This book is specifically focused on the brilliance of the Prophet as a strategist. The Webster New
Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines strategy as “a plan, method or series of maneuvers or stratagems
for obtaining a specific goal or result”. A stratagem can be defined as a plan or scheme devised or used to
attain a goal or to gain an advantage over an adversary. Brilliant is defined by the same dictionary as
“having or showing great intelligence, talent or quality”. In light of the above and in the specific context
of this paper, I define strategy as “the voluntary and consistent pursuit by Muhammad (Peace and
Blessings of Allah be upon him) of a coherent plan aimed at the propagation of Islam in Arabia and
beyond.”
The Prophet’s life history is termed the uswah hasanah (“the beautiful example”) by Muslim writers. This
is because practicing Muslims try to follow the Prophet’s example in their daily lives. His biography (his
seerat), his actions (his sunnah) and his sayings (his hadith) are studied in great detail with the purpose of
following his ‘beautiful example.’ This book, then, is an attempt to understand the strategies he adopted
in the pursuit of his goal – the propagation of Islam in Arabia and beyond. The Prophet’s genius and
brilliance cannot be doubted since he was successful at molding a disparate, disorganized, and backward
group of tribes into a world super power in a matter of three decades. He founded a powerful world
religion which now counts every fifth human being as a Muslim and is the fastest growing world religion
at this time.
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