Augsburg Fortress Canada

Chapter 2

Muhammad, the Last in the Chain of Prophets

Chapter Summary

Prophethood – a chain of Prophets – biblical Prophets – the role of a Prophet – Abraham – the building of the Ka'ba – test of obedience to God – the Hajj – 'Id al-Adha – birth and early life of Muhammad – the first revelation – early years of Muhammad in Makka – some Muslims seek asylum with the Christians of Abyssinia – the miraculous ascent to heaven – migration to Madina – beginning of a settled community life – exemplary life of Muhammad – death and succession: the Sunni view – the Rightly-Guided Caliphs – the Shi'a view – history of the Imams – the martyrdom of Imam Husayn

Prophets, sent to all peoples (Q. 10.47; 16.38) are essential to the Islamic world-view. Every prophet brought the message of islam. Muslims believe that the prophets were made sinless through God's gift of divine knowledge. Adam, the first human, was the first prophet. After him follows a chain of prophets, ending with Muhammad.

The Qur'an names 25 prophets, but the total number is unknown (Q. 40.78). The Qur'an lists many prophets also found in the Bible. These include Moses, Abraham, Noah and Jesus. Not all prophets listed in the Bible are found in the Qur'an, and not all in the Qur'an are found in the Bible. In Islam, the primary role of the prophet is to reinforce and clarify earlier teachings of pure islam (Q. 5.15). Prophets are known as either rasul ('messenger' with a revealed Book) or a nabi. Although nabi and rasul are distinct categories, Islam stresses that all prophets are equal (Q. 4.152), though some have unique characteristics.

As the last prophet, Muhammad is the Seal of the Prophets: he confirmed and validated the others that came before. Some scholars speak of the Light of Muhammad, the light of prophecy that dwelled in earlier prophets and came to perfection in Muhammad.

The prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) is the common link between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Bible and the Qur'an disagree about which of his sons—Ishmael (Isma'il) or Isaac—he was to sacrifice. Muslims believe that Ibrahim and Isma'il built the Ka'ba in Makka (Q. 3.96). The white stone brought by the angel Gabriel for the corner of the Ka'ba turned black during the following centuries and today is reverenced by Muslims.

The annual pilgrimage of the Hajj is closely associated with the story of Ibrahim and Isma'il. Dressed identically, Muslims on Hajj are made aware of their equality before God. The Ka'ba, the focus of Muslim prayer, is also the center of the Hajj, which includes many rituals, culminating in 'Id al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice.

Muhammad was born in Makka to a prominent merchant family. He was orphaned and raised by his uncle, Abu Talib. On a merchant trip, Muhammad met a Christian hermit named Bahira, who sensed in Muhammad the gift of prophecy. Early on, he earned the nickname al-Amin, "The Trustworthy One." Later, a wealthy widow, Khadija, hired him. She eventually proposed to him and married him. During that time, most clans worshipped idols; the Ka'ba was used to house them. Some, like Muhammad's family, were proto-monotheists who used the Arabic word Allah for God. There were also some Jews and various types of Christians.

Muhammad's first revelation took place in 610 CE, during the month of Ramadan (Q. 53:1–18). During a customary retreat in the mountains, he encountered the Angel Jibril (Gabriel), who spoke the word iqra ('recite' or 'speak forth'). Muhammad responded that he was ummi, without formal education (this is an important tenet of Islamic faith). Jibril embraced Muhammad, and the prophet's heart was purified to make it a fitting resting place for the Word of God in the Qur'an. After this embrace, the first words of the Qur'an came from Muhammad's lips (Q. 96:1–5). Thus began a 23-year process of revelations.

After Jibril departed, Muhammad went home to Khadija, who comforted him and then called for her cousin, a Christian. When Waraqa heard of the encounter, he confirmed that Muhammad had been called by God. Although the exact night is uncertain, most Muslims throughout the world celebrate the 27th night of Ramadan as the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr).

The next revelations came some time later with Q. 93.1–8, a call to worship God alone instead of idols and to care for the poor and weak. Muhammad faced opposition for these teachings. The first male converts were Ali and Abu Bakr; the resulting small group faced persecution, but Muhammad was protected by his uncle, Abu Talib. To escape persecution, in 615CE, a group of Muslims was given refuge by the Christian king of Abyssinia. They remained there until Muhammad moved north to Madina. During the years in Makka, Muhammad underwent the night journey (isra) and ascent into heaven (mi'raj) (Q. 17.1). This event ties Muhammad and Islam to both Jerusalem and the chain of previous prophets.

In 622CE, the leaders of Yathrib invited Muhammad to be their leader. The city was renamed Madinat al-Nabi, the City of the Prophet, or just Madina. Many Muslims followed him in a migration (Hijra), which now marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. It was then that the ideal of the Muslim community (umma) was established. Muhammad was a respected political and military leader, especially in three major battles with the Makkans. The battles provided a context for shifting relationships with other religious communities. As respect for Muhammad spread beyond Madina, he made treaties with many other groups, including, in 631, a group of Christians from Najran. Eventually, they asked for a Muslim to live among them to settle their disputes.

The religious focus of the community was on Makka. The qibla (direction) of prayer was shifted from the Ka'ba/Jerusalem to Jerusalem alone, and the finally to the Ka'ba alone. Muhammad led an army to Makka in 631, after several years of peaceful Hajj experiences; the city surrendered with almost no bloodshed. His first act was to smash the idols in the Ka'ba. Muhammad died soon after in 632.

Muhammad is respected by Muslims, not only as the conveyor of the Qur'an but as an exemplar of the Muslim life. With the other prophets, Muhammad was rendered sinless through the gift of God's knowledge. Every word and action is an example for Muslims. Because of their love and respect for Muhammad, many Muslims react strongly to insults to the Prophet.

Sunni and Shi'a Muslims have different views regarding how Muhammad should be succeeded as the leader of the Muslim umma. He had no surviving sons. Sunnis, now the more populous group, support the leadership of the Rashidun — Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman—empowered by popular support in the umma. Shi'a Muslims believe that the Family of the Prophet was purified by God and that Ali was Muhammad's rightful successor. For Shi'a, who hold many distinctive beliefs, the first three leaders after Muhammad were usurpers, and Ali is the first legitimate Imam.

Key Names, Terms, and Concepts

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

  1. What events led to and characterized the building of the Ka'ba?
  2. Why was the Hajj described in a chapter dealing with Muhammad?
  3. What is one way Christians can think in Islamic terms regarding the revelation of the Gospel?
  4. Explain the origin of the Islamic calendar. Why is it difficult to reconcile with western calendars?
  5. Describe the differences between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims. How do their disagreements compare to differences between Christian groups and denominations?
  6. Muslims believe that Muhammad was an embodiment of Islamic ideals. What insights do you gain into Islam through knowing more about him?

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