The Prophet Muhammad A simple Guide to his Life
The Prophet as a Model
~ 180 ~
It is as good an example as that of the Madinan
period. There is no difference between the two in so
far as their being good examples is concerned.
This is an extremely serious matter requiring deep
reflection. For instance, if one says that
jihad
is the
sole solution to all communal problems, this
assertion will not be true in its absolute sense; such
statements negate all other examples of the Prophet,
where he did not opt only for the way of
jihad,
but
rather followed the path of patience and
hijrah.
Similarly, if it were to be said that the goal of the
Muslim
ummah
is the establishment of a complete
Islamic system, such a statement likewise would not
be right, for it would amount to a cancelling out of
the entire life of the Prophet prior to the Last Sermon.
As we know, several Islamic commands were
finalized only on the occasion of the Last Pilgrimage.
Neither had these commands been given previously
nor had the revelation of the Qur’an been completed
by that time. In such a case ‘the good example’ would
amount to claiming that only the last phase of the
Prophet’s life served as a good example, at the time
when the Qur’an was completed.
