Three Muhammads (Peace Be Upon Him)

This is the title of a book I am slowly working on. This work prioritizes a stylistically critical approach to analyzing Siyar [works having as their subject the biography of the Prophet (SAWS)], Maghazi [works about the holy wars conducted for Islâm], Shamail [works depicting the character, good manners and looks of the Holy Prophet (SAWS)], Hilya [works illustrating the outward appearance, virtues and beautiful qualities of the Holy Prophet (SAWS)], Mujizat [works describing the miracles showed by the Prophets (AS)], and Hasais [works informing about the characteristics of the Prophet (SAWS)] which are each evaluated as an independent discipline by classical writers but which are all a part of the literature dealing with the life or an aspect of the life of the Holy Prophet (SAWS).

You may ask “Who are the three Muhammad?” Let me enumerate as follows:

1. Muhammad (SAWS) that is excluded from the life by being treated as a superhuman or an angel.

2. Muhammad (SAWS) that is perceived at the level of a postman between ALLÂH (SWT) and man, as if performing the function of “a connecting cable.”

3. Muhammad (SAWS) that is unlike and opposite to these; that is such as introduced by the Noble Qur’ân as an example of the morals set in it.

Besides this category, some Islamic disciplines also have one-sided ways of understanding the Holy Prophet (SAWS):

1. Understanding the Prophet (SAWS) as somebody indefatigably speaking, whose life consisting of nothing but talking.

2. The Sufis’ perceiving the Prophet (SAWS) as somebody who is a little secluded, a little elitist, a little bit delirious, but always sunk in ‘mystery’ and necessarily ‘extraordinary’.

3. Islâmic jurisprudence scholars’ perceiving the Prophet (SAWS) as somebody constantly setting rules,

Yearning for learning

17th century Turkish manuscript showing a Madrasa in Istanbul.

Did you know that the Arabic word for mosque is Jami’ and the Arabic for university is Jami’a? A thousand years ago the first universities emerged within mosques where religion and science sat comfortably side by side.

Building on knowledge from Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Chinese and Indian Civilisations, Muslims developed a learning culture where enquiring minds searched for truths based on scientific rigour and experimentation. In almost every field of knowledge, Muslims made new inventions and discoveries with practical outcomes that helped develop society.

Muslim charitable institutions provided the first scholarships to support students.Courses were difficult and medicine was particularly gruelling, and just like in universities today, examinations were long and difficult.

School Zone Highlights

	Explore the unique link between mosques and universities in Islam more than 1000 years ago. As more and more students attended universities, ijazas, or certificates, were awarded to those who graduated. These ijazas could be the origin of the word ‘baccalareus’. Today the International Baccalaureate is a qualification for international students.
	Learn about advances made by Jabir ibn Hayyan’s research in the field of chemistry. Known in the west as Geber, he is considered to be the founder of chemistry due to his enormous contributions to the field.
	Discover the origins of the term chairperson or ‘chair’. Over a thousand years ago, Muslim schools and universities had study circles with groups of students gathered around a professor who was seated on a chair or kursi. It is this notion that evolved into a professional position, the chairperson.

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