Why Quran

The Muslims marched to the Fort of Khaybar, attack and defeat it’s treacherous occupants.

Along the way, various miracles occur:

– An assassin attempts to kill Prophet Muhammad, but he miraciously is suddenly mentally handicapped.

– Imam Ali’s unable to fight due to an illness in his eyes. Prophet Muhammad heals him and Imam Ali leads the Muslims to victory.

– Imam Ali single handedly moves the fallen gate of Khaybar, which was so heavy it normally take many men to open and close it.

In addition, while Imam Ali was sick, Prophet Muhammad also offered the army’s standard (i.e. leadership) to Abu Bakr and Umar, giving them a chance to take on the fortress. Both returned unsuccessful, with them blaming their men, and their men blaming them.

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

Khaybar was manned by Jewish tribes that had previously reacted treasonously against the Muslims and had been exiled from Medina in turn.

They had already attacked the Muslims once, by participating in the Battle of Khandak, and Prophet Muhammad received intel that those Jewish tribes were again planning to ally with another pagan tribes to attack Medina.

The Prophet again attempted a diplomatic outreach to the tribes in Khaybar, but it fell on deaf ears. Realizing that the Jews at Khaybar were determined to march against Mecca yet again, Prophet Muhammad prepared to strike against them first.

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

Prophet Muhammad continues his outreach to foreign leaders, sending messengrs to the Persian emperor Khosrow II and the Coptic ruler Muqawqis of Alexandria.

The outreach teaches us:

– Islam was always meant to be globalized, not just for the Arabs. We need to also think deeply about how to universalize the messaging

– The way people respond to the Prophet had an impact on their dunya and akhira

– The prophet addresses world leaders with their respective titles. This is part of the etiquette of dialogue.

– Even when people are tyranical rulers, it doesn’t give us the right to be abusive (especially when we’re unprovoked). Even Musa was instructed to speak gently to Feron

– Communicate using simple language and get to the point. The letters were short and succinct.

– Customize your communication to cater to your audience

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

With the repreieve provided by the Treaty of Hudaybiyya, Prophet Muhammad can focus on spreading Islam by doing dawah to surrounding leaders. This lecture covers encounters with two prominent leaders:

1. The Abysinnian king Najashi, who converted to Islam

2. The Roman emperor Heraclius, who questioned Abu Sufyan and acertained Prophet Muhammad’s legitimacy, but did not openly convert

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

The many of the Muslims had seen the Treaty of Hudaybiyya as a humiliating loss, yet Prophet Muhammad knew the treaty paved the way for their ultimate success.

This lecture discusses the various ways this treaty helped the Muslims, along with how Allah sent Surah Al-Fath right afterwards to bolden the Muslims and help them understand the victory which had just been won.

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

The Quraysh sent Suhayl ibn Amr to negotiate the Treaty of Hudaybiyya with Prophet Muhammad. Suhayl had a vested interest in the outcome since two of his sons had converted to Islam, one of whom he was keeping captive.

The Muslim masses were surprised by the treaty though, which they saw as an insult. Umar ibn Al-Khattab was particularly outraged, later saying that on that day he “doubted the Prophet’s prophethood like [he] had never doubted it before”

While on the surface the treaty looked like a setback, it set the stage for the Muslims’ eventual victory over Quraysh.

Lessons include:

– The importance of writing down agreements

– Importane of making concessions for the greater good (when they don’t violate Islamic values)

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

While camped outside Mecca at Hudaybiyya, the Prophet Muhammad sends an emissary into the city. The Quraysh kill his camel, and he’s barely allowed to leave.

The Prophet then tries to send Umar ibn Al-Khattab, but he refuses out of fear. Uthman, who had strong tribal ties with people in the city, is sent instead. However, he’s prevented from leaving for three days, and Muslims fear the worst

Given the shakiness of the Muslims, the Prophet is inspired to renew their pledge to him in The Pledge of Ridhwan, and many verse of the Quran are revealed in praise of those who would stick with that pledge

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

Prophet Muhammad saw a dream of the Muslims entering the Ka’bah to worship, and he instructs his followers to begin preparations to go to Mecca. They would go in peace, without arms.

The call to go for this pilgrimage turns into an opportunity to expose more of the Munafiqeen as they make excuses to avoid the seemingly dangerous journey.

When the Quraysh get word of the Muslims arriving, they panic, fearing that allowing their enemies into the city would make the Meccans appear weak. While they negotiate with the Muslims, the friendly local tribe of Khuza’ah helps the Muslims settle in Hudaybiyyah and even advocates for them to teh Quraysh, reminding them of their oath to allow all pilgrims to the holy Kaba

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

The tribe of Bani Mustaliq were planning to launch a surprise attack against the Muslims, and rumor of it reached Prophet Muhammad. He sent a companion named Buraydah ibn al-Husayb to investigate. The rumor was confirmed.

This lecture covers:

– The attack Prophet Muhammad led in response

– The secret hypocrites who joined this battle

– The battle’s outcome

– The Prophet’s political marriage to Juwayriyya bint al-Harith, the daughter of Bani Mustaliq’s chief

– Prophet Muhammad’s response to munafiq Abdullah ibn Ubayy criticizing the Muhajireen during the return trip to Medina

– Allah revealing Surah Munafiqun to expose ibn Ubayy, and an explanation of the verses

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com

Sa’d was a very high ranking companion and a shaheed. Prophet Muhammad took much more care during his burial than he normally would, yet he still chided someone who said that he would go straight to heaven.

Lesson: If you have bad akhlaq, even the prophet cannot help you against the consequences

Later, Prophet Muhammad proposed Zaynab bint Jahash marry his adopted son and ex-slave Zayd ibn Haritha. When the couple was unable to get along and got a divorce, the Prophet married Zaynab instead.

This broke multiple societal taboos:

1) Making marriage between the upper class and lower class seem acceptable and

2) Showing that the rules between father/son relations do not apply to adopted sons.

Podcast version: podcast.lifeofprophetmuhammad.com