Through the Eyes of A Young Woman: The Life & Legacy of Prophet Muhammad

Interview and introductions by Attiqa Syeda | Interviewee: Amarah Ali

If 1.2 billion people gathered on a mountain and repeated in unison “La ilaha illallah Muhammadur RasoolAllah ”… the echo would travel for miles and shake everything in its path. Although this is a powerful thought, it is unlikely to happen in reality. The essence of this witnessing, however, is real. Billions of people around the globe testify to this truth, and choose Islam as their faith and the example of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him as a way of life. Amongst the 1.2 billion people, two of us were sitting in a virtual meeting taking in this grandiose idea and trying to wrap our heads around its magnanimity. The conversation had become deeply philosophical in nature and I was surprised and pleased  at the same time while listening to this 11th grade student of Sanad Prep. I was meeting with Amarah to discuss the life and legacy of the Prophet Muhammad and provide some guidance for her blog that would be featured on The Link– Rabi ul Awwal edition. I didn’t anticipate our conversation to take the turn it did but here I was, interviewing my student as she shared her perspective on the life and legacy of the Prophet. She measured her words as she spoke and took frequent pauses between my questions and her answers. During the end of our conversation, Amarah said to me “if more people followed the example of the Prophet Muhammad, then I believe that the world would be a better place”. I  paused for a moment and then followed up by asking, “Amarah, if 1.2 billion claim to follow the Prophet Muhamad as their example already, shouldn’t the world already be a better place?” 

Amarah’s response to this question surprised us while making us appreciate the depth and breadth of our youth’s worldview. We hope you enjoy all of the answers as much as we did!

The perspectives of young people, especially young girls, are seldom highlighted and heard. We believe this insight offers so much to all of us, especially for all the times  we complain and struggle to comprehend their views:) As I continue to learn through my engagement with youth, simply observing these youngsters doesn’t even give a glimpse of who they actually are or hope to become. Giving them the space and opportunity to speak honestly and without judgment is probably the first step towards  understanding them more deeply. We hope you enjoy the interview!

Can you think of a moment in your life (something personal or  meaningful to you) that is connected to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, perhaps begin by sharing that?

My first memory of the Prophet is when I was 6 or 7 years old, and hearing his name and stories at my school. I was lucky enough to go to a school where I could hear stories about the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and they would intrigue my interest in him and his life. The part of his life that I found most interesting was that he was an orphan. As a young child, I imagined him to be a sad and lonely boy but when you hear stories about him, he is actually portrayed as a strong, happy and confident child, that interested me a lot. I thought an orphan would be more in grief but he seemed resilient and strong.  

Can you share a story or a lesson inspired by his life that taught you an important life lesson?

One story that really resonated with me was about a bedouin man who brought the Prophet Muhamad some grapes. A man came to the Prophet  with some grapes, and the Prophet ate all of the grapes without sharing or offering them to anyone else. This was strange and unlike the Prophet so after the bedouin man left, the companions asked why he hadn’t shared or offered any of the grapes to them. The Prophet explained that the grapes were sour and he didn’t want to share an unpleasant thing with his companions and neither did he want to hurt the feelings of the old man who had brought the grapes. 

What do the moments and stories you heard about the Prophet’s life mean to you?

The moments I have had since my childhood hearing about the Prophet, his life and his stories are really important and meaningful to me. If I didn’t know about those stories, or about him, I don’t think I would be the same person I am today . 

Why were those moments/experiences important to you?

His stories really shaped me. As a child, I actually remember being very aggressive and impatient. But the Prophet was very patient. Whenever I would hear stories about his patience, it would make me think about my behaviour. I feel like if I didn’t hear those stories of patience and resilience, I would not be as patient myself today. I was really drawn by his character and his qualities. 

How has the Prophet changed/impacted you as the person that you are today?

One thing I remember when I was young, 3 or 4, if someone would not listen to me, or pay attention to me, I would block the TV or do all kinds of things just to get their attention, I could not wait for things.  But now,  if I need something from someone and they are not ready to tend to my needs right away, I don’t act out or get upset or angry. I try to remain patient with them. If I didn’t  know that being impatient can be harmful to your personality and your character, I would not be so motivated to be more deliberate with my choices. I learned that because of the Prophet Muhammad. 

What would you like others to know about the Prophet Muhammad and why?

I feel like a lot of people think that Muslims respect and honor  the Prophet just because he was a Prophet, that he was given authority by God but that’s not all of the truth. People should really think and learn about his life and his stories. If he was not a good person himself, it didn’t matter if he claimed to be a Prophet. People would not respect nor listen to a person who was not worthy of being heard and listened to. We are learning so much about his life in our leadership class with Ustadh Rehan. Things that I wish other people knew about the Prophet. Before and after revelation, he was the same person, his personality, his character didn’t change much. He was always honest, trustworthy, resilient, and patient. He was such a complete human being. And for that reason, people should know about him. 

What would you say to the Prophet if he came to visit you today? 

If I met him today I would be fascinated because he is my role model. Because I have a lot of honor and reverence for him as a teacher, I would be nervous. I would tell him how much I admire him. I would ask him to tell me stories about himself and his life and his experiences. For example, what was he thinking before revelation came and what was he thinking after. Ustadh Rehan taught us this and I agree with him. I also wonder about his thoughts. We hear from the companions’ perspectives, but we really don’t know his internal thoughts and what he was actually going through and thinking about. I would like to ask him about that. I would also ask him for advice about things that do not make sense to me, or things I am struggling with. 

Why should his legacy matter/continue in this world? 

His legacy matters because its important for people to know about him and about Islam, billions of people were inspired by him and his message. His characteristics are so unique and special. Nowadays, there is a lot of harm, war, killing, betrayal and if we followed the prophet’s way, things would be different, things would be better. 

The difference between his legacy being preserved now and still the world not being better is because people are not following his character and his example. It’s true that 1.2 billion believe in Islam but how many of us are really following his example? If his way was being followed as an example, like implementing his advice and what he was calling us to, I believe the world would be a better place. 

I’ll give you an example. I’m a girl so some people may think it’s hard for a girl to follow the example of the Prophet because they don’t have anything in common. But I feel  it’s actually very easy for me to follow his example. He had to take many roles in his life, a son, husband, father, leader, prophet, etc and we can learn something new and different from each role he had. For example, the Prophet had to take the role of a military chief in battle. I may never have to take that role but his skills of negotiation and conflict resolution is something I can learn from. In fact, all of us can take inspiration from that. And we should.

I thanked Amarah for spending an hour of her time with me and let her know that it was my pleasure to share her company. I had a big smile on my face and made a prayer in my heart for this beautiful young girl. That may her future be as bright as her thoughts and dreams. I learned the power of sincere listening and it reminded me of a very famous hadith of the Prophet peace be upon him recorded by Muslim, “Adeenu Nasheeha…” ‘Religion is sincere concern/counsel”. May our intentions and actions reflect the Prophetic hope that this world only gets better with each of us doing our part.

About Amarah Ali:

Amarah is a bright 16-year-old, currently doing 11th grade at Sanad Prep. She is a soft-spoken individual with a gentle demeanor. She carries herself with firm confidence in her identity and is very passionate about her faith and her cultural/ethnic roots. She enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with her family and friends. She is deeply inspired by the life and example of the Prophet Muhammad peace be him and hopes that others around her can be as well.

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