Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
2. The Life of the Prophet Muhammad
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Addas. He spoke to the leaders of the town and invited them to
accept Islam. They paid no heed to his message. They were such
evil people that they did not stop at that. When the Prophet was
leaving the town in a dejected state, he was chased by street
urchins instigated by these chiefs. They abused him and threw
stones at him as he walked out of town. They continued to pelt
stones at him, until the cover of the darkness of night came in
before them and the Prophet. He stopped on the way in an orchard
to rest. He was badly hurt, bleeding profusely. Yet he only prayed
for their guidance. He did not curse them. In all humility he
addressed God in these words.
“Lord! Forgive these people, for they know not what
they do.”
In the tenth year of Prophethood the angel Gabriel came to
take the Prophet on the miraculous journey to the heavens known
as Miraj. They first went from Makkah to Jerusalem, the Prophet
riding on a winged horse. At Jerusalem, the Prophet said his
prayers in the Temple of David, where all other prophets joined
him in prayer. Then he ascended to the heavens still accompanied
by the angel Gabriel. God granted an audience to His messenger.
It was on this blessed occasion that the Prophet received God’s
commandments including the prayer to be said five times daily. The
Prophet then came back home. All this took place overnight.
There are two views about this heavenly journey. Some hold
that this ascension was made by the Prophet’s soul, while others
hold that it was made by his body. According to Umm Hani, the
