بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Choosing a profession
Having lost his parents and his grandfather, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم,
who was in the care of his uncle Abu Talib, came of age with practically no
inheritance. At first, he tried to make a living tending goats for Banu Sa'd,
but then upon his return to Makkah, he tended goats for the Quraysh for
a small sum.
The choice of occupation was significant. Later, after becoming a prophet,
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم remarked, ''There has been no prophet who
has not tented sheep.'' Noted for his trustworthiness, honesty and piety, he
came to be called '' Al- Ameen'' (the Trustworthy).
Journey to Syria on business for Khadeejah
Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم's reputation led Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid to
entrust him with her merchandise to sell in Syria.As a wealthy businesswoman
from a noble family of the Quraysh, she would hire men to conduct business
on her behalf. And so it happened that the young Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم
journeyed to Syria with her slave, Maysarah. The trip was extremely successful
and profitable, and upon his return to Makkah, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم
gave khadeejah her profit.
Marriage to Khadeejah
Khadeejah was twice-widowed, having been married to Ateeq bin Ayed and
to Abu Hala. While married to Abu Hala, she bore a son. Following her second
husband's death, she received several proposals from various chiefs of the
Quraysh, all of which she refused. Now, however, impressed by Maysarah's
description of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم 's character, she broached the topic
of marriage to Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم through her friend, Nafeesah.
Being open to the idea, he consulted his uncles, who sent his proposal to Amr
bin Asad, Khadeejah's uncle. Amr accepted on his niece's behalf, and
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم gave twenty camels as dowry (some sources
mention that he gave her six camels). They were married in the presence of the
Banu Hashim and the chiefs of the Quraysh. Praising and glorifying Allah, Abu
Talib recited the wedding sermon and formalized the union. Thus within two
months and some days of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم 's return from Syria, he
and Khadeejah were married. He was twenty-five years old, while she was
either twenty-eight or forty.
Khadeejah was Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم 's first wife. He married none
other during her lifetime. She bore all his children except for Ibraheem, who
was born to Mariya Qibtiya (Mary the Copt). They were named (in order
of birth) Qasim, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthoom, Fatimah, Abdullah,
and Ibraheem (scholars, however, disagree about the exact number and order
of births). All the sons passed away during childhood, but all the daughters
lived to see their father become a prophet. Each daughter embraced Islam
and migrated to Madinah, all but Fatimah died during the lifetime of the
Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم . Fatimah died six months after her father's
death.
Dispute over the Black Stone
When Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم was thirty-five years old, a devastating
flood damaged the Ka'bah. The walls of the Ka'bah had been weakened
by a fire earlier, and the flood caused additional cracks to form. The structure
revered by the Quraysh was in danger of collapse.
Seeing their house of worship under threat of ruin, the Quraysh decided to
rebuild, the Quraysh feared Allah would punish anyone who raised his hand
against the Sacred House. Waleed bin Mugheera was the first to approach the
Ka'bah. Declaring, ''Allah will not destroy reformers,'' he began to dismantle
the walls of the Ka'bah. When others saw that he had done so untouched by
divine wrath, they joined in the work. They demolished the Ka'bah down to
the original foundation laid by Ibraheem عليه السلام
Then the construction started with each tribe being allotted specific duties.
The nobles among them carried pieces of stone and piled them up in one
place. Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم and his uncle Abbas were among those
carrying stones.
When the wall was completed up to the spot where the black stone (Al-Hajr
Al-Aswad) was located, a dispute arose. Each chieftain claimed the honor of
putting the Black stone in place. This crisis continued for four or five days, and
bloodshed was imminent. At that time Abu Umayya - the oldest among them -
found a solution to the problem. He suggested that the next man who entered
the gate of the Ka'bah should be given the authority to settle the dispute.
Everyone agreed to this suggestion, and it was the will of Allah that the next
man to enter the gate was Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم.
''It's Muhammad,'' they said as soon as they saw him coming. ''Since he is
trustworthy, we all agree to abide by his decision.'' When Muhammad
صلى الله عليه وسلم learned the details of the dispute, he asked them to bring
a sheet. He then took the black stone, and placing it on the sheet, asked
each clan to take hold of an edge of the sheet and lift it in unison. When
the Black Stone, was lifted up by the tribal chieftains, Muhammad
صلى الله عليه وسلم pushed it into place with his own hands. Everyone was
satisfied with Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم's decision, and a great conflict
was averted.
The Black Stone rests about a half meters above the ground, with the
Ka'bah door about half meter above the Black Stone. The Qurayah did
not lower the position of the door because they did not want anyone to
enter the Ka'bah without their permission. They also doubled the height
of the walls from nine to eighteen cubits, added a roof (fifteen cubits in
height), and six pillars in two rows inside the Ka'bah to support it.
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Choosing a profession
Having lost his parents and his grandfather, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم,
who was in the care of his uncle Abu Talib, came of age with practically no
inheritance. At first, he tried to make a living tending goats for Banu Sa'd,
but then upon his return to Makkah, he tended goats for the Quraysh for
a small sum.
The choice of occupation was significant. Later, after becoming a prophet,
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم remarked, ''There has been no prophet who
has not tented sheep.'' Noted for his trustworthiness, honesty and piety, he
came to be called '' Al- Ameen'' (the Trustworthy).
Journey to Syria on business for Khadeejah
Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم's reputation led Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid to
entrust him with her merchandise to sell in Syria.As a wealthy businesswoman
from a noble family of the Quraysh, she would hire men to conduct business
on her behalf. And so it happened that the young Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم
journeyed to Syria with her slave, Maysarah. The trip was extremely successful
and profitable, and upon his return to Makkah, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم
gave khadeejah her profit.
Marriage to Khadeejah
Khadeejah was twice-widowed, having been married to Ateeq bin Ayed and
to Abu Hala. While married to Abu Hala, she bore a son. Following her second
husband's death, she received several proposals from various chiefs of the
Quraysh, all of which she refused. Now, however, impressed by Maysarah's
description of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم 's character, she broached the topic
of marriage to Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم through her friend, Nafeesah.
Being open to the idea, he consulted his uncles, who sent his proposal to Amr
bin Asad, Khadeejah's uncle. Amr accepted on his niece's behalf, and
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم gave twenty camels as dowry (some sources
mention that he gave her six camels). They were married in the presence of the
Banu Hashim and the chiefs of the Quraysh. Praising and glorifying Allah, Abu
Talib recited the wedding sermon and formalized the union. Thus within two
months and some days of Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم 's return from Syria, he
and Khadeejah were married. He was twenty-five years old, while she was
either twenty-eight or forty.
Khadeejah was Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم 's first wife. He married none
other during her lifetime. She bore all his children except for Ibraheem, who
was born to Mariya Qibtiya (Mary the Copt). They were named (in order
of birth) Qasim, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthoom, Fatimah, Abdullah,
and Ibraheem (scholars, however, disagree about the exact number and order
of births). All the sons passed away during childhood, but all the daughters
lived to see their father become a prophet. Each daughter embraced Islam
and migrated to Madinah, all but Fatimah died during the lifetime of the
Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم . Fatimah died six months after her father's
death.
Dispute over the Black Stone
When Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم was thirty-five years old, a devastating
flood damaged the Ka'bah. The walls of the Ka'bah had been weakened
by a fire earlier, and the flood caused additional cracks to form. The structure
revered by the Quraysh was in danger of collapse.
Seeing their house of worship under threat of ruin, the Quraysh decided to
rebuild, the Quraysh feared Allah would punish anyone who raised his hand
against the Sacred House. Waleed bin Mugheera was the first to approach the
Ka'bah. Declaring, ''Allah will not destroy reformers,'' he began to dismantle
the walls of the Ka'bah. When others saw that he had done so untouched by
divine wrath, they joined in the work. They demolished the Ka'bah down to
the original foundation laid by Ibraheem عليه السلام
Then the construction started with each tribe being allotted specific duties.
The nobles among them carried pieces of stone and piled them up in one
place. Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم and his uncle Abbas were among those
carrying stones.
When the wall was completed up to the spot where the black stone (Al-Hajr
Al-Aswad) was located, a dispute arose. Each chieftain claimed the honor of
putting the Black stone in place. This crisis continued for four or five days, and
bloodshed was imminent. At that time Abu Umayya - the oldest among them -
found a solution to the problem. He suggested that the next man who entered
the gate of the Ka'bah should be given the authority to settle the dispute.
Everyone agreed to this suggestion, and it was the will of Allah that the next
man to enter the gate was Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم.
''It's Muhammad,'' they said as soon as they saw him coming. ''Since he is
trustworthy, we all agree to abide by his decision.'' When Muhammad
صلى الله عليه وسلم learned the details of the dispute, he asked them to bring
a sheet. He then took the black stone, and placing it on the sheet, asked
each clan to take hold of an edge of the sheet and lift it in unison. When
the Black Stone, was lifted up by the tribal chieftains, Muhammad
صلى الله عليه وسلم pushed it into place with his own hands. Everyone was
satisfied with Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم's decision, and a great conflict
was averted.
The Black Stone rests about a half meters above the ground, with the
Ka'bah door about half meter above the Black Stone. The Qurayah did
not lower the position of the door because they did not want anyone to
enter the Ka'bah without their permission. They also doubled the height
of the walls from nine to eighteen cubits, added a roof (fifteen cubits in
height), and six pillars in two rows inside the Ka'bah to support it.
Extracts from When the Moon Split
by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri
by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri
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