Muhammad: Man of God (Repost)

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. This short study of the life of the Blessed Prophet of Islam is neither a new historical analysis nor yet another purely devotional sketch of the earthly career of God's last prophet. There are already numerous historical studies of him in European languages, written not only by Western scholars, but also by Muslims either writing in these languages or having their work translated into these tongues, especially English. There are more specialized studies devoted to him as statesman, military commander, political leader, etc. Moreover, some biographies, which may be called devotional literature, are available in English although works which bring out the spiritual significance of the Blessed Prophet and the inner meaning of the various episodes of his life are rare. Despite existing works therefore, there still exists the need for biographies which would take into consideration the spiritual dimensions as well as the more factual and historical elements of the life of the person who changed human history. The present study aims to be a humble step in this direction and seeks to fulfill the need for a short biography which would take into consideration the known historical facts and their spiritual significance while preserving the traditional Islamic point of view and explaining certain elements of this exemplary life which have been cast into doubt by the modernized, skeptical mind. This monograph is addressed primarily to the young Muslim reader who has no access to the traditional sources and is yet in need of a traditional and at the same time contemporary presentation of the life of the Blessed Prophet. The pen of the author of these lines is incapable of depicting the grandeur of the subject it has treated. It is only hoped that this humble effort will give at least an inkling of the greatness, majesty and nobility of life of the being whom God has called a mercy unto the world. Whatever has been accomplished is due to His help while the faults are our own. We ask forgiveness for the shortcomings of this treatment and realize only too well how difficult indeed is the task of depicting in contemporary language something of the grandeur of a being the dimensions of whose personality exceed the ken of imagination of the majority of those who live in the modern world and who have become accustomed to the mediocrity characterizing this world.