BIOGRAPHERS OF THE PROPHET

BIOGRAPHERS OF THE PROPHET

The True Mission Overlooked

MUSLIM scholars, past and present, have tried to author books on the life of the Prophet of Islam, some compressed into small booklets and others as comprehensive books consisting of several volumes. They studied extensively all available records on the life of the Prophet of Islam. But strangely, no Islamic scholar has been able to discover and present a true representation of the Prophet of Islam. The word rasulullah (the Messenger of God) itself denotes that the Prophet was a messenger of God. His sole duty was to convey the message of God to mankind. The Quran is very clear about this role of the Prophet. Sadly these Islamic scholars and biographers seem unaware of this fact. 

An analysis will reveal the reason for this tragedy.

Studying the books of these Islamic scholars, it becomes apparent that their compositions on the Prophet’s life were mainly for seeking reward (sawab) from God. An objective study of this subject was not their interest. One well-known scholar has admitted that he compiled his book on the life of the Prophet to get himself included in the golden list of the Prophet’s biographers. Another scholar says, ‘When God Almighty asks me on the Day of Judgement, ‘Do you have something to present here?’ I will present my book on the Prophet’s life’. 


The sole duty of the Prophet was to convey the
message of God to mankind.


These Muslim biographers of the Prophet composed their books to inform Muslims about their Prophet’s personality, to establish their glory with reference to their Prophet and to defend their Prophet against the so-called allegations made by Western writers.

The primary desire of these scholars was to glorify their Prophet, in other words, they wanted to feed their sense of pride. No wonder they failed to discover the true picture of the Prophet as one who was on a mission, the messenger of God to mankind. 

This psyche of the biographers can be understood from this narrative. Many youngsters frequented a popular library to read the newspapers. It was quite encouraging to see them here and it was presumed that they were interested in world news. An interaction with them revealed that they were unemployed youth seeking job vacancies. Their reading was confined to things of their interest, the employment column and appointments page. Such was the case of the Muslim biographers, whose study of the Prophet’s life was confined only to their interests. 


The principal mission of the Prophet remained
neglected in the later periods of history.


Non-Muslim biographers present a different angle. Their objective study helped them identify the fundamental mission of the Prophet as a Messenger but being nonbelievers, it was not their concern to follow this Sunnah (practice) of the Prophet. So, the principal mission of the Prophet remained neglected in the later periods of history.

Muslim biographers state that the Prophet’s purpose was to spread the message of Islam but they were unable to convey the true significance of the Prophet’s role as being the Messenger of God. Likewise, although the non-Muslim biographers acknowledged the fact that the Prophet’s mission was a messenger of God to mankind, they could not engage in this mission as it was not their concern. Hence, the principal mission of the Prophet has remained obscured. o

Final Abode

Death reminds us that the present world is not our final abode. We have to prepare ourselves for the world Hereafter. Death is only a reminder of the fact that everyone is doomed to enter the other world.