❞ كتاب Muhammad the Last Messenger the Last Message ❝ ⏤ عبد العزيز محمد الشناوي

Contents
Translator’s Note .............................................................................................................................. 2
FOREWORD ........................................................................................................................................ 4
Foreword to the Third Edition ..................................................................................................... 5
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Lecture 1. Prophets of Allah: The Only Ideals for Mankind ............................................... 8
Lecture 2. The Life of Prophet Muhammad - the Most Comprehensive and Eternal
Model................................................................................................................................................. 19
Lecture 3. The Historic Aspect of Prophet Muhammad’s Life ....................................... 32
Lecture 4. The Perfectness of the Holy Prophet’s Life ..................................................... 50
Lecture 5. The Comprehensiveness of the Holy Prophet’s Life .................................... 67
Lecture 6. The Practical Aspect of Prophet Muhammad’s Life and its Practicability
............................................................................................................................................................. 82
Lecture 7. The Message of the Holy Prophet of Islam ................................................... 100
Lecture 8. Practice Based on the Teachings of Prophet Muhammad ...................... 116

Translator’s Note
This translation of Syed Sulaiman Nadwi’s “Khutbat-e-Madras” is dedicated to the
western world in particular and all users of English language in general. It is a well
acknowledged fact that the western world has generally shown a hostile attitude
towards Islam. But that attitude is now showing visible signs of change. Although
Islam is still being portrayed by the western media as a threat and ‘extremist
fundamentalism”, in the words of the of the Reader’s Digest it is “the world’s
fastest growing religion.” Many prominent social and political leaders of the
western world have begun to admit the importance of Islam for humanity and
that there is a need to study it impartially and objectively in order to have a
greater understanding of Islam and the Muslim world. At this point, it would be
logical to say that a proper understanding of Islam can come only through
original Islamic sources.
As the readers of this book will notice, an immense amount of literature about
the Prophet of Islam (Peace be upon him) is available in different languages of

the world besides Arabic. It is our belief that Syed Suleiman Nadwi’s ‘Khutbat-e-
Madras” is, perhaps, the best book to introduce the Prophet of Islam and the

message of Islam to the western world. When Syed Sulaiman Nadwi was

preparing the material for this book he had in mind basically a non-Arab, non-
Muslim audience. He was in a unique position to introduce the Prophet of Islam

because he had already co authored a seven-volume biography of the holy
Prophet which is highly regarded in the Muslim world for its scholarly merits.
Compared to this biography the present book seems like a bottle of perfume
extracted from tons of flowers.
Sheikh Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi, who is one of the most prominent scholars of
Islam at the present time, a teacher, an author and a historian, well known in both
the Arab and non-Arab world, says about this book that it is a miracle of
scholarship. It was a rare good fortune of this translator to meet Sheikh Abul
Hassan Ali Nadwi (who was passing through Al-Khobar on his way back from
Makkah) and show this translation to him for his approval. He wrote a very
gracious letter from India with his appreciation and comments, some of which
might be relevant here:
“...Syed Sulaiman Nadwi‘s “Khutbat-e-Madras” holds a unique position in the literature
about the holy Prophet (Peace be upon him). Without lessening the importance of this
valuable treasure which has been produced over the last fourteen centuries, I would like
to say that the present world needs a series of articles to explain the universal nature of
the message which the holy Prophet’s biography extends to all mankind, particularly its

www.fahmedeen.org www.practiseislam.org

Page 3

relevance to the complexities of the ever-advancing modern life. It is the need of time that
Syed Sulaiman Nadwi‘s great book should be translated into different languages so that
its benefit should reach the whole world. I congratulate you for translating it into
English. I pray to Almighty Allah for the success of your effort with the hope that it may
kindle the light of faith all over the world...” [Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi, Lucknow, India,
24 May, 1996].
In conclusion, I would like to say that Islam, which literally means peace,
guarantees a life of peace and prosperity in this temporary world and a life of
everlasting peace and joy in the next world. It is a message from Allah, the
Creator of man, to man for his eternal success. We hope and pray that Almighty
Allah, Most Gracious and Merciful, make this book a means towards
understanding this message and grant us His Pleasure and Mercy in this life and
the hereafter.

The following few lectures about different aspects of the life of the Prophet of
Islam (Peace be upon him) were delivered under the patronage of the Muslim
Educational Society of Madras, India, in 1925. For the past few years, it has been a
regular practice in Madras that every year some distinguished scholar of
Christianity gives lectures on Christianity and Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him),
which are received with great interest. This gave the idea to certain well educated
Muslims of Madras that a similar attempt should be made for the benefit of the
Muslim students of English-medium schools there. Every year, the services of a
Muslim scholar should be acquired to give lectures about Islam and the Prophet
of Islam (Peace be upon him), and these lectures should suit the taste of the
students of English-medium schools and appeal to the modern mind.
Fortunately, Seth M. Jamal Mohammad took upon himself to sponsor these
lectures and it is hoped that his good work will continue for a long time to come
and this series of the “Islamic Lectures of Madras” will be popular and fruitful.
I feel privileged that I was the first to be chosen for this noble and extremely
important task. Eight lectures were held at Laly Hall, Madras, beginning in
October, 1925, and were completed in the last week of November. I am grateful
to Seth Hameed Hassan, Secretary of the Muslim Education Society, who made all
the arrangements, including the announcements and the English translation of
these lectures. I am also grateful to the Muslims of Madras for their patient
hearing and appreciation of the lectures some of which lasted for nearly three
hours. The non-Muslims too, deserve my thanks who in their search for truth
attended these meetings despite the fact that Urdu is not their native language. I
extend my gratitude to the Urdu and English newspapers of Madras for
publishing weekly a summary of my lectures in their columns. Daily Express and
The Hindu of Madras deserve a special mention in this regard who generously
devoted their columns for the English translation of these lectures.
Finally, while I present these lectures in the written form, I bow my head in
humble gratitude to Almighty Allah, asking for His acceptance and Mercy and
that He may grant me the sincerity of purpose in presenting this work to the
readers.

 Book author :