Islamic Studies
Zain Sultan 72027 BS ( Entra )
1. Compare the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with the
Prophethood of other Prophets.
The Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) differs from that of the Prophets who
came before him in three primary ways:
1. Universality: In the past, prophets were usually sent to a certain tribe, nation, or small area (like
Prophet Musa/Moses to the Children of Israel). Until the Day of Judgment, Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) was sent to everyone. His message is universal.
2. Finality (Khatm-e-Nabuwwat): Though the earlier Prophets were linked together in a continuous
chain, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the last one. His work can be likened to the completion of the
building of Prophethood, which implies that there will be no other Prophet with a new or old law
coming after him.
3. Preservation of Message: Besides the changes that the earlier Prophets’ teachings and Books had,
sometimes they even got lost, the primary revelation to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Holy
Quran, is the only one that God has preserved in its exact original form so that His message will
always be complete and pure.
2. What is the concept of "Khatm-e-Nabuwwat"? Explain its significance in
light of the Quran and Sunnah.
Concept: “Khatm-e-Nabuwwat” literally means the “Seal of Prophethood” or the Finality of
Prophethood. It is the fundamental Islamic belief that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the last in the long
chain of Messengers sent by God, and the institution of Prophethood has ceased after him.
Significance in light of the Quran and Sunnah:
● Quranic Evidence: In Surah Al-Ahzab (Chapter 33, Verse 40) of the Quran, Allah Almighty states
clearly: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the
Seal of the Prophets (Khatamun Nabiyyeen)…” His ultimate status is firmly established in this verse.
Sunnah Evidence: This status was explained by the Prophet himself in multiple narrations
(Ahadith). He famously stated, “The chain of prophets has been terminated, and no Prophet will
come after me.” This finality means that Islam is flawless, comprehensive, and doesn’t require any
more revisions or additions from any later prophets.
3. The holy Quran describes the moral character of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) as "Azeem-ul-Khulq". Explain three of his moral qualities with practical
examples.
“Azeem-ul-Khulq” means “sublime” or “exalted moral character.” The holy Quran identifies the Prophet
as such in Surah Al-Qalam (68:4). Just three out of the many moral qualities to which his exemplary
character could be summed up were:
1. Honesty and Trustworthiness (Al-Sadiq wal-Amin):
○ Example: Even before he was a Prophet, the people of Mecca used to call him Al-Amin (The
Trustworthy). When the tribes could not decide who was to place the Black Stone in the Kaaba,
they all together chose him to be their judge, thus, trusting his perfect honesty and fairness.
2. Mercy and Compassion (Rahmatul-lil-Alamin):
○ Example: After the conquest of Mecca when he was in a position to punish those who had
persecuted him and his followers for years, he, however, decided quite differently. In a very
famous manner, he declared a total amnesty, saying: “Go, for you are all free.” It was a
demonstration of huge mercy, a putting aside of personal revenge for the sake of compassion.
3. Humility and Simplicity:
○ Example: While he was the leader of an expanding state, his life was surprisingly simple. He
would fix his own clothes, milk his own goat, and eat with the poorest of his Companions
without any sort of difference, thereby showing deep humility and absence of any kind of
pretension.
4. In light of the Quranic teachings, explain the basic duties of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) and how he fulfilled them, providing practical examples.
The Quran describes the fundamental tasks of the Prophet (PBUH) in his teachings through various
verses such as Surah Al-Jumu’ah (62:2) and Surah Al-Baqarah (2:151) which essentially boil down to
these three primary functions:
1. Recitation of God’s Verses (Tilawat al-Ayat):
○ Duty: To convey and recite the verses of the Quran to the people exactly as they were
revealed.
○ Fulfillment Example: He made sure that the communication of the Quranic verses was not only
clear but also continuous. He himself memorized the verses and in addition to that, he
instructed his Companions to write them down and also to memorize them. This, therefore,
was the means by which the text of the revelation was preserved.
2. Purification of the People (Tazkiyah):
○ Duty: One of His objectives was to purify the followers from religious and ethical illnesses
(such as polytheism, pride, and corruption) and to lead them to develop a good character.
○ Fulfillment Example: Among other things, He stopped such sinful practices as gambling and
drinking that were widely accepted in the society, and He implanted virtues like honesty and
giving which not only purified their souls but also their behavior.
3. Teaching the Book and Wisdom (Ta'lim al-Kitab wa al-Hikmah):
○ Duty: First, he came to explain the Quran’s teachings (the Book) and make it clear that the way
of life (the Wisdom, which is the Sunnah) should be followed.
○ Fulfillment Example: For instance, the Prophet instituted the five daily prayers (Salat), leading
the people by example how to carry them out one after another, thus making a living and
practical ritual out of the Quranic injunction to “establish prayer”.
5. Compare the Makki and Madani phases of the life of Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH).
The life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) can be mainly divided into two phases i.e. his life in Makki and
life in Madani which was different in terms of focus and the kind of challenges faced.
The Makki phase was about 13 years in Mecca, and mainly dealt with the core principles of the Islamic
belief (Aqeedah) like The Oneness of God (Tawhid), Prophethood, and the certainty of the Day of
Judgment.
During this time, the Prophet and his little community were severely persecuted and most of the
revelations were shorter, assertive, and focused mainly on moral virtues and endurance.
While the Madani phase is about 10 years in Madinah after the Hijra and it is the time when the focus of
the Quranic message changed from the persecution of a religious group to their establishment as a
political and social state.
At this point, the attention was more on the practical side of things i.e. how to establish the social and
legal system of Islam (Shariah). The verses became longer and more detailed covering all aspects of life,
for example, laws related to civil life, inheritance, treaties, contractual obligations (like Zakat), and
military strategies as well as governance thus paving the way for a complete Islamic way of life.