Was Prophet Mohammad a Perfect Man?
Hello to all,
Most Islamic sites on the net state that Prophet Mohammad was a perfect man, thus a perfect example for mankind.
According to Islamic belief, was he really a perfect man or was he as imperfect as any other human beings?
Thank in advance for your inputs.
Javed.
in what sense do you see other human beings as imperfect?
you need to state the aspects of humans to which you are referring to so that we have a guidline to compare.
the Prophet was perfect in his conduct of life.
the Prophet is rebuked by Allah at certain points in the Quran for his actions (the most memorable being turning away from a blind man, and for sparing prisoners of war after the battle of Badr). so in the sense that he could never ever do any 'wrong', no he's not perfect. and he never claimed to be. in fact, he was well known for often stating "i don't know, yet" so he never claimed to have perfect knowledge either.
Was the Holy Prophet (PBUH) a perfect man?
Well certainly YES! The prophets who came before the Prohphet Mumhammed(PBUH) had brought miracles which Allah had given them, but Prohphet Mumhammed(PBUH) himself was a miracle! Do not forget he was the Last Prophet.
And imperfections? Well Prohphet Mumhammed(PBUH) used to say all his life (I ask Allah for forgiveness about 100 times a day). But did he commit any sins? NO!
Its message for all man kind, he was perfect as a human being and a Prophet and as far as the event of turning away from a blind man, and for sparing prisoners of war after the battle of Badr is concern then (exioce) who told you that Allah rebuked it? Which surahs in Quran (let me know).
All it means that is that apart from having divine knowledge, he also possesed traits of human nature but he never scolded or harmed anyone. If he would become angry, his face would turn red and he wouldn't say anything and I believe this is a message for mankind. He was NOT imperfect in any way!
salaams,
Islam's concpetion of the perfect man does not mean a man who is free from mistakes. It is part of being human, and it is further part of his educational process. Thus, the Prophet (S) may have made mistakes, but these mistakes were not related to revelation. If he did make a mistake out of his own piety, God Almighty correct him (S) so as to balance his conduct and teach the ummah the correct way to act.
so, yes Muhamamd (S) was the perfect man, but he was the perfect man according to Islam's conception of man. This is the same for all Prophet's of God.
Maybe this helps:
68:3 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
68:4 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
So he's the model for us all to pattern ourselves after, an ideal, if that answers your question.
who is going to answer this???????????
marrying a girl who is 9 according to hadith , not quran , is this necessarilly right?
MJ
@MJ
hadith testimony attributed directly to Aisha say it happened. and until very recently it was likely no-one cared enough to suggest otherwise. then came the modern concept of pedofilia, and suddenly there was a mad rush to disprove the testimony, using extrapolated stuff from hadith indirectly connected to the issue.
either way it's irrelevent, as it happened 1400 years ago at a time when marrying girls that age was the norm the world over. and furthermore, according to Aisha the marriage was not consumated until several years after the marriage, meaning the Prophet had no particular desire for younger girls. it is, after all, illogical to have waited if he did.
@Gohar86
the sources are (from Yusuf Ali translation),
"(The Prophet) frowned and turned away, Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting). But what could tell thee but that perchance he might grow (in spiritual understanding)? - Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him?
As to one who regards Himself as self-sufficient, To him dost thou attend; Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding). But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly, And with fear (in his heart), Of him wast thou unmindful."
[Quran 80: 1-10]
"It is not fitting for a prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he hath thoroughly subdued the land. Ye look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah looketh to the Hereafter: And Allah is Exalted in might, Wise. Had it not been for a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe penalty would have reached you for the (ransom) that ye took. But (now) enjoy what ye took in war, lawful and good: but fear Allah: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."
[Quran 8: 67-69]
Regarding Aisha’s age, The hadith that states she was six seems to have emanated from Iraq and doesn’t seem to have been known in Madina in the early days of Islam which is odd because the Prophet (P) lived in Madina. The early historian, Ibn Sa’ad does indeed indicate that she was six when she got fully married to him in 624CE (Bukhari says the same thing). But there is overwhelming evidence by early biographers that prove to the contrary.
Asma, the sister of Aisha died at the age of 100 in the 73 AH, and she was 10 years older than Aisha (according to A. R. ibn Arabi al-Zinad, Ibn Kathir Dimashqui and Ibn Abd al-Barr). Her time of death was easy to remember because it was just after her son Abdullah ibn Zubair was killed in battle. If she was 10 years older than Aisha and died 73 years AH then Aisha would have been 90, had she lived to that time. If we calculate backwards from the year 73 AH then we find that she would have been 16 at her marriage and 19 when her marriage was consummated and not 9. Thus, she must have been born in the year 605CE.
According to the early historian Ibn Jarir at-Tabari, Aisha was born in the days of ignorance which supports the view that she was 19 when she got married to the Prophet [if she was born only just before the advent of revelation (and Tabari doesn’t say ‘JUST before’ but only that she was born in the days of ignorance), even then she would have been at least 14].
The Prophet (P) received revelation at the age of 40 in 610CE and he was about 2 years older than Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr got married to Umm Ruman at the age of 28 and so naturally, we would assume that their two children would have been born 4-5 years later. This would mean that she would have been born about 605CE which again would make her 19 at the time when her marriage was supposed to have taken place in (624CE).
According to Ibn Hischam’s Seerah of the Prophet, Ali and Aisha were amongst the first children to accept Islam. If she was born in 614CE (As the Hadith states) then she couldn’t possible have been one of the first children to accept Islam.
After Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet died, he was very sad, plus he had two children to look after. His aunt suggested for that he marries Aisha. There was one problem and that was that she was engaged to Jubayr ibn Mut’im ibn Adi since before the advent of Islam. This was easily solved because he and his parents didn’t want the marriage because she was Muslim and they weren’t. If Aisha was born in 614CE (4 years after the advent of Islam) then she couldn’t possible have been engaged to Jubayr before the advent of Islam. As such it makes more sense once again to suggest that she was 19 and not 9.
According to the Hadith, she was playing on a swing in the garden when she was called for the marriage. This doesn’t mean that she was a young child as some think. If there is a good swing in the garden then it is very common for teenagers to gather around there while enjoying their conversation.
Most historians agree that Aisha was 67 when she died. Furthermore, Hisham Ibn Urwah the grandson of Aisha’s sister Asma, stated that she died in the year 50AH/672CE. Khalifa ibn al-Khayyat al-Usfuri who was knowledgable in lineage, and biography and imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal also give the same date for her death. If this is the case then she must have been born in 605CE and 19 in 624CE when she got married.
Those Hadith that state that Aisha was 6 at her Nikka and 9 when fully married seem to have based their report on Ibn Hischam’s tradition. However many scholars including Imam Malik said that Ibn Hischam’s reports that come from Iraq are unreliable (Because they weren’t known at all in Madina). Furthermore, ibn Hisham records that she died in 672CE which means that she must have been 19 when she moved in with the Prophet (P) and couldn’t have been 9 as he also stated.
Saayid Sulaiman Nadvi is another one of those who opine that Aisha was 6 at her marriage and he too contradicts himself. He says that the last phase of Mu’awaiah’s caliphate was also the end of her life (at the age of 67). He also says that she was a widow for 40 years. This means that the Prophet (P) died 40 years earlier. Since we know the Prophet died in 632CE then she must have been 27 when he died. Calculating backwards to the date when she moved in with (in 624CE) him would mean that she was 19.
According to another narrative in Bukhari, Aisha was reported to have said that a certain verse from Surah Al-Qamar was revealed to the Prophet (P) in Makkah, while she was playing with dolls. Surah Al-Qamar was one of the Makkan Surahs (and early chapters of the Qur’an) and as such it must have been revealed at least 5 years before the Hijrah. This means that she couldn’t have been born in 614CE. It is much more likely that she was born in 605CE and was 12 when she was playing with her dolls (this is the age in which girls often play with dolls, playing Mother and child).
It is recorded that Aisha, in the year of her marriage, at the Battle of Uhud, along with other ladies took drinking water to serve the Muslims. Would she have done this at the age of 19 or 9?
We should also remember that she was a great Scholar of Islam and that many Hadith come from her. Even the Caliphs would come to her for advice, could this have been so if she got married to him at the age of 6, which would mean that she was only 18 at his death? It is much more likely that she was born in 605CE, that her Nikah to the Prophet (P) took place when she was 16-17 and that her marriage was solemnised when she was 19 in 624CE. She would have been about 28 when he died and 67 at her death in 672CE as the information that I have written proofs.
Hope this helps.
Edited by - Hischam Khan on 12/30/2003 04:10:50
Salam All,
As it regards to Aisha's marriags:
Exioce wrote:
A very good point I must say. However, there's another way to view the situation. At some point, for whatever reason, "no one cared" to discuss the situation of such a young girl getting married according to the adhadith. However, when people wanted to attack the Prophet (P) they decided to dig up whatever they can about him. Thus, these ahadith which purported the "truth" were contrary to the ideologies of the world. This pushing that the detractors committed towards the Muslims forced the Muslims to study a subject which they had ignored. Thus, the very force to defend themselves proved to lead the Muslims to the truth about this issue. (Another possibility is that Muslims because of their own ideological stance may have delved into the situation not accepting it as it is reported.)Originally Posted by Exioce
The problems of the ahadith are not made up, the inconsistencies didn't recently arise, nor was the status of these unacceptable reports not known. These problems have always existed, they were not discovered or given proper attention as they should have for whatever reason. If one concludes that the reason was that it was acceptable that such a young girl (6, 9, 11) be married then that should be established by some sort of historical fact. I have personally never come across any information regarding such early marriages in pre-Islamic Arabia, during the Prophet's time or today. The point is that whatever the reason Muslim scholarship failed to deal with this issue is not the matter. The matter is that now that they have been forced into dealing with it they have found numerous information that contradict it.
Exioce also wrote:
Yes it did happen over 1400 years ago and that is a good point. It is true, and you are absolutely right, that we need to look at certain conditions according relativity principles. However, if we find that something isn't correct then I see no problem with using your reasoning as to relativity coupled with whatever the truth turns out to be.
I disagree with the part where you say, "a time when marrying girls that age was the norm the world over." I would appreciate some sort factual information to back this up, even better if it related directly to Arabia.
Regards
Salam All,
As it regards to the Prophet's (P) perfection:
I think Ihsan has summed up this issue quite succinctly and very well I might add.
The story of Ibn Umm Maktum is as follows: (My summary)
The Prophet was conversing with important persons of Makkah (one of them was Walid the chief of Makhzum and for all intensive purposes the yet to be named leader of the Quraysh). The Prophet was enthusiastic to bring the message of Islam to him because that would have been a pivotal point in Islamic history. He was so concentrated and in deep conversation; to win over this guy would lend a tremendous uplifting hand to the Message of the God. However, in mid-conversation the blind man (Ibn Maktum) interrupted and asked the Prophet to either explain or recite verses from the Qur'an. The Prophet asked him to wait and have patience until he was done. It may have been that Ibn Maktum was just as enthusiatic in receiving the message as the Prophet was in delivering it. He kept interrupting the Prophet until the Prophet "frowned" and turned away from him. The conversation was ruined, the Prophet had lost the opportunity to seize a great moment for Islam, or so he thought. Having done that, the verses of Surah `Abasa 80 (He Frowned) were revealed. It informed the Prophet that he had not lost a great moment to convert Walid because Walid was no where near conversion in his heart. So the blind man had not interrupted anything. The Prophet was to give regard to all, it was a revelation to teach/train/correct his preaching of the Message.
The Prophet more than made up for it as he made Ibn Maktum the other Mu'adhin (caller to prayer along with Bilal). He also led the prayers in Medina when the Prophet was away for whatever reason.
I think a close analysis of the story would prove that this was not a sin nor was it a corruption of the transmission of religion on the Prophet's part.
Exioce quotes 8:67-69 as another instance when the Prophet is corrected. I think there's a bit of misunderstanding here. Especially, in light of Surah 47:4 (Muhammad) which was revealed before the battle of Badr. It's not that the Muslims broke God's laws, it's that when they routed the enemy some of the fighters began collecting the spoils of war before they had subdued the enemy. This was directed at them not the Prophet.
Regards
"A'isha the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), reported that one day Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) came out of her (apartment) during the night and she felt jealous. Then he came and he saw me (in what agitated state of mind) I was. He said: A'isha, what has happened to you? Do you feel jealous? Thereupon she said: How can it he (that a woman like me) should not feel jealous in regard to a husband like you. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: It was your devil who had come to you, and she said: Allah's Mes- senger, is there along with me a devil? He said: Yes. I said: Is devil attached to everyone? He said: Yes. I (Aisha) again said: Allah's Messenger, is it with you also? He said: Yes, but my Lord has helped me against him and as such I am ab solutely safe from his mischief." (Sahih Muslim Book 39, Number 6759)
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