Introduction

The Geography of Arabia

Arabia before Islam

Banu Hashim - Before the Birth of Islam

The Birth of Muhammad and the Early Years of his Life

The Marriage of Muhammad Mustafa and Khadija

The birth of Ali ibn Abi Talib

On the Eve of the Proclamation of His Mission

The Birth of Islam and the Proclamation by Muhammad of his Mission

Early Converts to Islam and their persecution

The Two Migrations of Muslims to Abyssinia

Hamza Accepts Islam

Umar's Conversion to Islam

The Economic and Social Boycott of the Banu Hashim

The Deaths of Khadija and Abu Talib

Muhammad's Visit to Ta'if

The New Horizons of Islam

The Hijra (Migration)

The First Year of Hijra

The Battles of Islam

The Second Year of the Hijra

The Battle of Badr

The Marriage of Fatima Zahra and Ali ibn Abi Talib

The Battle of Uhud

The Birth of Hasan and Husain

The Death of Fatima bint Asad, the Mother of Ali ibn Abi Talib

The Battle of the Trench

The Muslims and the Jews

The Treaty of Hudaybiyya

The Conquest of Khyber

Letters of the Prophet to the Rulers of Neighboring Countries

The Battle of Mootah

The Campaign of Dhat es-Salasil

The Conquest of Makkah

The Battle of Hunayn

The Expedition of Tabuk

The Proclamation of Surah Bara'ah or Al Tawbah

The Last Expedition

The Farewell Pilgrimage

The Coronation of Ali ibn Abi Talib as the Future Sovereign of the Muslims and as Head of the Islamic State

Usama's Expedition

Abu Bakr as Leader in Prayers

The Unwritten Testament of the Messenger of God

The Wives of the Muhammad the Apostle of God

The Death of Muhammad, the Messenger of God

The Reaction of the Family and the Companions of Muhammad Mustafa to his Death

Muhammad Mustafa and his Succession

The Sunni Theory of Government

The Struggle for Power 1

The Struggle for Power 2

The Struggle for Power 3

The Struggle for Power 4

A Critique of Saqifa

Saqifa and the Logic of History

Saad ibn Ubada, the Ansari Candidate for Caliphate

Abu Bakr the first Khalifa of the Muslims

Principal Events of the Caliphate of Abu Bakr

Democracy and the Muslims

Umar bin al-Khattab, the Second Khalifa of the Muslims

Uthman, the Third Khalifa of the Muslims

Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Fourth Caliph of the Muslims

Prelude to the War

The Battle of Basra (the battle of Camel)

The Change of Capital from Medina to Kufa

The Revival of the Umayyads

The Battle of Siffin

The Death of Malik al-Ashtar and the Loss of Egypt

The Assassination of Ali

Some Reflections on Ali's Caliphate

Ali's Internal and External Policy

Ali as an Apostle of Peace

Ali and the Ideals of Freedom and Liberty

A List of “Firsts” in Islam

The “Indispensability Equation” of Islam

The Sacrifices of Muhammad for Islam

The Major Failure of Abu Bakr and Umar

Who Wrote the History of Islam and How?

A new story of Islam. The story of the movement which was launched by
Muhammad (s) in Makkah, and was consummated with the support of his
cousin, collaborator, and vicegerent 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (a). It covers a
period of ninety years from A.D. 570 to A.D. 661.


A Restatement of the History of Islam and Muslims

The Birth of Hasan and Husain
=============================

On the 15th of Ramadan of 3 A.H. (March 625), God was pleased to bless
the daughter of His Messenger, Muhammad, with the birth of her first
child. Muhammad Mustafa came radiating happiness; he took the infant in
his arms, kissed him, read *adhan* in his right ear, and *iqama* in his
left; and called him Hasan.

One year later, i.e., on the 3rd of Sha'aban of 4 A.H. (February 626),
God was pleased to give the daughter of His Apostle, her second child.
The Apostle came, all smiles and cheers, took the infant in his arms,
kissed him, read *adhan* in his right ear, and *iqama* in his left, and
called him Husain.

The birth of each of these two princes was the occasion of immense
rejoicing for Muhammad. He considered them among the greatest of God's
blessings, and thanked Him for them. At the birth of each of them, the
Muslims poured into the Great Mosque to congratulate him. He greeted
them with smiles and thanks, and shared his happiness with them.

There was never a day when the Prophet did not visit the house of his
daughter to see her children. He loved to see them smile, so he tickled
them and bounced them; he cuddled them and coddled them, and he regarded
their every step and every word as wondrous.

When these two princes grew up a little, and were able to toddle around,
they very frequently wandered out of their house into the Mosque. If
their grandfather was in the midst of a sermon, he immediately stopped,
descended from the pulpit, took them in his arms, carried them back,
seated them beside himself on the pulpit, and then resumed his speech.
If he was leading the public prayers, and was in *sajdah* (resting his
forehead on the ground), both children, very often, climbed onto his
neck and back.

He preferred to prolong the *sajdah* rather than to disturb them, and
rose from *sajdah* only when they dismounted from his neck or back
voluntarily. If he went out of his home or the Mosque, they rode his
shoulders. The people of Medina called them “the Riders of the Shoulders
of the Messenger of God.” They were much more attached to him than they
were to their own parents.

Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, was never happier than when he was with
Hasan and Husain. They were the apples of his eyes, and the joy of his
heart, and in their company alone he found true and perfect relaxation.
He played hide and seek with them, and if they were playing with other
children, he lingered near them just to hear the lilt of their laughter.

For their sake, he could put off even important affairs of state. When
they smiled, he forgot all the burdens and anxieties of state and
government. He loved to read every message that they wrote for him in
their angelic smiles.

Earlier, the Messenger of God had brought up his own daughter, Fatima
Zahra, whom he called the Lady of Heaven. Now he took charge of bringing
up her two children – Hasan and Husain – whom he called the Princes of
the Youth of Heaven. For him, their education was a matter of paramount
importance, and he personally attended to every detail in it. His aim
was clear: he wanted them to be the finest products of Islam, and they
were. He built his own character into their character, and made them a
model for his *umma* (community, people) which it (the *umma*) had to
imitate to the end of time itself.

Ali and Fatima Zahra also had two daughters – Zaynab and Umm Kulthoom.
When they grew up, they were married to their cousins – the sons of
Jaafer ibn Abi Talib, the Winged Martyr of Islam. Zaynab was married to
Abdullah ibn Jaafer, and Umm Kulthoom was married to Muhammad ibn
Jaafer.

Hasan, Husain, Zaynab and Umm Kulthoom, all four children were pampered
by their grandfather, Muhammad Mustafa, the Apostle of God; and the
happiest days in the lives of all five of them were those which they
spent


