Day: 4 October 2020

Hazrat Mohammed’s (saw) chastity Psychologists believe that the environment lays the foundations of people’s character and their way of thinking and that the principle of harmony causes the people to follow the society’s dominant patterns of thought and behavior.

 

Although some of these psychologists have gone to extremes in this matter and have regarded this theory as a general and all-embracing principle, according to which all social phenomena without exception may be analyzed, the principle of the effect of the society on people’s morale is undeniable.

 

Therefore, an environment of virtue and health produces pious and normal offspring, and a corrupt, deviated society will naturally lead people into the pit of corruption and deviation. Thus, those who remain untouched by the society’s deviating factors, must be exceptional people.

 

Hazrat Mohammed (saw) lived in a severely polluted environment, the atmosphere of which was darkened with all kinds of moral deterioration and sins. In the Hijaz, not only the youth, but also the aged had become most shamefully involved in sexual deviations and unchaste. In every alley and neighborhood, black flags had been hung over some houses as a sign of corruption, inviting un-virtuous people inside.

 

Hazrat Mohammed (saw) grew up in such a foul society, but though he (saw) remained unmarried until the age of 25, the sordid environment could not affect him the least bit, nor did anybody observe any immoral action springing from him. Both his friends and his enemies regarded him as the best model of chastity and virtue.

Although Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib was rated as a man of status among the Quraish, his income, was not sufficient to support his family. Now that Hazrat Mohammed (saw) was of mature age, he was naturally inclined to find a job to ease the heavy burden upon his uncle’s shoulders. But what kind of job should he engage in to suit his supreme character?

Since he (saw) was destined to become a great Prophet and a sublime leader, to face unrestrained obstinate people, to fight against the superstitious beliefs and wrong customs of the period of ignorance, and to lay the foundations of the magnificent palace of justice and proper laws and regulations, he found it expedient to become a herdsman.

Hazrat Mohammed (saw) would take the sheep and cattle of his relatives and those of the people of Makkah to the surrounding deserts to graze. He (saw) gave his uncle the wages he received in return.

This engagement outside the noisy, agitated environment of the city and away from people’s disputes and conflicts gave him an invaluable opportunity to acquire much experience, of which the sweet fruits appeared during his prophethood and time of leadership.

Indeed, during this period, he (saw) acquired many superior human characteristics such as generosity, good temper, magnanimity, good behaviour towards neighbours, tolerance, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and avoidance of vices. Hazrat Mohammed (saw) grew up to become a fine young man. He (saw) became known for his excellent manners, and because of the honesty in his conduct and dealings he was referred to as al-Sadiq (The Truthful One) and al-Amin (The Trustworthy One).

Hafta-E-Wahdat, Week of Unity Hazrat Muhammad (saw) was born in the year 570 CE (fifty-three years before the Hijrah) in the town of Makkah, a mountain town in the high desert plateau of western Arabia. His name derives from the Arabic verb Hamada, meaning “to praise, to glorify.” He was the first and only son of Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abd Al-Muttalib and Hazrat Aminah bint Wahab. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abd Al-Muttalib died before Hazrat Muhammad’s (saw) birth. The precise date of his birth is disputed among the historians, but Ayatullah Ruhullah Musawi al-Khomeini (ra), the founder of the Islamic revolution had declared the week between 12th and 17th Rabi al-Awwal as “Hafta-E-Wahdat” meaning “the week of unity amongst Muslims.” Muslims all over the world are urged to get together and celebrate (Eid-E-Milad un Nabi) the birth of Hazrat Muhammad (saw) for the whole week.

 

The year in which our Hazrat Muhammad (saw) was born is called as the Year of Elephant (Aam ul-Feel); it is because of that famous incidence in which the ruler of Yemen, Abraha tried to destroy Kaaba using his army of Elephants and a vast flock of small birds like swallows, carrying pebbles in their beaks darkened the sky and pelted them down upon the heads of Abraha’s army causing deep puncture like wounds killing many. It is also said that at the same time for the first time in Arabia, the diseases of typhoid and smallpox appeared, affecting the whole army. Abraha himself suffered from smallpox, and remained alive only until he reached Yemen and died there. This is the theme mentioned in Noble Qur’an, Chapter 105 ‘Feel’ (Elephant).

 

The tribe that Hazrat Muhammad (saw) came from was named “Quraish”. This tribe was one of the most influential tribes that governed Muslims centuries after Islam.

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) as Wonderful Baby (Eid-E-Milad un Nabi, Birth celebration)

 

Eid-E-Milad un Nabi, Birth celebrationHazrat Muhammad (saw) was born and his blessed birth gave rise to numerous wonderful incidents in the sky and on the earth, especially in the East, the cradle of civilization.

 

News of these events spread quickly and informed the people of an imminent, very significant incident. Since this newborn child was predestined to destroy the people’s old superstitious beliefs and customs and to lay new foundations for human progress and prosperity, from the very beginning he sounded the reveille.

 

It is narrated that on the day which our Hazrat Muhammad (saw) was born, the following incidents happened:

 

All the idols fell down.

The “Kasra Veranda” (a part of the palace of Iran’s King) shook and fourteen of its notches were damaged.

The “Saweh Lake” that people worshiped for years, dried up.

Water flowed in “Samaweh Desert”, where no one had seen water for many years.

The fire in the fire-temple of Persia was extinguished, which had been flaming for several years.

On that night, a light came out from “Hijaz” and spread to the east.

So the humiliated worshippers of that false, destructive object of worship, whose minds had been blocked by the obstacles of prejudice and false imitation and who thus could not reflect upon nature took notice of the truth and were attracted toward a totally different direction.

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) in the Storm of events

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) was just six years old when his mother, Hazrat Aminah bint Wahab, left Makkah for Medina to visit her relatives and probably to pay a respectful visit to her husband’s grave. He (saw) accompanied his mother on that trip. But after visiting her relatives and expressing love and loyalty to her husband at Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abd Al-Muttalib’s graveside, on her way back to Makkah, Hazrat Aminah bint Wahab passed away at a place named Abwa. Thus, Hazrat Muhammad (saw) had lost both his mother and father by that tender age when every child needs a father’s affections and a mother’s loving embrace.

 

A glimpse into Hazrat Muhammad’s (saw) character [Mawlid al-Nabi, Mawlid an Nabi]

 

Hazrat Muhammad’s (saw) characterJust as Hazrat Muhammad’s (saw) birth and the events that followed his blessed birth were extraordinary and suggestive of his majesty and supreme character, so his behaviour and manner of speaking in childhood also made him different from other children. Hazrat Abd Al-Muttalib, the chief of the Quraish tribe, did not treat his grandson like other children, but held him in great respect and reverence.

 

Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, Hazrat Muhammad’s (saw) uncle, used to say, ‘We have never heard any lies from Muhammad, nor have we seen him misconduct himself or make mischief. He never laughs unduly nor speaks idly and he is mostly alone’.

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) was seven years old when the Jews remarked, ‘In our Books we have read that the Prophet of Islam refrains from eating any food which is religiously prohibited or doubtful. Let’s try him’.

 

So they stole a hen and sent it to Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib. Not knowing that the hen had been stolen, all ate from the cooked hen but Hazrat Muhammad (saw), who avoided even tasting it. When they asked the reason for this avoidance of the food, he (saw) answered, ‘this food is forbidden by Allah (SWT), and Allah (SWT) protects me against anything that He has forbidden.’

 

Then the Jews took a hen from a neighbour, intending to pay for it later on, and sent it to Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib’s house. Again he (saw) avoided eating the hen, saying, ‘this food is doubtful and …’

 

Then the Jews said, ‘This child has an extraordinary character and a supreme position’.

 

Some scenes from Hazrat Muhammad’s (saw) childhood and youth

 

Hazrat Muhammad’s (saw) childhood and youthHazrat Muhammad (saw) went through the difficulties of orphanhood in his childhood with the support of his high-spirited grandfather, Hazrat Abd Al-Muttalib, and his affectionate uncle, Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib.

 

When Hazrat Muhammad (saw) became eight years old, Hazrat Abd Al-Muttalib passed away as well. This incident made Hazrat Muhammad (saw) very sad.

 

After that Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, the master of Quraish, accepted to look after him. Although Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib was not rich, he and his honorable wife Hazrat Fatima bint Asad [the mother of Hazrat Ali (as)], tried their best in looking after Hazrat Muhammad (saw).

 

It seems that the heart rendering pains of orphanhood must have severely tormented his pure delicate soul. It is logical to believe that these sufferings were necessary for the foundation of his supreme character and that such difficulties taught him how to resist the hardships of life and to bear the heavy responsibility later to be put on his blessed shoulders.

 

As time went on, Hazrat Muhammad (saw) grew up and his childhood gave place to youth, when instincts and potentials bloom. Hazrat Muhammad (saw) received affectionate care and attention from his uncle Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, who, due to his moral attitudes and in obedience to his father’s emphatic order, protected and supported him. In fact, Hazrat Muhammad (saw) represented three things to Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib: a son, a reminder of his brother, Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, and of his father, Hazrat Abd Al-Muttalib. So Hazrat Muhammad (saw) became a beloved member of Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib’s family, lived in his house, and was treated as his own son. To Hazrat Muhammad (saw), Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib was an affectionate father, a loyal uncle, and a compassionate preceptor. These two – uncle and nephew – were so fond of each other that their lives seemed to be intertwined. This very intense affection had caused Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib to refuse to ever part from him.

 

Hazrat Muhammad’s (saw) presence in his uncle’s house was not ordinary. Signs of his greatness could be seen everywhere. His entrance to their house brought bountiful blessings to the house of Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib. Hazrat Fatima bint Asad has said, “From the moment that Hazrat Muhammad (saw) entered our home, the tree, which had dried up for years, prospered and offered fruits.”

 

Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib narrates that they would hear Hazrat Muhammad (saw) praying at nights. Though it was against the custom of Arabs to remember Allah (SWT) while eating, the little Hazrat Muhammad (saw) would not start eating or drinking unless reciting the name of Allah (SWT). He would also end his meal by thanking Allah (SWT), the exalted.

 

Bahira’s Interview with Hazrat Muhammad (saw) [Eid e Milad un Nabi, Birth Anniversary]

 

Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib set out for Damascus (Syria) on business and took Hazrat Muhammad (saw) along when he (saw) was 12 years old. It was a massive caravan and a great number of people traveled along with a huge quantity of merchandise until they arrived in Syria and entered the city of Busra. In the vicinity of a monastery, they pitched a tent and took rest.

 

Bahira, a devout Christian monk, caught sight of it through his monastery’s window. He observed the caravan shaded by a little cloud that kept pace with it. Bahira came out of his monastery, stood in a corner and instructed his servant, ‘Go and tell them that today they are all my guests’.

 

All came to him but Hazrat Muhammad (saw), who was standing beside the property and equipment of the caravan. Seeing that the cloud had ceased to move, Bahira asked his guests, ‘are all the members of the caravan present here?’ They answered, ‘All but a youth who is the youngest’. Bahira said, ‘Tell him to come as well’. So he was asked to come to the monk’s room. The keen eyes of Bahira noticed that the cloud over his head moved with him. Taken by surprise, Bahira kept staring at the young boy. When the meal was over, the pious monk told him, ‘I have a question to ask you and you must swear by Lat and Al-Uzza to answer my question’.

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) said, ‘Those two you have asked me to swear by are the most detestable things to me’. Bahira said, ‘Swear by Allah to answer my question’.

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) said, ‘I always speak the truth and I have never told a lie; you ask your question’.

 

Bahira’s Interview with Hazrat Muhammad (saw)Bahira asked: “What do you like the most”?

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) answered: “Loneliness”.

 

Bahira asked: “What do you look the most at and what do you like to look at”?

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) said: “The sky and the stars within it”.

 

Bahira asked: “What do you think of”?

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) remained silent, but Bahira carefully glanced at his forehead.

 

Bahira asked: “When do you sleep and with what thoughts”?

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) stated: “When I fix my eyes upon the sky, I see the stars and I find them in my lap and myself above them”.

 

Bahira asked: “Do you see dream also”?

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) stated: “Whatever I see in dream, the same I see while I am awake.”

 

Bahira asked: “What do you dream of, as an example”?

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw) kept quiet, Bahira also kept quiet.

 

After a while, Bahira asked: “May I take a look at the centre of your shoulders”?

 

Hazrat Muhammad (saw), while standing still, stated: “Come and see.”

 

Bahira stood up, came closer, and pulled the dress of Hazrat Muhammad (saw) off his shoulders. A mole appeared. Bahira took a look and said in a murmuring voice: “He is the very person”.

 

Bahira knelt down before him and started kissing his hands and feet, saying, ‘If I live till you start your divine mission, I will most faithfully aid you and fight your enemies. You are superior to all of Adam’s offspring…’.

 

Then Bahira asked, ‘whose son is this youth?’ The caravan members pointed to Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, saying, ‘His son’. Bahira said, ‘No. His father must be dead!’

 

Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib said, ‘You are right. He is my nephew’. Bahira then said, ‘This youth will have a brilliant, extraordinary future. If the Jews find out what I have realized about him, they will destroy him. Take great care lest the Jews should hurt him’.

 

Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib said, ‘What is he destined to do? What have the Jews to do with him?’ Bahira said, ‘He is predestined to become a Hazrat, and the angel of inspiration will come down and make divine revelations to him’. Hazrat Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib said, ‘God will not leave him alone and will Himself protect him against the Jews and his malevolent enemies’.

Once, a lady entered the house of Aishah, the wife of Prophet Muhammed (saw), with her two children. Aishah presented three dates to the lady, who gave one date to each of her two children and taking the third date she halved it and once again distributed it evenly amongst them.

When Prophet Muhammed (saw) returned, Aishah narrated the episode to him whereupon he (saw) said: “Did the lady’s act leave you astonished? Due to her fairness and even-handedness, Allah (SWT) shall place her in Paradise.”

It has also been reported that once, a father arrived in the presence of Prophet Muhammed (saw) accompanied by his two children. In his presence he kissed one child and ignored the other. Noticing this incorrect act Prophet Muhammed (saw) commented: “Why do you not treat your children equally?”

Once, a companion of Prophet Muhammed (saw) began hitting his slave. The slave kept pleading: “By Allah! Do not beat me. For Allah’s sake forgive me.” The master, however, refused to pardon him and continued to shower beatings upon him.

Some people informed Prophet Muhammed (saw) of the slave’s predicament whereupon he (saw) got up and started out towards the scene of this incident. As soon as the companion’s eyes fell upon Prophet Muhammed (saw) he stopped his beatings whereupon Prophet Muhammed (saw) said to him: “He placed you under the oath of Allah (SWT), but you refused to pardon him and now that you have set your eyes upon me, you have restrained yourself?”

The man, in order to make amends for his deplorable behaviour, said: “I now free him for the sake (and pleasure) of Allah (SWT)!”

Prophet Muhammed (saw) said: “Had you not freed him, you would have dropped face-down into the fire of Hell.”

In that age when men were often cruel to each other, let alone to animals, Prophet Muhammed’s (saw) taught his companions (Sahabah), that one should be kind to all living things, animal or plant, since they are all part of Allah’s creation. Prophet Muhammed’s (saw) mercy and compassion was so deep that animals, even plants would benefit from His existence as their guardian.

 

“Fear Allah (SWT) with regard to animals”, said Prophet Muhammed (saw), “ride them when they are fit to be ridden, and get off their backs when they are tired; surely, there are rewards for being kind and gentle to animals, and for giving them water to drink.”

 

Islam has taught that in the eyes of Almighty Allah (SWT), animals also have rights in the same way as man has. They should not be treated badly, tortured or left to starve without food or water.

 

One day, Prophet Muhammed (saw) told his companions (Sahabah) the story of two women: “A prostitute was guided by Allah’s truth and ultimately went to paradise because she gave water to a dog dying of thirst in the desert.” While a dog was going round a well and was about to die of thirst, prostitute saw it and took off her shoe and watered it. So Allah (SWT) forgave her because of that good deed.” And for the other women, Prophet Muhammed (saw) said, “A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger.” Prophet Muhammed (saw) further said, “You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth.”

 

Prophet Muhammed (saw) and Animal RightsProphet Muhammed (saw) said: A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well, he descended into it, drank his fill, and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its excessive thirst.

 

The man said, “This dog is feeling the same thirst that I felt.” So he went down into the well again, filled his shoe with water and gave the dog a drink.

 

So, Almighty Allah (SWT) forgave his sins.

 

Prophet Muhammed (saw) was asked, “O Messenger of Allah (SWT), are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?” Prophet Muhammed (saw) replied: There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human.

 

Prophet Muhammed (saw) was once performing ablution (Wudhu) for prayers from a pot of water. A Cat passed there and turned its eyes at the pot of water with a thirsty look. Prophet Muhammed (saw) realized at once that the Cat was very thirsty, so he stopped the ablution (Wudhu) and placed the pot before the Cat.

 

Only after the Cat had fully quenched its thirst, did Prophet Muhammed (saw) resume the ablution (Wudhu). By this action, Prophet Muhammed (saw) has shown that quenching the thirst of even a small dumb animal is a noble act full of virtue and should be given first attention before one prepares for offering prayers to Almighty Allah (SWT).

 

A man brought the chick of a bird to the gathering of Prophet Muhammed (saw) and his companions (Sahabah), and they noticed that the parent of the chick was following it, flapping around it. When the man sat down its parent threw itself upon its chick, and did not concern itself with the danger, out of care towards its chick. This astonished the companions.

 

Prophet Muhammed (saw) then turned to his companions said: ‘Are you amazed at this bird? You have taken its chick and it threw itself into danger out of mercy for the chick! I swear by Allah (SWT), your Lord is more merciful to you than this bird is to its chick. Then he turned to the man and asked him to let the chick go.

 

Even the means of slaughtering animals in Islam is done in a way which will bring minimal pain to the animal. Is not it amazing that these laws came about 1400 years ago. Yet, we are still struggling to keep animals from being abused and mistreated.

 

The people of the Arabian Peninsula suffered from their tribal and pastoral life in the deserts, coupled with blood-thirsty feudalism. The economic crisis resulting from the exploitation of the people by the ruling class and by bands of usurers had robbed human life of its meaning and darkened the horizon of social well-being.

 

What was lacking was law and justice. The wealthy usurers who engaged in trade in Makkah had amassed enormous amounts of wealth by illegitimate means and exploited the weak and poor classes of society and by overcharging the orphan and the widow. In fact, they increasingly exacerbated anti-human social class differences through usury and oppressive exploitation.

 

Due to their ignorance, the Arab tribes in those days generally engaged in worshipping natural phenomena. Most shameful of all was their worship of lifeless statues – idols. The House of God, the Kaaba, was used as the idol-temple of the Arabs.

 

Any one of the indecent, degrading social and moral customs in Arabia at that time was enough to destroy the honour of a whole nation. False beliefs and class differences were strong. The Arabs wrongly believed that only those were superior who descended from the Arab race and had Arab blood! As a matter of fact, the twentieth-century form of nationalism and racism was quite prevalent among the Arabs during the first pagan period.

 

Arabia during the dark Pre-Islamic TimesMurder, bloodshed, drinking, and illegitimate sexual intercourse were quite ordinary and commonplace. Plunder, robbery, savagery, aggression, and treachery were their obvious characteristics, and genocide was considered a sign of bravery and courage. As the Arabs before the time of the Prophet Muhammed (saw) believed the birth of a daughter to be harmful or were either afraid of poverty and destitution, they either killed their innocent daughters or buried them alive. In some cases even the existence of one daughter in a family was considered shameful.

 

“And do not kill your children for fear of poverty; We give them sustenance and yourselves (too); surely to kill them is a great wrong.” (Noble Qur’an 17:31)

 

Such was the situation and moral conditions of a miserable society out of whose dark horizon came the light of Islam.

 

There is no doubt that a leader who is himself immoral, unscrupulous, and without praise-worthy human characteristics is unable to rectify human societies and save the people. It is only divine leaders who, inspired by Almighty Allah (SWT), are able to make profound basic transformations in all phases of the people’s individual and social life.

 

Now we must try to understand what kind of person such a leader of the worldwide revolution was and what changes he made in the world. It is crystal clear that a person who not only is not affected by such a corrosive society, but also grieves over it and attempts to combat it, possesses a great divine character and is competent to lead people and guide them onto the path of salvation.

Before the advent of Islam, people all over the world were sadly impoverished in thought, opinions, and individual and social attitudes. Although such conditions were not the same in all parts of the world, generally speaking, all the people of the world shared superstitious beliefs, intellectual deviations, inhumane social traditions, myths and social and moral conflicts.

 

Before Islam emerged, the Jews had changed the religion of Prophet Musa / Moses (as) into hidebound dogma and its principles into hollow, lifeless rules and precepts. The spirit of materialism had penetrated into people’s lives. Unfortunately, Christianity, which had been presented for the moral rectification and spiritual refinement of the people, was changed in nature by the Christian clergy and became a vehicle for the passionate ambitions of most of them. Since it lacked complete, comprehensive laws and regulations for social systems, it proved unable to provide the people with deliverance and comprehensive guidance.

 

It was due to such conditions that people all over the world shared superstitious ideas, inhuman social traditions, myths, social and moral conflicts.

 

The fire of corruption and perdition was raging. Superstitions and false views ruled people in the name of religion! Paganism and the concept of the Trinity had been imposed upon them. Many worshipped idols, fire, cows and stars. This same moral and spiritual corruption and regression, which had spread everywhere, caused dishonesty, darkness and deviations in human societies. Bloodshed, murder, tyranny, and oppression prevailed all over the world. In fact, humanity had been put on the verge of the abyss of total destruction!