Why the knowledge of Prophet’s life is necessary for a better understanding of the Qur’an?
Muslims hold the belief that the Qur'an is God’s word as given to the prophet Muhammad over a period of twenty two years. Understanding the Prophets life is thus important in distinguishing the different components of the Quran namely, God’s word and the words of the Prophet.
Explain the following terms/names:
Sirah
The life of the Prophet was transmitted by people and was compiled into books referred to as Sirah (Sumar, 89) These books thus document Prophet Muhammad’s virtuous life on earth.
The Year of the Elephant
This is an Islamic name referring to the time between 570 CE when it is believed that the Prophet was born. It is believed that a historical event that led to the invasion of Kaaba by Abraha using war elephants was halted when the lead elephant- Mahmud stopped at Mecca’s boundary (Sumar, 189).
Jahiliyah
The term Jahiliyah is obtained from the Arabic verb “jahala” and is a reference made to “the time of ignorance”. It therefore means ignorance and is commonly used in Islam to define the pre-Islamic Arabian times.
Hira
Hira is a talus cave approximately 3 kilometers from Mecca. It is believed to be the place where the Prophet received his revelations from God via the angel Jebril. Hira is located in present day Saudi Arabia on the Jabal al- Nour Mountain (Mandaville, 437).
Describe briefly the three main periods of Prophet Muhammad’s life.
Muslim scholars believe that the Prophets life can be divided into three main periods.
The pre historic period between 570 – 610AD marked Muhammad time as a young man who set out on a path of reflection and prayer after marrying Khadijah, a widow.
The Meccan Prophetic Period between 610 up to 622 marked the time when the prophetic began to receive his messages from angel Jibril.
The third major period of the Prophets life lies between 622 and 632 AD. During this time the Muslim faith grew as the Prophet received new converts and took over Mecca with his followers (Sumar, 462-478).
Works cited
Mandaville, P. (2010). Global political islam. Routledge. Print
Sumar, A. (2012). Memories of Muhammad: Why the Prophet Matters (review). Journal of Shi'a Islamic Studies, 5(1), 89-94.
