam-ul-Anbiya (pbuh) in 570 A.D, 12th of Rabbi-al-Awal in lunar calendar, Arabia, the land he belonged to was riven with conflict between warring tribes, engaged in blood feuds over generations. The world beyond Hejaz, the Arabian land Prophet Mohammad (SAW) was born and bred in had little interest in it, taking it as uncivilized, that didn’t warrant an interaction. It was left to simmer in its own blood feuds. The world beyond had Romans and Persians vying for global domination. The civilized nations were mostly the littoral states of Mediterranean since biblical times. The sea was in fact called the ‘lake of history’. It fostered many a civilization, apart from fostering Abrahamic religions. Moses and Jesus delivered their message in costal nations of Mediterranean. Moses led the Hebrew exodus from Egypt. Jesus preached in Palestine, wilting under Roman domination.
In the six centuries that separated the mission of Jesus Christ and that of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) the last on prophetic mission, the Roman Empire centered in Rome had shifted eastwards. Constantinople became the capital city of Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire. Named after Emperor Constantine, it had adopted Christianity as the state religion, 400 years after the advent of Jesus. In the Byzantine Empire, Romans and Greeks had jelled to become Greco-Romans, a socio-cultural identity with historical impact. It was a far cry from days in Rome centered Western Roman Empire, where Greeks were the slaves and Romans the masters. Greek slaves were first to embrace Christianity in the catacombs of Rome. St. Peter had crossed the Mediterranean from Palestine to settle in Rome and preach Christianity. Greek slaves of Romans found solace in message of Christ, much as slaves in later day Arabia found solace in message delivered by Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
Makkah, the city, where Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) lived in his formative years, in fact much of his life had a shared power structure between the Hashemites’ and the Ommayads’ two principal tribes of Quraysh. Kabbah—the house of God—legacy of Abraham (A.S) made it the central city of Hejaz. It had however moved away from the message of Abraham–the patriarch of Prophets. Amongst the pagan Arabs, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) the Hashemite kept away from religious rites, as well as from wild drinking and gambling—the traits of Makkahn elite. In his younger days he worked-up a young-man’s league, with an agenda of social reform. And, he joined the trade caravans to Damascus, the nerve center of international trade in ancient times. On the caravan route, he had his interactions with the Christian monks in monasteries. He was on a learning curve, hiking with every passing day. Honest business practices earned him the employment of Syeda Khadija, a rich Makkahn widow. The trust turned to wedlock in 595 A.D. Prophet (pbuh) was aged 25 and Syeda Khadija 40 years.
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was turning meditative, with long sojourns in the hillocks surrounding Makkah. In 610 A.D, Gabriel came with the message, while he was deep in meditation in cave named Hira. The moment of truth had arrived, as he was invested with the message that prophets bear. He was to be the last, hence the message was perfected. As he started delivering the message, the Makkahn elite turned hostile. However in his family, amongst his friends, within those who had faith in his truthfulness, in the socially deprived sections, the message was heeded, despite increasing hostility, torture and social boycott. While Makkah was hostile, Medina provided the opening. Medinites, true to the blood feuds of Arabia had two warring factions, the tribes of Banu Aus and Banu Khazraj. Tired of the feud over generations, sick of the dire economic outfall, Medinites approached Prophet (pbuh) to heal the divide. The conflict was amply financed by Jewish tribes in the suburban Medina to strengthen their economic hold, true to the Jewish trait, down the ages.
The migration from Makkah to Medina, the ‘Hegira’ in 622 A.D marks the start of Islamic calendar. The poet captures the moment:
Peesh Az Hama Shaha’n Gayoor Amad
Hur Chand Ki Akher Bi’zahoor Amad
Aye Khatam-e-Rasal Qarb Tou Maloom Shud
Deer Amad Ze Rah-e-Dhoor Amad
Thou hast come before all the Teachers of the world,
Though thou hast appeared last of all;
Last of the Prophets thy Nearness has become known to me;
Thou comest last, as thou comest from a distance
Syed Ameer Ali notes, ”from the moment of his advent into Yathrib (Yasrub/Medina) he stands in full blaze of the day—the grandest of figures upon whom the light of history has ever shone” (The Spirit of Islam—page: 51). The Medinite (Madni) years form a study in masterly statecraft. In political deftness, Prophet (pbuh) offered Medinites, the Makkahn migrants, and Jews a commonwealth. Jews backed out of an initial agreement, as the new dispensation left no room for economic exploitation. Usury was done away with, spelling an end to Jewish plans. Medinites and Makkahns were blended in treaty of brotherhood, where Medinite helpers (Ansars) shared all they possessed with Makkahn migrants. The economy was streamlined, with Makkahn migrants sharing their trading expertise with Medinites.
The Quraysh of Makkah were worried on more than one count. The Medinite state was located right on their caravan route to Damascus—the economic lifeline. It was proving to be geopolitical checkmate. They launched several campaigns—the battles of Badr, Ohod, and the trench warfare followed. Medina was effectively fortified. The political stalemate led to ‘Treaty of Hudbiah’. Perceived to be treaty inclined against Muslims, it proved to be a boon. It gave Muslims ten years of peace, a breather to spread the message far and wide. Makkahns could not keep-up with the terms of the treaty. By that time however, the conclusion was forgone, Makkahns had no option but to blend with rest of Arabia. Within a decade Prophet (pbuh) had united Arabia divided against itself into a nation—Nation of Islam. Within a few decades, the crowns of Caesars of Rome and Choesroes of Persia were rolling in dust, as the march of Islam continued in distant lands. The historic feat has no parallels.
Yaar Zinda, Sohbat Baqi [Reunion is subordinate to survival]
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