Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him

Muhammad pbuh was actually born on 9th Rabi'ul-Awwal, the same year of the Elephant incident (20th or 22nd April 571 C.E.),. (Not on 12th Rabi'ul-Awwal as celebrated by Muslims worldwide. Ibn Sa'd reported that Muhammad's mother said "When he was born, there was a light that issued out of my pudendum and lit the places of Syria". Subhanallah. 

Ameena, Rasulullah (pbuh)'s mother said that being pregnant to him, the gestation period was the easiest, she didn't feel the hardships of being pregnant, and giving birth. 

Our beloved Prophet saw returned to Allah on Monday morning, 12 Rabi'ul-Awwal, 11th year of Al-Hijrah, he was 63yrs and 4 days old.

Al-Anbiya 21:107

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).

Ali-Imran 3:132

وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

And obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) that you may obtain mercy.

Al-Baqarah 119

إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ بِالْحَقِّ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَا تُسْأَلُ عَنْ أَصْحَابِ الْجَحِيمِ

Verily, We have sent thee [O Prophet] with the truth, as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner: and thou shalt not be held accountable for those who are destined for the blazing fire.

Al-Ahzab 33:21

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

Certainly you have in the Apostle of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the latter day and remembers Allah much.

An-Nisaā' 4: 80

مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا

He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad SAW), has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you (O Muhammad SAW) as a watcher over them.

An-Nisaa 4:170

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الرَّسُولُ بِالْحَقِّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَآمِنُوا خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ وَإِن تَكْفُرُوا فَإِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) with the truth from your Lord, so believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Ali-Imran 3:31

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Al-Maeda 5:99

مَّا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ

The Messenger's duty [i.e. Our Messenger Muhammad SAW whom We have sent to you, (O mankind)] is but to convey (the Message). And Allah knows all that you reveal and all that you conceal.

Al-A'raf 7:158

قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah - to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He); It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad SAW), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad SAW) who believes in Allah and His Words [(this Quran), the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and also Allah's Word: "Be!" - and he was, i.e. 'Iesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary)], and follow him so that you may be guided."

Tafsir ibnu kathir

Allah mencintai hambaNya yg BERTAQWA, iaitu yg mengikuti ajaran Rasulullah saw, dan selalu mengimani beliau secara lisan dan perbuatan. 

Kecintaan kpd Rasulullah saw ialah bukti kecintaan kpd Allah swt. 

Dgn demikian, Allah akan mencintai mereka dan selalu melimpahkan rahmat-Nya baik di dunia mahu pun di akhirat. 

Diakhir ayat, Allah menjanjikan bahawa dosa org2 yg mencintai Rasulullah saw akan diampuni.

(Al-Misbāh Al-Munīr fi Tahżīb Tafsir Ibnu Kaśir, 1999: 169)

Pg 106 The miracle reference 

At-Taubah 9:61

وَمِنْهُمُ الَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ النَّبِيَّ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ أُذُنٌ قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ لَّكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

And among them are men who hurt the Prophet (Muhammad SAW) and say: "He is (lending his) ear (to every news)." Say: "He listens to what is best for you; he believes in Allah; has faith in the believers; and is a mercy to those of you who believe." But those who hurt Allah's Messenger (Muhammad SAW) will have a painful torment.

9:63

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ مَن يُحَادِدِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَأَنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدًا فِيهَا ذَٰلِكَ الْخِزْيُ الْعَظِيمُ

Know they not that whoever opposes and shows hostility to Allah and His Messenger (SAW), certainly for him will be the Fire of Hell to abide therein. That is extreme disgrace.

An-Nahl 16:89

وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

And (remember) the Day when We shall raise up from every nation a witness against them from amongst themselves. And We shall bring you (O Muhammad SAW) as a witness against these. And We have sent down to you the Book (the Quran) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as Muslims).

Michael H. Hart, an American astrophysicist and author, put Muhammad pbuh at No. 1 in his most notably book (1978) The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. 

He said "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level." Michael H. Hart

Recently I received a book as a gift from a dear friend. It is one of the most precious assets I have in my possession to this point of time. So I just would like to share it with you. 

In case the photo is blurry, the tile is 'The Sealed Nectar' (Ar-Raheequl-Makhyum) Boigraphy of the Noble Prophet صَلى االله عَلَيْهِ وسلم

Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri

Islamic University

Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Published by Darussalam 

Please also listen to the series of inspiring lectures by our eloquent Mufti Ismail Menk titled 'The Life of The Final Messenger' that he rendered during the Ramadhan in 2011. There are 30 lectures altogether. As a start, here's the first of the series

http://youtu.be/F-lKqMJKQpM

Hadith online that I normally refer to:-
1. Hadith Explorer http://quranexplorer.com/Hadith/English/Index.html which you can do search across all four books of Narrators:- Complete Sahih Bukhari, Complete Sahih Muslim, Complete Malik's Muwatta and Partial Abu Dawud

2. Subscribe to Hadith of the Day at http://www.hadithoftheday.com/

Tests in life / Dugaan dan ujian

Mere lip service to Islam will not suffice to win Allah's pleasure or gain entry to paradise

At-Tawba 9:16

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تُتْرَكُوا وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنكُمْ 

Adakah kamu menyangka, bahawa kamu akan dibiarkan (dalam keadaan kamu yang ada itu), padahal belum lagi terbukti kepada Allah (sebagaimana yang diketahuiNya) orang-orang yang berjihad di antara kamu...

Do you think that you shall be left alone while Allah has not yet tested those among you who have striven hard and fought...

Al-Ankabut 29:2

أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُوا أَن يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُونَ

Patutkah manusia menyangka bahawa mereka akan dibiarkan dengan hanya berkata: "Kami beriman", sedang mereka tidak diuji (dengan sesuatu cubaan)?

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, We believe, and not be tried?

“Know that if you pray for courage, Allah will not give you "courage”, but put you in real situations where you have the opportunity to cultivate courage; if you pray for patience and strength, that He will place you in situations so that you may strengthen yourself with patience. That is the true meaning of tests of life that Allah bestows upon you- they are all truly a Magisterial Favour upon you from your Lord, The Wise!” -- Imam Afroz Ali

Yunus 107

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِن يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَادَّ لِفَضْلِهِ يُصِيبُ بِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

And if Allah should afflict you with harm, then there is none to remove it but He; and if He intends good to you there is none to repel His grace; He brings it to whom He pleases of His servants; and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Dan jika Allah mengenakan engkau dengan sesuatu yang membahayakan, maka tiada sesiapa pun yang akan dapat menghapuskannya melainkan Dia; dan jika Ia menghendaki engkau beroleh sesuatu kebaikan, maka tiada sesiapapun yang akan dapat menghalangi limpah kurniaNya. Allah melimpahkan kurniaNya itu kepada sesiapa yang dikendakiNya dari hamba-hambaNya, dan Dia lah yang Maha Pengampun lagi Maha Mengasihani.

Rasulullah saw bersabda, “seseorang dilanda ujian atau cubaan menurut kekuatan iman dan mutu agama yg dimilikinya. Apabila agamanya kukuh tentu ujian yg diterimanya pun tambah berat seimbang dengan kekuatan iman dan keyakinannya. Demikian juga sebaliknya. Makin lemah kekuatan agama seseorang makin ringan pula cubaan yg menimpanya. Cubaan dan ujian senantiasa menimpa orang beriman sepanjang perjalanannya di muka bumi sehingga terhapus dosa-dosanya dan tidak melekat sedikitpun kesalahan pada dirinya (HR Tirmidzi). InshaAllah...