Thursday May 30, 2002 (17th Rabiul-Awal 1423 A.H.) marks the birth anniversary of the last divine prophet named Mohammad (S), Ahmad, (meaning Praiseworthy), Al-Mustafa (selected one), ****Farqalit**** and ****Parecletus****. On this auspicious occasion let us from depth of our hearts congratulate Hazrat Imam Mahdi (A.T.F.S), his grandson, all true Muslims throughout the world, all his true followers, all those awaiting the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (A.T.F.S) day and night, and you respected readers.

His holiness was born on the 17th of Rabi-ul-Awal, about 53 years before the Hejrah (migration), the 25th of April, 571 C.E., in the city of Mecca in the Arabian peninsula (which is now Saudi Arabia).

A few days before his birth, his father Abdullah died, and his grandfather Abdul Mutallib took charge of him. According to the prevailing custom, the child was entrusted to a Bedouin foster-mother, Halima, with whom he stayed for few years in the desert. Then Halima returned him to his own mother Amina. After some time his mother and grandfather died and Mohammad (S) came under the guardianship of his uncle Abu-Talib, thr father of Imam Ali (AS).

At the age of ten, he accompanied his uncle to Syria on a commercial trip, during which an enlightened Christian monk recognized in his features the prophetic signs and foretold a great future for him.

By the time he was 25, Mohammad (S) had become well known in the city for his integrity and honesty. A rich lady named Khadija (SA) invited him to work for her commercial enterprises and, charmed by his honest and righteous character, offered him her hand in marriage for their blessed union. She was the mother of all of the Prophet's (S) children except Ibrahim, whose mother was Maria Qabtia, originally a Byzantine lady from Egypt.

From his childhood, the Prophet (S) had differed from ordinary people, and spent most of his time in seclusion, sometimes in a cave in Mount Hira, meditating on the mysteries of creation. It was during one of his spiritual retreats on Mount Hira that he felt a great spiritual charge taking place within him. He was forty years old when the first revelation of God descended upon him. In 609 C.E.

the angel Gabriel (AS) appeared before him and recited the well known verses of Sura Alaq: "Proclaim! In the name of God Who created - created man from a clot... "(96: 1-2) Thus began the divine mission of the Holy Prophet (S). Mohammad (S) started his mission secretly, first preaching to his nearest ones. Ali (AS) and Khadijah (SA) were the first who responded to his call.

The number of his followers increased gradually, but with his outright condemnation of idolatry and exploitation, the opposition also grew more intense and resulted in the physical torture of the Prophet (S) and his followers, who were then forced to migrate to Abyssinia (now called Ethiopia in Northeast Africa). The Qureish tribe imposed a social boycott on Mohammad (S) and offered him all kinds of bribes, but he refused to back down. After a few years the boycott was lifted, but due to the hardship undergone, his wife Khadija (SA) and his uncle Abu Talib passed away in 619 C.E., the 10th year of his prophethood.

Almighty God arranged due consolation by enabling him to pass through a wonderful spiritual experience known as the Ascension (Meraj). He was taken to the highest Heaven and in a miraculous expansion of consciousness he saw all the prophets (AS), angels and spiritual realities. He perceived the infinite perfection and power of Almighty God and the state of imperfection in which the human society was lingering. He received a new impetus to continue his great mission.

This great journey to the Spiritual World gave him renewed vigor, but at the same time the hostilities of the Qureish reach their climax, and the Prophet (S) was forced to migrate from Mecca to Medina in 622 C.E.

It was the turning point in Islamic history from which starts the Islamic Hejirah calendar. In Medina, Prophet Mohammad (S) reorganized the community and preached the Message of Salvation, but the offensive rampages of war pitted a handful of Muslims against an army of the Qureish tribe several times greater in number, but Prophet Mohammad (S) and his followers finally overwhelmed the enemy forces.

In the year 10 A.H (632 C.E.) the Prophet Mohammad (S) went to Mecca and addressed thousands of his followers. In this historical address in Ghadir Khom, the Holy Prophet (S) nominated and introduced Imam Ali (AS) as his successor and declared: "Whosoever I am his Master, Ali is his Master, too." On his return to Medina he fell ill and a few weeks later when he breathed his last, he had the satisfaction of accomplishing the divine Mission he had been entrusted with by God. His Holy Mission lasted 23 years and when, at the age of 63, he died, the entire Arabian Peninsula had embraced Islam.

Faith in Prophet Mohammad (S) as the last and final prophet is a cardinal tenet of Islam.

In fact, a fundamental tenet of Islam is belief in all prophets of God. All Muslims firmly believe that God sent messengers to all countries for guiding all nations on the earth. The names of some of them have been mentioned in the Holy Qoran, along with their entrusted missions. All prophets were divinely inspired and all had the same identical message for mankind, with such variations and differences as the social conditions of the times required.

According to Islam, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Solomon, David and Jesus (AS) were among the 124,000 prophets. Some prophets left behind holy books revealed to them by God and all prophets conveyed the message and unfolded the commandments of God.

Prophet Mohammad (S) was the greatest of all prophets, and with him prophethood came to an end.

There will be no prophet after him. Prophet Mohammad (S) had the mercy and compassion of Prophet Jesus Christ (AS), the power and authority of Prophet Moses (AS), the patience of Prophet Noah (AS), and the Majesty of Prophet Abraham (AS). The prophecies of the previous prophets concerning Prophet Mohammad (S) and the life he led under divine inspiration, the miracles bestowed upon him and his exemplary conduct, establish his status as the prophet of God beyond any doubt. That is why the Holy Qoran says: "Surely Allah and his angels send blessings to the prophet. O you who believe, call for (divine) blessings on him and salute him with a (worthy) salutation" (verse 56, sura 33) Furthermore, it is one of the fundamental beliefs of all Muslims that Mohammad (S) is the last prophet and that Islam is the last and eternal religion. Anyone who denies it cannot be considered to be a Muslim. The Holy Qoran declares the Prophet Mohammad (S) to be Khatam-an-Nabi-een, i.e the Seal of the prophets: "Mohammad (S) is not the father of any men of you but he is messenger of Allah, and the seal of prophets..." (verse 40, sura 33) It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss each and every detail, but it is necessary to pay attention to the following: A Mission of Mercy Did Prophet Mohammad (S) fight to heal and not to kill? There is no doubt that the defensive battles fought by Muslims were not to kill but to heal and resembled surgical operations as a necessary remedy to remove the cancers of the savage and barbarous life of the Arab tribes. The total casualties on both sides in the war during the Prophet's (S) time are authentically recorded as not exceeding a little more than one thousand.

Prejudiced historians expounded on those battles to excessive lengths, trying to undermine the compassionate face of Islam, forgetting that Muslims never initiated any offense and killed only when necessary to protect the lives of their own tiny force against the pagan armies.

The whole divine approach of Islam is similar to the care and sympathy provided by a doctor to cure the ills of self-destructing patients in the disease-ridden society of the time.

The meagre casualties, including those of the Muslims, were an insignificant price for a great revolutionary upheaval which offered the most noble ideology now cherished by over two billion Muslims.

The mission of the Holy prophet Mohammad (S) was one of love mercy and tolerance not of war, force or arms. When the prophet conquered Mecca, the central point of opposition, he forgave his enemies and offered them security in their lives.

That moment changed everything. Such gentleness moved the hearts of the opposing leaders.

Eventually, the compassionate face of Islam appealed to their souls. The majority of the former foes became friends. At long last, having realized the folly of their heretic actions, the fanatic partisans of idolatry broke the idols they used to worship in their houses and embraced Islam.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (S) thus taught and proved that Islam is not a religion of aggression seeking to capture power or a piece of land but centralizes its forces to reform and groom high human qualities, to attract people, rather than to repel them. That was the Divine approach which motivated the former polytheists to willingly submit to God and proclaim themselves Muslims.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (S) was given popular recognition even while he was alive and living among people, and not simply after his death in such away that mythology and fiction could be interwoven with facts. Islam began with a single person but became a religion with billions follower. Even the mighty rulers of the Roman and Persian empires were invited to embrace Islam and people were embracing Islam in the thousands.

Islam is not a religion of the sword but a religion of peace and the Prophet's (S) mission is one of mercy, love, and happiness. He fought to heal, not to kill. His book is the Holy Qoran, in which occurs 114 times the following verse, which begins 113 of its 114 suras: "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful." Holy Prophet Mohammad's (S)Character: The Holy Prophet Mohammad (S) not only was a great commander and soldier on the battleground, but he also had a personality marked by piety, kindness, magnanimity, spirituality, humanity and grace, to such an extent that could be expected only from a chosen messenger of God. His humbleness was not the result of any weakness, while his power never resulted in pride or injustice. He was always seen visiting the sick and consoling the unfortunate as long as he lived. He took advantage of every opportunity to raise the intellectual and spiritual level of the people.

His holiness was fond of simplicity and led a modest, austere life. His lodging, clothing and food were extremely simple. Throughout his life he lived in moderation. His way of walking was graceful with no show of arrogance. He was always the first offer greetings when he encountered people. His speech was marked by soft sentences loaded with a world of meaning: simple, informal and clear. His logic was in tune with the natural impulses of men, and he appealed directly to minds and hearts. He hated dealing with people harshly and deplored seeing any Muslim do so. His eyes were piercing and charming but full of modesty and grace.

The Holy Prophet Mohammad (S) treated the followers of other religions with respect, except when they attacked as armed enemies. He spent most of his time with the unfortunate, the weak and the poor and disapproved aristocratic practices.

He had a great love for orphans. The great prophet detested exaggeration and flattery and discouraged people from indulging in excessive praise of his personality. He used to forewarn his companions and followers: "I am a servant of God: do not elevate me to a superhuman level as the followers of Christ (AS) did to him." He always had uniform behavior under all situations and never lost his nerve, even in the most crucial moments. He never became excited, either in moments of joy, or in times of misfortune. He remained the same prophet that he always was, either in hardship or in glory. He experienced numerous trials and tribulations, suffered the difficulties of exile, and faced many armed aggressions in the last days of his life. He held undisputed supremacy and wielded unlimited power, but his noble ways never changed their course as he was guided by the divine will in his approach to people. Prophet Mohammad (S) remained the same compassionate prophet whether in exile or in power as mighty man.

Neither the power of the mighty, nor the wealth of the rich, nor the fear of tyrants overwhelmed him in any way whatsoever.

He paid back evil with good. A Jewish woman used to throw rubbish on the Holy Prophet (S) head whenever he passed through her alley, but he never protested. When once for several days he did not encounter that woman, he asked a neighbor about her condition and was informed that the lady was ill and confined to bed. Prophet Mohammad (S) paid her a visit and inquired about her health. She was so impressed by this noble behavior that she at once embraced Islam.

Holy Prophet (S) always treated the rich and the poor, the famous and the unknown without any discrimination. He sat among the people to ensure equality and avoid distinction between the people.

He was freely available to all, though he ruled a vast land. People had easy access to him for consultations and assistance and the Prophet (S) never sought the services of armed guards for protection. Sometimes, young and old people alike would detain him for hours, either pouring out the secrets of their hearts or sharing their moments of joy and sorrow with him. No one could ever found him confused or acting in a contradictory manner. In sum, he was the best example for all in practice.

In the end, let us raise our hands, not only praying for the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (AS) but also to present our salutation to his holiness the Prophet Mohammad (S). May Almighty Allah keep us among the companions of his grandson Imam Mahdi (AS) "Peace be on you, oh messenger of Allah, peace be on you oh prophet of Allah, peace be on you, oh Mohammad son of Abdullah. Peace be on you oh last of the prophets. I bear witness that surely you delivered the message and performed prayer, and paid the poor-rate and ordered people to do good and forbade them from committing sinful actions, and worshipped Allah with sincerity till your last breath. Hence, may Allah bless you and your holy family." (Ziarat of Holy Prophet

[AS]). Wishing all readers a blessed 17th of Rabi-ul-Awal, the Birthday of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (S)