Category: Prophet and Imams

The number of the converts to Islam was increasing year after year. None of the tortures, harm, or any other means of fear was not stopping them from seeing the light of Islam and being converted, or even change them back to their previous belief. Nothing was an obstacle in the way of Islam, the flow of men and women were going toward Islam.

 

The increase in the number of converts to Islam was making people of Quraish mad, angrier and more upset. Moslems hold to Islam was increasing, nothing was weakening their will of going back to idol worship, and hence the tortures of the Moslems were being increased day by day.

 

One night the Moslems met Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (saw). He was sad to hear that the Moslems were suffering from torture. So, he said to them:

 

There’s a just King in Habasha (Ethiopia). Immigrate to his country. Stay there till Allah drives away your worries.

 

The idea of immigration shone in the believers’ hearts as the sun shone to fill the earth with light and warmth.

 

At midnight, a small group crept into the land of Habasha, via the Red Sea. The Moslem immigrants stayed there.

 

In the meantime, the Quraish increased their torture against the Moslems who stayed in Makkah. So, they were in a fix.

 

At that critical time, our Master Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (saw) ordered his cousin Ja’far to lead a bigger group of Moslems to Habasha.

 

The number of the new group was over 80 Moslems. Ja’far began leading the immigrating caravan towards the coasts of the sea.

 

The sea was calm. The wind was gentle. The immigrants reached the coasts of the sea. Allah, the Almighty, wanted a ship to pass by them. The ship was going from Jeddah to Habasha. Ja’far asked her Captain to take them there. The Captain accepted.

 

The ship set out plowing the sea. The Moslems thanked Allah, who turned their fear into safety to worship Him only.

 

Ja’far himself was visiting the immigrants, especially the children. His wife Asmaa bint Umayys was visiting the women.

 

Days and nights passed. The ship anchored at the coasts of Habasha. The Moslems reached the land where our Master Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (saw) had ordered them to immigrate.

 

The Moslems were always praying to Allah freely. No one prevented them from that. During their prayers, they were always asking Allah to grant our Master Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (saw) and his Moslem brother’s victory over the unjust Quraishi tyrants.

 

But the news that reached them was sorrowful. Yasir and Summayyah became martyrs under torture; they were in pain to hear about the torture that was happening to their brothers. But they firmly increased their belief.

 

In Makkah, Abu Jahal, who had spite against our Master Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (saw), was always planning to destroy Allah’s religion. He wanted to put out the candle of Islam so that people would live in darkness and ignorance.

 

But Allah’s religion spread as the scent of roses did. It made happiness enter hearts as spring did.

 

One day, the Quraishi leaders held a meeting in Darul Nadwa. They were thinking about a way to extinguish the light of Islam. Umayyah said:

 

I’ll make Bilal a lesson for slaves so that they’ll not think about entering Muhammad’s religion.

 

Abu Jahal said:

 

We’ll go on banning Bani Hashim till they die of hunger or they give us Muhammad to kill him.

 

Abu Sufyan said:

 

But what shall we do for those who escape from Makkah and go to Habasha?

 

Abu Jahal said:

 

We’ll bring them back.

 

How?

 

We’ll send our friend al-Najashy lots of gifts. So, he’ll accept our request.

 

Who will go?

 

We’ll send a clever man to negotiate with al-Najashy.

 

After several weeks, they decided to send a delegation to bring back the runaway persons.

 

In al-Najashy’s Presence:

 

In the morning, Amru bin al-Ass and Amarah bin al-Waleed headed for the sea holding gifts to al-Najashy, the King of Habasha.

 

The delegates crossed the sea with a ship. They reached the land of Habasha. They came to the King’s palace.

 

Amru bin al-Ass said to the guards of the palace:

 

We’re the Quraishi delegates holding gifts to the King.

 

Al-Najashy greeted the delegates and accepted the gifts of the Quraish. The priests received their gifts, too. The King asked them about the purpose of their visit.

 

The delegates said:

 

Some foolish persons have taken refuge in the land of Habasha. They’ve abandoned their fathers’ and grandfathers’ religion. They haven’t accepted the King’s religion. Rather; they’ve brought a new religion. Neither you nor we have known it. We, the Quraishi noblemen, have come to bring them back and to educate them.

 

The King of Habasha was just and wise man. So, he said:

 

How can I hand you the people who have chosen my country and asked me for help? But I’ll ask them some questions. If their thoughts are corrupt; if they are deviated, I’d hand them to you. Otherwise, I’d leave them to live in my country.

 

Al-Najashy sent for the immigrants. They came. Ja’far bin Abu Talib was in advance. They came into the palace and stood in front of the King.

 

The Habashian people bowed when they met the King. So the Habashian and the delegates bowed to the King. The Moslems did not bow; their heads remained high raised.

 

Al-Najashy asked the Moslems:

 

Why don’t you bow to me?

 

Ja’far answered:

 

We don’t bow to anyone but Allah.

 

The King said:

 

What do you mean?

 

Ja’far answered:

 

Your Majesty; the King, Allah has sent us an Apostle. The Apostle has ordered us not to bow to anyone but Allah. He has also ordered us to pray and to pay zakat.

 

Amru bin al-Ass said evilly:

 

They’re breaking the King’s religion!

 

Al-Najashy asked him to keep silent; and asked Ja’far to go on. Ja’far politely said:

 

Your Majesty, the King, we were ignorant people. We worshipped the idols. We ate dead animals. We did bad actions and abandoned our relatives. We mistreated our neighbors. The strong oppressed the weak. So Allah has sent us an Apostle. We know his ancestors and his truthfulness. We know that he is pure and trustworthy So, he has invited us to worship the Only Allah. He has ordered us to avoid what we and our fathers had worshipped. He has ordered us to be truthful and to give the trusts to their owners. He has ordered us to visit our relatives, to be good neighbors, to stop bad actions and shedding blood. He has prevented us from atrocities, falsehood taking the orphan’s money and speaking evil of the married women. He has ordered us to worship Allah only and not to be polytheists. He has ordered us to pray, to give alms, and to fast.

 

Your majesty; the king, we’ve believed him and followed what he has brought from Allah. So, we’ve worshipped Allah only – we’re not polytheists.

 

But our people have aggressed against us. They’ve tortured us. They’ve prevented us from our religion to worship the idols again.

 

After they had persecuted us, we came to your country. We’ve preferred you to others. We want to live in your country. Thus, your majesty, the king, we ask you to treat us justly.

 

Al-Najashy said politely:

 

Have you anything of what your Prophet has brought?

 

Ja’far politely said:

 

Yes.

 

Al-Najashy said:

 

Read me something.

 

Ja’far began reading some verses of the Chapter of Mary (Maryam) from Holy Qur’an (16-23:19), that speak of Maryam, Jesus, Yahiah and Zacharia (peace be upon them):

 

And mention Maryam in the Book when she drew aside from her family to an eastern place. So, she took a veil (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Spirit, and there appeared to her a well-made man. She said: Surely I fly for refuge from you to the Beneficent God, if you are one guarding (against evil). He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I will give you a pure boy. She said: When shall I have a boy and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste? He said: Even so; your lord says: It is easy to me: and that We may make him a sign to men and a mercy from us; and it is a matter which has been decreed. So, she conceived him; then withdrew herself with a remote place and the throes (of childbirth) compelled her to take herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten! Then (the child called out to her from beneath her): Grieve not, surely your lord has made a stream to flow beneath you. And shake towards you the trunk of the palm tree, it will drop on you fresh ripe dates. So, eat and drink and refresh the eye. Then if you see any mortal, say: Surely I have vowed a fast to the Beneficent God, so I shall not speak to any man today and she came to her people with him, carrying him (with her). They said: O Maryam! Surely you have done a strange thing. O Sister of Haroon! Your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman.

 

Al-Najashy wept. His tears flowed on his cheeks. The priests and the monks wept humbly, too. Ja’far’s voice was flowing humbly:

 

But she pointed to him. They said: How should we speak to one who was a child in the cradle? He said: Surely I am Allah’s servant; he has given me the Book and made me a prophet, and has made me blessed wherever I may be, and he has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live and dutiful to my mother; and he has not made me insolent, unblessed and peace be on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life.

 

Al-Najashy stood up for Allah’s Words and said humbly:

 

Certainly this and what Jesus (Isa) had brought come out of one niche.

 

He turned to the Quraishi delegates and said angrily:

 

I won’t hand them to you and I’ll defend them.

 

Then he ordered his soldiers to dismiss the delegation and to return the gifts to them. He said:

 

They are bribes. I don’t want to be bribed.

 

He turned to Ja’far and his Moslem group and said:

 

You’re welcome; Your Prophet is welcome. I admit that he is the Apostle whom Isa bin Maryam had given good news about. Live wherever you like in my country.

 

Al-Najashy wanted to know something about the manners of Islam. He asked Ja’far:

 

How do you greet each other?

 

Our greeting is to say Assalamu Alaikum.

 

Another Plot:

 

On the following day Amru bin al-Ass and Amarah decided to go to the King’s Palace.

 

On their way, Amru bin al-Ass said to Amarah:

 

This time, I,ll get my revenge on Ja’far. I’ll tell the kings that the Moslems have another idea about Isa.

 

Again the delegates came to al-Najashy and said:

 

Your majesty; the king, the Moslems say that Isa is a slave.

 

Al-Najashy kept silent for a while then he said to the guard:

 

Assalamu AlaikumGo to Ja’far to hear his point of view.

 

Ja’far came and greeted the King and said:

 

Assalamu Alaikum.

 

The King asked him:

 

What’s your point of view about Isa?

 

Ja’far answered calmly:

 

We say as Allah and His Apostle have said about him.

 

The King asked him:

 

What’s your Prophet said?

 

Ja’far answered calmly:

 

He’s Allah’s slave, His Apostle, His Spirit, His Word that He has given to the chaste, virgin Maryam.

 

Al-Najashy kept silent for a while, and then he drew a line on the ground with his stick. So, he said:

 

Go to your friends. You’re safe in my country.

 

Again the delegates’ plot came to nothing. The delegates hopelessly came back to Makkah. Since that meeting, the Moslems had been happy in the land of the just King.

 

Our Master Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (saw) and the Moslems rejoiced at Ja’far’s victory and his stay in Habasha.

 

A letter to al-Najashy:

 

Amru bin Umayyah al-Dhimry our Master Muhammad’s delegate, arrived in Habasha carrying the letter of the Prophet of Islam.

 

The letter read:

 

From Muhammad, Allah’s Apostle

 

To al-Najashy the King of Habasha

 

You are safe.

 

I thank Allah. There is no god but Him, the King, the Holy, the Peace, the Believer; the Almighty.

 

I bear witness that Isa is Allah’s Spirit, and His word He has given to Maryam, the Virgin, the good, and the chaste. Allah created him with His power as He created Adam before.

 

I am inviting you to worship Allah only, to obey Him, to follow me, and to believe in what has come to me. I am Allah’s Apostle. I am inviting you and your soldiers to worship Allah, the Almighty. I have told and advised you. So, accept my advice.

 

And peace upon him who follows guidance.

 

Ja’far accompanied our Master Muhammad’s delegate on his going to al-Najashy’s palace. First they greeted the King of Habasha. Then he received the Prophet’s letter respectfully.

 

Al-Najashy read the letter. He came down the throne and sat on the ground to show his humbleness and respect for Allah’s Apostle, our Master Muhammad (saw).

 

Al-Najashy put the letter on his eye to show his great respect. Then he ordered his guards to get him an ivory box to put the letter in. He said:

 

Habasha will be prosperous as long as its people keep this letter.

 

The Prophet’s delegate gave the King another letter. The letter asked the King to allow the immigrants headed by Ja’far bin Abu Talib to come back to their country.

 

The Moslems were very happy to hear about their repatriation to their homeland. In the meantime, they thanked al-Najashy for his good hospitality.

 

Al-Najashy ordered his guards to prepare some ships to bring back the immigrants to the land of al-Hejaz. He sent his representative with them.

 

The representative was carrying gifts and a letter of greetings to our Master Muhammad (saw).

 

The sails of the ships were raised to start journey, the Moslems set off. They rejoiced at Allah’s victory.

Flight to Abyssinia – modern day Ethiopia The converts of the first four years were mostly humble folk unable to defend themselves against oppression. So cruel was the persecution they endured that Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) advised all who could possibly contrive to do so to immigrate to a Christian country, Abyssinia – modern day Ethiopia.

 

Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) had great faith in Ja’far, the son of Abu Talib and brother of Imam Ali (as). The handful of Muslim refugees including men and women under the leadership of Ja’far crossed the Red Sea. This is known to be the first migration in the history of Islam, which occurred in the 5th year after Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) had proclaimed Islam in 615 AD. They were joined by more immigrants who had become the victims of the enemies of Islam. The number of the refugees rose to 82 men and 18 women.

Abu Lahab’s wife was among the leading women of the Quraish and she was known as Umm Jamil (Umme Jamila). Her name was Arwah bint Harb ibn Umayyah. She was a squint-eyed woman equally bad tempered, like her husband; mischievous and grossly wicked. She cooperated with him in hostilities and hindrances against Islam. She was supportive of her husband in his disbelief, rejection and obstinacy. Therefore, she will be helping to administer his punishment in the fire of Hell on the Day of Judgment.

 

Umm Jamil bint Harb, the Wife of Abu Lahab harming Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw)When the verse “May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, may he (himself) perish” was revealed in Noble Qur’an, the one-eyed Umm Jamil bint Harb came out wailing, and she had a stone in her hand. She was saying, ‘He criticizes our father, and his religion is our scorn, and his command is to disobey us.’

 

Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) was sitting in the Masjid (of the Kaaba) and Abu Bakr was with him. When Abu Bakr saw her he said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! She is coming and I fear that she will see you.’ Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) replied, (Verily, she will not see me.) Then he (saw) recited a verse from Noble Qur’an as a protection for himself. “And when you recite the Qur’an, We place between you and those who do not believe in the hereafter a hidden barrier.” (Noble Qur’an 17:45) So she advanced until she was standing in front of Abu Bakr and she did not see Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw). She then said, ‘O Abu Bakr! Verily, I have been informed that your friend is making defamatory poetry about me.’ Abu Bakr replied, ‘Nay! By the Lord of this House (the Kaaba) he is not defaming you.’ So she turned away saying, ‘Indeed the Quraish know that I am the daughter of their leader.’

 

Umm Jamil used to collect thorny sticks and bundle them up with a rope. In the night she used to spread them along the path that Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) used to take to go to the mosque for prayers early in the morning.

 

Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) used to move them aside but some of the thorns used to prick his feet and get entangled in his clothes.

 

She also used to incite people by carrying tales from one place to the other (gossip) and this also gave her the title as the ‘carrier of firewood’.

 

Note: Umm Jamil (Umme Jamila) died strangled with the rope with which she carried the wood.

 

Prophecy: A sign of the Miracle of the Noble Qur’an

 

We know that these verses (Noble Qur’an, 111:1-5) were revealed in Makkah, and it was announced that Abu Lahab and his wife Umm Jamil (Umme Jamila) will roast in the fire of Hell, implying they will not believe in the Truth and never become Muslim and therefore they will enter the hell fire.

 

This Surah was revealed 10 years before Abu Lahab died as an unbeliever. Many of Abu Lahab’s friends and other disbelievers accepted Islam in the span of 10 years since this Surah was revealed. Hence this is one of the prophecies of the Noble Qur’an came true.

Abu Lahab is Muhammad, The Last Prophet’s (saw) uncle and the son of Abd Al-Muttalib. Among those people he was one of the strongest enemies of Islam.

Abu Lahab is the ‘Father of the Flames’, whose name was ‘Abdul Al-Uzza’ means the servant of the idol Al-Uzza, was a man of fiery temperament with a reddish face. This nickname, perhaps, was chosen for him, because, ‘Lahab’, in Arabic, means ‘a flame of fire’.

Abu Lahab and his wife, Umm Jamil bint Harb; a sister of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, being specifically mentioned as the cursed ones among the enemies of Islam, hurt Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) very much. A person by the name of ‘Tariq Muharibi’ says that once Abu Labab was found going behind Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) passing through the marketplace called ‘Zul-Mujaz’ (it is close to Arafat, a short distance from Makkah). He was following behind Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) shouting was a mad man and pelting his feet with stones, causing Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) to walk with bleeding wounds, then he raised a large stone to throw at Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) but his hands froze.

Abu Lahab was a rich, proud man who boasted about his wealth and used it against Islam.

It is narrated that after the defeat of the Makkans in the battle of Badr, Abu Lahab, who had not participated in the battle of Badr, asked Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, when he returned from the battlefield, about its details. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb described to him the event of how the Quraish were defeated and, then, he added: By Allah, we saw, in the course of battle, some riders between the earth and heaven who had come to help Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw).

Here, Abu Rafi, one of the servants of Abbas ibn Abd Al-Muttalib tells the story thus: I was sitting there and I raised my hand and said that they were the angels of Heaven. Then, Abu Lahab became so angry that he sharply struck my face and I fell hard upon the ground.

Abu Lahab continued beating me because of his grief from his disappointment. At that moment, Ummul-Fadl, Abbas ibn Abd Al-Muttalib’s wife, who was attending there, took a stake and struck it hard on Abu Lahab’s head, and said: ‘Have you found this weak man alone?’

The head of Abu Lahab became wounded and bloody. One week later he died from a contagious disease and since his body gave off an unbearable, foul smell no one approached it. It was left for three days and, at last some slaves were hired to carry it out of Makkah. They watered it from a distance and then piled stones on top of it until it was buried.

To promulgate the holy religion of Islam to all Arab tribes and all over the world, Allah (SWT) commanded Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) to openly declare his prophetic mission and explain to the masses the truth of his faith.

Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) made his way to Mount Safa, the most well-known elevation in the whole of Makkah, to announce Islam to its people at a time when 360 idols were placed around the Kaaba. He felt no fear or shame. Stood on a high place, and exclaimed, ‘Ya Sabaha-hu’. His voice resounded on the mountain and attracted the attention of the people. Large crowds from various tribes hurried toward him to hear what he was going to say. Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) turned to them and said, ‘O people! Will you believe me if I say there is an army marching behind this mountain which is about to attack you?’

They all answered, ‘Of course we would, we have not heard a lie from you throughout your life’.

Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) said, ‘O people of the Quraish! I warn you to fear God’s punishment. Save yourself from the fire. My position is the same as that of the sentry who sees the enemy from afar and warns his people of the danger of their enemies. Does such a person ever lie to his people?’

Abu Lahab ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, who feared lest Muhammad, The Last Prophet’s (saw) words should impress the people, broke the silence and addressing him said, ‘Give our oath to you? May you perish (die)! Have you gathered us here to tell us such words?’

Abu Lahab ibn Abd Al-Muttalib interrupted Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw) so rudely and did not let him continue his speech. In return for so much insolence, denial of the truth, and cooperation with the idol worshippers and polytheists, Allah (SWT) revealed the verse that severely reproves Muhammad, The Last Prophet (saw).

“May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, may he (himself) perish. His wealth avails him not, neither what he had earned. Soon will he roast in a flaming fire, and his wife, the bearer of the firewood, upon her neck a rope of twisted palm-fibre.” (Noble Qur’an, 111:1-5)

Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw): Three years of propagation in practice For three whole years after the actualization of the prophetic mission of Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw), he propagated his faith in secret because the corrupt environment of Arabia, which had been polluted with idolatry and paganism for centuries, was by no means ready for the open propagation of Islam, which is perfect monotheism and opposed to any kind of polytheism.

 

In the beginning, Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) was faced with extremely difficult problems and obstacles that seemed to prevent him from achieving his divine goal – the propagation of Islam. Thus Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) praised the One God before the eyes of the idolaters who worshipped numerous gods and whose worshipping assumed the form of whistling and clapping. Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) performed the ritual prayers, which included spiritual discourse and praise of Almighty Allah (SWT), Who has no partner nor any peer. Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw), accompanied by Imam Ali (as) and Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, went to the crowded places like the Masjid al-Haram and Mana and performed the congregational ritual prayers before the eyes of the enemies of Islam and thus, through his practice, fought polytheistic faiths.

 

Atif, a merchant of that time, has said, ‘I had gone to Abbas, the son of Abd al-Muttalib, on business, when suddenly I observed that a man entered the Masjid al-Haram, looked up at the sky and the sun and stood praying in front of the Kaaba. A little later, a woman and a boy came in and accompanied him in his prayer. I asked Abbas ibn Abd Al-Muttalib about that religion of which I had not yet heard! Abbas ibn Abd Al-Muttalib said, “This man is Muhammad, the son of Abdullah. He believes that his God is the Creator of heaven and earth and that God has assigned him to guide people. For the time being his faith has no believer other than these three people. This woman you see is Khadijah, the daughter of Khuwaylid, and this boy is Ali, the son of Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, who have accepted his faith.”‘

 

Thus started the beginning of a divine mission, which was destined not only to cleanse the Arabian Peninsula of the filth of polytheism but whose radiance would eventually dispel darkness from all over the world.

 

“Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His communications and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error.” (Noble Qur’an, 3:164)

 

Indeed! Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) was appointed to recite the divine verses to the people, to teach them the Book and wisdom, and to rescue them from being mislead like their ancestors. However, not all people responded to his invitation equally.

 

In this way Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) went on with his divine task until gradually the number of Muslims increased and, contrary to the ill-wishes of the opponents of Islam, this faith prevailed. When the atmosphere became suitable for the open propagation of Islam, Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) was divinely ordered to act accordingly.

What happened on the day of the beginning of the Prophet’s prophetic mission caused him to return home later than usual. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, who had never observed her affectionate husband to be late, was worried. Suddenly she saw him enter the house but with quite a new expression and in a new mood. Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) was now excited and moved. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid asked him, ‘Why are you so late today?’

Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) explained the whole event to her. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid had long been expecting such a blessed day, for she had heard her servant, Mysara, quote from the Christian monk they had met on their journey to Damascus that he, Muhammad (saw), is the Prophet of Allah (SWT) to the people.

The Jewish and Christian priests had formerly given her the good tidings that Muhammad (saw) was to be a prophet and that he had a supreme status. So she got up and after making the necessary inquiries, contacted Warqa ibn Nawfal, who was a learned Christian person, and told him about the event. Warqa ibn Nawfal said, ‘I swear by God that the same great angel Gabriel (Jabra’il) who descended to Prophet Musa / Moses (pbuh), has descended unto him, and no doubt he is the prophet of these people, of this Ummah’.

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid then returned home and after brief consideration, accepted the prophecy of Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw), thus attaining the honour of taking the lead in adopting the supreme faith of Islam among all the women of the world.

Imam Ali (as), the first male who came to believe in the prophet’s faith

At a time when a severe famine had broken out in Arabia, Abu Talib ibn Abd Al-Muttalib’s financial condition was difficult; indeed unbearable. To reduce his uncle’s financial problems, Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) took his son, Imam Ali (as), to his own house and took care of him and raised him like an affectionate father. Imam Ali (as) had great talent and peerless intelligence. He obeyed Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) most sincerely. He soon became quite aware of the Prophet Muhammad’s truthfulness, and, so when he was but ten years old, he accepted the Prophet Muhammad’s faith with perfect awareness, thus becoming the first male to adopt Islam and to believe in the divine faith of Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw).

When Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) began descending cave of Hira (Ghare Hira), in the al-Noor mountain to go home, he found that he was in a different mood; in a strange mood; in fact in another world; in a divine atmosphere. He was not a prophet before going to the mountain, but now he was related to the Source of Creation, had communicated with the Divine Origin, with the Divine Authority. He was now witnessing what Bahira, the Christian monk, and others had predicted about him; and he well knew that a momentous task had been laid upon his shoulders. He was deeply absorbed by the task. If he had any worries, it was not because he was unsure of his prophethood. Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) had heard the tidings from such learned people as Bahira, and he had witnessed angel Gabriel (Jabra’il) bringing the good news, ‘You are Allah’s Messenger’. These were enough to assure him of his divine mission and prophethood.

In addition, Allah (SWT) has always, through clear proofs and compelling confirmations assured any prophet He has selected for guiding mankind of his prophethood, so he would endeavour to rectify, purify, and educate human beings with the strongest determination.

Therefore, it becomes clear that it is most baseless and wrong to say that Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) did not know that he had become a prophet until his wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid talked to him and assured him of his prophecy.

By the time Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) reached the age of 40, he was ready for his divine mission. Finally the day dawned which was to change the history of the world. On 27th of Rajab, in 610CE, Archangel Gabriel [one of the four superior angels who was ordered by Allah (SWT) to convey revelation to prophets] descended to him, while he sat in cave of Hira (Ghare Hira), in the al-Noor mountain near the city of Makkah, Gabriel, the Angel of Revelation, said, ‘Recite!’ He said in surprise, ‘what shall I recite?’ Again the divine voice very clearly and openly called out, ‘Recite, O Muhammad!’

 

And a third time angel Gabriel (Jabra’il) repeated, ‘Recite in the Name of Your Lord Who created. He created the human being from a clot. Recite and your Lord is Most Honourable, Who taught (to write) with the pen, taught the human being what he knew not’ (96:1-5).

 

With these verses, angel Gabriel (Jabra’il) announced to Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) that Almighty Allah (SWT) had formally chosen (al-Mab’ath) him to be His last and final Messenger to humankind. When Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) was appointed, he had become responsible for a great mission (Risalat and Nabuwat). Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) felt dignity of Almighty Allah (SWT) more than before. An indescribable excitement and eagerness overcame Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw), for he had come into contact with a supreme supernatural world. His high spirit had now found a sacred support and an eternal refuge. He saw in himself the power of prophecy. No longer was any worry or agitation to be found in his blessed being. There was now just peace and confidence within him.

 

The appointment of Muhammad (saw), the Prophet of Islam and his selection as the Messenger of Allah (SWT) can be considered the most significant event in the history of Islam. Descent of the Noble Qur’an began at this time.

 

Clarification: Messenger of Allah (SWT), he was at his very birth but the prophethood was declared only after forty years. The Noble Qur’an was already there treasured in the blessed heart of Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) at his birth but the divine decree for its revelation/proclamation to the people came 40 years later. As we already know from Noble Qur’an (19:30), Prophet Jesus/Isa (pbuh) brought the book with himself and he was a prophet at his birth. Now if we accept Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) as the prophet only after 40 years then, Prophet Jesus/Isa (pbuh) emerges as a greater Prophet than our Prophet. But this is certainly not the case.

 

Some great events happened at the time of Prophet of Islam, Muhammad’s (saw) appointment. For instance, a groan was heard. Imam Ali (as) says about that: “I heard Satan’s groan when the first revelation was descended. I asked Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw): “What was that?” He answered: “it was Satan, who got disappointed by not being obeyed.” He also said: “You hear what I hear and see what ever I see; except you are not a prophet.”

 

As mentioned before, Imam Ali (as) accompanied Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) in different cases such as his seclusion periods. This narration, written in Nahj al-Balaghah, implies that he was with Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) when revelation was descended for the first time. It is inferred through the history that he was the only person with Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) at that time. Nobody else has claimed to be with Him then.

We have so far taken a glance at the earlier part of the blessed life of Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw). Now we must talk about some of the most momentous phases of his life. By the age of 40 he was still living among an extremely backward people who were devoid of any traces of civilization and humanity. These hard conditions severely tormented his pure soul. Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) observed nothing in that society but the darkness of ignorance. He would go to the Kaaba, but instead of witnessing the worship of God, he witnessed, idolatry. He would then leave the Kaaba and go among the people. But there, too, he was troubled by what he saw. He was pained by the ugly customs and false thoughts of his people. The pitiable condition of the poor and the destitute caused him great anguish. The deplorable situation of women, who were treated worse than animals, as well as the prevalence of gambling, wine drinking and murder tortured his blessed heart.

When he dealt with people as a merchant, their immoral behaviour gave so severe an emotional shock to him that he had to go to a lonely place where he would not be tormented by people’s inhuman behaviour. For these reasons and to find peace of mind, he would go to cave of Hira (Ghare Hira), in the al-Noor mountain near the city of Makkah and there think deeply about the amazing phenomena of nature and the vestiges of God’s All-Embracing Compassion. Initially he used to remain in the cave of Hira for a day or two and sometimes even 10 nights or more but the next few years saw him spending a whole month in that cave, praying to Allah (SWT) and contemplating guidance for the deviated people.

In short, Prophet of Islam, Muhammad’s (saw) forty year life period before the appointment was associated with chastity and honesty, trustworthiness and rightness, doing good with the poor and the lower, hatred towards the immoralities within the society along with its custom of idol worshiping. His high moralities and generosity in his behaviors gained the praise of all, to the extent that Allah (SWT) praised him in the Noble Qur’an for his high moralities. Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) was nicknamed as “Al-Amin, the trustworthy” from the beginning of his youth, thus people trusted him to watch over their properties.

Mostly everyone was against his mission as the Prophet, but no one doubted in his trustworthiness and thus he continued to secure their properties. Despite the enmity that existed toward him in the city, no one doubted his honesty.

Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (saw) always named Allah (SWT) before eating, and never ate meat that was not properly slaughtered. Like other prophets, he spent part of his youth as a shepherd. Being a shepherd had great impact on the prophets. It allowed them to separate themselves from the bad deeds of the society; it taught them to endure the difficulties, and it increased their faith in Allah (SWT) as they saw the power of Allah (SWT) and the order.