CONTENTS
Introduction 8
Part One: SEERAH (Biographical Sketch)
Chapter 1
Arabia before Islam 12
Chapter 2
The Life of the Prophet Muhammad 23
Part Two: SUNNAH (Prophetic Activism and its Relevance in the World Today)
Chapter 3
The Concept of Worship in Islam 58
Chapter 4
The Concept of the State in Islam 68
Chapter 5
Status of Woman 78
Chapter 6
War and Peace 85
Chapter 7
Education 93
Chapter 8
The Concept of Ijtihad 103
Chapter 9
Human Rights 116
Chapter 10
Social Welfare 125
Chapter 11
The Concept of Spirituality 136
Chapter 12
The Relevance of the Quran in Modern Times 148
Prophet's Family Structure 157
Introduction
Books on Seerah (Life of the Prophet) exist in great numbers. These are no doubt valuable books in their own right. However, one aspect of Seerah still remains to be highlighted. And that is, the relevance of seerah in the modern world. It is a subject which, despite its great importance, has yet to be treated with sufficient thoroughness.
The books written on the subject of seerah give extensive coverage to miracles, wars and victories. Emphasis on these matters appeals to the conventional mind, but it has no appeal for modern man. These things do not address his mind. The modern man thinks in terms of science and not in terms of miracles. He thinks in terms of peace and not in terms of war. He is more interested in solutions to human, social and economic problems, rather than descriptions of political and military conquests. A thing becomes understandable to the modern man only when it is presented within the framework of reason rather than beliefs.
I have planned my book keeping in view this most urgent, present day requirement. I want to present a book which is not just a repetition of the books already written, but one whose aim would be to fulfil modern intellectual requirements, focusing on the relevance of the Prophet of Islam in contemporary global context.
Another important thing which is lacking in most of the books of Seerah is that they do not underscore the peaceful method followed by the Prophet.
A deep study of Seerah tells us that the Prophet invariably adopted the peaceful method unilaterally. He thus succeeded in bringing about a bloodless revolution in Arabia. Unfortunately, this aspect of Seerah has not been highlighted in existing biographies of the Prophet.
In present times, owing to certain global concerns, the propensity to study Islam has greatly increased. All over the world, curiosity has been aroused as to what exactly is meant by Islam.
What is urgently needed, therefore, is an objective, in-depth study of Islam-one which presents Islam as it actually is, uncompromisingly and without bias. It is in order to meet this need-in particular, to show how Islam can meet the challenge of violence-that I have undertaken the venture of presenting Islam as it is in the light of Prophet's life and teachings.
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LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF PROPHET MOHMMAD
Non-FictionSummary about life and teachings of prophet MOHMMAD
