بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
From childhood, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was exceptionally intelligent
and chaste and was highly regarded for his honesty, valor, justice, piety,
patience, modesty, loyalty and hospitality. Abu Talib described his beloved
nephew in the following words :
He is fair and handsome. From his visage, mercy falls like rain. He is a shelter
for the orphan and a protector of widows.
Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم maintained good relations with his family, bore
others' burdens, and guided the destitute towards self-sufficiency.
In keeping with his future role as Allah's Messenger, one who was to outlaw
all aspects of idolatry and polytheism, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم had an
inherent hatred for the prevailing paganism of his time. Thus, although he was
an integral part of his society, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم never attended any
of the important local festivals and fairs that revolved around idol worship and
drinking. He was also careful not to eat the flesh of any animal slaughtered in
the name of someone other than Allah, and avoided touching or even coming
close to idols. He especially detested hearing oaths sworn upon the pagans'
two most famous idols, Lat and Uzza.
With his aversion to some of the most cohesive social ties in Makkan society,
it was inevitable that Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم would grow apart from his
fellow Makkans and their depraved way of life that included public drunkenness
and female infanticide. He began to long for solitude, and preferred to spend
his time alone, away from the noisy festivals and crowded markets. At the same
time, he felt the need to save his people from the destruction he felt was imminent.
His discontent grew, and he began to seek refuge in the cave of Hira. Here he
would spend long periods alone, and it was here that he worshipped not idols
or imagined gods, but the one true God - Allah.
Following the monotheistic practice of his forefather, Ibraheem, every year, for
three consecutive years, he spent the month of Ramadhan in the cave. He would
then return to Makkah, circumambulate the Ka'bah, and then go back home.
When Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم reached forty years of age, he began to
experience what could be called portents of Prophethood. He would have
visions, and whatever appeared to him in these visions and dreams would
come true.
Late one Monday night, just before sunrise on the twenty-first of Ramadhan
(August 10, 610 C.E.), an event transformed the life of the man chosen to
deliver Allah's message, just as it would change the lives of countless beings,
most of whom were yet to be born. According to the Lunar calendar,
Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم was forty years, six months and twelve days
old, and according to the solar calendar, he was thirty-nine years, three
months and twenty-two days old.
He was alone in the cave of Hira, engaged in worshipping Allah just like he
had done the previous two Ramadhans. Aishah رضى الله عنها, who has
narrated so many of the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم's words and deeds, relates
Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم's transition from an ordinary man to someone
who would forever be known simply as '' the Prophet'' :
The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم first began to have revelations in the form of
good dreams which came true. Then he began to like solitude. He would
go to the cave of Hira and meditate there in solitude for a number of days
and nights. He would take provisions with him to stay for an extended
period, and when he returned to Khadeejah رضى الله عنها, he would stock
up again and go back to the cave. This was his practice until Truth was
revealed to him by an angel while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel
said to him, ''Read!''
''I cannot read,'' Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم replied. The angel then took
hold of him and pressed him until he could not endure it any longer. The
angel let him go and said once again, ''Read!''
''I cannot read,'' Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم replied. The angel took hold
of him a second time and pressed him until he could not endure it any longer.
After letting him go, the angel said, ''Read!''
""I cannot read,'' Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم repeated. For a third time, the
angel took hold of him and pressed him until he could not endure it any longer.
The angel released him and said, '' Read in the name of your Lord, the Creator.
He Who created man from a clot. Read! and your Lord is the Most Bounteous.''
The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم was terrified and his heart was pounding hard. He
returned home to Khadeejah رضى الله عنها and said, ''Cover me! Cover me!''
Khadeejah رضى الله عنها covered him and helped him calm down. He related
what had happened in the cave, and said, ''I fear that something has happened
to me.''
''Never,'' Khadeejah رضى الله عنها replied. ''I swear by Allah, Allah would never
disgrace you. You keep good relations with your family, help the feeble and
destitute, serve your guests generously, and assist those who deserve help.''
Khadeejah رضى الله عنها then took the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم to her cousin, the
old and venerable Waraqa bin Naufal. He knew Hebrew and was familiar with the
Gospels, having left paganism for Christianity.
''O my cousin,'' Khadeejah رضى الله عنها began. ''Listen to your nephew.''
''What have you seen, my nephew?'' asked the blind old man. The Prophet
صلى الله عليه وسلم told Waraqa what had happened in the cave. ''The angel that
was sent to you is the same angel that Allah sent to Musaعليه السلام. I wish I
were young and could live to see the day your own people drive you out of
this city.''
''Will they drive me out?'' the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم asked.
''Yes,'' replied Naufal. ''Never has a man brought something such as what you
have without meeting hostility. If I live to see the day you are expelled, I will
support you with all my might.'' A few days later, however, Waraqa died, and
a long time passed before the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم received a second revelation.
The Qur'an tells us that the first revelation descended in Ramadhan on the
''Night of Power.''
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِى أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْءَانُ
إِنَّآ أَنزَلْنَاهُ فىِ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم 's Character
before Prophethood
From childhood, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was exceptionally intelligent
and chaste and was highly regarded for his honesty, valor, justice, piety,
patience, modesty, loyalty and hospitality. Abu Talib described his beloved
nephew in the following words :
He is fair and handsome. From his visage, mercy falls like rain. He is a shelter
for the orphan and a protector of widows.
Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم maintained good relations with his family, bore
others' burdens, and guided the destitute towards self-sufficiency.
In keeping with his future role as Allah's Messenger, one who was to outlaw
all aspects of idolatry and polytheism, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم had an
inherent hatred for the prevailing paganism of his time. Thus, although he was
an integral part of his society, Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم never attended any
of the important local festivals and fairs that revolved around idol worship and
drinking. He was also careful not to eat the flesh of any animal slaughtered in
the name of someone other than Allah, and avoided touching or even coming
close to idols. He especially detested hearing oaths sworn upon the pagans'
two most famous idols, Lat and Uzza.
Portents of Prophethood
With his aversion to some of the most cohesive social ties in Makkan society,
it was inevitable that Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم would grow apart from his
fellow Makkans and their depraved way of life that included public drunkenness
and female infanticide. He began to long for solitude, and preferred to spend
his time alone, away from the noisy festivals and crowded markets. At the same
time, he felt the need to save his people from the destruction he felt was imminent.
His discontent grew, and he began to seek refuge in the cave of Hira. Here he
would spend long periods alone, and it was here that he worshipped not idols
or imagined gods, but the one true God - Allah.
Following the monotheistic practice of his forefather, Ibraheem, every year, for
three consecutive years, he spent the month of Ramadhan in the cave. He would
then return to Makkah, circumambulate the Ka'bah, and then go back home.
When Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم reached forty years of age, he began to
experience what could be called portents of Prophethood. He would have
visions, and whatever appeared to him in these visions and dreams would
come true.
Late one Monday night, just before sunrise on the twenty-first of Ramadhan
(August 10, 610 C.E.), an event transformed the life of the man chosen to
deliver Allah's message, just as it would change the lives of countless beings,
most of whom were yet to be born. According to the Lunar calendar,
Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم was forty years, six months and twelve days
old, and according to the solar calendar, he was thirty-nine years, three
months and twenty-two days old.
He was alone in the cave of Hira, engaged in worshipping Allah just like he
had done the previous two Ramadhans. Aishah رضى الله عنها, who has
narrated so many of the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم's words and deeds, relates
Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم's transition from an ordinary man to someone
who would forever be known simply as '' the Prophet'' :
The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم first began to have revelations in the form of
good dreams which came true. Then he began to like solitude. He would
go to the cave of Hira and meditate there in solitude for a number of days
and nights. He would take provisions with him to stay for an extended
period, and when he returned to Khadeejah رضى الله عنها, he would stock
up again and go back to the cave. This was his practice until Truth was
revealed to him by an angel while he was in the cave of Hira. The angel
said to him, ''Read!''
''I cannot read,'' Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم replied. The angel then took
hold of him and pressed him until he could not endure it any longer. The
angel let him go and said once again, ''Read!''
''I cannot read,'' Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم replied. The angel took hold
of him a second time and pressed him until he could not endure it any longer.
After letting him go, the angel said, ''Read!''
""I cannot read,'' Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم repeated. For a third time, the
angel took hold of him and pressed him until he could not endure it any longer.
The angel released him and said, '' Read in the name of your Lord, the Creator.
He Who created man from a clot. Read! and your Lord is the Most Bounteous.''
The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم was terrified and his heart was pounding hard. He
returned home to Khadeejah رضى الله عنها and said, ''Cover me! Cover me!''
Khadeejah رضى الله عنها covered him and helped him calm down. He related
what had happened in the cave, and said, ''I fear that something has happened
to me.''
''Never,'' Khadeejah رضى الله عنها replied. ''I swear by Allah, Allah would never
disgrace you. You keep good relations with your family, help the feeble and
destitute, serve your guests generously, and assist those who deserve help.''
Khadeejah رضى الله عنها then took the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم to her cousin, the
old and venerable Waraqa bin Naufal. He knew Hebrew and was familiar with the
Gospels, having left paganism for Christianity.
''O my cousin,'' Khadeejah رضى الله عنها began. ''Listen to your nephew.''
''What have you seen, my nephew?'' asked the blind old man. The Prophet
صلى الله عليه وسلم told Waraqa what had happened in the cave. ''The angel that
was sent to you is the same angel that Allah sent to Musaعليه السلام. I wish I
were young and could live to see the day your own people drive you out of
this city.''
''Will they drive me out?'' the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم asked.
''Yes,'' replied Naufal. ''Never has a man brought something such as what you
have without meeting hostility. If I live to see the day you are expelled, I will
support you with all my might.'' A few days later, however, Waraqa died, and
a long time passed before the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم received a second revelation.
The Qur'an tells us that the first revelation descended in Ramadhan on the
''Night of Power.''
شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ الَّذِى أُنزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْءَانُ
''The month of Ramadhan is the month in which the Qur'an was
revealed.'' (2:185)
''We have indeed revealed this Message during the Night of
Power.'' (97:1)
Extracts from When the Moon Split
by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri
by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri
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