| [BIRTH]
According
to the local calendar it was Monday, 12th Rabi
al-Awwal, the year of the Elephant. The date,
according to the Christian calendar, was April
22, 571 A.D. That was the august birthday of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the best of the human
ever born anywhere on earth.
[FATHER
& MOTHER]
His
father was Abdullah and mother Amina. Abdullah
was an exceptionally good-natured man. Like
her illustrious husband Amina too was a lady
of high virtues.
[GRANDFATHER]
Abdul
Muttalib, was leader of the famed Quraish
tribe and the honoured chief of Makkah.
Prophet Muhammad thus had an exceptionally
noble pedigree on paternal as well matternal
sides.
[FATHER'S
DEATH]
He
set out for Syria on a trade trip. On return
he stayed at Madina. He fell sick there and
died after a short while. He was burried at
Madina.
[ABOUT
NAME]
His
grandfather Abdul Muttalib after considerable
thinking named the baby as Muhammad. This is a
sweet Arabic word meaning,
Although such unusual names were not in
vogue at that time yet the great old chief
felt pleased to choose it for his
bright-looking grandson. On the seventh day
after the birth chief Abdul Muttalib
sacrificed a nice camel and threw a big feast
for the Quraish gentry. After the feast some
curious guests inquired about the preference
of a rather unusual name over the customary
pattern of naming common in the area. To this
Abdul Muttalib replied: "I wish the baby
to be worthy of praise and appreciation of GOD
and His people in heavens and on earth".
[MOTHER's
DEATH]
When
Hazrat Muhammad was about six his mother
thought of taking him to Madina in order to
introduce him to his maternal uncles as also
to visit his father's grave over there. So one
fine morning the paty composed of Muhammad,
his mother, Amina, grandfather Abdul Muttalib
and nurse Umme Aiman set out towards Madina.
They stayed at Madina for about a month.
Little Muhammad was shown the house where his
illustrious father had died while returning
from Syria. The griefstricken mother must have
narrated him some events and episodes about
his father's life. Consequently young Muhammad
appeared to have grown considerably conscious
of his orphanhood. After a brief stay the
party set out for Makkah. Unfortunately,
however, while still on the way Muhammad's
loving mother fell ill and breathed her last
at village Abwa. She was buried in the same
village.
[Death
of Grandfather]
On
the untimely demise of young Muhammad's mother
the honour of looking after him fell rather
exclusively to the lot of his grandfather,
Abdul Muttalib. He undertook that
responsibility with great affection and
dedication. Unfortunately, however, poor
Muhammad had not yet recovered from the trauma
of his loving mother's death when his noble
grandfather also breathed his least. The young
boy was hardly eight then.
[FIRST
TRAVEL TO SYRIA]
When
Muhammad was twelve Abu Talib began to pack up
for a trade trip to Syria. As travel was
extremely hazardous those days he was
reluctant to take Muhammad along with him.
[KHADIJAH]
Khadijah
was the daughter of Khuwalid b. Asad. She was
first married to Abu Hala, who died after two
sons had been born to the couple. She was then
married to a wealthy Makkan trader, Atiq b.
Aaid Makhzoomi. After the birth of a daughter
the second husband too expired. Khadijah was a
graceful widow of forty when she came in
contact with Muhammad (pbuh). Lady Khadijah
lived for twenty five years after their
blissful marriage. They were blessed with six
children. Of these two sons died during early
infancy. The names of the four surviving
daughters are: Fatimah, Zainab, Ruqayyah and
Umee Kuthoom.
[KAABAH]
It
was first constructed by Prophet Adam (pbuh),
the first citizen of the world. During Prophet
Nooh's (pbuh) days the big typhoon washed it
away. Only a small mound was left standing at
the site. Prophet Ibraheem (pbuh) and his
illustrious son, Prophet Ismaeel (pbuh) then
rebuilt Kaabah under Divine instruction. The
Kaabah is variously named as Bait Ullah (House
of God).
[Hajar
al Aswad]
Angel
Gabriel had brought a big black stone (Hajar
al Aswad) from the Paradise which was fixed in
the structure. It is presently fixed in the
south-eastern wall of the Kaabah.
[HIRA
CAVE]
Three
miles away from the city of Makkah rises the
mountain Hira. now named as Jabal al-Noor (the
mountain of Light). On a side of this graceful
mountain stands majestically one of the
world's most famed caves, the Hira Cave. It is
a small cave, 12 feet in length and about two
feet in breadth.
[FORTIETH
YEAR]
The
historic day was 9th Rabi ul Awwal (12th
February, 610 A.D). Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh)
completed his fortieth year. He was engaged as
usual in his routine schedule of prayers and
meditation inside the Hira Cave. Suddenly
Angel Gibraeel entered in and said:
"Muhammad, please accept felicitations.
You are now a Messenger of God. I am Gibraeel.
[First
Revelation]
The
historic day 9th Rabi ul Awwal (12th February,
610 A.D) after a lapse of about six months the
Prophet was engrossed one day in his usual
round of prayers and meditation inside the
Hira Cave. The same angel visited him again.
This time he held a piece of paper in his
hand. The angel said, read. The Prophet
enquired in amazement, "what am I do
read?." The angel embraced the prophet
and said again, "read" The Prophet
gave him the same answer and the angel
embraced him the third time. The angel then
helped the Prophet to recite the following
verses with him:
THE
EMBRYO
In
the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful
- 1.
Read in the name of your Lord, Who created
- 2.
Creatd man from an embryo.
- 3.
Read and your Lord is the Most Beneficent,
- 4.
Who taught by the pen,
- 5.
Thaught man which he knew not.
(Surah:
96: Verses: 1 - 5)
The
historic verses constitute the first
Divine revelation to prophet Muhammad.
[FIRST
MUSLIMS]
Accordingly
soon after returning home from the Hira Cave
that day the prophet started to disseminate
the message of Islam. Those who accepted
Islam the very first day included his wife
Khadijah, cousin Ali, close friend Abu Bakr
and personal slave Zaid b. Harith.
[THE
TRUTHFUL & TRUSTED]
The
character and personality of the Holy
Prophet were so charming that he had earned
the most honoured titles of "the
truthful" and "the trusted"
right in his early youth.
[TAIF]
A
town situated at about 90 kilometres towards
the east of Makkah.
[THE
BATTLE OF BADR]
Badr,
a village on the outskirts of Madina. The
Prophet raised a small fighting unit of the
Muslims and set out for Badr on Ramadhan 12,
2 A.H.The Muslim unit totalled 313. The
fervour of Jehad was at its peak.
[UHAD
BATTLE]
The
pagans forces marched from Makkah somewhere
in 3 A.H. (625 A.D) with traditional pomp
and show with a huge army composed of 5,000
fighters was raised. It included 700
warriors wearing coats of mail. 200 horsemen
and 3,000 camel riders. From Abwa the troops
reached Aqiq which is situated by the side
of Uhud Mountain, about 5 miles from Madina.
Muslims army about 700 men, which included
100 men wearing coats of mail.
[CONQUEST
OF MAKKAH]
On
Ramadhan 10, 8 A.H. (February 1, 630 A.D)
the Prophet set out on the historic journey
at the head of a large army consisting of
10,000 enthusiastic followers. They arrived
at Makkah on Ramadhan 20, 8 A.H. (February
11, 630 A.D).
[THE
HISTORIC HAJJ CARAVAN]
During
the last decade of Zilqaadah, 10 A.H. the
Prophet was seen preparing for Hajj. The
number of intending pilgrims was around
90,000. Leading the sea of men surging with
brotherly love the Prophet left the Madina
for Makkah on 25th Zilqaadah, 10 A.H. (23rd
February, 663 A.D). They reached Makkah on
the 4th Zilhajj, after a constant journey of
nine days. With so many people joining on
the way the total by now had swelled to
140,000. The Prophet went straight to the
Kaabah. Kissing the Black Stone he went
round the holy place seven times. He offered
prayers at Muqam-e-Ibraheem and kissed the
Black Stone a second time. Then he went to
the safa Mount and performed sayye (swift
walking in between Safa and Marwa).
On 8th Zilhajjah the Prophet left Makkah for
Mina. He pitched his tent at the Arafat
grounds and encamped there for the night.
Next day he offered the morning prayers.
Then riding his she-camel. Qiswa he headed
for Arafat Mount. By the time he had climbed
atop the mountain the audience around him
had increased further. The entire
surrounding was resounding with thunderous
takbeers.
[MANIFESTO
OF LOVE & PEACE]
As
the sun was moving towards the west the
Prophet arrived at the Arafat grounds. While
still sitting on his she-camel he gave the
eager audience a historic address. It came
to enjoy immortal fame in history as the
greatest manifesto of love and peace. The
audience being unusually big a novel method
of transmission was adopted. When the
Prophet completed a sentence he observed a
momentary pause during which Rabia b.
Umayyah repeated the same sentence alound
and so on. That made it easy for the big
audience to listen and understand all that
the Prophet was saying.
[LAST
DAY ON EARTH]
The
Prophet freed all his slaves on Sunday, a
day before his death. As a matter of fact
those slaves were already leading a free
life for they had been extended rights and
privileges rarely enjoyed even by free
persons. His coat of mail had been pawned
with a jew for a certain quantity of barley.
The remaining articles of his arms were
donated to the Bait-tul-Mall.
The total amount that he had in cash was 7
dinars. And then on Monday, 12th Rabi
ul-Awwal, 11 A.H. that sad event at last
took place which his devotees had been
apprehending for quite sometime in the past.
Ayesha thus narrates the last moments of
that doleful event: "He began to gasp
while still in my lap. I felt that his body
became very heavy all of a sudden and his
hands got loosened. When I looked at his fac
I found that his eyes were getting
fixed...." The saddest moment of
history had eventually arrived. On the
afternoon of that sad Monday humanity lost
its most memorable lover ever born anywhere
on this planet:
"We
all come from God
And to Him do we return!"
He
was eight days less 63 years on that
mournful Monday when he breathed his last.
[MONDAY]
Indeed
Monday has a unique significance in
Prophet's life span. He was born on Monday.
He had settled the great Black Stone dispute
on Monday. he was elevated to prophethood on
Monday. He migrated from Makkah on Monday.
He arrived in Madina on Mondey. And he left
us too on Monday.
[MUSHRIK]
Pagans,
idol worshippers, polytheists.
[ZABUR/TORAT/INJEEL]
These
are the Arabic terms of the original
revelations God granted Moses. David and
Jesus (peace be upon them all) respectively.
[Ummi]
Ummi
means unlettered, unlearned. "And the
Book is given to him that is NOT LEARNED
[ELEPHANT
YEAR]
The
year 570 A.C., in Arab history, is called
the year of the Elephant. This is in memory
of the defeat and disgrace of Abraha, the
Christian ruler of Yemen, near Mecca. Now
Abraha's invasion was designed to destory
the Ka'ba; but Allah brought his plot to
naught.
[JINN]
"Study
of the Qur'anic passages, that the meaning
is simply a aspirit, or an invisible or
hidden being."
[SIGNS]
The
Arabic word used is "Aayaah" which
means signs, and which is really more to the
point. The Holy Qur'an does not mention the
word "Mu'jazah" (miracle).
[PROOF
OF QUR'AN]
The
proof of the Qur'an is in its own beauty and
nature, and the circumstances in which it
was promulgated. The doubters of the world
are challenged to produce a Book like it and
has produced none. It is the only revealed
Book whose text stands pure and uncrupted
to-day after 1400 years! The Germans
collected thousands of copies of the Qur'an
transcribed during the centuries in all the
nooks and corners of the world. They
compared one to the other. They admitted,
after considerable study and effort, their
inability to find any discrepancy,
difference or alteration. Did not the Lord
guarantee its preservation?
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