The Brief Life of Prophet Muhammad

our own experiences that our minds benefit from what is known as the “positivity advantage.” When we cultivate a positive mindset, our brains perform significantly better than in negative states. In this uplifting state, our intelligence, creativity, and energy levels all increase markedly. The Prophet, therefore, did not only perform a religious duty but gave us a very significant lesson in how to train our minds to function. Seeing Stress as a Challenge, not a Threat One particular aspect of the life of the Prophet Muhammad comes before us in chapter 94 of the Quran: “Surely, with every hardship there is ease.” (94:5-6) The context of this verse is that Prophet’s opponents would try to dissuade every person or tribe from paying attention to him. They would accuse him of being a heretic. This false propaganda became the means of spreading his message far and wide. People from outside Makkah would come enquiring about the person who claimed to receive revelations. So what started as a campaign to smear the image of the Prophet ended up granting him, as the Quran says, “high renown”. (94:4) This gives us a principle of turning disadvantageous situations to our advantage and continuing our activities with hope, as the Prophet did, even in times of great frustration. He saw stress as a challenge instead of as a threat. The Prophet of Peace Throughout his life as a Prophet, what did the Prophet do? He recited non-war-related Quranic verses to the people, such as: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (96:1) He