The greatest reformer ever

A. T. M. Nurun Nabi :
Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is a Prophet unto mankind. He preached Islam, the religion with Allah, for the socio-economic emancipation of the people in this world and establishment of justice and spiritual salvation in the Hereafter.
About the guidance, Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse No. 185, “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance unto mankind, clear proofs of guidance and the Criterion (of right and wrong).”
When he was 20 years, he in association with the like-minded, formed a social organisation named Hilf-ul-Fuzul. The main features of this organisation were:-
1.To work for maintenance of law and order and security in society,
2.To help the orphan, the pauper, the weak and the helpless to survive,
3.To resist the oppressors and to stand by the oppressed,
4. To strive hard for building good relations and ties of brotherhood, and
5. To protect the life and property, and dignity of the foreigners visiting Arabian Peninsula.
The Prophet was granted prophethood in 610 A.D. The first word of the verses revealed to him is Iqra. Iqra means ‘read’, ‘study’, ‘ponder’ and ‘research’. That is why Allah said in Verse No. 125 of Sura Nahl, “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and reason and debate with them in the best manner.”
Islam says that the state will take care of every man’s right to food, clothing and shelter, education and medicine; opposing Herbert Spencer’s theory of ‘Survival of the fittest and elimination of the unfit.’
The rich and bourgeoisie class of Mecca refused to accept the new religion Islam, fearing surrender of wealth and property to the state. Kaaba was the symbol of glory and power. The Prophet migrated to Medina, 300 miles from Mecca in 622 AD. After reaching there, his first concern was to lay a constitution for the newly established Republic of Medina.
Prophet Muhammad (SM) in consultation with the Christians, the Jews and the idolaters drafted a constitution, popularly known as the Charter of Medina. The signatory communities to the Constitution namely the Muslims, the Christians, the Jews and the idolaters will enjoy civil rights equally and, will form a commonwealth, Prophet Muhammad (SM) will be the Chief Administrator and highest Court of Appeal.
The Charter of Medina is the first written Constitution in the world. Historian Muir said, the charter is the reflection of the Prophet’s unique magnanimity and extraordinary intellect not for the time being, but for all ages and all time. The Charter of Medina brought the Muslims and the non-Muslims close and is a lesson for peaceful co-existence, abolishing clan superiority.
Peaceful co-existence, rehabilitation of the poor and the displaced people were two of the in total 47 clauses and sub-clauses.
Historian Hitti said, the Charter of Medina in the later days lays the foundation of the greater Islami State, while S.A.Q. Husainy said, Islami revolution, abolishing clan based society, guided people to a new social, economic and political order.
In 632 AD, the Prophet traveled to Mecca to perform Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. About 1,14,000 Muslims, men and women, were with him, while Hazrat Ali (RA) carried the flag of Islam. After performing Hajj, the Prophet (SM) addressed a mammoth gathering at Mina. One of the main features was ban on the physical punishment of wives. He said, henceforth beating of wife hereby banned.
Hazrat Muhammad (SM) divided the republic into 10 regions. These were Mecca, Medina, Khaiber, Taif, Tayama, Sana, Yemen, Hadhramouth, Oman and Bahrain. The governors were the highest Court of Appeal. The heads of revenue were Zakat (poor-tax), Jijia. Sadqa, government land tax and war booties.
He introduced mass education to eradicate illiteracy and made the Quran and writing, Islami law and grammar compulsory to learn. He said, learning is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female, in every circumstance.
He arranged pension for the poor from the state treasury and reformed land tax system in order to abolish feudalism.
About the success of the Prophet Muhammad (SM), historian Leonardo said, if anybody in this world has known God, if any body in this world has done good to mankind, he is Muhammad.
Josephine Hale said, Muhammad was such a personality in absence of whom the world would have remained incomplete. He is comparable to himself only.
The seven qualities of humanity, as the Prophet Muhammad (SM) had, narrated by generous lady Khadiza, are, 1. Giving of due to the kith and kin, 2.truthfulness, 3. To be trusted custodian, 4. To work to feed, clothe and shelter the orphan, widow, widow, blind, cripple and disable, 5. To solve the unemployment problem, 6.hospitality, and 7. To help the natural calamities affected people.
The Prophet (SM) said, feed he hunger, serve the sick and release the prisoners.
(The writer is a senior journalist).