Exemplary Behavior of Prophet Muhammad
It is always possible for daily behavior to be performed just as well or even better by someone else. However, the situation is a little different for extraordinary personalities like the prophets. Taking into consideration future generations, they display model behavior to their followers. Taking a prophet as a model does not mean imitating him. It means contemplating his behavior, understanding...

Professor Hayrettin Karaman answers your questions about Ramadan
Islamic jurist and Professor Hayrettin Karaman will be answering questions that you have regarding fasting and the month of Ramadan throughout this holy month. If you happen to have questions to which you can’t find answers below, then please send your questions to Mr. Karaman at hkaraman@sonpeygamber.info -Can a toothbrush or miswaq&...

The names and attributes of Prophet Muhammad
Question: It is stated in one hadith that calamities, illnesses, troubles, the evil-eye, jealousy, sorcery, fire and the collapse of residence will befall those who write, read or display on their walls the names and attributes of Prophet Muhammad. Similarly, misfortunes such as poverty, being poisoned and anxiety will not be experienced by the members of households who bear his name. How true is...

How the Prophet related to his wives
Question: How was the relationship between the Prophet and his wives? Answer (Theologian Nimet Yılmaz): There is information in famous sources about the relationship between the Prophet and his wives. A good deal of information is given to us about how the Prophet treated his wives and vice versa. Prophet Muhammad was a husband who respected the rights that had been granted to his wives; he fulfi...

The real date of the Prophet's death
  Question: It is known that our Prophet's date of birth is 571 A.D. He is known to have lived for 63 years. Thus, his year of death, which is known to be 632, means that he spent less than 63 years on this earth. What is the reason for this? What is the real year of the death of Prophet Muhammad? Answer (Theologian Nimet Yılmaz): There are different narrations about the date of the birth of our ...

Sources that relate the names of Prophet Muhammad
Question: Can you give us some information about the sources that relate the names of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)? Answer (Theologian Meral Günel): There are names which are used in the Qur'an, in other holy books and hadith, in addition to names which the Companions of the Prophet used for him.  Hadith scholars have allotted a section in their books to Asma-un Nabi (The Names of the Prophet); here t...

The Eating Habits of God's Messenger
Question: What were Prophet Muhammad's manners when eating meals and what was his monthly nutritional intake? Answer (Theologian Nimet Yılmaz): Our Prophet always lived a simple and humble life. He would distribute his income to those in need. There were times when he did not eat for days and when a single meal would not be cooked in his house for 2 months on end. He rarely ate bread made of whe...

The Prophet's Funeral
Question: Who led the Prophet’s funeral prayer? Answer (Meral Günel - Theologian): As it is stated in the sources, Ali washed the funeral of the Holy Prophet. After shrouding, it was decided to bury him in Aisha’s room. Muslims - firstly men, then women, and lastly children – performed the funeral prayer in this room in groups on their own without an imam....

To Accept the Former Prophets
Question: The Holy Prophet is the last prophet. But what does it mean to accept that the former prophets also brought Islam to their tribes? Answer (Meral Günel - Theologian): As a term, Islam means a full acceptance of the religious teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and summiting to this acceptance. The religion brought by Prophet Muhammad ties with the religions of previous prophets on the b...

The Hilya in Islamic Calligraphy
The Islamic faith discourages the making of depictions of a person who could be idolized. Thus, other than a few miniatures, no one made portraits of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Instead of having an image of the Prophet, as exists for Christ within the Christian world, Muslims learn about the characteristics of the Prophet of Islam from the hilyah; with the help of these accurate accounts each belie...

Shamail
The Arabic word shamail is the plural form of shimal, a word that acts as a root for words of many different meanings, some which are even antonymous. Some of these meanings are temper, nature, character, mood and action, behavior and attitude. Plural forms of the words that are used with these meanings are used in the form of shamail. Islamic scholars have used the term in a more narrow sense t...

Was Muhammad Illiterate?
Muhammad (pbuh) was born in the full light of day and the biography of no other prophet is based upon so much historical evidence as that of the Prophet of Islam. We know more about Muhammad and his times than we do of Luther and Calvin. We can not, therefore, establish whether the Prophet was literate or illiterate without the support of history. Mecca was, in the sixth century, the most import...