Islam and Business (Islam)

Trade and commerce have always been a part of Islam. From pre-Islamic days, the Holy City of Mecca has been the center of commercial activities. It was indeed the annual trading center of Mecca that provided Prophet Mohammad the forum for preaching Islam.
The early Muslims were not only engaged in trade but they went to distant lands in connection with business. Islam in fact reached East and West Africa, East Asia through the business people.
Islam encourages work in general, and trade and commerce in particular, Prophet Mohammad was himself engaged in this profession before he became a prophet. He was a successful businessman. Known for integrity, he bore the honorific title, �the Trustworthy�, The Quran states:
"God has made business lawful for you"
In addition, the Qur'an includes rules not only for manners and hygiene, marriage and divorce, but it also lays down detailed rules for commerce and politics, interest and debts, contracts and wills, and industry and finance. Islam has permitted and in fact encouraged business. Islam lays out the basic principles of our economic behavior as consumers, producers and owners of wealth.
The Islamic principle in business is based on individual enterprise and correspondingly individual�s reward. It is basically based on benefiting the humanity while maintaining God�s orders.
In business relationships Islam strictly forbids any discrimination between people based on their religion, sex, or gender.
There is no basic conflict between good business practice and profit making in Islam. Islam looks at profit as secondary way to measure efficiency. Business Ethics in Islam
1. Trust: Trust of God's creation and all that is in it. God has created and perfected the whole universe then Man is set over it all with delegated. So as Muslims we realize that we are just trustee for God�s universe and we truly do not owe anything in this life. That kind of belief along with your knowledge that God sees all what you do, will make you work under constant surveillance, and keeps your performance at its best while following God�s defined conduct.
(Quran 45-13): And He has subjected to you, as from Him, all that is in the heavens and on earth: behold, in that are Signs indeed for those who reflect.
(Quran 6:164): It is He who hath made you (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: He hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He hath given you: for thy Lord is quick in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
2. Justice and Honesty: Justice can be defined as just conduct, fairness exercise of authority in maintenance of right and fair dealing between each other regardless of faith is strictly laid down in Islam. Honesty incorporates the concepts of truthfulness and reliability and covers all aspects of relationships in human life thought, word and action. It is more than just accuracy; it is an attitude with integrity.
(Quran 4:135): O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.
(Quran 6:115): Perfected is the Word of thy Lord in truth and justice. There is naught that can change His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower.
(Quran 11:85): O my people! Give full measure and full weight in justice, and wrong not people in respect of their goods
�O you who have attained to faith! Do not devour one another�s possessions wrongfully � not even by way of trade based on mutual agreement � and do not destroy one another: for behold, God is indeed a dispenser of grace unto thee!
Oh ye who believe! Eat not up each other's property by unfair and dishonest means." (4:29)
3. Mutual Respect: The third principle is mutual respect and consideration for others is also inherent in the moral teachings of Islam.
The application of this has come to mean that self interest only has a place in the community in as much as it takes into account the interests of others. So a person or organization can not under self benefit measures takes an action or start a business that will harm the community or environment more than providing good to it. The prophet (PBUH) said: "You will not attain righteousness, unless you give of that which you love�. And said "God loves kindness when you deal with any matter" And also said: "You will not enter Paradise until you have faith and you will not have faith until you love one another". What is forbidden in business in Islam?

1. Islam has not permitted producing, selling and purchasing of goods, which are prohibited in Islamic law. Alcohol, Drugs.. The Prophet of Islam has said: "When God prohibits a thing He prohibits (giving and receiving) the price of it as well."
2. Islam has also prohibited any kind of transaction involving uncertainty, as this could lead to quarrel or litigation. The Prophet of Islam has forbidden transaction involving unspecified quantity, acceptance of money for fish in the river or bird in the air as there is element of uncertainty. Similarly the Prophet of Islam has prohibited sale of fruit till they are ripened. However; if the element of uncertainty is very small, the transactions are permissible.
3. Islam condemns hoarding to make high profit at the cost of public interest (when it is needed or so it will become needed). Islam, however; allows normal trade - buying and selling of goods again and again at a reasonable profit.
4. Islam prohibits fraud in business dealings. The Prophet has said: "Sell the good and bad separately. He who deceives is not of us" The sin of fraud is greater if the seller supports it by swearing falsely. The Prophet has said, "Swearing produces ready sale but blots out blessing".
5. Islam prohibits buying or selling what�s legal if we know that it will be used for illegal use: weapons, abortion drugs, drugs for meth making, and so on.
6. INTEREST: Muslims are not allowed to pay or receive interest. This is a shared value in all religions. The Quran is explicit about it and says, "God- has permitted for you trade and prohibited interest" (2 : 275). The Bible says: �and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High� Luke 6:35.

Depositors in an Islamic bank would be treated like shareholders, would receive dividends when the bank makes a profit, and would lose capital when it suffers a loss.
The prohibition or fixed interest flows from Islam's concern for social justice Interest is said to reinforce a tendency for wealth to accumulate in a few hands
So how would you by buy a house for example? A new trend has recently started that work as follows: An Islamic financing company buys the house. The house then is leased back to you for a fixed period of time. You pay the finance group the rent value plus an additional amount for the house purchase. The value or the lease home will be reassessed every year, and the rent will be adjusted accordingly. In Closing
To close let me reassure that it is the responsibility of every Muslim to be ethical in their daily business practices and to act responsibly toward the community in which it serves. To review its business practices and remove from its organization any unlawful activities and devote themselves to productive and lawful activities that benefit mankind.
It is everyones responsibility to take a long and serious look at their organization and implement policies and procedures that are conducive.
As a general guide to Muslims in business we should adopt the following overriding principals:
  Love God and his commands more than your trade or business
  Be honest and truthful
  Keep ones word
  Be humble in how you conduct your life
  Do not deal in fraud
  Do not bribe
  Deal justly

Abdoulrahman Kattih
The Islamic Education And Services Institute

Thx 2discoverislam.com/projects/business_ethics.html

Eid Milad ul Nabi (PBUH)Mubarak (Milad)

Dear Muslim Brother All Over the World,

Eid Milad ul Nabi(PBUH) Mubarak to all muslims of the world

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10 Principles of Success in the light of the Seerah (Milad Islam)

Principles of Success—
In the light of Seerah
By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

It is a well-known fact that the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) was the supremely successful man in the entire human history. But he was not just a hero, as Thomas Carlyle has called him. According to the Qur’an, he was a good example for all mankind. He has shown us the way of achieving supreme success in this world.

By studying the life of the Prophet we can derive those important principles which were followed by the Prophet. In short, the Prophet of Islam was a positive thinker in the full sense of the word. All his activities were result-oriented. He completely refrained from all such steps as may prove counter-productive.

First Principle: To begin from the possible
This principle is well explained in a saying of Aishah. She said: "Whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always opted for the easier choice." (Al-Bukhari)To choose the easiest option means to begin from the possible, and one who begins from the possible will surely reach his goal.



Second Principle: To see advantage in disadvantage
In the early days of Mecca, there were many problems and difficulties. At that time, a guiding verse in the Qur’an was revealed. It said: "With every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease." (94:5-6).This means that if there are some problems, there are also opportunities at the same time. And the way to success is to ignore the problems and avail the opportunities.

Third Principle: To change the place of action
This principle is derived from the Hijrah. Hijrah was not just a migration from Mecca to Medina. It was to find a more suitable place for Islamic work, as history proved later on.

Fourth Principle: To make a friend out of an enemy
The prophet of Islam was repeatedly subjected to practices of antagonism by the unbelievers. At that time the Qur’an enjoined upon him the return of good for evil. And then, as the Qur’an added, "You will see your direst enemy has become your closest friend" (41:34).
It means that a good deed in return of a bad deed has a conquering effect over your enemies. And the life of the Prophet is a historical proof of this principle.

Fifth Principle: To turn minus into plus
After the Battle of Badr, about 70 of the unbelievers were taken as the prisoners of war. They were educated people. The Prophet announced that if any one of them would teach ten Muslim children how to read and write he would be freed. This was the first school in the history of Islam in which all of the students were Muslims, and all of the teachers were from the enemy rank. Here I shall quote a British orientalist who remarked about the Prophet of Islam: He faced adversity with the determination to wring success out of failure.

Sixth Principle: The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence
When Mecca was conquered, all of the Prophet’s direst opponents were brought before him. They were war criminals, in every sense of the word. But the Prophet did not order to kill them. He simply said: "Go, you are free." The result of this kind behavior was miraculous. They immediately accepted Islam.

Seventh Principle: Not to be a dichotomous thinker
In the famous Ghazwa of Muta, Khalid bin Walid decided to withdraw Muslim forces from the battlefield because he discovered that the enemy was unproportionately outnumbered. When they reached Medina, some of the Muslims received them by the word "O Furrar" (O deserters!) The Prophet said "No. They are Kurrar" (men of advancement)."
Those Medinan people were thinking dichotomously, either fighting or retreating. The Prophet said no. There is also a third option, and that is to avoid war and find a time to strengthen yourself. Now history tells us that the Muslims, after three years of preparation, advanced again towards the Roman border and this time they won a resounding victory.

Eighth Principle: To bring the battle in one’s own favorable field
This principle is derived from the Ghazwa of Hudaibiyya. At that time, the unbelievers were determined to engage Muslims in fighting, because obviously they were in an advantageous position. But the Prophet, by accepting their conditions unilaterally, entered into a pact. It was a ten-year peace treaty. Until then, the meeting ground between Muslims and non-Muslims had been on the battlefield. Now the area of conflict became that of ideological debate. Within two years, Islam emerged as victorious because of the simple reason of its ideological superiority.

Ninth Principle: Gradualism instead of radicalism
This principle is well-established by a hadith of Al-Bukhari. Aishah says that the first verses of the Qur’an were related mostly to heaven and hell. And then after a long time when the people’s hearts had softened, the specific commands to desist from adultery and drinking were revealed in the Qur’an.This is a clear proof that for social changes, Islam advocates the evolutionary method, rather than the revolutionary method.

Tenth Principle: To be pragmatic in controversial matters
During the writing of Hudaibiyyah treaty, the Prophet dictated these words: "This is from Muhammad, the Messenger of God." The Qurayshi delegate raised objections over these words. The Prophet promptly changed the word and ordered to write simply Muhammad, son of Abdullah.

These were the principles through which the Prophet of Islam gained that success which has been recognized by historians as the supreme success.

In the end, I would like to repeat those ten principles of success:


1. To begin from the possible
2. To see advantage in disadvantage
3. To change the place of action
4. To make a friend out of an enemy
5. To turn minus into plus
6. The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence
7. Not to be a dichotomous thinker
8. To bring the battle in one’s own favorable field
9. Gradualism instead of radicalism
10. To be pragmatic in controversial matters


Taken from: alrisala.org/Articles/prophet/success.htm

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1. THE LIFE OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH) (Islam)

Asslamu alaykum! Welcome to ‘the introduction to the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).’ There has never been a human being so well-respected, loved and followed as Muhammad (pbuh), the final messenger of Allah. There has never been a person who has changed world history so dramatically as Muhammad (pbuh) and his message. The Prophet (pbuh) was the single most important person in the history of the world.

The reason for Muhammad’s (pbuh) success was that he was sent with a pure message from Allah, the creator of all mankind. This message would help us understand how to live our lives. It would tell us about good and bad and about wrong and right. This message would tell us about mankind (about you and me), the universe and the rest of creation around us. This message would tell us about Allah and about our relationship with Allah. The message also told us about the Hereafter, the Day of Judgment, Heaven and Hell.

The Qu'ran is this pure message that was revealed to Muhammad 1400 years ago. These are the words of Allah that were sent to the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Allah has guarded it and kept it pure from changes and errors. The purpose or mission of the prophet (pbuh) was to deliver this message to Mankind and to follow its teachings.

There is no other message that has such an impact on mankind as the Qu’ran. There are no other revealed books that have been kept pure from changes like the Qu’ran has. The Qu’ran has changed the lives of billions of people in the world. It has helped them become better people and live according to the will of Allah.

There were many prophets that came before prophet Muhammad (pbuh) - 124,000 we are told from Hadith. The Qu’ran tells us that every nation was sent a prophet. The mission of the prophets was to tell their people about Allah and invite them to live their lives according to Allah’s command. This helped them be good and generous people who looked after and cared for each other. The good people would be rewarded with heaven and the people that rebelled and refused the prophet would be punished with hellfire.

When the prophet died, the people would forget part of the message and then add bits to the original message. Eventually, the messages became completely different and the people went astray again. Allah would send another messenger to guide them back to the right path.

This cycle of prophets coming and the people going astray continued for a long time. When Muhammad (pbuh) came, the cycle was broken. The big difference was that the message of Muhammad (pbuh) was for everyone and would never change. If the people went astray, they could turn back to the original message (the Qu’ran) and be guided again. If they did not understand things they could look into the Sunnah which is a practical guide of how the Qu'ran is followed.

Allah said that he would guard the message (the Holy Qu’ran) from any changes. We find that the Qu'ran we have today is the same Qu'ran that was revealed to Muhammad (pbuh) through Angel Jibrael. There is not a word or letter difference between the original and today’s Qu’ran. If anyone goes on the wrong path or gets mixed up, they can read the Qu’ran and receive guidance.

There are no more messengers to come after Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He was the seal of the prophets. The prophet (pbuh) told us on his last sermon – ‘I have left nothing but two things – the Qu’ran and the Sunnah – follow these and you will never go astray.’

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Makkah to Amina and Abdullah. Abdullah passed away before Muhammad (pbuh) was born and was brought up by Amina, his mother. When he was six, his mother passed away and then he was looked after by his loving grandfather Abdul Mutallib. Two years later, Abdul Mutallib also passed away and Muhammad (pbuh) was brought up by his uncle Abu Talib.

Muhammad (pbuh) lived a simple life, marrying Khadija when he was twenty five years old. At the age of forty, the first verses came from Allah in the month of Ramadan. The Angel Jibrael brought these first five verses to Muhammad (pbuh). These words were written down by the scribes and memorised by the Muslims. This message continued for twenty three years and is known as the Qu'ran – the word of Allah.

The people originally refused to follow Muhammad (pbuh) and persecuted him. There were only a handful of people who followed Muhammad (pbuh) and his teachings. The Prophet (pbuh) and his followers suffered many hardships in Makkah. After thirteen years, they left Makkah and migrated to Yathrib (Madina) where many people accepted Islam and the teachings spread very quickly.

The Makkans were not happy; they tried to attack the Muslims on many occasions. These were times of trial for the Muslims. There were times when the Muslims faced many problems and hardships but they continued to struggle on. The Muslims were eventually successful and managed to secure peace in the whole region. Many people began to accept Islam in Arabia but the Makkans continued to plot against the Muslims.

Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions returned to Makkah and the House of Allah. The Muslims then removed all the idols from the Ka'bahand Muhammad (pbuh) forgave these people who had persecuted and harmed him for so many years. There was great happiness and rejoicing in Makkah.

Islam continued to spread and reform the Arabs. After the prophet (pbuh) passed away Islam continued to spread all over the world. The rightly guided Khalifas that came after Muhammad ruled justly and cared for the people. There was justice throughout the lands as more and more people, tribes and countries accepted the teachings of Islam.

The Sahabah, the companions of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh), worked hard to practice the ideals of Islam and teach it to the people. Through the efforts of the Sahabah and the early Muslims we are Muslims today, Alhamdu-lillah.

The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was kind and honest. He looked after his family and friends. He had good character and respected the elders. He looked after the orphans and the poor. He was concerned for the wellbeing of all people. He never stole or swore at anyone. He was loved and respected by everyone – the Muslims and the non-Muslims.

The prophet’s character and actions are also recorded in the Hadith books which give us an insight into this great man. Many people try and follow the example of the prophet (pbuh), indeed he is a role model for all Muslims. We should also be kind and good – following the example of the prophet (pbuh) throughout our lives.

In the Seerah class, you will learn a lot about the prophet (pbuh) and about his life. The lessons are very simple and are only a small introduction to the life of our prophet Muhammad (pbuh). You should spend some of your own time and learn more about this great man.

Special Thx for musalla.org

Dil Mein Ishq -e-Nabi ki ho Aesi Lagan (Islam)

A young British Nasheed Artist Muhammad Milad Raza Qadri is back with his golden voice to inspire young Muslim generation

Milad-un-Nabi – Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Birth and Death Anniversary(Islam)

Prophet Muhammad as explained by God was “Mercy for all mankind.” The prophet’s birth and death anniversaries reminds Muslims of the Life and Character that they are instructed to follow and emulate.

The occasion celebrated as Milad-un-Nabi inspires Muslims to pause, take stock of their own lives and reflect upon the standards the Holy Prophet had established by way of example. The occasion also serves as a reminder that whatever trials and tribulations one faces, the prophet of god faced even greater and yet he never allowed anger and hatred to determine his actions. Rather he insisted “love for humanity what you love for yourself.’

Milad un Nabi also known as Youmanabi and is celebrated by Muslims as Eid-e-Milad throughout the world. On this day Muslims will re-tell stories to their families of the holy prophet and send their blessings, prayers and recitation of The Holy Quran in his praise. Lectures are given in Mosques and feast and charity is given to the poor and needy. However, this holiday is not celebrated with style because it’s the death anniversary of the prophet also.

Prophet Muhammad was born on the 12th day of Rabi-ul- Awwal [the third month of the Muslim Calendar] which was Monday 20th April, 570 AD in Mecca, Arabia.

-His mother name was Amina. She was the daughter of Wahb Ibn Abdu Manaf of the Zahrah family

-His father Abdullah was the son of Abdul Mutallib.

-Prophet Muhammad father died before his birth.

-Prophet Muhammad’s mother died when he was six years old.

The orphan was put under the charge of his Grandfather Abdul Mutalib who died two years later. After the death of his Grandfather, his uncle Abu Talib raised him.

-Prophet Muhammad genealogy has been traced to the noble house of Ishmael; the son of Prophet Abraham in about the fortieth descends.

-When he was 25yrs old he went to Syria and was offered Khadija hand in marriage. She was famous for her virtues and wealth among the Arabs. Khadija was a widow, 15 yrs his senior. They had one daughter Fatima.

- Prophet Muhammad did not get any formal education. At age 40 his first revelation came down to him on Monday 21st of Ramadan, at night [August 10th, 610 AC]. His revelations were through dreams by angel Jibrael. He had a vision in which he was commanded to preach. Thereafter, throughout his life he had revelations, many of which were collected and recorded in the Holy Quran.

-His fundamental teachings were: there is one god; people must in all things submit to him in this world and have been amply punished for rejecting God’s prophet and there is a heaven and hell waiting for the present generation. The world will come to an end with great judgment. As religious duties he included frequent prayers, giving charity and forbade usury.

-Two months after performing Hajj [pilgrimage] prophet Muhammad fell ill though he continued to lead the congregation prayers.

-On the evening of the 12 Rabi-ul- Awwal [June 8th, 632 AD] prophet Muhammad passed away at the age of 63. He was buried the next morning at the precise spot he died.

-The prophet daughter Fatima died 6mths after his death.

The Birth and Death Anniversary of our Holy Prophet Muhammad is an invaluable lesson for Muslims young and old to partake in. It’s a celebration of joy and mercy that recounts the compassion of the great Prophet.

Apsana
Thx for baiganchoka.com/blog

Milad e Nabi Maulid Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (Islam)

"And peace on him on the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and on the day he is raised to life" Holy Quran 19:15

Allahuma salli ala Muhammadin wa Aal-e Muhammad
O God! Shower thy blessings on Muhammad and the descendents of Muhammad

Milad-un Nabi or Maulid (Mawlid) is the birthday celebration of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) and is celebrated by Muslims as Eid-e Milad. Prophet Muhammad was born Arabia in the city of Mecca on the 12th day of Rabi-ul-Awwal, which was Monday the 20th day of April, 571 A.C. This falls on Saturday May 25, 2002 and fell on June 4th last year (2001). This is also his death anniversary. The occasion is celebrated by remembering the favors bestowed on the ummah (community), the first is the revelation of the Holy Quran with its instructions, the second, the institution of an Everliving Guide who would advise the mu'mins (believers) according to the needs of the time. This is why Ismailis are called Ibn'ul Waqt (children of the time) as they are guided by the Imam of the time, Noor Mowlana Shah Karim Al Hussayni Hazar Imam (salwaat), His Highness the Aga Khan. He is the 49th Imam descended from the Holy Prophet's daughter, Fatima and Hazrat Ali (a.s.). For Shia Muslims, this occasion is of even more import and full of symbolism as this was also his death anniversary and, therefore, it endorses the Hablillah (Rope of Imamat) wherein Prophet Muhammad had chosen Hazrat Ali as his successor at Gadhir-e Khumm. What I am trying to say is that, this more than a coincidence. Prophet Muhammad's birthday coincided with his physical passing as was ordained by God. Hazrat Ali took over the spiritual reins from him and this chain has continued to the present. In every jomma (period of Imamat) the previous Imam appoints the following Imam and even though the previous Imam passes away physically, which could be a day of mourning, the ummah rejoices at the installation of the new Imam as the Covenant (promise of the Light of Allah) continues.

Regarding this, Mowlana Sultan Mahomed Shah (a.s.) said in one of his sermons:

We (the Imams) change the physical bodies in the world but our Noor (Divine Light) is eternal and comes from the very beginning. You should therefore take it as one Noor. The Noor (Light of Allah) is ever present, only the names are different. The Throne of the Imamat of Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) continues on and will remain till the Day of Judgment." (source: Ilm, Vol. 3, No. 2 - November 1977 pg 22)

The Eid-e Milad and Eid-e Gadhir are two very important celebrations for Shia Muslims. On this day every year, believers gather to recite special prayers for thanksgiving to Allah for sending Prophet Muhammad as a mercy to all nations, and speeches and lectures are made about the seerat (life) and instructions of the Holy Prophet. Poetry in the form of naats are recited and after the prayers, sweets are distributed and perfume is sprinkled or applied on everyone. The ladies and children gather for the mehndi (henna) application and everyone wears beautiful clothes for the occasion. Children get money or gifts and in East Africa we used to go to a fete, Eid Mela (fun fair) organized on this occasion by community members and we could ride on the swing merry-go round on which as children we had great fun.

In countries with Muslim concentration, the celebrations go on for the first twelve days of the month called Barah Wafah (twelve days before passing) and there are conferences and mehfils (gatherings) everyday.

Our beloved Prophet offers humanity a perfect example in all facets of life. The Holy Quran declares: "Verily, you have in the messenger of Allah, a most beautiful model (Uswa al-Hassanah)." Laqad kana lakum fee rasooli Allahi oswatun hasanatun Quran 33:21

Prophet Muhammad lived among his people and taught them about the belief in one God, ethics in everyday life and the importance of education in leading an exemplary life. In this regard, some of his famous sayings are "Seek knowledge even unto China", "acquire knowledge, for he who acquires it performs an act of piety; he who speaks of knowledge, praises God: he who seeks it, adores God." He also declared: "The ink of the scholar is more precious than the blood of the martyr."

Mowlana Sultan Mahomed Shah stressed this message of Prophet Muhammad and maintained that Islam by its very nature was dynamic and not rigid and spiritual faith should advance with along with material progress. In his Message to the World of Islam, he said:

"Formalism and verbal interpretation of the teachings of the Prophet are in absolute contradiction with his whole life history. We must accept his Divine Message as the channel of our union with the 'Absolute' and the 'Infinite' and once our spiritual faith is firmly established, fearlessly go forward by self sacrifice, by courage and by application to raise the scientific, the economic, the political and the social position of Muslims to a place of equality with Christian Europe and America.

"Our social customs, our daily work, our constant efforts, must be tuned up, must be brought into line with the highest form of possible civilization. At its greatest period Islam was at the head of science, was at the head of knowledge, was in the advance line of political, philosophical and literary thought."

Addressing the Seerat Conference, our beloved Mowlana Hazar Imam advised the Muslim World to make the Prophet's life the beacon light for achieving a truly modern and dynamic Islamic society. He said:

"The Holy Prophet's life gives us every fundamental guideline that we require to resolve the problem as successfully as our human minds and intellects can visualize. His example of integrity, loyalty, honesty, generosity, both of means and of time his solicitude for the poor, the weak and the sick, his steadfastness in friendship, his humility in success, his magnanimity in victory, his simplicity, his wisdom in conceiving new solutions for problems which could not be solved by traditional methods, without affecting the fundamental concepts of Islam, surely, all these are foundations which correctly understood and sincerely interpreted, must enable us to conceive what should be a truly modern and dynamic Islamic society in the years ahead."

His life and achievements are so wonderful and expansive that I cannot cover them in this short article and for this reason, I urge you to peruse the links at the bottom of this page for more material.

The following excerpts have been provided by my good friend, Courtney Kirshner, who encouraged me to get this article up even though I missed the birthday deadline this year. They are taken from Annemarie Schimmel's Mystical Dimensions of Islam:

"As early as the late eleventh century, and generally from the twelfth century on, the veneration of the Prophet assumed a visible form in the celebration of the maulid, his birthday, on 12 Rabi' ul-awwal, the third month of the Muslim lunar year. This day is still celebrated in the Muslim world. The number of poems written for this festive occasion in all Islamic languages is beyond reckoning. From the easter end of the Muslim world to the west the maulid is a wonderful occasion for the pious to show their warm love of the Prophet in songs, poems, and prayers." Page 216

The next material is from Schimmel's book "And Muhammad is His Messenger" it has a whole chapter devoted to this topic!

"It seems that the tendency to celebrate the memory of Muhammad's birthday on a larger and more festive scale emerged first in Egypt during the Fatimid Era (969-1171). This is logical, for the Fatimids claim to be the Prophet's decendants through his daughter Fatima. The Egyptian historian Maqrizi (d.1442) basing his account on Fatimid sources. It was apparently an occasion in which mainly scholars and the religious establishment participated. They listened to sermons, and sweets, particularly honey, the Prophet's favorite, were distributed; the poor received alms." page 145

The earliest Arabic sources, basing their claims on Koranic epithets like sirajun munir, a 'shining lamp,' tell that a light radiated from Amina's womb with the arrival of the newborn Proghet. Hassan ibn Thabit [poet, contemporary of Muhammad who joined him in Medina and eulogized important events in the Muslim community] sings in his dirge for Muhammad that his mother Amina of blessed memory had born him in a happy hour in which there went forth "a light which illuminated the world"

It is not surprising that this spiritual light was soon given material reality in the accounts of the Prophet's birth, as can be seen first in Ibn Sa'd's historical work in the ninth century. Yunus Emre [turkish sunni poet d.1321] sings like numerous poets in his succession in Turkey, Iran, and India:

"The world was all submersed in light
In the night of Muhammad's birth." page 149-150

"The first comprehensive work about the Prophet's birth, as far as one knows, was composed by the Andalusian author Ibn Dihya, who had participated in the festive maulid in Arbela in 1207. Written in prose with a concluding poetical economium , his work has the characteristic title Kitab at-tanwir fi maulid as-siraj al-munir (The Book of Illumination about the Birth of the Luminous Lamp), in which the light-mysticism associated with Muhammad is evident. Two Hanabilites, Ibn al-Jauzi and, a century and half later, Ibn Kathir, devoted treatises to the maulid. Poetical works about this important event were also composed relatively early." page 152

"Ibn al-Jauzi, without doubt a serious, critical theologian of Hanbalite persuasion and not a mystical poet - wrote in his maulid book, which is the first of this kind:

When Muhammad was born, angels proclaimed with high and low voices. Gabriel came with the good tidings, and the Throne trembled. The houris came out of their castles, and fragrance spread. Ridwan [the keeper of the gates of Paradise] was addressed: "Adorn the highest Paradise, remove the curtain from the Palace, send a flock of birds from the birds of Eden to Amina's dwelling place that they may drip a pearl each form their beaks," And when Muhammad was born, Amina saw a light, which illuminated the palaces of Bostra. The angels surrounded her and spread out their wings. The rows of angels, singing praise, descended and filled hill and dale." page 150

"It is also important to remember that Muhammad was born free from all bodily impurities." page 152

"The conviction that a maulud [song of the Prophet's birth] has a blessing power is not peculiar to Turkish Muslims. Its baraka is acknowledged everywhere in the Muslim world...From the Middle Ages onward it was believed that the recitation of the maulud would grant the listeners not only worldly but also heavenly reward." page 255-256.
Thx for amaana.org

A Poem on Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.w.) by Allama Iqbal (Islam)

He slept on a mat of rushes,
But the crown of Chosroes lay beneath the feet of his followers;
He chose the nightly solitude of Mount Hira,
And founded a nation, law and government;
He passed his nights with sleepless eyes,
That his Millet might sleep on Chosroes throne
In the hour of battle, iron was melted by the flash of his sword.
At prayer time, tears fell like drops of rain from his eyes.
In his prayer for Divine help, his Amen' was a sword,
Which extirpated the lineage of kings.
He inaugurated a new Order in the world,
He brought the empires old to an end:
In his sight the high and the low were one,
He sat with the slave at table one;
He burnt clear the distinctions of birth and clan.
His fire consumed all this trash and bran.
Thx for muhammad.net