The Prophet Muhammad The best of All Husbands by: Dr. Ghazi al Shammari

Preface

in the Name of Allah, the All Compassionate and All Merciful

All praises are for Allah alone, the Lord of all worlds. May blessings and peace be upon the most honorable Prophet and Messenger, Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah, who was always truthful and trustworthy. Allah praises His beloved Messenger (salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam--blessings and peace be upon him) in the following way:

And we have not sent you, [o Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds

-(Quran 21: 107)

I ask my Lord to support all of us in doing acts of goodness, abstaining from those that are evil, and nurturing love for the poor in our hearts.

Dear brothers and sisters, the religion of Islam is the greatest blessing that Allah has bestowed upon us. This is because Islam is the religion of the fitrah. (fitrah is the natural inclination of humans instilled by Allah) It is the most comprehensive and complete religion, suitable for all times and places. It is the religion of ease, benevolence, and the highest moral standards.

As an example of this, the guiding principles for a successful married life, which have been laid down for us by Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him) are the most beautiful and time-honored. They encompass gentleness, compassion, co-operation, and wisdom (especially when shown through instances of his own interaction with his wives). I have tried to condense some of these principles into this small book, which begins with a brief introduction to the Prophet's lineage, family, and marital life, and goes on to relate incidences which occurred during this aspect of his outstanding Sunnah. The book also contains a short discussion on the issue of polygamy, and disproves common criticisms raised against the Prophet's spotless character due to this aspect of his domestic life. It concludes with a table containing information about his marriages, and a family tree (depicting three generations of the Prophet's offspring).

Surely, writing about such a great personality as the Prophet's and lifting the screen off the details about his married life, is something that cannot be done thoroughly in just a few volumes or lectures. Hence, it will have to suffice to capture only the essence of this subject within the scope of this book, and leave the rest to be understood by the prudence of the readers.

Today we live in a world, the strangeness of which has exceeded beyond words; tension and anxiety have become rampant within societies, and corruption prevails. It is to our detriment that in today's world, most people are ignorant of the life that was led by our Prophet (PBUH), and the reason for this is that we have strayed far away from the light and guidance of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah (blessings and peace be upon him). As a result, small minded people cross their limits and speak such things about him as do not suit his dignity. In such sorry circumstances, we bring forth a fragrant bouquet in the form of this book, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) the best of all husband, which will help us to lift the cloak draped around his amazing domestic life, in order to see the compassion, gentleness and justice exhibited in his interactions with his wives. And believe me, if we were aware of these jewels of wisdom, and practiced them in our daily lives, so many of our problems would decrease, our homes would be filled with peace, and we would be able to bring forth a generation that would return to the Ummah (ummah-community or nation usually used to refer to the entire global community of Muslims) its glorious past. So come along then, into the shady canopy of the Prophet's pure and simple household. Maybe our Lord will bless us with a glimpse of it, allowing us to drink from the hands of His beloved Muhammad PBUH and unite us with him and his wives in the highest garden of Paradise--al firdaous. o Allah! Accept this effort as one done purely and sincerely for Your Pleasure. Place it in my balance of good deeds on the day I am laid in my grave. Oh Allah, Glorified are You above all that is unworthy of You. All Praises are for Allah. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Allah, I seek His forgiveness and turn towards Him in Repentance.