A Brief Sketch of the Prophet's Life (571-634) The Prophet Muhammad by Muhammad Ali Lahore, India (1946)
[0] Editorial Comments & Preface
Web Publication by Mountain Man Graphics, Australia - Southern Spring of '96

The Textual Account ...

I would like to give full credit to Muhammad Ali of Muslim Town, Lahore, India for his research and presentation of the following text which I have duplicated for the sake of the students of life, students who may never have read any account of the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

Global Harmonic Background

Observation of the Mountain Man ...

However - despite the seeming worldy differences of these generic knowledges - it is quite clear to my mind that there exists a great and meaningful commonality in the teachings of these three living beings. And here I separate out the nature of the lives and the manner of the teachings of these three historical living beings, as they were recorded to have lived in (and beyond) their respective spaces and times, from those (apparent) three bodies of generic knowledge which are revered by their current (and historic) followers (ie: the intellectual theologies and persuasions).

In addition to these three major spiritual luminaries of the planet's known and recorded history, there are - of course - the works of others to be researched, contemplated, studied and meditated upon, for it is only too clear that the emergent evolution of the cognisance of spiritual matters was not confined to just one culture, or land beneath the sun - but to the entire planet.

Nevertheless, we can in walking only take one step at a time, and so this publication attempts to provide some background to the man known as the Prophet Muhammad. In the account of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and in his recording and preparation of the words of the Holy Qur'an, there is a wealth of information to be reflected upon by the students of life. Following this account, you will find - at Part 6 of this publication, a reference work concerning further Islamic Resources on the net at this time in the history of our planet.

This publication is dedicated to peace,
and the spirit of the pioneers.

PRF Brown
BCSLS {Freshwater}
Mountain Man Graphics, Australia
in the Southern Spring of '96

Muhammad Ali

Muslim Town,
Lahore,
INDIA.
3rd December 1946

The Holy Quran was revealed to the Prophet piecemeal during a period of twenty-three years, from the fortieth year of his life to his death. It is divided into 114 chapters, each chapter being called a sura. The larger chapters are sub-divided into sections, each section being called a ruk'u. Each chapter consists of a number of verses. The chapters are of unequal length, the longest chapter containing about one-twelfth of the entire book while the smallest contains only three verses. Some of the chapters were revealed entire, but the revelation of the majority of the larger chapters extended over years, and some of the smaller ones were also revealed in pieces. When a chapter was revealed in parts, the Prophet specified the place of the verse or verses revealed. Thus the arrangement of the verses in each chapter was entirely his own. The arrangement of the chapters was also the Prophet's own work. Every part revealed was both written down and committed to memory, as soon as it was revealed, by the Prophet's companions. The whole of the Quran according to the Prophet's arrangement was safe in the memories of men in the Prophet's life-time, while the written manuscripts were gathered together immediately after his death, by the orders of Abu Bakr, his first successor. Therefore, all Muslims wherever they may be living have the same Quran.

About two-thirds of the Holy Quran was revealed at Mecca where the Prophet passed thirteen years of his life after the Call, and about one-third at Medina where he passed the last ten years of his life. In arrangement the chapters revealed at Mecca are intermixed with those revealed at Medina. The following table will give the reader an approximate idea of the historical order of revelation of the chapters as they stand in the present arrangement:

The Holy Quran is the chief, and admittedly the most reliable, source of the Prophet's teachings, the principles being all laid down in it. Sunna (lit., a way or rule or manner of acting), which means the Prophet's practice, is a secondary source of what the Prophet taught. Hadith literally means a saying, but in its technical sense it is the narration or record of Sunna. In effect Sunna and Hadith cover the same ground and are applicable to the Prophet's actions, practices and sayings, but Hadith is a wider term as it contains, in addition to the record of the Prophet's practices, prophetical and historical elements. Sunna or Hadith was recognized from the very beginning as affording guidance in religious matters, and its need, its force as law and its preservation are all traceable to the life-time of the Prophet, though undoubtedly Hadith collections in book form came later.

The collection of Hadith passed through five stages before it assumed the form of Musnad and Jami. The latter brings the knowledge of Hadith to perfection, and it not only arranges reports according to their subject matter, which is not the case with Musnad, but is also of a more critical tone. Six collections of Hadith are recognized in this class by the Ahl Sunna as reliable, commonly known as Bukhari; Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi;, Ibn Maja and Nasa'i. Of these Bukhari which is the first in point of time is the most critical also, and undoubtedly occupies the first place in reliability. In this treatise Bukhari has been referred to more frequently than any other collection. Occasionally the Mishkat, which is a collection of Hadith taken from the above six books and some other collections, such as Baihaqi, Dar Qutni, etc., and has been translated into English, has also been referred to.

All references [96:10] given in this treatise without an indication of the name are to the Holy Quran, the first figure representing the number of the chapter and the second figure the number of the verse. All other references are indicated by name. In the reference to Hadith collections, the first fiqure represents the number of the book and the second the number of the chapter.

Muhammad Ali

Muslim Town,
Lahore,
INDIA.
3rd December 1946

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A Brief Sketch of the Life of the Prophet Muhammad (571-634 AD)
Authored by Muhammad Ali, Moslem Town, Lahore, India (1946)
Conclusion of Part 0 - Editorial Notations & Preface

	Part 1 of 5

A Brief Sketch of the Prophet's Life (571-634) The Prophet Muhammad by Muhammad Ali Lahore, India (1946)
[0] - Editorial Comments & Preface
	Preface	Part 1	Part 2	Part 3
	Part 4	Part 5		Index
	Further Islamic Resources
Web Publication by Mountain Man Graphics, Australia - Southern Spring of '96