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lifeofresulullah · 3 years ago

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The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Assignment of the Duty of the Prophethood and First Muslims

The State of the World and Humanity

It would be useful to know and to recognize the moral state of humanity and the world before the Master of the Universe (PBUH) was appointed as a prophet. Only then will we be able to understand how he saved the humanity from a social, political, religious, spiritual, intellectual darkness and perversion.

During the end of the sixth century of the Gregorian calendar…

This was an era in which disbelief, heresy, and immorality had descended over humanity with all of its might and were trying to suffocate humanity. The prominent and significant countries of that time were:

Byzantine, Persia, Egypt, India, Alexandria, Mesopotamia, China, etc.

In all of these countries;

A correct belief system did not exist

The people during that time suffered qualms of conscience, had gone mad (so to speak), were rampant, and did not know what they were doing.

They worshipped phenomena that took place in the universe and things that had been created by Allah. Humanity would prostrate before the stars, fire, as well as bone dry, lifeless rocks and idols while claiming they were “Gods!”.

Since souls and the conscience of humanity were buried in the deprivation and darkness of not having faith in Allah; nothing was considered to be the creation of the Divine power and the universe was considered to be meaningless, unnecessary, and pointless. Those poor individuals, who were devoid of faith, wisdom, and understanding, knew that a letter, a word, and a book could not come into being without a writer; however, they were writhing in the misery of accepting that the universe, which contains hundreds of thousands of mysteries and wisdoms, was without an owner and without reason.

In this deplorable state, the entire world was expecting and in need of a prophet who would reintroduce the belief in Tawhid, Allah’s existence and His oneness, and cleanse the heart of disbelief and depravity.

People had been divided into classes

Humanity had broken into several classes, such as the wealthy, the poor, the strong, and the weak; there was a great disconnection and gap between the community and the government officials. There was a considerable amount of tension among the classes.

Due to the tyranny and injustice that was committed by the higher social classes, the lower class resembled a barrel of gunpowder that was ready to explode at any minute. Let us take a glance at the state of Iran during that time as an example: “Like many primitive societies, the Iranians were completely separate from one another. The top three classes were entirely detached from the fourth caste, which was all the way at the bottom. The highest three classes consisted of the priests, judges, warriors and officials who were either called Magipads or Mobads since they were from the Magi Tribe; the farmers and artists constituted the fourth class”. The common people, who were the community, consisted of free city dwellers, slaves, and serfs. Their duty was to work in the fields or in the military without receiving any payments or rewards for their services. They were completely left to themselves and were stuck with insurmountable obstacles. They could not advance in their stations in any way; there was even no hope for them to become townspeople, although the latter openly benefited from their goods and property…”

The Eastern Roman Empire’s condition was even more deplorable. “Its society had been divided into many secondary classes. They were: 1) A class called Curule. They were landowners who were not enlisted in the military and could not get involved in any kind of trade. 2) Tributaries, just like their counterparts in Persia, included those who had no land of their own, those who paid poll taxes, and those were bound to guilds that passed by inheritance from fathers to sons. 3) The military class. As one writer said regarding this matter: “The farmers who cultivated the soil were nothing but tools that clothed and fed the king’s court.”

Finlay, who was an eminent historian on the Middle East, summarized the Eastern Roman Empire’s (Byzantine) miserable condition as follows: “History has probably not seen a community whose morals were as withered as that of the Greeks and Romans who lived in the period between Justinian’s death (528-565) and Muhammad’s birth, and who lacked as much self-control and virtue”.

The European community was in the ruthless hands of the aristocracy, the knights, and the clergy, and its condition was no different than that of a dumb animal. Those in power could purchase and sell the community’s constituents whenever they wanted and the latter did not have the right to object. Those who were sold practically became slaves. Even if they were not slaves in the fullest sense, those who did not have the power and strength to separate from their masters would eventually become servants. Nobody had the right not to like his master, nor did anybody possess the authority to choose him. However, there was this one condition: in some uncivilized countries, servants were able to go to another home by first paying their masters a sum for their freedom; this was considered to be a huge favor.

In summary, all countries other than the Arabian Peninsula had caste systems in which people had been divided into separate classes and looked at each other with enmity, hate, and brutality. This world, which was in a miserable state, was in need of a great prophet who would declare that humans were Allah’s most esteemed creatures, they had all descended from one father, and that they all had specific rights in the same proportion, like the right to freedom, and who would change feelings of hate and animosity into feelings of love, respect, and friendship. This situation called for and was in dire need of this Great Prophet.

Slavery was an official institution

Human beings are both reverend and honorable. However, appreciation of this fact is only possible with true belief.

The people of that age, whose hearts were deprived of faith’s glory, did not respect humans, were unaware that humans were the most reverend beings on the Earth, and were savage enough to sell and purchase their fellow beings.

Those unfortunate people who were labeled as slaves were being sold and purchased at auctions like ordinary merchandise. The masters were fully authorized to insult, torment, and make their slaves work however they wanted.

Humanity was in desperate need of someone who would end this savagery and ingratitude and was in need of a guide who would not withhold his light of compassion from anyone.

Sectarian fights persisted

The belief in the fallacious trinity had replaced the doctrine of Tawhid, the oneness of Allah, which Hazrat Isa (Jesus) had conveyed and preached.

The priests produced a completely different religion in place of what Hazrat Isa had taught.

Likewise, other countries, particularly the Eastern Roman Empire, were committing inconceivable acts of torture and tyranny in the name of religion. For example, historians mention how Phocas, the Patrician, poisoned himself in order to escape from being forcefully converted into Christianity.

Those who left the Mazdaism faith, which prevailed in Persia, or those who betrayed this religion were mercilessly executed. Scratching out the eyes, crucifixion, stoning, as well as starving and leaving someone to die thirsty were all standard death penalties.

While Confucianism and China had advanced in civilization, they were living their most chaotic days and were on the brink of collapsing just before the Sun of Bliss (PBUH) emerged. Civil wars did not cease and the society was at one another’s throats due to sectarian differences.

During the period of Islam’s emergence, Abyssinia was full of clashes that occurred between siblings.

Immorality Prevailed

Humanity, which was deprived of the modesty, fear, and virtue that come from faith, was committing all sorts of lewd behavior and had trampled over its dignity and honor by freely performing vulgar acts.

Gambling, alcohol, and immoral types of pleasure found their place among daily activities. Continuous killing, continuous acts of adultery, mugging, and raids almost swept away the blessed and divine significance from humanity.

Here is one example:

Morality had been completely wiped from the Byzantine Empire and had become so dead that the patriarch of Constantinople himself solemnized the marriage between the Emperor and the latter’s own niece.

To them, a woman was no different than a simple commodity that could be purchased and sold.

Yes, the end of sixth century A.D. was the century of such barbarism, unbelief, idolatry, ignorance and cruelty. All kinds of anarchy, blasphemy, various perverted belief systems and all kinds of debauchery were ruling the world in this century.

Humanity had probably never witnessed such perverseness, immorality, atrocity, and terror since its creation.

Humanity was devoid of a spiritual guide and was like the flowing water in an untamed river as it crashed into stones. With each crash, it lost a bit of its heart, soul, conscience, and honor. Every door that it knocked was shut on its face.

Humans had turned into beasts since they did not know who Allah, the Supreme Creator, was and had not found the essential path that He had drawn for them by means of His prophets. These wild beasts were ready to swallow someone at every minute and were smeared in blood; they caused the wind of anarchism and unrest to blow everywhere.

Humanity had become an orphan, the universe was mourning, and the Earth resembled a ring of sorrow. Everyone was considered an enemy by others, and everything was considered meaningless, soulless, and aimless.

Humanity’s sorrowful screams, which resulted from not having a true guide, were ringing in the skies; the universe, its smallest particles and the sun were crying together over humanity’s miserable condition.

The Sun of Bliss, with all of his glory, was meant to rise in the horizon of humanity so that humans could be happy. The universe’s smallest particle, its sun, its mountains, its stones, its animals, and its people would be saved from being considered insignificant, meaningless, and pointless. Everything would be known as a letter of Allah that was written and presented to be people so that they would draw lessons from them. Pure faith could take the place of disbelief, justice could replace tyranny, peace could replace uneasiness, knowledge could take the place of ignorance, and bliss could replace misery. All believers would be friends and siblings. The universe’s rage could turn into happiness. The stars could laugh and the atoms could whirl like dervishes. The sun, moon, ground, and sky could continue their mission lovingly and ardently.

Man should know that the real wisdom and purpose of his creation, his transfer from the darkness of non-existence to the realm of existence is to know God Almighty, to believe in Him and to worship Him. Thus, he will attain real peace and bliss.

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questionsonislam · 5 years ago

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Before the Lord of the Universe (pbuh) was given the duty of prophethood, how was religious, moral and social state of humanity and world?

It would be useful to recognize and to know the moral state of the humanity and the world before the Lord of the Universe (pbuh) was given the duty of prophethood. Only then can we understand how the Messenger of Allah saved humanity from a religious, spiritual, intellectual, social and political darkness and aberration in such a short time!

Through the end of Gregorian sixth century…

It was a century in which nightmare of unbelief, heedlessness and immorality haunted humanity intensively and tried to drown it with all its power… There were outstanding countries which were important for the world at that time: Byzantine, Persia, Egypt (al-copt), India, Alexandria, Mesopotamia, China, etc. In these countries:

A) There was not a correct belief system

People of that time were writhing in remorse of unbelief and false beliefs and they almost lost their minds and did not know what they were doing.

They worshipped natural events happening in the universe and things which were the works of the Divine Power. They prostrated before stars, fire, lifeless stones and woods as if they were gods.

Since the souls and hearts were buried in darkness, deprived of belief in One and Only Allah, they would not say “Everything is the work of the Divine Power” and thus they considered the universe meaningless, absurd and pointless. Those poor people lacking belief, knowledge and wit were unable to think, in such wretchedness, to such a degree that they considered the book of the universe which contains thousands of mysteries and wisdom masterless and meaningless although they knew that a single letter, a single word or a book could not come out without a master…

The world, in this pitiful state, needed and was waiting for a prophet to convey people the belief of Oneness, belief in existence and oneness of Allah, and to purify humanity’s hearts and souls off idolatry, unbelief and heedlessness.

B) People were Discriminated and Separated into Classes in All of Those Countries

People were separated into classes such as the rich, the poor, the powerful, the weak, the ordinary, the elite, the slaves and the lords. There was a great disconnection and gap between the rich and the poor, and the public and the government.

There was quite a tension between classes. Because of the cruelty, unfairness and tyranny of high-class people, low-class people were like a powder keg ready to explode at any time. To put an example, let us have a look at the situation in Iran (Persia) of that time:

“Like most of the primitive tribes, Persians were separated from each other totally and were divided into four classes, the first three of which (higher classes) were totally isolated from the fourth one. The first three classes consisted of people from Magi tribe, who were priests called Magupat or Mobed, and judges, warriors and officials. The fourth class consisted of farm workers and craftsmen.”

The so-called class of public consisted of free city people and captives and slaves (serfs) bound to agriculture and the duties of the latter ones were to work on farms and for army without any wages. They could not ever imagine being promoted to “city-people”, who can make use of their wealth and properties freely, from which they have been separated by unsurpassable limits…”

The situation in the East Roman Empire was even more pitiable and cautionary: “The Public was separated into many subsidiary classes. They were as follows:

1) The class named “Curule” which consisted of land owners who were neither accepted into army nor could attempt to do any trade.

2) Tributaries, just like their counterparts in Persia, included people who had no land of their own, who paid tax of population, and were bound to guilds which passed from fathers to sons.

3) Military class.

As an author said on the issue; “Farmers, who planted the land, were nothing but instruments which fed and dressed the royal family.”

An eminent historian of the Middle East, Finlay, described the miserable situation of the East Rome as follows:

“No community whose morals were so deteriorated and no nations who lacked self-control and virtues like the Greeks and the Romans in history had ever been seen as the ones who lived in the period of time between the death of Justinian (528-565) and the birth of Muhammad.”

People in Europe were left in the cruel hands of aristocrats, chevaliers, ecclesiastics, kings and barbarians. They were not any different from lifeless items and dumb animals for those. They were bought and sold anytime. They did not have any right to object. The ones who were sold were considered slaves from then on or if not slaves, they would become servants who had no right or power of disobeying their owners. None of them had the right of disliking their owners or choosing their owners. Their only right was this: In some barbaric countries, a servant, on condition of paying his owner a certain price, could leave and work for another owner. It was a big offer for them.

In all of the other countries outside the Arabian Peninsula, people were separated into classes which treated each other with hatred and enmity.

This miserable world needed a great prophet who would declare that human beings were the most precious of all the beings which Allah created on the earth and that they all descended from the same father and thus, all of them had the same rights to the same extent, and that everyone was born free, owning these rights, and who would change the hatred and enmity among people for love, respect and friendship. The World was urgently in need of that great prophet to come soon.

C) Slavery was an Official Institution in all of These Countries

Human beings are reverend and honorable. However, appreciation of this fact is only possible with true belief.

People of that time whose hearts were deprived of this true belief, of course, were unaware of the honorability of the humankind, of the fact that the humankind was the most reverend species on the earth and they would of course be barbaric enough to sell and buy their fellow beings.

Poor people who were called slaves were sold and bought in auctions in markets just like ordinary goods. Owners were fully authorized to insult and torment their slaves and make them work however they wanted.

The humankind was in desperate need of someone who could give an end to this barbarity and unappreciativeness, of a guide who would not begrudge of anyone his light of mercy, like the sun.

D) Conflict between Sects would not seem to End

In Christian countries, the creed of “tawhid (oneness of God)” which was conveyed and taught by Prophet Jesus was replaced by the perverted belief of “trinity”. Clergymen had invented a whole different religion instead of the religion conveyed and taught by Jesus. In all countries, and especially the East Roman Empire, incredible torment and cruelties were made in the name of religion. Historians put forward the case of Patrician Phocas who poisoned himself in order to escape from being converted into Christianity by force, as an example.

People who converted from Mazdaism, the religion in Persia, to any other religion or who betrayed this religion were sentenced to death mercilessly. Scratching one’s eye out, crucifixion, stoning, starving to death were amongst common kinds of death.

Although China was developed in terms of civilization with Confucius, it was experiencing the most chaotic days of its history and facing the danger of the fall of the country just before the Sun of Bliss (Hazrat Muhammad) emerged. Civil wars were indispensable. People were fighting each other to death because of disagreement between sects.

Abyssinia was suffering from civil wars at the time Islam emerged.

E) Immorality was to be Found Everywhere in Those Countries

People lacking in virtues, morals and fears which are the results of belief in Allah were involved freely in all kind of immoral acts which tread upon honorability and purity of the humankind. Gambling, alcohol and immoral parties were amongst daily routines. Cases of murder, fornication, rape and incursion which never seemed to decrease almost swept the blessed and divine meaning of the humankind away from the earth.

Here is an example:

Moral values were so deteriorated in the Byzantine Empire that the Patriarch of Constantinople himself solemnized the marriage between the Emperor and his own niece.

Women were nothing but items which were bought and sold.

Maybe the world had not witnessed and had not been the place of such perversion, immorality, barbarism and violence since the creation of humankind.

Having no a spiritual guide, the humankind was flowing crushing on stones on its way like an untamed river. And with every crush, it was losing a bit of its heart, soul, consciousness, and honor. All the mortal doors it knocked on hoping for help said that they could not help and closed the door.

The people of the world, who did not know and recognize Allah, and could not find the true aim which He declared through His prophets, almost had the personality of a monster. Like monsters, which are ready to eat someone up any time, they were storming all over the world with the winds of anarchy and enmity, with aggressiveness and cruelty, and shedding blood everywhere.

The humankind was like an orphan. The Universe was mournful. The earth reminded a place of mourning. Everyone was enemy to each other; everything was considered to be meaningless, lifeless, and aimless.

Sorrowful screams of the humanity, deprived of a true guide, were echoing in the skies; the universe, with all its particles and the sun, was crying over this miserable situation of humanity.

In short, the whole world had been surrounded by a cloud of a disgusting shirk, ignorance, unbelief, torment and immorality. That cloud needed to be torn away with the unique light of a fresh, spiritual sun which dazzles eyes, spirits and hearts so that the world would be enlightened again.

That Sun of Bliss had to rise in the horizon of humanity so that the sorrowful faces might have a smile. So, the Universe, from its particles, sun, mountains, stones, to human beings and animals would not be considered meaningless and useless any more. So it would be known and comprehended that everything was a letter of Allah, written to be displayed to people. So unbelief would be replaced by pure belief, cruelty would be replaced by justice, enmity by peace, ignorance by knowledge and pain by bliss. So, every believer would be brothers and friends. So, the anger of the universe would turn into joy. Thus, the stars would smile and atoms would dance like mawlawis. Thus, the sun and the moon, the earth and the sky would continue to do their jobs with love and eagerly.

And so the humankind would know that the wisdom and reason why it was brought out of the darkness of nothingness and hosted on the earth is to know Allah, to believe in and to worship Him. Thus, they would reach true peace and happiness.

What was the religious life, moral life and social life like in Arabia before the Prophet (pbuh) was given the duty of prophethood?

Arabia - which covers a significant place in terms of politics, geography and trading on the world map - was not any different from other countries. In Arabia, too, everything was in a miserable, disgraceful situation except for language and literature.

Religious Situation

In terms of belief, Arabia was absolutely suffering in anarchy. Weird beliefs were to be found everywhere in Arabia.

Some of the people were unbelievers. They would not accept anything other than life on the earth and say, “What is there but our life in this world? We shall live and die, and nothing but time can destroy us” , they used spent their lives in entertainment only.

When the Honorable Messenger began to receive revelations, Allah would address those people with the following words:

“Say: "It is God Who gives you life, then gives you death; then He will gather you together for the Day of Judgment about which there is no doubt": But most men do not understand.”

And some of Arabs used to believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment, however, they would not admit the presence of a prophet. The Quran describes these people with the following verse:

“What kept men back from belief when Guidance came to them, was nothing but this: they said, "Has God sent a man (like us) to be (His) Apostle?”

They could not comprehend how a prophet could be from the humankind and thought it should have been an angel for this duty. The Quran, with its following verse, told those people how unreasonable their claim was:

“If there were settled, on earth, angels walking about in peace and quiet, We should certainly have sent them down from the heavens an angel for an apostle.”

And some of them believed in Allah; however, they would not believe in the afterworld, in resurrection after death and punishment and reckoning in the hereafter.

The Quran points out to this group of people with the following verse:

“And he makes comparisons for Us, and forgets his own (origin and) Creation: He says, "Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that)?"

And the Quran answers those people with the following verse:

“Say, "He will give them life Who created them for the first time! For He is Well-versed in every kind of creation!”

And another group of them worshipped idols. This group was the majority. They worshipped idols which they made of stones, wood and sometimes of halwa and said:

“We only serve them so that they may bring us nearer to God.”

Yes, the majority of Arabs used to worship idols which were made of stones, wood and sometimes of halwa when they were in wartime, and they were in a miserable and disgraceful state of hoping help from them. They had filled Baytullah, the first house of Tawhid on the earth, with 360 idols. Hazrat Umar, who is known for his justice after being honored with conversion into Islam, told a memory of his about worshipping idols in the Era of Ignorance:

“There were two things we did in the Era of Ignorance. When I remember them, one of them makes me cry and the other makes me laugh. What makes me cry is this: We used to bury our daughters alive. I do not know how we could do this to those innocent and miserable babies in need of compassion. Whenever I remember this, my heart breaks and I cannot help crying.

As for the one which makes me laugh: There were idols in our houses in the Era of Ignorance. When we were on travel, we would make a statue of them from flour or halwa and worship them, respect them during travel. When the travel lasted longer, we would become hungry and eat our idols made of halwa, which we had respected before. Is there anything funnier than it? Whenever I remember it, I realize what silly things we had done in the Era of Ignorance and I laugh at that”.

However, traces of religion of Tawhid conveyed by Prophet Abraham were seen in Arabia as well. People who used to follow these religious traces, despite the heedlessness and the long time that passed since then were called “Hanif”, with regards to Abraham. As a matter of fact, the word “Hanif” is used for Abraham in the Quran:

“Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was hanif (translated as “true” in English translations) in Faith”

People called “Hanif” hated idols and believed in the existence and oneness of God. As a matter of fact, in a funfair which was organized in the honor of one of the idols, Waraqa bin Nawfal, Ubaidullah bin Jahsh, Uthman bin Huwairith and Zaid bin Amr, who considered it despicableness to prostrate before idols which cannot speak, hear and cannot give anyone harm or benefit, and declared it clearly.

There were people who were able to understand that it was meaningless to worship lifeless idols by using their reasoning and struggled against this false belief. Umayya bin Abi Salt, the leader of Taif tribe and famous Arabian poet, was one of them. He read the holy books in the Era of Ignorance and converted from idolatry to the religion of Abraham. He was the first poet who found the expression of “Bismika Allahumma”. Later, Arabs liked this expression and started to write it at the beginnings of their books. He mentioned about the necessity of a prophet in his poems and stated that prophethood was an indispensable need for humanity. Since he found out from the holy books that a prophet would come out from Arabs, he desired to be the one. For this reason, when Muhammad was given the duty of prophethood, he became a victim of jealousy and grudge, and eventually did not accept him. Moreover, he cited his poems for the idolaters who were killed in the Battle of Badr.

A few hadiths were narrated about Umayya, who died in the second year of the Migration (Hijrah) without faith, from the Honorable Messenger. The Messenger was one day riding with Sharid bin Suwaid at his back. He asked the Companion: “Do you know anything about Umayya’s poems?” The Companion answered: “Yes, I do.” And he started to recite some of his poems. Having liked the poems so much, the Messenger asked Sharid to recite some more. The Companion finished reciting the whole poem. And the Messenger said:

“Umayya was very close to being a Muslim.”

In another narration, the Messenger said: “Umayya’s poems had faith yet he stayed in aberration himself.”

In this context, another one whose name we would mention is, for sure, Quss bin Saidah one of the famous Arabian rhetoricians. Later, we will talk about the khutbah of this person, who heralded the prophethood beforehand.

Idols

There is a story about how idols were brought to Makkah first: Amr bin Luhay is the first person who brought idols to the city and encouraged people to worship them. When Amr went to Damascus, he passed by somewhere called Maab and he saw a tribe descending from Noah there, worshipping idols. When he asked them why they were worshipping idols, they answered: “We ask for help from them and we are helped; we ask for rain and we get rain.” Upon this, Amr wanted an idol from them in order to take it to Makkah. They accepted it and gave him an idol named Hubal. Amr took Hubal with him to Makkah and put it there. He encouraged people to worship it. Ignorant people became convinced and started to worship idols.

This is how the first idol was brought to Makkah and how people started to worship idols.

Every Tribe had a Different Idol of Their Own

After that, idolatry started to spread in Makkah. Every tribe had a different idol of their own. People of Quraish used to consider Uzza as the greatest idol and worship it. Tribes of Aws and Khazraj used to worship an idol named Manat. This idol was somewhere called Mushallal between Makkah and Madinah. Later, these two tribes started to worship idols called Lat and Uzza, in addition to Manat. The idol of the tribe of Kalb was Wad and it was somewhere called Dumatu’l-Jandal. The tribe of Huzail used to worship an idol called Suwa. It was in Ghatafan. One branch of the tribe of Hamdan, Haywan, used to worship an idol called Yauk. It was somewhere about Hamdan. Tribes of Tayy and Nasr used to worship an idol called Yaghuth. And the people of Himyari tribe used to worship Nasr. Sons of Bakr and tribe of Kinana used to worship Sa’d.

The tribes mentioned above used to worship those idols and ask for help, rain and victory from them. According to their belief, these lifeless, soulless items made of stones or wood were capable of making their wishes come true. However, anyone who is sane enough knows and agrees that lifeless, soulless items can neither give benefit nor cause harm to people. They have neither capability nor power to help people. Nevertheless, Arabs of that time were so unreasonable that they could not even think of that.

So, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah was going to come in order to save those people suffering from ignorance and aberration in terms of faith, with the light of knowledge and righteousness. He was going to undertake the duty of giving them light and peace.

Moral Situation

Moral situation of Arabia in the Era of Ignorance was desperately miserable. People were slaves of their wretched desires and aims… Alcohol, fornication, lying, theft, torment, cruelty and whatever else there is of immorality were spread all over Arabia.

Cruelty was the most merciless whip used against the weak by the strong. The strong ones were always the right ones. They could have the weak and powerless ones do whatever they want by force. Humans and human life were not cared even as much as a fly. People who were captivated with incursions were killed suffering in torments or sold in markets like simple items as slaves. Women were just a material which could be bought and sold. Owners of young maids used encourage them to commit fornication, and even force them into fornication in order to make money through them. The Quran mentioned about this event which does not comply with human dignity and prohibited them from doing this disgraceful tradition:

“Let those who find not the wherewithal for marriage keep themselves chaste, until God gives them means out of His grace. And if any of your slaves ask for a deed in writing (to enable them to earn their freedom for a certain sum), give them such a deed if ye know any good in them: yea, give them something yourselves out of the means which God has given to you. But force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity, in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion, is God, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them)”

A woman could live with more than one man at the same time. Such a woman used to declare this to public by planting a pole on the roof of her house.

A step-mother was inherited to her step-son from her husband just like a household item.

The Tradition of Burying Little Girls Alive

Some of the Arabs living in the desert used to consider it a sign of an upcoming disaster, a shameful thing to have a daughter. For this reason, when their daughters were born, cruel fathers used to bury them alive under the ground or throw them into wells, sometimes even without letting anyone see them. They tried to prove this cruel tradition right by putting forward some imaginary reasons. They used to say: “They will grow and taint our honor one day, or they will become miserable. Moreover, they will become a burden on us because of their living expenses and we will not be able to meet their needs.”

Sometimes a mother would have a hole dug up in the ground when the birth drew near. When the baby was born, if it was a girl, they would throw her into the hole right away and cover it with earth.

Fathers used to dress up their daughters, whom they decided to kill, in beautiful dresses as if they were taking them for a visit to relatives, and used to take them to the desert. Poor children would be put into the graves which had been prepared for them and buried alive. If they did not want to kill their daughters, they would dress them in thick, woolen gowns and isolate them from society by sending them away as sheep herders.

The Quran tells about this barbaric tradition of Arabs living in desert to us with the following verse:

“When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! What an evil (choice) they decide on!”

Someone who had applied this barbaric tradition in the Era of Ignorance and later became a Muslim told this case to the Messenger in tears as follows:

“O Messenger of Allah! We are a people who had lived the Era of Ignorance. We used to worship idols and kill our daughters. I used to have a daughter. She used to come to me in joy when I called her. One day I called her again. She came running and followed me to a well which was not so far from our house. I held her hand and threw her into the well. Her last words to me were: Daddy! Daddy!”

The Lord of the Universe could not help crying upon hearing this violent memory. He cried so much that his beard got wet with his tears. Then he said:

“Verily, Allah leaves what you did in the Era of Ignorance there, unless you do them again. He does not transfer them into the Era of Islam.”

In those times, high characteristics called compassion and mercy were uprooted and thrown out of souls, hearts and consciousness. As a matter of fact, there can never be compassion and mercy in a heart in which there is no place for true belief in the Sultan of the Universe and for fear of the Sultan.

Political System

Arabia did not have a proper political system and social system in the Era of Ignorance. The majority of the people were leading a nomadic life. They were separated into tribes. A tribe is a community which determines its own social system. These nomadic tribes were continuously in conflict with each other. They had a lifestyle in which they were always ready to attack one another. Incursion and plunder were their means of livelihood. They used to attack an enemy tribe of theirs and take away their camels, and captivate their women and children.

There was not any time during which there was peace between them. If a tribe wronged another tribe, that tribe would try to revenge on it with the philosophy of an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Wars, fighting and incursion were so rooted in their souls and lives that they would fight each other if they could not find any hostile tribe to fight against. Poet Qutami means to express it with his lines “If we cannot find anyone else, we will attack Bakrs, who are our brothers.”

They had been living as tribes and clans for a long time. They had never thought of gathering around a central government. For this reason, the Peninsula was deprived of civilized and social laws. Eventually, there were always cruelty, conflicts, battles and fights. Anyone could do anything he wanted if he had enough power. Anything that the powerful and reputable people did would never be punished.

Literary Situation

In addition to all of these, it is an unobjectionable fact that Arabs were at the zenith of talent in literature, rhetoric and eloquence at the time Islam emerged. There were not any nations who could challenge them in this issue all over the world. Poetry and poets meant everything for them, because, poetry was the only trusted mirror which showed them the social life, traditions and beliefs of their ancestors. Poets were deemed very important in the society and they were highly respected. Arabs would even prefer a famous poet to come out of their tribes rather than a hero. As a matter of fact, it was only a poet who could spread their fame, which was their only aim. They were afraid of poets’ satires as they were afraid of snakes. Poets were considered heroes. Tribes could wage war against each other because of a single word of a poet. And yet, an enmity which had been going on between tribes could come to an end with a single word of poets.

In old times, poetry was called “Arab’s Notebook”. Frankly, Arabs’ moral values, traditions, religion and rules could be known only through poems and passed over to generations. In those times, there were many factors supporting and encouraging poetry. A strong poet would enable both himself and his tribe to be respected.

Moreover, funfairs organized at specific times played an important role in the development of poetry. These funfairs were a kind of literature fair. Poetry and rhetoric competitions were organized in the presence of juries in those funfairs. Poets and rhetoricians coming from various places used to recite their poems and make their speeches and do their best to beat each other. They were very proud of beating one another. At last, juries would choose the winner and the winning poem would be written with golden letters on a linen fabric and hung on the wall of the Kaaba.

Suq Uqaz, which was between Taif and Nahla, was the largest of all the funfairs. Mostly, poetry competitions were organized there…

Funfairs used to serve also as a sort of fair in which all tribes would come together for commercial, social and political activities. Funfairs organized in the month of Dhul-hijjah lasted for 20 days. Everyone who wanted to save a captive with ransom, to sort out a case, to find their enemy, to recite poems and to make speeches would rush into the funfairs. “Importance attached to poetry served to the result of the language being deeply investigated.” Eventually, literature, eloquence and rhetoric were at their zenith in Arabia by the time Islam emerged. So to speak, an invisible hand was readying minds and souls for the preternatural style of the Miraculous Quran.

Because Arabs had an outstanding talent in literature, the Quran was sent down at the zenith of literature, rhetoric and eloquence. It challenged Arabian litterateurs, poets and rhetoricians to spar with its miraculousness and conciseness. However, it was not long before that they understood that it was impossible to excel this unique book and had to quit.

The style of the Quran is so concise, so sweet, so clear and so fluent that Arabs who were experts on literature could not hide their surprise. One day, one of Arab fellahs’ leader read the verse “Therefore expound openly what thou art commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with God.” and fell down in prostration, losing himself. This infuriated idolaters. They pointed their hateful looks on him and shouted out:

“You became a Muslim too?”

“No”, said the fellah litterateur. “I just prostrated before the eloquence and fluency of this verse.”

Imru’l Qais was one of the poets of Muallaqa. One day, his sister heard the verse “Then the word went forth: "O earth! Swallow up thy water, and O sky! Withhold (thy rain)!" and the water abated, and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and the word went forth: "Away with those who do wrong!” , she went to the Kaaba right away and took her brother’s poem down, which was hung on the wall at the top of all other poems and said: “Nobody has got something to say any more. Even my brother’s poem cannot stand before this eloquence.” When others saw that the most famous poem was taken down, they took down the other poems one by one, too.

The most famous and the oldest examples of poems of the Era of Ignorance are definitely the poems of “Muallaqat as-Sab’a” (Seven hangers). These poems were passed around and around, and reached the time when the Quran was sent down. It is strongly thought that these poems were collected by Hammad ar-Rawiya.

The poets whose poems were hung on the walls of the Kaaba are as follows:

Imru’l Qais, Tarafa, Labid, Zukhair, Amr bin Kulthum, Antara (a.k.a. Nabigha), Haris bin Hiliza (a.k.a. A’sha).

The religious, moral, political, social and literary state of Arabia at the time Hazrat Muhammad was about to be given the duty of prophethood was like that…

Of course, there was a need for a person who would change this scene of violence and barbarism. That person was already decided by the command of pre-eternal Fate: Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh).

He was going to change world’s physical and metaphysical face with the Divine Light he brought with him… He was going to turn people’s faces from world to the otherworld, from mortal lovers to the Eternal Beloved One and by doing this, he was going to provide people with worldly and unworldly happiness.

This person who was going to be assigned as a prophet by Allah was going to declare that people were not on their own, and everything in the universe from atoms to Solar systems, from stars to galaxies were wandering for a divine reason, and that universe was in the service of a sublime reason.

This person was going to save humanity from the marsh of immorality, in which they were swamping, by teaching them the most beautiful lessons of morality.

He was going to answer the questions such as “Why was the universe created?” “Where did the human beings come from?” and “Why did they come and where are they going to go?”

This person was going to inform people about Allah, who is the owner of the human beings, of what He wants from humans, what He likes and what He dislikes clearly.

This person was going to guide not only a specific tribe or a specific nation but also the whole humankind with orders he would take from Allah.

The Arabian Peninsula, too, like the whole world, was looking forward for that person to come in order to complete such significant duties.

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discoveringthebible · 7 years ago

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“Love in Action”

Although it has taken me many years, I believe I am blessed to have ADHD and that I am an empath. It helps me to see the world in a way that most people don’t. (I won’t use the word, ‘can’t’ because I think most people could see the world from this different perspective if they tried.)

My church family was hit with a death of a beloved man, he had been having health problems the last 5-6 years of his life; his wife and children faithfully by his side until he passed away. Just a few days before his death, his wife received news that she has terminal cancer. My heart aches. My soul hurts. I have no words to say. When I think of them and their family, a smile appears, but so do the tears. He isn’t suffering anymore, I know how frustrated he was that he just wasn’t getting better. He is at peace. I’m going to miss him terribly.

At church on Sunday, our call to worship was to choose to be joyful. To choose joy, even in the midst of sorrow and suffering. Usually, a call like this is needed. I think we humans have the tendency to loathe in self pity. However, with how I see, feel and experience the clear suffering at the loss of a wonderful person, it’s not practical for me. And sometimes I don’t think it’s practical for a lot of people. It is totally biblical, don’t get me wrong, but there is another side to the ‘joy’ coin. It’s sorrow. I’m not going to suggest that we need to stay stuck in sorrow or be superficial in joy. We need to be authentic in both. If we don’t feel like smiling, we don’t have to. If we feel nothing but joy, we don’t need to tone it down for others. We should never fake our emotions, we need to be true to ourselves, this also helps us to be true to God in our prayers and conversations with Him. If we are sad or sorrowful, we need to experience it and communicate with God, as God knows where we are. If we are full of joy, we need to express it and share it, too.

I try to use Scripture passages in all of my blogs on here. (This is the point of “Discovering the Bible.”) And as an aspiring Theologian and Pastor, it’s probably a really good idea.

Paul, a New Testament writer, who wrote more NT books than any other, often wrote to a specific person or people group. He wrote to Jews and Gentiles, to Greek speaking people and those in Rome. Paul addressed many things, some of which have even been misunderstood in church (like women in ministry. If you would like to know my stance on women in ministry, read my blog “Women in Ministry” or click here: http://discoveringthebible.tumblr.com/post/151595981604/women-in-ministry .)

Paul wrote in Romans 12:9-21 (New Living Translation)

9: Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10: Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11: Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12: Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13: When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14: Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15: Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16: Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17: Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18: Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19: Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord ( see Deuteronomy 32:35). 20: Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” (see Proverbs 25:21-22). 21: Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

As I said in my “Women in Ministry” blog, context is extremely important. (And I realized I did not leave a footnote where I found those quotes. I will work at correcting that.) The verse I wanted to share with you is in bold, above. Romans 9:15: Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Sounds simple, right? It is simple, but it’s not easy. With my gift of empathy (I am now convinced that it is a spiritual gift, I used to think it was a curse, ask me how my mind was changed), I feel connected to people on an emotional level. My soul and heart ache for them when they are hurting and grieving. But my heart and soul also rejoice and is overjoyed when I hear about people I know doing awesome things and just those who are happy and excited for opportunities or things that God is doing in their lives.

I want to encourage the few of you who read this, to be open to being more empathetic and not being afraid to step inside someone else’s shoes. If someone comes to you and is happy, be happy with them, don’t envy them. If someone comes to you upset or hurting, let their injustice become your injustice. In verse 16 Paul writes, “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all.”

This includes all of the social injustices we see in our world. Charlottesville, VA is under much social injustice, on which ever side you might see yourself on. There is much anger, hurt, frustration, death, mourning, rage and fear there. In my opinion, much of the issue lies with getting caught up on the color of our skin, not what’s actually the most important: that we are all human. (If North Korea’s leader is waiting for a time when the American People are devouring ourselves, he can see that we are already tearing ourselves apart from the inside out.)

We all want freedom to express who we are, but we are expressing ourselves by our injustices and right now everyone has been hurt. One of the issues with freedom is that there are limitations. If one person has the right to say to another, “Hey, you’re fat!” The other person says, “Look who’s talking, how many donuts did you have this morning for breakfast?” The only thing that happens here is that both people are now hurt by words, and that escalates into something much worse. (I am not suggesting the crisis in Charlottesville is because of a few harsh words. From my understanding a group of white supremists made a demonstration in protest of the city taking down monuments of Civil War era leaders. And I understand that black lives matter activists thought their rights were being in fringed upon because the other group was protesting, because they see those statues as a painful reminder of their ancestor’s years in slavery. And in a protest, a supremist sympathizer drove his car into a crowd of supremist protesters, killing a woman, injuring nearly 2 dozen others and somewhere in the skuffle, I also understand that 2 deputies died as well.)

We need to understand that there is a better way to live. And Paul tells us how. We need to stop pretending and really start loving those around us, no matter what political stance they have, no matter what color of skin, no matter what. We need to be more empathetic toward people, not sympathetic. (Empathy is a genuine feeling of willingness to help out of a sense of compassion. Sympathy is feeling pity or feeling sorry for someone else.)

We need to see others in ways that Christ did: with and through love.

How are we going to do that? How will we be able to put love into practice? Paul tells us this too: pray. Romans 9:12c: Keep on praying.

He also wrote to the church in Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: Never stop praying. (NLT)

We need to pray and pray like God’s people have never prayed before, in a posture and in a way that is most beneficial for each of us. Whether that is on our knees, standing with arms raised, or kneeling, or sitting, or whatever way we see fit. We need to pray for love to shine through.

I hope you will pray with me for that.

Peace and Blessings,

Cody Marie Bolton

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kennethanliveblog · 7 years ago

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Philemon 1:8-25 Bondservants, Trials and Forgiveness

These are my notes from Sunday’s Scripture with Old Man Kennethan Episode 31 - Philemon 1:8-25. My notes are based on the sermon by Adam Sinnett at Downtown Cornerstone Church and reading the book of Philemon.

Philemon 1:8-25 – Bondservants, Trials and Forgiveness

Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.

23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.

25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Paul’s shortest letter. What is most striking about it is how ordinary and down-to-earth it is. It sounds a lot like normal life and that’s the point. This simple letter helps us see that the implications of the reality of Jesus, in our everyday lives, are profoundly far-reaching.

Questions that come from reading Philemon

How do we reconcile with others?

How do we genuinely extend real forgiveness?

Imagine Onesimus going back to Philemon and seeing familiar streets and his nervousness in going back

Onesimus doesn’t know how Philemon will respond.

A NOTE ON BEING A BONDSERVANT AND “SLAVERY” IN THE BIBLE

(1 Tim. 1:9-10; 6:2; Gal. 3:26,28; 1 Cor. 7:21,23)

Onesimus being worthless – as a runaway or prior poor worker

Bondservant or slave

Bible does not condone slavery – not the brutal race based slavery we had in the US and fought a civil war over

Indentured servitude was the practices in the Roman Empire

Even the poor and middle class at that time had bondservants

Bible condemns slavery as we know it

Bible destroys the ides of slavery

1 Tim 1:9-10 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine

Gal 3:26-28 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

1 Cor 7:21-23 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.

Christians lead the abolition of slavery

THE REALITY OF GOD, IN JESUS, TRANSFORMS OUR TRIALS

(Philemon 15-16; see also Gen. 45:4-8; 50:20)

Onesimus was transformed after meeting Jesus

Makes straight lines with our crooked lives

Why does it seem like God hasn’t shown up? Philemon might have considered this when Onesimus left.

God doesn’t operate on our schedule and while to us inconvenient is part of a bigger and greater plan

Providential trials seem to be God’s primary strategy to transforming His people

Trials to remove from our hands that will ultimately harm us to give us something better – Himself

Trials are gifts to draw us to Jesus

Bringing Onesimus to God

Multiply Paul’s ministry while in prison

Used in the heart of Philemon

Strengthen the church in Colossae that met in Philemon’s home

Created a story preserved for us

THE REALITY OF GOD, IN JESUS, TRANSFORMS OUR FORGIVENESS

What is forgiveness?

Forced forgiveness is not real forgiveness

Philemon had choices in how to accept Onesimus back

How would you respond?

Forgiveness is the Intentional voluntary decision to hold someone else’s offense against you against them

Trust doesn’t come back instantly

The relationship may not continue

Not always a onetime thing – hurt so deep that forgiveness needs to be continual

What is bitterness?

Bitterness is ingested unforgiveness

Didn’t happen over night

Bitterness is the fruit of unforgiveness spreading inside of us – festering, disappointment, spreading

Affects other relationships

We grow distant from God

Top 3 killers of our relationships with God along with of immorality and anger

When we don’t forgive, it’s not like nothing happens

Only cure for bitterness is forgiveness

How should we ask for forgiveness?

Confess without delay – don’t let fester and growl

Confess to everyone involved – God first then move toward others – let your repentance be as famous as your sin

Heart sins go to God only

Social sins merit a more outward forgiveness

Confess specifically – use the biblical name for the sin involved – owning the full weight of the sin that took place

Confess without qualification – no disclaimers – no if, but or maybe words

Make it sincere – express the weight and gravity of the sin

Confession includes restitution

Amazing how it clears the air

Knowing the need for a savior

Strengthen relationships – heals the offender and the offended

What will make us forgiving people?

Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit

Profound recognition that when we were most undeserving God forgave us

Jesus bears our punishment that we deserved on the cross for our sins

Jesus bears our judgment and we get his righteousness

Jesus bears our condemnation and we get His acceptance

Jesus bears our guilt and we get His forgiveness

Jesus bears our shame and we get His love

Jesus bears our debt and we are set free

Grace to the underserving – what we did not earn or merit or deserve it

#Old Man Kennethan #Sunday's Scripture #Episode 31 #Philemon #Kennethan #Kennethanlive #Gaming Scripture and Commentary

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lifeofresulullah · 4 years ago

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The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Assignment of the Duty of the Prophethood and First Muslims

The State of the World and Humanity

During the end of the sixth century of the Gregorian calendar…

Byzantine, Persia, Egypt, India, Alexandria, Mesopotamia, China, etc.

In all of these countries;

A correct belief system did not exist

The people during that time suffered qualms of conscience, had gone mad (so to speak), were rampant, and did not know what they were doing.

People had been divided into classes

Slavery was an official institution

Human beings are both reverend and honorable. However, appreciation of this fact is only possible with true belief.

Humanity was in desperate need of someone who would end this savagery and ingratitude and was in need of a guide who would not withhold his light of compassion from anyone.

Sectarian fights persisted

The belief in the fallacious trinity had replaced the doctrine of Tawhid, the oneness of Allah, which Hazrat Isa (Jesus) had conveyed and preached.

The priests produced a completely different religion in place of what Hazrat Isa had taught.

During the period of Islam’s emergence, Abyssinia was full of clashes that occurred between siblings.

Immorality Prevailed

Here is one example:

To them, a woman was no different than a simple commodity that could be purchased and sold.

Humanity had probably never witnessed such perverseness, immorality, atrocity, and terror since its creation.

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lifeofresulullah · 5 years ago

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The Life of The Prophet Muhammad: The Assignment of the Duty of the Prophethood and First Muslims

The State of the World and Humanity

It would be useful to know and to recognize the moral state of humanity and the world before the Master of the Universe (PBUH) was appointed as a prophet. Only then will we be able to understand how he saved humanity from a social, political, religious, spiritual, intellectual darkness and perversion.

During the end of the sixth century of the Gregorian calendar…

Byzantine, Persia, Egypt, India, Alexandria, Mesopotamia, China, etc.

In all of these countries;

A correct belief system did not exist

The people during that time suffered qualms of conscience, had gone mad (so to speak), were rampant, and did not know what they were doing.

In this deplorable state, the entire world was expecting and in need of a prophet who would reintroduce the belief in Tawhid, Allah’s existence, and His oneness, and cleanse the heart of disbelief and depravity.

People had been divided into classes

Humanity had broken into several classes, such as the wealthy, the poor, the strong, and the weak; there were a great disconnection and gap between the community and the government officials. There was a considerable amount of tension among the classes.

Due to the tyranny and injustice that was committed by the higher social classes, the lower class resembled a barrel of gunpowder that was ready to explode at any minute. Let us take a glance at the state of Iran during that time as an example: “Like many primitive societies, the Iranians were completely separate from one another. The top three classes were entirely detached from the fourth caste, which was all the way at the bottom. The highest three classes consisted of the priests, judges, warriors, and officials who were either called Magipads or Mobads since they were from the Magi Tribe; the farmers and artists constituted the fourth class”. The common people, who were the community, consisted of free city dwellers, slaves, and serfs. Their duty was to work in the fields or in the military without receiving any payments or rewards for their services. They were completely left to themselves and were stuck with insurmountable obstacles. They could not advance in their stations in any way; there was even no hope for them to become townspeople, although the latter openly benefited from their goods and property…”

The Eastern Roman Empire’s condition was even more deplorable. “Its society had been divided into many secondary classes. They were:

1) A class called Curule. They were landowners who were not enlisted in the military and could not get involved in any kind of trade.

2) Tributaries, just like their counterparts in Persia, included those who had no land of their own, those who paid poll taxes, and those were bound to guilds that passed by inheritance from fathers to sons.

3) The military class. As one writer said regarding this matter: “The farmers who cultivated the soil were nothing but tools that clothed and fed the king’s court.”

Slavery was an official institution

Human beings are both reverend and honorable. However, appreciation of this fact is only possible with true belief.

Humanity was in desperate need of someone who would end this savagery and ingratitude and was in need of a guide who would not withhold his light of compassion from anyone.

Sectarian fights persisted

The belief in the fallacious trinity had replaced the doctrine of Tawhid, the oneness of Allah, which Hazrat Isa (Jesus) had conveyed and preached.

The priests produced a completely different religion in place of what Hazrat Isa had taught.

Those who left the Mazdaism faith, which prevailed in Persia or those who betrayed this religion were mercilessly executed. Scratching out the eyes, crucifixion, stoning, as well as starving and leaving someone to die thirsty were all standard death penalties.

During the period of Islam’s emergence, Abyssinia was full of clashes that occurred between siblings.

Immorality Prevailed

Here is one example:

To them, a woman was no different than a simple commodity that could be purchased and sold.

Yes, the end of sixth century A.D. was the century of such barbarism, unbelief, idolatry, ignorance, and cruelty. All kinds of anarchy, blasphemy, various perverted belief systems and all kinds of debauchery were ruling the world in this century.

Humanity had probably never witnessed such perverseness, immorality, atrocity, and terror since its creation.

Humans had turned into beasts since they did not know who Allah, the Supreme Creator, was and had not found the essential path that He had drawn for them by means of His prophets. These wild beasts were ready to swallow someone at every minute and were smeared in the blood; they caused the wind of anarchism and unrest to blow everywhere.

Humanity’s sorrowful screams, which resulted from not having a true guide, were ringing in the skies; the universe, its smallest particles, and the sun were crying together over humanity’s miserable condition.

A man should know that the real wisdom and purpose of his creation, his transfer from the darkness of non-existence to the realm of existence is to know God Almighty, to believe in Him and to worship Him. Thus, he will attain real peace and bliss.

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lifeofresulullah · 5 years ago

Text

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad: The Assignment of the Duty of the Prophethood and First Muslims

The State of the World and Humanity

It would be useful to know and to recognize the moral state of humanity and the world before the Master of the Universe (PBUH) was appointed as a prophet. Only then will we be able to understand how he saved humanity from a social, political, religious, spiritual, intellectual darkness and perversion.

During the end of the sixth century of the Gregorian calendar…

Byzantine, Persia, Egypt, India, Alexandria, Mesopotamia, China, etc.

In all of these countries;

A correct belief system did not exist

The people during that time suffered qualms of conscience, had gone mad (so to speak), were rampant, and did not know what they were doing.

People had been divided into classes

Due to the tyranny and injustice that was committed by the higher social classes, the lower class resembled a barrel of gunpowder that was ready to explode at any minute. Let us take a glance at the state of Iran during that time as an example: “Like many primitive societies, the Iranians were completely separate from one another. The top three classes were entirely detached from the fourth caste, which was all the way at the bottom. The highest three classes consisted of the priests, judges, warriors, and officials who were either called Magipads or Mobads since they were from the Magi Tribe; the farmers and artists constituted the fourth class”. The common people, who were the community, consisted of free city dwellers, slaves, and serfs. Their duty was to work in the fields or in the military without receiving any payments or rewards for their services. They were completely left to themselves and were stuck with insurmountable obstacles. They could not advance in their stations in any way; there was even no hope for them to become townspeople, although the latter openly benefited from their goods and property…”

Slavery was an official institution

Human beings are both reverend and honorable. However, appreciation of this fact is only possible with true belief.

Humanity was in desperate need of someone who would end this savagery and ingratitude and was in need of a guide who would not withhold his light of compassion from anyone.

Sectarian fights persisted

The belief in the fallacious Trinity had replaced the doctrine of Tawhid, the oneness of Allah, which Hazrat Isa (Jesus) had conveyed and preached.

The priests produced a completely different religion in place of what Hazrat Isa had taught.

During the period of Islam’s emergence, Abyssinia was full of clashes that occurred between siblings.

Immorality Prevailed

Here is one example:

To them, a woman was no different than a simple commodity that could be purchased and sold.

Humanity had probably never witnessed such perverseness, immorality, atrocity, and terror since its creation.

Humans had turned into beasts since they did not know who Allah, the Supreme Creator, was and had not found the essential path that He had drawn for them by means of His prophets. These wild beasts were ready to swallow someone at every minute and were smeared in the blood; they caused the wind of anarchism and unrest to blow everywhere.

The man should know that the real wisdom and purpose of his creation, his transfer from the darkness of non-existence to the realm of existence is to know God Almighty, to believe in Him and to worship Him. Thus, he will attain real peace and bliss.

5 notes · View notes