The Sufferings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

By: Maged Taman

1- The first encounter with Gabriel the angel of God would be scary to any human: As the truth came to Muhammad he would wait and enjoy receiving the inspiration.
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ (96:1)
96:1 (Picktall) Read: In the name of thy Lord who createth, -
خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ (96:2) 96:2 (Picktall) Createth man from a clot. -
اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ (96:3) 96:3 (Picktall) Read: And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous, -
الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ (96:4) 96:4 (Picktall) Who teacheth by the pen, -
عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ (96:5) 96:5 (Picktall) Teacheth man that which be knew not.

2- The heavy responsibility of conveying the message of God:
إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا (73:5) 73:5 (Picktall) For We shall charge thee with a word of weight. -
قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا الَّذِي لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ يُحْيِـي وَيُمِيتُ فَآمِنُواْ بِاللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الأُمِّيِّ الَّذِي يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
7:158 (Picktall) Say (O muhammad): O mankind! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah to you all--(the messenger of) Him unto whom belongeth the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. There is no God save Him. He quickeneth and He giveth death. So believe in Allah and His messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write, who believeth in Allah and in His words and follow him that haply ye may be led aright. -

3- The call to Muhammad to leave the comfort of sleep and go around to spread God's message:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ (74:1)
74:1 (Picktall) O thou enveloped in thy cloak, -
قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ (74:2) 74:2 (Picktall) Arise and warn! -

يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ (73:1)
73:1 (Picktall) O thou wrapped up in thy raiment! -
قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا (73:2)
73:2 (Picktall) Keep vigil the night long, save a little-- -
نِصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا (73:3) 73:3 (Picktall) A half thereof, or abate a little thereof -
أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا (73:4) 73:4 (Picktall) Or add (a little) thereto and chant the Qur'an in measure, -

4- The accusation to him that he went astray:
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ قُلْ أَبِاللّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِؤُونَ (9:65) 9:65 (Picktall) And if thou ask them (O muhammad) they will say: We did but talk and jest. Say: was it at Allah and His revelations and His Messenger that ye did scoff? -

5- The accusation of him to be crazy:
وَقَالُواْ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِي نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الذِّكْرُ إِنَّكَ لَمَجْنُونٌ (15:6)
15:6 (Picktall) And they say: O thou unto whom the Reminder is revealed, lo! thou art indeed a madman! -

كَذَلِكَ مَا أَتَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا قَالُوا سَاحِرٌ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ (51:52) 51:52 (Picktall) Even so there came no messenger unto those before them but they said: A wizard or a madman!

6- The accusation to him to be a liar:
وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا مَا هَذَا إِلَّا رَجُلٌ يُرِيدُ أَن يَصُدَّكُمْ عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَقَالُوا مَا هَذَا إِلَّا إِفْكٌ مُّفْتَرًى وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءهُمْ إِنْ هَذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (34:43) 34:43 (Picktall) And if Our revelations are recited unto them in plain terms, they say: This is naught else than a man who would turn you away from what your fathers used to worship; and they say: This is naught else than an invented lie. Those who disbelieve say of the truth when it reacheth them: This is naught else than mere magic. -
إِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ (68:15) 68:15 (Picktall) That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old. -
وَكَذَّبَ بِهِ قَوْمُكَ وَهُوَ الْحَقُّ قُل لَّسْتُ عَلَيْكُم بِوَكِيلٍ (6:66)
6:66 (Picktall) Thy people (O muhammad) have denied it, though it is the Truth. Say: I am not put in charge of you. -

7- The accusation to him to be a wizard:
وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلْحَقِّ لَمَّا جَاءهُمْ هَذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ (46:7) 46:7 (Picktall) And when Our clear revelations are recited unto them, who disbelieve say of the Truth when it reacheth them: This is mere magic. -

8- The arrogant people particularly in early years of spreading the message of Quran they would give him an attitude when he would recite them the Quran:
وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا وَلَّى مُسْتَكْبِرًا كَأَن لَّمْ يَسْمَعْهَا كَأَنَّ فِي أُذُنَيْهِ وَقْرًا فَبَشِّرْهُ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (31:7)
31:7 (Picktall) And when Our revelations are recited unto him he turneth away in his pride as if he heard them not, as if there were a deafness in his ears. So give him tidings of a painful doom.

9- They even wanted him to change the Quran just for sake of arrogance:
وَإِذَا تُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُنَا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالَ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءنَا ائْتِ بِقُرْآنٍ غَيْرِ هَـذَا أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِي أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُ مِن تِلْقَاء نَفْسِي إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلاَّ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ إِنِّي أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ (10:15)
10:15 (Picktall) And when Our clear revelations are recited unto them they who look not for the meeting with Us say: Bring a Lecture other than this, or change it. Say (O muhammad): It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I only follow that which is inspired in me. Lo! If I disobey my Lord I fear the retribution of an awful Day. -

10- They wanted him also to get a miraculous sign:
وَيَقُولُونَ لَوْلاَ أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ فَقُلْ إِنَّمَا الْغَيْبُ لِلّهِ فَانْتَظِرُواْ إِنِّي مَعَكُم مِّنَ الْمُنتَظِرِينَ (10:20) 10:20 (Picktall) And they will say: If only a portent were sent down upon him from his Lord! Then say (O muhammad): The Unseen belongeth to Allah. So wait! Lo, I am waiting with you. -

11- Despite all of the above God asked him to be patient: Which worked for the good mannered people of them and joined Islam for the arrogant oppressive he would have to fight them back in the future. God made it clear to Muhammad if he willed he would cause all people to be Muslims so do not wish to pressure them to believe.
وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْرًا جَمِيلًا (73:10) 73:10 (Picktall) And bear with patience what they utter, and part from them with a fair leave-taking. -
وَلَوْ شَاء رَبُّكَ لآمَنَ مَن فِي الأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُواْ مُؤْمِنِينَ (10:99)
10:99 (Asad) And [thus it is:] had thy Sustainer so willed, all those who live on earth would surely have attained to faith, all of them:[122] dost thou, then, think that thou couldst compel people to believe, -
وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَن تُؤْمِنَ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ اللّهِ وَيَجْعَلُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لاَ يَعْقِلُونَ (10:100)
10:100 (Asad) notwithstanding that no human being can ever attain to faith otherwise than by God's leave,[123] and [that] it is He who lays the loathsome evil [of disbelief] upon those who will not use -their reason?

12- The rejection of Muhammad at the time of his message by most of the Jews and Christians: though after his death a lot converted to Islam will be particularly so in the end of time:
وَلَن تَرْضَى عَنكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلاَ النَّصَارَى حَتَّى تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَى وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءهُم بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلاَ نَصِيرٍ (2:120) 2:120 (Picktall) And the jews will not be pleased with thee, nor will the Christians, till thou follow their creed. Say: Lo! the guidance of Allah (Himself) is Guidance. And if thou shouldst follow their desires after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, then wouldst thou have from Allah no protecting friend nor helper. -

13- Despite that many of the in their hearts they knew it was the truth from God:
أَفَغَيْرَ اللّهِ أَبْتَغِي حَكَمًا وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنَزَلَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكِتَابَ مُفَصَّلاً وَالَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ مُنَزَّلٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ بِالْحَقِّ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ (6:114) 6:114 (Picktall) Shall I seek other than Allah for judge, when He it is who hath revealed unto you (this) Scripture, fully explained? Those unto whom We gave the Scripture (aforetime) know that it is revealed from thy Lord in truth. So be not thou (O muhammad) of the waverers.

14- The frustration of Muhammad for a lot of people not to follow the guidance of the Quran:
لَّيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلأنفُسِكُمْ وَمَا تُنفِقُونَ إِلاَّ ابْتِغَاء وَجْهِ اللّهِ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ يُوَفَّ إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ (2:272) 2:272 (Picktall) The guiding of them is not thy duty (O muhammad), but Allah guideth whom He will. And whatsoever good thing ye spend, it is for yourselves, when ye spend not save in search of Allah's countenance; and whatsoever good thing ye spend, it will be repaid to you in full, and ye will not be wronged. -

15- The pain inflicted upon him from the disbelievers and the people of the Book:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُواْ دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاء وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ (5:57) 5:57 (Picktall) O ye who believe! Choose not for friends such of those who received the Scripture before you, and of the disbelievers, as make a jest and sport of your religion. But keep your duty to Allah if ye are true believers. -
بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْاْ بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ أَن يَكْفُرُواْ بِمَا أنَزَلَ اللّهُ بَغْياً أَن يُنَزِّلُ اللّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ عَلَى مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ فَبَآؤُواْ بِغَضَبٍ عَلَى غَضَبٍ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ (2:90) 2:90 (Picktall) Evil is that for which they sell their souls: that they should disbelieve in that which Allah hath revealed, grudging that Allah should reveal of His bounty unto whom He will of His bondmen. They have incurred anger upon anger. For disbelievers is a shameful doom. -

16- The pain induced in him from the hypocrites:
إِذَا جَاءكَ الْمُنَافِقُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ لَرَسُولُهُ وَاللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَكَاذِبُونَ (63:1) 63:1 (Picktall) When the hypocrites come unto thee (O Muhammad), they say: We bear witness that thou art indeed Allah's messenger. And Allah knoweth that thou art indeed His messenger, and Allah beareth witness that the Hypocrites are speaking falsely. -
اتَّخَذُوا أَيْمَانَهُمْ جُنَّةً فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُمْ سَاء مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (63:2) 63:2 (Picktall) They make their faith a pretext that they may turn (men) from the way of Allah. Verily evil is that which they are wont to do, -
وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ الأَعْرَابِ مُنَافِقُونَ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ مَرَدُواْ عَلَى النِّفَاقِ لاَ تَعْلَمُهُمْ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَى عَذَابٍ عَظِيمٍ (9:101) 9:101 (Picktall) And among those around you of the wandering Arabs there are hypocrites, and among the townspeople of Al-Madinah ( there are some who) persist in hypocrisy whom thou (O muhammad) knowest not. We, We know them, and We shall chastise them twice; then they will be relegated to a painful doom. -

17- Even Satan tried to influence the inspiration of God to Muhammad:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ وَلَا نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا إِذَا تَمَنَّى أَلْقَى الشَّيْطَانُ فِي أُمْنِيَّتِهِ فَيَنسَخُ اللَّهُ مَا يُلْقِي الشَّيْطَانُ ثُمَّ يُحْكِمُ اللَّهُ آيَاتِهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (22:52) 22:52 (Picktall) Never sent We a messenger or a Prophet before thee but when He recited (the message) Satan proposed (opposition) in respect of that which he recited thereof. But Allah abolisheth that which Satan proposeth. Then Allah establisheth His revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise; -

18- Muhammad was spending a lot of times praying in day time and up to 2/3 or 1/2 of nights. A lot of us will be spending same time in parties or watching TV.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَقُومُ أَدْنَى مِن ثُلُثَيِ اللَّيْلِ وَنِصْفَهُ وَثُلُثَهُ وَطَائِفَةٌ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ مَعَكَ وَاللَّهُ يُقَدِّرُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ عَلِمَ أَن لَّن تُحْصُوهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ عَلِمَ أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُم مَّرْضَى وَآخَرُونَ يَضْرِبُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَآخَرُونَ يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ (73:20) 73:20 (Picktall) Lo! thy Lord knoweth how thou keepest vigil sometimes nearly two thirds of the night, or (sometimes) half or a third thereof, as do a party of those with thee. Allah measureth the night and the day. He knoweth that ye count it not, and turneth unto you in mercy. recite, then, of the Qur'an that which is easy for you. He knoweth that there are sick folk among you, while others travel in the land in search of Allah's bounty, and others (still) are fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite of it that which is easy (for you), and establish worship and pay the poor due and (so) lend unto Allah a goodly loan. Whatsoever good ye send before you for your souls, ye will surely find it with Allah, better and greater in the recompense. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. -

19- The Disbleivers wanted to harm physcially the prophet or even kill him:
وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللّهُ وَاللّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ (8:30) 8:30 (Picktall) And when those who disbelieve plot against thee (O Muhammad) to wound thee fatally, or to kill thee or to drive thee forth; they plot, but Allah (also) plotteth; and Allah is the best of plotters. -

20-The wars that God ordered him to do to defenend his message: He was a peaceful man but like many of the old testament prophets and kings he had to fight for the cause of God:
فَقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ لاَ تُكَلَّفُ إِلاَّ نَفْسَكَ وَحَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَكُفَّ بَأْسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَاللّهُ أَشَدُّ بَأْسًا وَأَشَدُّ تَنكِيلاً (4:84) 4:84 (Picktall) So fight (O muhammad) in the way of Allah Thou art not taxed (with the responsibility for anyone) except for thyself and urge on the believers. Peradventure Allah will restrain the might of those who disbelieve. Allah is stronger in might and stronger in inflicting punishment. -