The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (Part 138)

Author: Shaykh Muhammad Yunus Khalid

The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (Part 138)

Educational Lessons from the Life of the Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

The Conditions of the World Before the Birth and Prophethood of the Leader of Both Worlds, the Noble Messenger (PBUH)

Introduction

Before the sun of Islam rose from the land of Makkah and the Noble Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH) was sent to guide humanity, the world was passing through one of the darkest periods in its history. Great nations and governments existed, prosperous cities and magnificent palaces had been established, various fields of knowledge had advanced among some peoples, and civilizations with long histories had emerged in different parts of the world. Yet behind these outward appearances, human beings had moved far away from many of life’s true values, and human societies were struggling with deep intellectual, moral, social, and humanitarian crises.

In those days, the apparent advancement of civilizations did not necessarily mean human happiness. People had developed various means and tools for living, but they still did not fully understand the right way to live. Powerful governments existed, but justice was often sacrificed to power. Laws existed, but their application was not equal when it came to those in positions of power. Great wealth was concentrated in the hands of a limited number of people, while large numbers of people lived in poverty and deprivation. War, violence, slavery, prejudice, and tyranny had made life difficult and burdensome for many nations.

On the other hand, moral and behavioral deviations had spread in various parts of society. A person’s value was sometimes judged according to wealth, race, tribe, social class, or power rather than humanity and virtue. In some societies, lying, betrayal, oppression, drinking wine, gambling, moral corruption, and exploitation of the vulnerable were widespread, and many people made personal and group interests the standard of their conduct instead of considering morality the foundation of social life.

The family had also lost its proper position in many environments. In a number of societies, women did not enjoy appropriate human and social rights, and in some cultures, they were treated as inferior beings. Slaves were deprived of even the most basic human rights, while the weak, orphans, poor, and vulnerable often lacked adequate protection and support. In some societies, family and social bonds had also been damaged under the influence of poverty, corruption, war, and injustice.

From a religious and ideological perspective, a large part of the world had also fallen into deviation. Many people, instead of worshipping the One God, bowed before idols, human beings, natural forces, and concepts created by their own minds. Others were outwardly affiliated with revealed religions, but over time their religious beliefs and practices had been affected by distortion, extremism, disagreement, and the mixing of revelation with human ideas. As a result, a deep gap had developed between humanity’s innate need for God and the way people lived their lives.

This does not mean that before Islam there were no righteous individuals, scholars, thinkers, or societies possessing moral virtues. Among different nations, honorable people and sound beliefs could also be found, and some civilizations had made valuable scientific and cultural achievements. The fundamental problem, however, was that the world lacked a comprehensive divine system for reforming the individual and society, a system that could place belief, worship, morality, family, economy, justice, social relations, and human dignity within a harmonious framework.

Under such circumstances, humanity needed divine guidance more than ever; guidance that would not speak only about worship but would also reform the human beings from within and teach them the proper way of life. It would teach him how to maintain a relationship with Allah (SWT), how to treat his family, how to live with his neighbors and society, how to deal with the weak and needy, how to stay away from oppression and corruption, and how to preserve human dignity.

It was in this dark and troubled environment that the Noble Prophet (PBUH) was sent with the message of prophethood, not merely to build a material civilization, but to build the human being: a person whose heart is filled with faith, whose tongue is characterized by truthfulness, whose conduct reflects good character, whose life is founded upon justice, and whose relationship with others is marked by mercy and dignity. The mission of the Prophet (PBUH) was not merely an invitation to a set of beliefs; rather, it was a call to reform every dimension of human life.

Islam came to liberate human beings from servitude to everything besides Allah, to change the standard of human worth from wealth, race, and power to piety and virtue, to condemn oppression, establish justice, strengthen the family, safeguard the rights of orphans, the poor, and the vulnerable, combat moral corruption, and give meaning and direction to human life.

Therefore, in order to understand the greatness of the transformations that began with the Prophethood of the Noble Messenger (PBUH), we must first have a clear picture of the world before Islam, a world that, alongside some scientific and civilizational achievements, was facing deep religious, moral, social, and humanitarian problems. Then it becomes clearer under what circumstances Islam emerged and how the Prophet of Mercy (PBUH), through the light of revelation, guided the wandering human being toward faith, morality, justice, dignity, and a wholesome life.

Thus, examining the conditions of the great nations and governments before Islam is not merely a historical discussion. Rather, it is an introduction to understanding the value and greatness of the mission of the Noble Prophet (PBUH) and the profound transformation that Islam brought to human thought, morality, and life.

To be continued…

Previous Part