IN LOVE OF OUR PROPHET MUHAMMAD HIS SEERAH [life and times] Praise and peace of Allah be upon him (c) 1999- The Mosque of he Internet InterActive Islamic College Khadijah Stephens and Shaykh Ahmad "This work - in my opinion, and I am sure that other Muslim scholars will agree - is far more authentic than the work of Martin Lings and definitely more authentic than Haykal's work, moreover it will touch the hearts of all ages ..." 12/ 01/96 Prof. Hasan al Fatih Qaribullah, former Dean, Umm Durman Islamic University Part 1 Allah said in His Book, the Koran: " ... Ordain for us what is good, both in this life and in the Hereafter. To You alone we turn.' He replied: 'I will visit My scourge upon whom I please: yet My Mercy encompasses all things. I will show mercy to those who keep from evil, give the alms-tax, and believe in Our signs; and to those who shall follow the Messenger - the Unlettered Prophet (Prophet Muhammad) whom they shall find mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel. He will order righteousness upon them and forbid them to do evil. He will make good things lawful to them and forbid all that is foul. He will relieve them of their burdens and of the shackles that weigh upon them. Those who believe in him and honor him, those who aid him and follow the light sent forth with him, shall surely prosper.'" Koran Chapter 7:156-157 ".... before, as guidance for people, and He sent down the Criterion. As for those who disbelieve in the verses of Allah, for them is an intense punishment. Allah is Mighty, Owner of Vengeance. Nothing on earth or in heaven is hidden from Allah." Koran Chapter 3:4-5 "You will find that the most implacable of people in their enmity to the believers are the Jews and pagans, and that the nearest in affection to them (the believers) are those who say: 'We are Christians.' That is because there are priests and monks among them; and because they are not proud." Koran Chapter 5:82 "They take their rabbis and monks as Lords besides Allah, and also the Messiah, son of Mary, though they were ordered to worship one God only. There is no god except Him. Exalted is He above that they associate with Him! Koran Chapter 9:31 "Believers, many are the rabbis and the monks who defraud men of their possessions and debar people from the Path of Allah. Those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in the Cause of Allah proclaim to them a woeful punishment." Koran Chapter 9:34 "People of the Book (Jews and Christians)! Our Messenger has come to reveal to you much of what you have hidden of the Book, and to forgive you much. A light has come to you from Allah and a Clear Book." Koran Chapter 5:15 "Believers, have fear of Allah and believe in His Messenger, He will give you a double portion of His Mercy. He will give you a light to walk in, and will forgive you; Allah is the Forgiver and the Merciful." Koran Chapter 57:28 "Believe then in Allah and His Messenger and in the Light which We have sent down. Allah is Aware of all that you do." Koran Chapter 64:8 "No affliction falls except by the Permission of Allah. Whosoever believes Allah, Allah will guide his heart. Allah has knowledge of all things." Koran Chapter 64:11 "And when Allah made His covenant with the Prophets: 'That I have given you of the Book and Wisdom. Then there shall come to you a Messenger confirming what is with you, you shall believe in him and you shall help him, do you agree?" He said. 'And do you take My load on you on that condition?' They said: 'Indeed we agree.' Allah said: 'Then bear witness and I will be with you among the witnesses.'" Koran Chapter 3 verse 81 "How shall Allah guide a people who lapse into unbelief after they believed and bore witness that the Messenger is true, and after receiving clear proofs! Allah does not guide the evildoers." Koran Chapter 3 verse 86 "Allah does not forgive (the sin of inventing) an association with Him, but He forgives other (sins) to whomsoever He will. He who associates with Him has invented a great sin." Koran Chapter 4:79 "Why did not those who they took other than Allah as mediating gods help them! Indeed, they went astray from them! Such were their lies and what they were forging." Koran Chapter 48:28 "When the hypocrites come to you they say: 'We bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah.' Allah knows that you are indeed His Messenger, and Allah bears witness that the hypocrites are truly liars!" Koran Chapter 63:1 "Indeed, We have sent to you a Messenger as a witness over you, just as We sent a Messenger to Pharaoh." Koran Chapter 73:15 CHAPTER 1 PROPHET ABRAHAM AND THE FIRST HOUSE OF ALLAH ON EARTH Allah quoted His Prophets Abraham and Ishmael in the Koran: "O our Lord, accept this from us. You are the Hearer, the Knower. Our Lord, make us both submissive (Muslims) to You, and of our descendants a submissive nation to You; and show us our (pilgrimage) statutes, and accept (repentance from) us. Surely, You are the Receiver (of repentance), and All-Compassionate. And, our Lord, send among them (the inhabitants of this House) a Messenger from them (Allah answered the supplication by sending Prophet Muhammad) who shall recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book (Al Koran) and Wisdom (Prophetic sayings), and purify them. You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." Koran, Chapter 2 verse 125. THE IDOLS OF HARA: Prophet Abraham was born to Usha and Azar, a descendant of Prophet Noah, in the city of Hara, Iraq during the reign of King Nimrod and is often referred to as being the Father of the Prophets, peace be upon them. The city of Hara was renowned for its temples and its citizens took great pride in the idols housed within them. Offerings were made to the idols and ritual ceremonies, wishfully, invoking their favors were performed before them. A lucrative commerce had grown around the activities of the temples. Carved replicas of the idols were a much sought after possession and it was to this profession that Azar directed his talents. WHO IS MY LORD: Abraham was unlike his contemporaries, he grew to be an upright, caring young man repulsed by idol worship and sought the answer to a question that had consumed him for many years - who was his Lord? In the process of his guidance, Allah in His mercy, caused Abraham to contemplate upon the kingdoms of the heavens and earth. One evening, as he gazed up into the night sky, he saw a planet shinning more brightly than that of the others and exclaimed: "That is my Lord!" But as the morning light came the planet set, so he rejected his thought saying: "I do not love those that set!" On another occasion as he saw the moon rise he said once again: "That is my Lord!" But like the planet as the light of the morning broke it disappeared and he said: "Indeed, if my Lord does not guide me, I shall be among the nation that has gone astray!" Then when he saw the sun rise upon the horizon he said: "That is my Lord, it is greater!" But as it set he turned to his people saying: "O my people, I am quit of what you associate with Allah, I have turned my face to the Creator of Heaven and Earth, I am not an idolater!" Koran, Chapter 2 verses 76-79. ABRAHAM BECOMES A PROPHET: Shortly after this Allah sent the Arch Angel Gabriel to inform Abraham that He had chosen him to be His Messenger. Abraham was deeply humbled by the news and Gabriel gave him, over a period of forty-two visits, ten Holy Scrolls. Prophet Muhammad informed us later that the contents of the Scrolls were examples. Abraham's open rejection of idolatry cause a commotion, no one had ever challenged the deity of their idols; to his fellow citizens the notion was deemed blasphemous. However, Abraham was resolved, he had no doubt that Allah was the only One to be worshipped because he know that it was He alone who had created everything. THE LOGIC OF ABRAHAM: Abraham tried reasoning with those around him in the best manner, but they refused to accept his logic even after he had drawn their attention to the obvious fact that their idols had either been hewn from stone or carved from wood by people such as themselves. Abraham never stopped challenging his people and asked if their idols could do anything else other than just stand motionless year after year in the same place - the place in which they themselves had been positioned many years before! He reminded them that the idols neither ate nor drank from the offerings placed before them and that they could neither harm nor benefit anyone. But still the people refused to abandon their idolatry. Over the course of time the idolaters became outraged and told Abraham that it was he who was wrong and that he must fear their gods. Abraham shook his head and asked: "Why should I fear the idols you associate with Allah, when you are not afraid to associate idols with Allah. Allah has not given you authority to worship them!" Koran, Chapter 2 verse 81. ABRAHAM AND KING NIMROD: The news of Abraham's preaching reached King Nimrod who considered himself to be a deity. Abraham feared no one except Allah, so when he was presented to the king he challenged him saying: "My Lord is He who revives, and causes to die." But the artful king scoffed at Abraham and told him: "I revive and cause to die." The king knew exactly what Abraham meant, but had tried to outwit him with his reply be referring to the power he had as king to either spare the life of a guilty criminal, or put to death an innocent person - whichever suited his whim. Abraham challenged him yet again saying: "Allah brings the sun from the east, so you bring it from the west." This time the king knew that he had been revealed and the color drained from his face, and Abraham left. Koran, Chapter 2 verse 258. ABRAHAM AND AZAR PART COMPANY: Now Abraham's father, Azar, was among those who refused to accept Allah as his Lord so Abraham asked him why he was so devoted to the idols. His father had no better reply than to say that his father and ancestors had worshipped them, and what was good enough for them was good enough for him also. Azar became upset and embarrassed by his son's preaching and threatened to stone him if he persisted in doing so. After a while, Azar realized that his threats were of no use so he told Abraham that he did not wish to see him again for sometime. As they parted company, the tender-hearted Abraham told his father that he would ask Allah to forgive him, and that perhaps his Lord would accept his prayer. Abraham continued to preach against the idols but the people refused to accept what he had to say. After their refusal, he would ask them the same question he has asked his father - what made them so devoted to these idols - but their reply was the same, because their ancestors and parents had worshipped them. Some even accused Abraham of jesting with them but he swore that this was not so, and that without doubt their Lord and Creator is the Lord of all that is the heavens and earth, and that they should abandon their useless idols. ABRAHAM OUTWITS THE IDOLS: No matter how hard Abraham tried they would not accept what he had to say, so he told them: "By Allah, I shall outwit your idols as soon as you have turned your backs and gone." Heedless of Abraham, the idolaters left and went about their business. Some time later, Abraham, unseen with ax in hand, entered the temple in which the most revered idols were house, and smashed all except the largest into pieces and then left unseen. It wasn't long before the idolaters returned to the temple and saw their gods lying broken into pieces on the floor. There was an outcry of horror and those who had heard Abraham's challenge immediately suspected him, and so he was summoned before them. "Abraham," they asked, "was it you who did this to our gods?" To this Abraham replied: "It was their great one that did it. Ask them if they can speak." The idolaters huddled together in a corner knowing well in their hearts the truth of the matter and that Abraham had at last succeeded in exposing the worthlessness of their idols. Begrudgingly, they admitted: "You know they do not speak." Thereupon Abraham challenged them saying: "Would you then worship that which can neither benefit nor harm you, instead of Allah? Shame on you, and that you worship! Have you no sense?" Koran, Chapter 21:68. THE BONFIRE: It was more than the idolaters could bear, their idols lay broken in pieces unable to do anything for themselves. Outraged by the whole situation they cried out: "Burn him and help your gods!" The idolaters hastened to build a huge bonfire with the intent of burning Abraham to death, however, Abraham remained calm having complete trust in his Lord and did not flinch. There was nothing that would tear him away from his belief on the Oneness of Allah. Abraham was led to the bonfire and placed in its center, and the kindling wood lit. It wasn't long until the flames leapt high into the air - but not even a single hair of Abraham's head was scorched, because Allah had commanded the fire to burn with coolness and safety for Abraham. Eventually, the fire consumed itself and Abraham walked away from it praising and thanking Allah for His mercy and help while the idolaters were dumbfounded and looked on in disbelief. Even after the idolaters had witnessed this great miracle they remained arrogant, refusing to abandon their idols. They knew that there was nothing they could do to harm Abraham, so in desperation they banished him and his wife Lady Sarah from their homeland. ABRAHAM AND SARAH IN EGYPT: After a long, tiring journey, Prophet Abraham and Lady Sarah, reached Egypt and it was there they decided to make their home. During their time in Egypt, Haggar, one of the noble ladies-in-waiting in the court of Pharaoh, came to live in Abraham's household as a companion to Sarah. Haggar was a sweet natured lady, she loved Lady Sarah dearly and a very special relationship grew between them. Idolatry was commonplace in Egypt especially in the court of Pharaoh but when Haggar heard Abraham talk about Allah she was quick to recognize the truth and accepted it. Many years had passed by and both Prophet Abraham and Lady Sarah were now elderly, and had remained childless. Because of her advanced age, Lady Sarah had given up hope of ever bearing a child so she suggested to Abraham that he might like to take Haggar to be her co-wife. Both Abraham and Haggar accepted her suggestion and shortly after Haggar became his lawful second wife. The family's wish was fulfilled when Lady Haggar conceived and gave birth to a fine son whom they named Ishmael. Lady Sarah was delighted and happy that Abraham had at long last been blessed with a son - little did she know at that time that she too would be blessed in later years for her patience with a son of her own, Isaac. DECEIT: Throughout the centuries, attempts to destroy the close relationship that existed between Ladies Sarah and Haggar have been made by those whose object it has been to try to undermine the great event that had been promised - the coming of Islam with its protected revelation. Both the sons of Abraham were legitimate and destined to become prophets of Allah. Ishmael was sent as a prophet to the Arabs and Isaac as a prophet to the Hebrews, later on to be called the children of Israel and then Jews, peace be upon all the prophets. It is from the descendants of Ishmael and Isaac that two great nations evolved each having Prophet Abraham, who was neither a Jew nor a Christian, as their common ancestor. ABRAHAM AND HAGGAR IN BECCA, ARABIA: Before Ishmael had completed is weaning, Prophet Abraham had a vision in which he was instructed to take Lady Haggar and their son to a place called Becca, in the Arabian peninsular, known today as Mecca, and leave them there. Mecca lies in a valley surrounded by mountains and hills with three passes. One to the north, another to the south and the other to the west. The valley had long been one of the most traveled caravan routes in Arabia, however, it remained uninhabited largely because it lacked water. When Prophet Abraham reached Becca, he settled LadyHaggar and Ishmael under the shade of a large tree and gave Lady Haggar a large bag of dates and a water-skin full of water, then, he turned away and started to leave them. Lady Haggar followed after him and asked: "Abraham, where are you going, are you leaving us in an uninhabited, provisionless wilderness?" She asked the same question several times, but Abraham did not comment. Searching for a reason and knowing that her husband would never do anything to earn the displeasure of Allah she asked: "Has Allah commanded you to do this?" To this he replied: "Yes", whereupon she said: "Then He will not let us perish" and returned to her infant. ABRAHAM SUPPLICATES FOR HAGGAR AND ISHMAEL: At a place called Thania, Abraham stopped and turned his face in to the direction of Ka'ba - the first House of Allah to be built on earth - that lay buried in the sand. He raised his hands and supplicated: "Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley near Your Holy House; Our Lord let them offer the prayer, and make the hearts of men yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits in order that they are thankful." Koran, Chapter 4 verse 37. Allah had promised Abraham that from his offspring would arise great nations, that is why Abraham refers to having settled "some of his offspring" near Ka'ba. This promised was fulfilled as it was from the descendants of Prophet Ishmael that Prophet Muhammad was born. Lady Haggar suckled her young son and drank the water from the skin until none remained. With the last drop of water gone, both Lady Haggar and her infant became very thirst to the extent that little Ishmael became greatly distressed. Lady Haggar was disturbed to see her young son in such a condition and started to search for water. She climbed a nearby hill, the hill of Safa, and stood at its top and looked around in all directions to see if there was anyone in sight who could help her - but there was no one. She climbed back down the hill and in her anxiety ran across the valley and climbed up to the top of the neighboring hill of Marwa. She ran between the two hills seven times, but could find neither caravaners nor water. ALLAH HEARS THE CRY OF LADY HAGGAR: Upon the seventh time she reached Marwa she heard a voice. She calmed herself and listened attentively, and called out: "I have heard Your voice, would that my supplication might reach You." And there, standing near the place we know today as Zamzam stood Angel Gabriel. Gabriel struck the ground with either his heel or wings, and water gushed forth. Hastily, she dug a hole in the ground into which the water flowed and filled her water-skin to the top, whilst the water gushed forth with even greater force. Quickly, she drank a handful of water and raced back to her son to give him some. Then Gabriel spoke saying: "Do not be afraid of perishing here, because it is here that your son and his father will build a House for Allah. Allah will not let those around it perish." THE RUINS OF KA'BA: In those days, the ruins of Ka'ba were elevated on a piece of land shaped like a mound and when rain fell it would run on either side of it. THE CARAVANERS: Ishmael and his mother continued to live in Mecca by themselves until one day caravaners from the tribe of Jurhum returning from Kada'a, struck camp a little distance from the place where Lady Haggar had made her home. As the caravaners were unloading their camels they observed birds circling in the air not far away. Their experience had taught them that birds circling in this manner might well indicate water. Ever hopeful of finding a fresh supply of water in that desolate region, they thought it was worth investigating, although from their past experience they had never found water anywhere in the area. Several of the tribesmen were sent to investigate. When they reached the place over which the birds circled, to their great surprise and joy they found the spring of Zamzam and returned as quickly as they could to tell their fellow travelers. Upon hearing the good news the caravaners stopped what they were doing and rushed to see and drink the fresh water. LADY HAGGAR MEETS THE JURHUM CARAVANERS: When they reached Zamzam, the caravaners found Lady Haggar standing nearby and asked her permission to strike camp near her. Lady Haggar agreed on condition that she retained the water rights and that her son would be the prince. The Jurhumites agreed and settled themselves in Mecca sending word to their families to come and join them there. ANGELS DO NOT EAT: One day when Prophet Abraham was at home with Lady Sarah they were visited by strangers. It was the custom of Abraham to host travelers to the best of his ability, and this occasion was no exception. Abraham called for a feast to be prepared in honor of his guests, but, when it was set before them his guests declined to either eat or drink. Abraham was deeply trouble by this strange situation - travelers were always known to be hungry. Abraham's guests perceived his anxiety and told him not to be afraid because although they had taken the form of humans they were not humans as he supposed, rather, they were angels on their way to the city of his cousin Prophet Lot. Prophet Abraham felt at ease once more and the angels informed him that the city of Lot had become a city of sexual perversity so Allah had ordered them to punish its people by destroying them and their city completely. LADY SARAH BECOMES PREGNANT: When Lady Sarah entered the room, the angels told her that she would give birth to a son. She was overwhelmed by the news and clasped her hands upon her cheeks delighted the with news. Later, she bore a son and they named him Isaac. ISHMAEL, THE FIRST SACRIFICE: Ishmael grew up in the valley of Mecca, to know him was to love him, he was obedient to his mother and reputed for his upright character. From time to time Prophet Abraham would visit Mecca to see Lady Haggar and his son. It was on one such visit that Abraham had a vision in which he was commanded to sacrifice Ishmael. It was indeed a very weighty trial from Allah, because he loved Ishmael dearly. Prophet Abraham, obedient to Allah, went to Ishmael who was now a young man and told him of the vision: "My son," he said, "I saw while sleeping that I shall sacrifice you, tell me what you think." Ishmael replied: "Father, do as you are bidden. Allah willing, you shall find me one of those who are steadfast." Koran, Chapter 37:102. THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF ISHMAEL: When the time came, Ishmael, not thinking of himself, asked his father for three things. He requested that he be allowed to face the ground so that his father would not see his eyes and be overcome with mercy towards him and then disobey the command of Allah. Ishmael, fearing for the safety of his father, also requested him to sit upon his shoulders so that when the blade of the knife struck him he would not struggle and injure his father. Not forgetting his loving mother, he asked Prophet Abraham to give her his shirt so that it might console her. In obedience to Allah, Prophet Abraham tried to slit the back of his son's neck three times, but on each occasion the penetration of the sharp blade was prevented. Then, Allah called out to Abraham saying: "O Abraham! You have fulfilled the vision. Indeed, We reward those who do right, for this was a clear trial." The trial was over, and Allah provided Abraham with a ram as a substitute sacrifice. Koran, Chapter 37:105 Later on, Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, commented referring to Ishmael and his own father Abdullah: "I am the son of the two sacrificed." ISHMAEL LEARNS PURE ARABIC: Over the years Ishmael had learned to speak Arabic in its purest form from the tribesmen of Jurhum. By now he had grown into a handsome, pleasant young man liked by everyone and had married into their tribe. THE UNGRATEFUL SPOUSE: Lady Haggar had passed away before Prophet Abraham's next visit to Becca. When he reached the valley he made his way to Ishmael's home but found no one there so he started to search for an object he had left behind on his last visit. When Ishmael's wife returned, he asked her where Ishmael was so she told him that he had gone hunting. Abraham inquired about their life and circumstances whereupon she told him things were difficult and complained about some other matters. Ishmael had still not returned before his father decided it was time to leave so he asked his wife to give him a message saying: "When your husband returns, convey my greetings of peace to him and tell him that he should change the threshold of his door." When Ishmael returned he sensed that something unusual had happened during his absence, so he asked his wife if there had been any visitors. She told him that an old man had stopped by, asked his whereabouts and that he had also inquired about their welfare. Ishmael asked her if the visitor had left a message, and she replied that he had sent him greetings of peace and that he should change the threshold of his door. Upon hearing this Ishmael told his wife that the elderly gentleman was his father and that he had directed him to divorce her. So Ishmael divorced his wife and she returned to her people. Later, he took another wife from the tribe of Jurhum. THE GRATEFUL SPOUSE: After a period of time Prophet Abraham returned to visit his son and once again he did not find Ishmael at home. He asked his new wife where he was and she told him that he had gone out in search of provisions. As before, he asked Ishmael's new wife about their circumstances. She praised Allah and told him that they were comfortable. Abraham asked her what they ate and drank whereupon she told him that they ate meat and drank water. Then, Prophet Abraham supplicated: "O Allah, bless their meat and their water." Before leaving, Abraham asked her to convey the greetings of peace to Ishmael and to tell him to strengthen the threshold. When Ishmael returned he inquired if there had been any visitors during his absence whereupon his wife told him of the elderly gentleman and spoke kindly about him. Ishmael asked her if he had said anything to her, she told him that he had inquired about their well-being and that she had replied that everything was well. She told him that the elderly gentleman had asked her to convey his greetings of peace to him and that he had left a message to strengthen the threshold of his house. Ishmael smiled, and told his wife that the elderly gentleman was none other than his father, Abraham, and that she was the "threshold" he had ordered him to keep. In the years to come Ishmael had twelve children, and it is from his son Kidar that many Arabs are descended. RAISING THE HOUSE: Time passed, and the next time Prophet Abraham came to visit Ishmael he found him sitting under a large tree near the spring of Zamzam repairing his arrows. As soon as he saw his father he stood up and they greeted each other affectionately with peace. After the greetings Abraham told his son that Allah had given him another command - the command to rebuild Ka'ba. Abraham asked Ishmael if he would help him to fulfill his task and readily he accepted. Abraham pointed to a mound of large stones and to the surrounding area, "That is the place where Allah has commanded me to raise the foundations," he told Ishmael, so Ishmael picked up the large stones handed them to Abraham who then positioned them to form a roofless cubic house with its corners pointing to the north, south, east and west. During its rebuilding, an angel came to them bearing a black stone that had lain on Abu Kubays, a nearby hill, ever since it had fallen from Paradise many, many centuries before. The stone was then positioned in the eastern corner of the Ka'ba. Prophet Muhammad tells us that when the stone fell from Paradise it was whiter than milk but had changed color on account of the many sins committed by the Children of Adam. At last the rebuilding was completed and together Abraham and Ishmael supplicated: "O our Lord, accept this from us. You are the Hearer, the Knower. Our Lord, make us both submissive (Muslims) to You, and of our descendants a submissive nation to You; and show us our (pilgrimage) statutes, and accept (repentance from) us. Surely, You are the Receiver (of repentance), and All-Compassionate. And, our Lord, send among them (the inhabitants of this House) a Messenger from them (Allah answered the supplication by sending Prophet Muhammad) who shall recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book (Al Koran) and Wisdom (Prophetic sayings), and purify them. You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." Koran, Chapter 2 verse 125. Explanation by Sawi Prophets Abraham and Ishmael asked for the acceptance of repentance on behalf of their descendants as they, like all prophets, were protected from sin. PILGRIMAGE TO KA'BA IS ESTABLISHED: Then Allah made a covenant with Abraham and Ishmael to purify His House for those who would make their pilgrimage to it and for those who would worship Him there. The prayer of Prophets Abraham and Ishmael was accepted and pilgrims from all over Arabia and beyond made and still make their way to Mecca during the prescribed season to take part in the Greater Pilgrimage. Each pilgrim offered their pilgrimage in the manner the prophets taught and with them they brought many treasures which were housed inside Ka'ba. Among those who offered their pilgrimage was Ishmael's beloved half-brother, Prophet Isaac, and for many years after his death his descendants continued to visit the Ka'ba to worship Allah and offer their pilgrimage. Pilgrims who were unable to offer the Greater Pilgrimage, during its season, would come during other times of the year to offer a lessor pilgrimage, and so Mecca became a center of worship and a hub of activity on account of its pilgrims and caravaners. CHAPTER 2 THE NEW GOVERNORS OF MECCA REVERSION TO IDOLATRY: Prophet's Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac had passed away, and as the centuries passed, the worship of Allah, the Creator of all was defiled and corrupted. Prophet Ishmael's descendants and the tribe of Jurhumites had increased greatly in number to the extent that many had left Mecca to settle elsewhere. However, before leaving Mecca it was their practice to gather stones from around the Ka'ba to take with them and upon reaching their new settlement position the stones and perform the pilgrimage rites around them. With the new settlements came new neighbors, and with their new neighbors came their reversion to idolatry. Their new pagan neighbors influenced them to the extent to soon idols were added to the stones; and finally many of these idols were brought to Mecca, placed around Ka'ba and worshipped. The idolaters claimed that their idols had powers to intercede between Allah and mankind. To them Allah had become remote and many ceased to believe in the Hereafter. THE GOVERNORS OF MECCA: After the death of Prophet Ishmael, his eldest son Nabit became the custodian of Ka'ba, and after his death the custodianship was entrusted to his maternal grand-father, Madad, so it was in this way that the custodianship was passed from the direct descendants of Ishmael to the tribe of Jurhum. The Jurhumites had governed Mecca for many, many years, but as time progressed they usurped their authority committing all forms of injustice until they were finally driven out of the city. THE BURYING OF ZAMZAM: Before the Jurhumites left, they buried the well of Zamzam and hid many of the treasures that had been housed in Ka'ba inside it. The new governors of Mecca were from the Khuza'ah tribe of Yemen, distant descendants of Prophet Ishmael, however, they were indifferent to find the blessed well that had been given to Lady Haggar and Prophet Ishmael; although its miraculous story continued to be handed down from one generation to the next. THE KHUZA'AH, NEW GOVERNORS OF MECCA: The coming of the new governors did not mean that the idols were to be barred from Ka'ba, on the contrary, some of the Khuza'ah inclined to idolatry. There was a time when one of their chieftains, returning from an expedition that had taken him through Syria, came across the idol worshipping Moabites. He was greatly impressed with their idols and asked if he may have an idol named Hubal to take back to Mecca. The Moabites agreed and upon his return he placed it inside the confines of Ka'ba itself and from that time up until the advent of Islam, Hubal became the chief idol of Mecca. THE TRIBE OF KORAYSH: Among the descendants of Prophet Ishmael arose a powerful tribe, the tribe of Koraysh. Approximately four hundred years after Prophet Jesus, a man from this tribe called Ksay, married Hubba, the daughter of Hulayl, chief of Khuza'ah. Ksay was a prominent Arab and Hulayl preferred him to his own sons. KSAY: Hulayl died during a skirmish which was later resolved through arbitration. Each party agreed that Ksay should become the new governor of Mecca and receive the much coveted custodianship of Ka'ba. Ksay accepted the appointment and sent for the rest of his family, settling them not far from Ka'ba. Amongst the members of Ksay's family was a brother named Zuhrah, an uncle named Taym, a cousin named Makhzum and several other cousins who were not as close to him as other members of his family. They, together with their families became known as the Koraysh of the Valley. Distant members of his family settled themselves outside Mecca in the surrounding hills and became known as the Koraysh of the Suburbs. THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY: Ksay governed Mecca with fairness and undisputed power. He took the matter of being the custodian of the Sacred House very seriously,and raised the standard of living of those who tended its upkeep by replacing their tents with permanent dwellings. It was during this time that he built a spacious house for himself in which he conducted tribal meetings. The house was also used for other important gatherings such as weddings and as a point of departure for caravaners, and so Ksay's house became known as the "House of Assembly". THE PILGRIMAGE TAX: Pilgrims flocked to Mecca each year to offer their pilgrimage, and among them were many needy pilgrims. As custodian of the Ka'ba it was Ksay's responsibility to ensure that the needs of the pilgrims were met and that they should neither suffer from hunger nor thirst. His own wealth was insufficient to cope with the ever increasing number of pilgrims so he initiated a modest yearly tax upon the flocks of the Meccans. The taxation was acceptable to the Meccans and by the time the pilgrims arrived in Mecca for the Greater Pilgrimage there was sufficient food and water to accommodate their needs. Ksay, anxious to do the best he could for the pilgrims also commissioned an additional leather trough of water to those of Mecca in Mina. Mina lies several miles away on the route to Mecca across the arid and dusty desert, so the trough became a most welcome relief. It was also through the income of the pilgrimage tax that the first covering was made for the Ka'ba from cloth woven in Yemen. A MATTER OF SUCCESSION: Abdu Manaf was one of Ksay's four sons, and had shown greater signs of leadership than any of his brothers, who were themselves very capable. However, when the matter of succession arose Ksay's eldest son, Abd ad-Dharr was Ksay's choice. Just before Ksay died he called for Abd ad-Dharr and gave him the House of Assembly. He told him that he was going to equalize the matter of rank by decreeing, among other matters, that none should be allowed to enter Ka'ba unless he, Abd ad-Dharr, opened it for them; that no pilgrim be allowed to draw water in Mecca unless he permitted them to do so and that pilgrims were not to eat unless he provided food for them. OBEDIENCE OF ABDU MANAF: When death came to Ksay, his son Abdu Manaf, complied with his father's wishes and accepted his brother Abd ad-Dharr as the new governor and matters ran smoothly. DISCORD AMONG THE FAMILY: It was however, the next generation of Koraysh - including the descendants of Ksay's brother Zuhrah and his uncle Taymn, who expressed their dissatisfaction with the way in which things were being run. They felt that Hashim, a son of Abdu Manaf, who had succeeded in distinguishing himself in many honorable ways, was more capable and should have the rights transferred to him. Soon, there was a division among the Koraysh that left only the Makhzum and some distant relatives as well as Abu ad-Dharr's near relatives in support of Abu ad-Dharr. THE ALLIANCE OF THE PERFUMED ONES: Hashim and his supporters met together in the precincts of Ka'ba where the daughters of Abdu Manaf had prepared an expensive bowl of perfume and placed it before Ka'ba. Each of Hashim's supporters dipped there hands into the bowl and as they did they took a solemn oath never to abandon one another. To seal their solemn pact, each supporter rubbed his perfumed hands over the stones of Ka'ba and from that time onwards they were referred to as the "Perfumed Ones". THE ALLIANCE OF THE CONFEDERATES: Those who supported Abd ad-Dharr likewise swore an oath of allegiance, and became known as the "Confederates". THE SANCTITY OF KA'BA AND ITS PRECINCTS: The situation intensified and soon the two factions were on the brink of fighting to the death to resolve the matter. However, Ka'ba and its surrounding area - the perimeters of which extend for several miles - had always been held sacred and fighting within this area had always been strictly forbidden. Before things reached the point of no return a compromise was proposed that proved acceptable to both parties. The compromise was that Abd ad-Dharr should retain the keys to Ka'ba together with its rights and keep his home - the House of Assembly. On the other hand, Hashim should receive the right to levy the pilgrimage tax with which he would provide for the welfare of the pilgrims. CHAPTER 3 HASHIM HASHIM AND THE PILGRIMS: Before the pilgrimage year, Hashim would call the leaders of the tribes to a meeting in the House of Assembly to discuss preparations for the pilgrimage. He reminded them that they had been blessed to be the neighbors of the House of Allah, and that the pilgrims were visitors to His House. He told them that because the pilgrims were the guests of Allah, they had more rights upon their generosity than ordinary guests and as such he asked them to pay the pilgrimage tax. Like his father, he too told them that if his own wealth had been sufficient, he would have accommodated the expense himself and not asked them to pay the tax. The leaders complied with Hashim's request and the tax was collected and used accordingly. HASHIM ESTABLISHES CARAVAN ROUTES: The life of a caravaner was perilous, but for many it brought prosperity. A caravaner could expect to face many hazards other than the extreme heat of the desert followed by the intense cold of the night during certain times of the year. But, perhaps the greatest hazard of them all was the fear of being attacked by marauding tribes. All too often caravans had been attacked with both loss of life and goods. Hashim knew well the burden of the caravaner so he decided to visit with the tribal chieftains along the trade routes traveled by the Koraysh and use his powers of friendly persuasion and fairness to secure a safe passage. One by one the tribes agreed and the trade routes became less hazardous. Hashim's sense of fairness and compassion towards his fellow beings was demonstrated during a year in which there was extreme drought followed by famine. Upon hearing of a neighboring tribe's suffering he arranged for a supply of food and water to be distributed among those stricken. This upright act and others like it led to the strengthening of bonds between the Koraysh and other tribes. Hashim's just character and ability to organize were known not only to his fellow Arabs but to the great powers of the day, namely, Heraclius, Emperor of Rome and the King of Abyssinia, ruler of Yemen. It was through their admiration of Hashim that he succeeded to negotiate lasting treaties that exempted the Koraysh from having to pay the previously enforced trading taxes. Hashim's popularity was such that whenever Korayshi traders reached Angoria - now Ankara, Heraclius himself would go out to welcome them and showed them great hospitality. The two great trade routes were now secure, so during the winter when the heat of the desert had died down, caravans would set off on their journey to Yemen, and as summer advanced, caravans would set off in the opposite direction on their long trail to the north-west reaching as far away as Palestine or Syria which was at that time part of the Roman Empire. HASHIM MEETS SALMA, DAUGHTER OF 'AMR: On the route northwards caravans would make their way to a desert oasis called Yathrib - now called Medina - to trade and replenish their supplies before setting off again on their long trip. The inhabitants of Yathrib were both Arab and Jew. At first, the Arabs were known as the children of Kaylah but as time had passed they had divided into two tribes, the tribe of Aws and the tribe of Khazraj, both of whom were the sons of Kaylah. In those days it was common for a man to have many wives, some as many as forty. Hashim was already married when he met in Yathrib an influential lady named Salma, the daughter of Amr from the tribe of Najjar, a branch of Khazraj. Hashim proposed to her and she accepted on condition that she remained in control of her own affairs and that when she gave birth to a son, the boy would remain with her in Yathrib until he reached the age of puberty. Hashim accepted her conditions, the two were married and when Salma gave birth to a son she named him Shaybah. It was a successful arrangement and Hashim made frequent trips to Yathrib and stayed with Salma. On several occasions Hashim would continue on his journey from Yathrib to Syria, however, on one such journey he was taken ill in the city of Gaza, Palestine. His illness proved to be serious and he did not recover. Salma was pregnant and gave birth to son whom she named Shaybah, so Shaybah only knew his father through the many accounts of his leadership and heroic deeds. THE BROTHERS OF HASHIM: Hashim had two blood brothers named Abdu Shams and Muttalib, and a half-brother named Nawfal. Both Abdu Shams and Nawfal were traders, Abdu Shams' trade route lay between Mecca, Yemen and Syria. Whereas, for the most part, Nawfal's trade route took him to distant Iraq. On account of their commerce, the brothers were away from Mecca for long periods of time resulting in Muttalib, their younger brother, assuming the responsibility of the rights to levy the pilgrimage tax and to ensure that pilgrims had sufficient food and water. MUTTALIB'S SUCCESSOR: As time passed, Muttalib pondered over who should be his successor. His deceased elder brother Hashim had married four wives and from them he had three sons. Shaybah, the son of Salma, although younger than his half-brothers, displayed signs of leadership at an early age. Traders passing through Yathrib would relate reports about him to Muttalib, and the more he heard about his nephew the more impressed he became. Wishing to know more about Shaybah he decided to go to Yathrib to see for himself and visit with his extended family. Muttalib was not disappointed, the reports he had received were correct, so he asked his mother to entrust Shaybah to his guardianship. At first Salma was reluctant to let her son go with him, and Shaybah refused to leave without his mother's consent. Muttalib explained to Salma that Mecca had more to offer her son than Yathrib. He reminded her of the nobility of the Koraysh tribe and that it was they who had been entrusted with the prestigious custodianship of the House of Allah. He told her that he was of the opinion that her son stood an excellent chance of receiving the office his father had once held and thereby become one of the chieftains of the Koraysh tribe. Muttalib stressed the point however, that in order for her son to be considered as the recipient of these honors, it was imperative for the people of Mecca to know him in person, otherwise he would simply be overlooked. Salma, was convinced by Muttalib's reasoning and knew that the proposal was in her son's best interest, so she agreed to let his uncle take him to Mecca. She consoled herself with the knowledge that she could visit him fairly regularly as the journey to Mecca was relatively short, taking ten to eleven days of travel. THE ARRIVAL OF SHAYBAH IN MECCA: Muttalib, with Shaybah riding pillion on a camel set off for Mecca. As they entered Mecca, the people saw Muttalib and thought the youth riding behind him was his new servant and commented: "Look, the servant of Muttalib - Abd al Muttalib!" Muttalib was amused and replied: "Be off with you, he is the son of my brother Hashim!" The mistake was a source of amusement and the news of his arrival spread throughout Mecca, but the name stuck, so Shaybah became affectionately known as Abd al Muttalib. NAWFAL DISPUTES SHAYBAH'S INHERITANCE: It wasn't long after Shaybah's arrival that his uncle Nawfal disputed the young man's right over his father's estate. Muttalib stood by his nephew, and pressure was also brought to bear from Yathrib and Shaybah, now known as Abd al Muttalib, received his rights. THE DEATH OF MUTTALIB: As time passed, Abd al Muttalib's character continued to grew in both integrity and honor; without doubt he lived up to the expectations of his uncle. Abd al Muttalib had displayed the capability of leadership at an early age and had now learned from his uncle how to administer the rights of the pilgrims. Several years after his arrival in Mecca, Abd al Muttalib's uncle passed away. No one in Mecca disputed his nephew's qualifications to succeed him. In fact many Meccans were of the opinion that Abd al Muttalib surpassed both his father and his uncle in fulfilling the duties of Custodian of the House of Allah with all its weighty responsibilities. CHAPTER 4 ABD AL MUTTALIB THE VISION OF ABD AL MUTTALIB: Abd al Muttalib was not an idolater, he directed his prayer to Allah alone and loved to be near the Ka'ba. It was because of this love that he would often have his mattress spread out in a place known as 'Hijr Ishmael' - which is the place where Prophet Ishmael and his mother Lady Haggar lie buried - and sleep there. It was on one such night that he had a vision in which it was said to him: "Dig the sweet one." He asked: "What is the sweet one?" but there was no reply. The next morning he awoke with an overwhelming feeling of happiness and peace, the like of which he had never experience before, so he decided to spend the following night near Hijr Ishmael. That night he had another vision in which the voice told him: "Dig for mercy". He asked the meaning of it but again there was no answer. When he returned to sleep there on the third night the vision came yet again and this time he was told: "Dig for the treasure." When Abd al Muttalib asked what was meant by the treasure, the vision vanished as before. The vision came again on the fourth night, this time the voice told him to dig for Zamzam. Abd al Muttalib asked what Zamzam was, but unlike the previous occasions the voice answered saying: "Dig for it, you will have no regrets, it is your inheritance from your greatest ancestor. It will neither dry up, nor fail to suffice the pilgrims." The voice told Abd al Muttalib that Zamzam lay buried under a place in which there was blood, dung, an ants' nest and that amongst it all he would see a crow pecking. Before the vision departed, the voice told him to supplicate to Allah for the continuous flow of pure water that would suffice all pilgrims. THE REALIZATION OF ABD AL MUTTALIB'S VISIONS: At dawn, Abd al Muttalib arose, and as in the tradition passed down from one generation to the next from the time of Prophet Ishmael, he circumambulated Ka'ba seven times and reverently kissed the Black Stone. Having completed his rites, he made his way to the Door of Ka'ba, took hold of the metal ring that hung from its lock and started to supplicate in the manner in which the voice had instructed. As he supplicated, a lage black bird flew down behind him and not long after another bird joined it. After Abd al Muttalib had finished his supplication he turned and observed the birds strutting towards two rocks that had been taken as idols, approximately a hundred yards away. The two idols had been named Isaf and Na'ilah and were among the lessor idols of Mecca. Legend had it that the idols had been early Jurhumites that had been turned into stone because of their profanity. It was between these two idols that the idolaters would slaughter their animals and as a result it was common to find blood and dung upon the ground. As Abd al Muttalib approached he noticed an ants nest and knew that this must be the place referred to by the voice in his vision. Wasting no time at all, he returned to his home to get a spade. His son Harith was there, so he told him to fetch another spade and come with him to the Ka'ba. THE DISCOVERY OF ZAMZAM: The sun had risen as they set to work digging between the two idols. As the towns people started to rise and go about their daily chores and business they noticed Abd al Muttalib and Harith digging away in the sacred area between their idols and not long afterwards a crowd started to gather. As much as the Meccans respected Abd al Muttalib they felt he was going too far and told him that he must stop desecrating the ground with his digging. Abd al Muttalib refused and told his son to stand on guard to prevent anyone interfering with his digging. The digging progressed without further incident and the people began to tire of standing around and had started to disperse when to Abd al Muttalib's great joy he struck the stone cover of the well of Zamzam. Immediately he thanked Allah, and the crowd regrouped around him. News of Abd al Muttalib's find spread quickly throughout Mecca and it wasn't long until a very large crowd had gathered. THE TREASURE OF ZAMZAM: Abd al Muttalib and his son removed the large stone cover from the lost well of Zamzam and as they did to the amazement of everyone, their eyes fell upon the treasure that had been taken from Ka'ba many centuries before when the Jurhumites had been driven out of Mecca. There was great excitement and everyone laid claim to a share of the treasure. In those days, it was the practice of Meccans to use divining arrows and cast lots to settle major issues with the ceremony taking place within the confines of Ka'ba before their chief idol Hubal. There were three stakes; one that the treasure should be returned to Ka'ba, another that it should be retained by Abd al Muttalib, and the other that the treasure be divided between the tribes. When the time came for the settlement everyone gathered anxiously by the Ka'ba and the diviner cast the arrows. As the arrows fell they fell in favor of some of the treasure being restored to the Ka'ba, and the remainder being retained by Abd al Mutalib, none of it fell in favor of the Koraysh. At the same gathering it was decided that the tribe of Hashim should take charge of the Well of Zamzam as it was their responsibility to provide water for the pilgrims. CHAPTER 5 THE VOW ABD AL MUTTALIB TAKES A VOW: To many it would have appeared that Abd al Muttalib had everything he could desire. He was the Custodian of Ka'ba, handsome, wealthy, generous, of noble character that had won the respect of the people of Mecca. However, he only had one son, Harith, whereas his cousins Umayyah, chief of the tribe of Abdu Shams and Mughrah, chief of the tribe of Makhzum had many. The fact that he had just one son hadn't concerned him greatly until he met with resistance from his fellow Meccans during the excavation of Zamzam. At that time he felt weaker than at any other time and wished he had more sons to support him. He felt humble to be chosen as the one who had been honored to restore the well and was grateful to Allah for His blessings to him, but his heart prompted him to supplicate to Allah for ten sons. As he supplicated in earnest, he promised Allah that if He would favor him with ten sons that reached the age of manhood, he would sacrifice one of them in the Ka'ba. Allah heard his supplication and as the years passed he had, to his great pleasure, nine more sons. He never forgot the promise he made to Allah and as his sons reached manhood the matter pressed hard upon his mind, especially as the youngest of his sons, Abdullah, had now reached maturity. Abdullah had grown into a handsome, fine, upstanding young man and although Abd al Muttalib loved his other sons, Abdullah had become his favorite. Abd al Muttalib knew that the time had come for him to fulfill his vow to Allah. He was a man of his word and had no intention of turning away from his oath. Until that time, Abd al Muttalib had kept the matter between Allah and himself, no one in his family knew of the oath he had taken many years before. THE SACRIFICE: Abd al Muttalib had raised his sons to be true men, and all were obedient to him. One day he called his ten sons together and told them of the oath he had taken. They all accepted; their father's vow was their vow, and bravely they asked him how the matter was to be decided. He told them that the matter would be determined by arrow divining and that they must each take an arrow and make their mark on it. After their marks had been made, Abd al Muttalib sent a message for the arrow-diviner of the Koraysh tribe to meet him in the Ka'ba. Then he took his ten sons into the Sanctuary and led them inside the Ka'ba and when the arrow-diviner arrived he told him of his oath. Each son presented his arrow and Abd al Muttalib stood ready with his knife drawn. The arrows were cast, and the lot fell against Abdullah. Without hesitation, Abd al Muttalib took his son's hand and led him to the door intending to make straight for the place of sacrifice. ABDULLAH'S FEMALE RELATIVES: Abd al Muttalib had not considered the fact that he might have to deal with his wives as he did not know that they had learned of his intention. Fatima, the mother of Zubayr, Abu Talib and Abdullah who were now equal candidates for the sacrifice, was, on her mother's side, descended from Abd, one of the sons of Ksay and belonged to the very influential tribe of Makhzum. When Fatima learned of the vow, she immediately rallied her co-wives, who were from less influential tribes, and together with her own powerful tribe they marched to the Ka'ba in force to prevent the sacrifice. As Abd al Muttalib opened the door of Ka'ba his eyes fell upon a large crowd assembled in the courtyard. Everyone noticed that the expression on Abd al Muttalib and Abdullah's faces had changed. Fatima and her kinsmen were quick to realize that it was Abdullah who had been chosen as the sacrifice. Someone in the crowd called out: "For whom is the knife!" and others took up the cry although it was evident form whom the knife was intended. Abd al Muttalib tried to tell them of his vow, but he was interrupted by Mugh'rah, the chief of Makhzum who told him that they would not permit him to make the sacrifice. He told him that they were prepared to offer a sacrifice in his stead, even to the extent of ransoming Abdullah with all the property of the sons of Makhzum. They were adamant, whatever steps were necessary to take in order to spare the life of Abdullah they were prepared to offer. By this time Abdullah's brothers had come out of Ka'ba. Until then none had spoken, but now they too had turned to their father imploring him to spare the life of their brother and to offer some other kind of sacrifice instead. There was no one present who did not urge him not to do so. Being and upright man, Abd al Muttalib did not want to break the vow he had taken, but the pressure upon him was great, so reluctantly he agreed to consult with a wise woman who lived in Yathrib who was familiar with matters such as these and could tell him whether a substitution was in fact permissible in this case, and if it was, what form of ransom would be required. THE WISE WOMAN OF YATHRIB: Abd al Muttalib set off with Abdullah and several of his brothers for Yathrib, Abd al Muttalib's birth place. When they reached Yathrib they inquired the whereabouts of the wise lady and were told that she no longer lived there but in Khaybar which was approximately a hundred miles north of Yathrib. So they continued their journey through the hot desert until they reached Khaybar were they found the wise woman. Abd al Muttalib told her of the oath he had taken and inquired whether it was possible to offer a ransom instead. She listened intently and told them to return the following day after she had time to consider the matter and that she would give them an answer. Abd al Muttalib prayed fervently to Allah and the next morning they returned for the verdict. The wise woman greeted them and asked what was the usual ompensation offered amongst their tribe, so they told her that it was common place to offer ten camels. Upon hearing this she told them to return home and as soon as they arrived to put Abdullah and ten camels side by side and cast lots between them. She told them that in the event that the arrow should fall against Abdullah they were to increase the number of camels by ten, and cast lots yet again until their Lord accepted them by the arrow falling against the camels. She also told them that once the number of camels had been determined all of them were to be sacrificed immediately in order that Abdullah might live. THE RETURN TO MECCA: After having thanked the wise woman, Abd al Muttalib and his party set off for Mecca straight away and as soon as they reached Mecca, Abdullah and ten camels were taken into the courtyard of Ka'ba. Abd al Muttalib went inside the Ka'ba and supplicated to Allah asking Him to accept what they were about to do. Upon the conclusion of his supplication he came out of the Ka'ba and the lots began to be cast. The first arrow fell against Abdullah, so ten more camels were added. The lot was cast again, but once more the arrow fell against Abdullah, and ten more camels and so it continued. It was only when the number of camels reached one hundred that the arrow finally fell against the camels. THE RANSOM IS ACCEPTED: Everyone was overjoyed including Abd al Muttalib, however, he wanted to make quite sure that this was without a shadow of a doubt the ransom required by Allah to decide the issue, so he insisted that the lots be cast twice more. Anxiously, everyone looked on as the lots were cast, but to everyone's relief, the arrow fell against the camels each time. There was no doubt left in Abd al Muttalib's mind that Allah had accepted his expiation, and the camels were sacrificed. | Part II |