CHAPTER 6
THE MARRIAGE OF ABDULLAH TO AMINA
There was great happiness amongst Abd al Muttalib's family, not to mention his tribe, and the day-to-day life resumed once more. Shortly after this significant event, Abd al Muttalib started to make plans for Abdullah's future.
Abdullah was now eighteen years of age and his father thought it was time for him to marry, so he started to search for a suitable match. After much consideration he came to the conclusion that Amina, the orphaned daughter of Wahb, would be the most compatible bride for his son.
Amina was of noble birth, her father, Wahb had been the chief of the Zuhra -- a branch of the Koraysh -- but upon his death, her paternal uncle, Wuhayb had become its new chieftain and taken care of her. His own daughter, Halah, was of similar age and so the two girls had grown up together like sisters.
Among Amina's many qualities she was known for her honorable, endearing character and to compliment these characteristics she was very intelligent. Years later, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, confirmed her status when he told his companions: "I have been selected from the best of humanity."
During Abd Al Muttalib's search for a suitable bride for his beloved son, it came to his notice that Wuhayb's daughter, Halah, was also of marriageable ago, so he asked his permission to marry her himself. A proposal such as this was indeed a great honor and through these kind of arrangements essential inter-tribal ties were often strengthened.
Upon his return, Abd Al Muttalib told Abdullah that he had found the perfect match for him. Abdullah was overjoyed when he heard all the wonderful things his father had to say about Amina and so preparations for a double wedding were made.
As soon as the wedding preparations had been finalized, the bridal party set out for the house of Wuhayb. On the way to the celebration, people came out of their houses to greet the procession and wish them well. Abdullah had always been handsome, but that day he looked more handsome than ever.
As the party passed the homes of the Bani Asad, Abdullah's cousin, Kutaylah, sister of Warakah, called to him and with the permission of his father he stopped to speak with her. Kutaylah had noticed something very special about Abdullah that day, she had seen a radiant light upon his face, the like of which she had never seen before. On impulse she asked Abdullah to marry her, offering him the same number of camels that been sacrificed in order to save him. Abdullah was astonished by the proposal but decline her offer and the bridal procession continued on its way.
In those days it was the custom to stay in the house of the bride for several days after the marriage and then take her to her new home shortly thereafter. However, a few days after Abdullah and Amina's marriage, it was necessary for Abdullah to return home. On his way he met Kutaylah who told him that she was no longer interested in him because the radiant light she had seen on his face was no longer there.
Amina conceived on the first night of their marriage and the young couple were very happy together. Everything his father had told him was true, and Abdullah was as delighted with Amina as she was with him.
Two months after their marriage Abdullah joined a trading caravan destined for Al Shams. Today, Al Shams is a conglomerate of several countries known to us as Syria, Jordan and Palestine. One the return journey, Abdullah was taken seriously ill in Yathrib. Abdullah had many relatives there and so the caravan left him in their care and continued on to Mecca without him.
THE DEATH OF ABDULLAH:
A messenger bearing news of Abdullah's illness was sent on in advance of the caravan and as soon as Abd Al Muttalib heard the disturbing news he sent his eldest son, Harith, to Yathrib to bring Abdullah home. Harith was not destined to see his brother again as Abdullah died before he reached Yathrib and so he was buried near his cousins, the children of Adiyy, the son of Najjar in Yathrib.
Harith returned to Mecca and conveyed the saddening news to his father and Amina whereupon great sorrow fell upon the entire family.
LADY AMINA'S PREGNANCY:
Allah, the Most High, made Lady Amina's pregnancy easy for her, in fact she commented that she didn't feel any different from her usual self. As her pregnancy progressed Lady Amina became aware of a light shinning from within her. One night in particular, the light was so intensely bright that she was able to see the castles and turrets of far away Basra in Al Shams.
During her pregnancy Lady Amina had many visions concerning her unborn babe. On one such occasions she heard a voice telling her: "You are carrying in your womb the master of this nation. When he is born say: 'I place him under the protection of the One from the evil of every envier; call him Muhammad.'
THE RELIGIONS OF ARABIA:
Idolatry was commonplace in Arabia, as it was now claimed that Allah had become too remote for them to worship alone and only fragments of the teachings of Prophets Abraham and Ishmael remained. Temples had been erected in may locations and second to Ka'ba, the most visited temples were those in the Hijaz dedicated to the idols of Al Lat, Al Uzza, and Manat whom their worshipers claimed were the daughters of Allah, capable of interceding on their behalf with Him!
To the people of Yathrib, the most prestigious temple of Manat was in Kdayd by the Red Sea. As for the Koraysh of Mecca, their second choice was the main temple of Al Uzza, a short journey south of Mecca in the valley of Nakhlah.
It was in the fertile land of Ta'if, that lay some distance outside Mecca, that the Thakif, a branch of the tribe of Hawazin, who were descended from Prophet Ishmael, had erected a high revered temple dedicated to Al Lat. The Thakif took great pride in their temple and adorned it with riches, but despite its lavish adornments, and pleasant location they knew it could never reach the rank of Ka'ba. The importance of Ka'ba was acknowledged throughout Arabia and it was to the Ka'ba and not to the other temples that pilgrims flocked in great numbers each year.
In Arabia there were also minority groups of Jews and Christians, some of whom were knowledgeable of their scriptures, and believed in the Oneness of the Creator. Their ancestors had chosen to settle in that barren region on account of a prophecy described in their ancient Holy Books that heralded the arrival of a new prophet to be born there. Each family hoped that the prophet would arise from their own family or tribe.
FIFTY DAYS BEFORE THE BIRTH OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD:
Fifty days before Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, was born, an event occurred which every person in Mecca would remember for the rest of their lives, it was an attempt to destroy the Sacred Ka'ba.
At that time, Yemen was under the rule of Abysinnia. The King of Abysinnia, called the Negus, had appointed a governor named Abraha to govern Yemen in his absence. The Negus was a Christian, and Abraha, anxious to promote himself still further in the eyes of his king, decided he would build a magnificent church with the intent of luring pilgrims from Ka'ba to it.
The church was built in Sanna with marble pillaged from the ruined palaces of Sheba, whilst its interior was embellished with gold and silver, and its pulpit carved from ivory and ebony.
Upon its completion, Abraha sent word to the Negus that he had built a magnificent church in his honor and mentioned his underlying intention. Abraha bragged so much of his intention to lure pilgrims away from the Ka'ba that word spread like the fury of a violent sand storm throughout Arabia.
As could be expected the Arabs were enraged by the whole affair to the extent that a man from the tribe of Kinanah, a branch of the Koraysh, was so incensed by the audacity of Abraha that he set out for Sanna determined to defile the church. When he reached Sanna night had fallen so he crept unseen into the church and defiled it with trash and filth. Having accomplished his mission he left undetected.
When news of the defilement reached Abraha his anger was so great that he swore to take revenge and to lead an army which would destroy Ka'ba once and for all. Immediately, orders were issued to his army and they prepared themselves for the long march across the hot and sandy desert to Mecca. He also gave orders that an elephant should lead them as a sign of his might. As soon as the preparations were complete Abraha gave the order to march with the canopied elephant leading the way.
Not far out of Sanna the army encountered resistance from a small band of Arabs, but they were greatly out numbered and fled. Their leader, Nufayl, from the tribe of Khathan, was captured and in fear for his life offered to guide Abraha and his soldiers on to Ka'ba.
The news of Abraha's march to destroy Ka'ba reached Ta'if ahead of their arrival, so a delegation from the Thakif, fearing Abraha might mistake their temple of Al Lat for Ka'ba, rode out to meet him and offered to be Nufayl's co-guides, and Abraha accepted.
At a place called Mughammis, a few miles outside Mecca, Abraha decided to strike camp and it was there that Nufayl died and was buried.
Meanwhile, Abraha sent his spies on in advance to the outskirts of Mecca. On their way they came across a herd of camels belonging to Abd Al Muttalib together with some other animals so they seized them together with anything else they could lay their hands on and sent their plunder back to Abraha.
In the meantime, Abd Al Muttalib, together with other Korayshi chieftains and chiefs from neighboring tribes met together to discuss how they might best defend their beloved Ka'ba. After much deliberation they all concluded that Abraha's army was so great in number that they did not stand a chance against him, so Abd Al Muttalib decided it was best for the people of Mecca to seek refuge on the slopes of Mount Thabir saying: "O people of Koraysh, you will be protected," and assured them that Ka'ba would be unharmed saying: "Abraha and his army will not reach the Holy Ka'ba because it has a Protecting Lord."
As the people of Mecca made their way to the mountain, Abd Al Muttalib supplicated saying: "O Allah, it is customary for one to protect his possessions, so please, protect Yours."
Soon after, Abraha sent his envoy into Mecca inviting their leader to visit him in his camp and so Abd Al Muttalib, together with one of his sons accompanied Abraha's envoy back to the camp.
As Abd Al Muttalib approached, Abraha appeared greatly impressed by his noble composure and rose to greet him. Abraha then told Abd Al Muttalib of his intent to destroy the Ka'ba and asked him if there was any favor he might grant him. Abraha was extremely surprised by Abd Al Muttalib's reply, he expected him to plead with him to spare Ka'ba but instead Abd Al Muttalib asked for the return of his herd of camels. Abraha scoffed at his request but the wise, trusting, Abd Al Muttalib replied: "I am the lord of my herd of camels, so I must protect them. The Lord of Ka'ba will protect His House." After this unexpected reply, Abd Al Muttalib and his son returned to Mecca.
Soon after this Abraha gave the order to advance on Ka'ba and the soldiers took their marching positions behind the elephant. Now that all was ready the elephant was given the command to rise and march, but it refused and sat still. Its handlers tried to tempt it, but when that failed they beat it driving iron hooks deep into its flesh, but still the elephant refused to march on Ka'ba.
Then, one of its handlers had an idea to trick the poor elephant by turning it around to face the direction of Yemen, then, as soon as it started to walk to turn it around to march on Ka'ba. His deception worked for a while, and they succeeded to get the elephant to stand, and even take a few steps in the direction of Yemen, but when he tried to turn it around to march on Ka'ba, the elephant with all its might, sat down and despite the renewed extreme cruelty it endured it still refused to march on Ka'ba.
Shortly afterwards, they sky became blackened with flocks of birds named Ababil. Each bird carried three stones, one in each claw and another in its beak. When the birds reached Abraha's army they pelted the soldiers with them. As soon as a soldier was struck by a stone he died -- not one single stone missed its mark. As for Abraha, he did not die instantly, the stones that hit him brought about a painfully slow death that caused his bones to crumble that brought about agonizing collapse of his ribs.
These miraculous affairs were witnessed by all the citizens present in Mecca that day, and as a result the year became known as the "Year of the Elephant."
As for the grave of Nufayl, the guide who had led Abraha to Ka'ba, the Koraysh took stoning it.
Unfortunately, there are some misguided people who promote the theory that the stones carried by the birds were not in fact stones but rather microbes or germs. Their knowledge of the Words of Allah is indeed pitiful, because their theory is indirect contradiction to the unchangeable word
Allah, Himself, uses in the Koran to describe the event. The word Allah uses is "Hijaratin" which means "stones" -- and the knowledge of Allah is the truth.
CHAPTER 7
THE BIRTH OF THE LAST PROPHET OF ALLAH
THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECY:
On Monday, 12th of Rabi-al-Awwal -- 570 years after Jesus ascended into heaven to await his return before the end of the world -- Lady Amina gave birth to her blessed son in the house of Abu Talib. As Lady Amina gave birth the babe was delivered prostrating upon his tiny hands and knees, then sneezed and said: "Al Hamdulillah" - praise be to Allah - the same praise Prophet Adam offered as he sneezed upon reaching earth.
The beautiful babe was born without a trace of dirt upon him, and a sweet aroma caressed his perfect little body. Lady Amina remembered the instruction she had been given in her vision and supplicated to Allah with it for her little son, then gave him to Ash-Shaffa, the mother of Abd Al Rahman to hold.
News that Lady Amina had given birth to a son was sent straight away to Abd Al Muttalib. As soon as he heard the good news he rushed to see his new grandson. When he reached the house his heart was filled with joy and with tender loving care he cradled in his arms the babe wrapped in a white cloth and took him to the Ka'ba where he offered a prayer of thanksgiving to Allah for the safe delivery of his grandson.
Before returning his new grandson to Lady Amina he went home to show him to his own family. Standing at the door waiting for his father's return was his three year old son Abbas. Lovingly, Abd Al Muttalib told his son: "Abbas, this is your brother, give him a kiss," so Abbas, who was really his uncle, bent over and kissed his new baby brother.
After everyone had admired the baby, Abd Al Muttalib returned to Lady Amina and in accordance with her vision and a vision Abd Al Muttalib had seen, the sweet baby was named Muhammad. When people asked why they had named him Muhammad they replied: "To be praised in the heavens and earth." Before that time the name Muhammad was unknown and no other child had ever been given that special name.
Abu Talib's house, the house in which the Holy Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was born exists today and is used to house an Islamic library.
THE KNOWLEDGEABLE JEW:
Amongst the citizens of Mecca were several Jews, one of whom was knowledgeable of the scriptures. He knew from his learning and the signs of the time that the birth of a new prophet was imminent and anxiously awaited his arrival.
On the night the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was born, a strange feeling came over him that prompted him to rush to the door of his house and ask some Koraysh tribesmen, who happened to be passing, if they had heard of any births that night. The tribesmen replied that they knew of none, so he asked them to go and find out then bring word to him. He felt sure that this was the night in which the new prophet had been born, and if his feelings were correct he knew he would indeed be able to recognize him by a special, prominent mark on his skin that lay between his shoulders.
Sometime later, the tribesmen returned to the expectant Jew and told him that a son had indeed been born to Lady Amina, the widowed wife of Abdullah, son of Abd Al Muttalib. The Jew asked them to take him to see the newly born and his mother, so in haste they made their way to Abu Talib's house.
When they arrived, Lady Amina presented her darling son to them and as the cloth that covered him was rolled back the Jew saw the unmistakable mark and fainted. When he regained consciousness she announced the prophethood had been taken away from the Children of Israel and said: "O people of Koraysh, by Allah, he will conquer you in a way that the news will traverse both east an west."
The mark the Jew referred to was circular and read: "There is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet", and it was from this identifying mark that the sweet aroma of musk exuded.
THE DECISION OF LADY AMINA AND ABD AL MUTTALIB:
Abdullah was a young man when he died and therefore had very little to leave his wife and unborn babe. All he was able to leave them was an Abysinnian maid named Barakah, which means blessing, a few camels and some goats. Barakah was also known by the name Umm Ayman.
During the first days of our blessed Prophet's life, Barakah helped his mother to take for him, and Thuwaybah, who attended his birth, became his first wet-nurse.
In those days it was the practice of noble and well-to-do families to entrust their newly born infants to the care of good families living far from Mecca where the infant would be less likely to contract the many diseases that all too often accompanied the pilgrims. With this in mind Lady Amina and Abd Al Muttalib decided to send Muhammad to be raised in the desert. Among the many advantages of sending a newly born to be raised in the desert was that it was there that Arabic in its purest form was spoken, and the accomplishment of speaking pure Arabic was a most sought after quality.
HALIMA:
Soon after his birth, several Bedouin families made their twice yearly journey to Mecca in search of a child to foster. No fee was requested by the foster parents as one might suppose, rather, the intent was to strengthen ties between noble, well-to-do families and perhaps receive a favor from its parents.
Amongst the prospective foster mothers was a lady called Halima, the daughter of Abdullah Al Sadiyyah from the tribe of Banu Hawazin. Halima's family had always been poor, and that year in particular had been harsh for them on account of the drought that had devastated the area.
Halima had a young baby of her own, so together with her husband, Abi Kabshah, and baby they traveled in the company of other families from their tribe to Mecca. Halima carried her son as she rode upon their donkey whilst her husband walked by her side as the sheep ran along beside them. When they set out, the sheep's milk had been a constant source of nourishment for them, but the strain of the journey took its toll and its milk dried up. Halima's own milk was insufficient to satisfy her baby, and many a time her baby cried itself to sleep out of hunger.
Before reaching Mecca, there was another setback, Halima's donkey started to show signs of lameness, so they proceeded slowly at their own pace whilst the others went on ahead. Because of the delay, Halima and her family were the last of the prospective foster parents to reach Mecca. By the time she arrived each of the other prospective foster mothers had visited the homes of parents wishing to send their newly born to the safety of the desert, and chosen a baby. However, all had declined the offer to take Lady Amina's baby on account of him being an orphan, and so he was the only one available.
As Halima entered Lady Amina's house she found the tiny babe sleeping upon his back wrapped in a white woolen shawl under which a green piece of silk had been placed. Immediately, Allah filled her heart with love for the babe whereupon she was overcome by his beauty, and as she bent down to pick him up she smelt the delicate fragrance of musk. Fearing she might disturb him, she placed her had over his chest and as she did he smiled, then opened his eyes and from his eyes beamed a radiant light. Gently, she kissed him between his eyes and offered him her right breast and immediately felt a surge of milk, he accepted her breast and suckled away contentedly. After a little while she offered him her left breast but he refused leaving it for his new brother.
Later on that day, Halima returned to her husband and told him that there was no doubt in her mind that she wanted to foster Lady Amina's baby -- it was of no consequence to her that the babe was an orphan, or that future favors may not be possible -- the babe had captivated her heart.
THE BONDING:
Bonding between foster mother and child through wet-nursing has a significant value. It is through her milk that some of her genes are passed on to the foster child, and so the foster child gains an extended family into which marriage to its siblings is not permitted. It is because of this that Halima's foster child would refer to her in later years as his mother, and to her children as his brothers and sisters.
THE PEACEFUL NIGHT:
Whilst Halima was nursing Lady Amina's baby, her husband, Abi Kabshah, went to tend his sheep and way very surprised to find its udder full of milk. When he milked it there was so much milk that there was more than enough to satisfy the entire family, that night they drank their fill and slept peacefully. When they awoke, Abi Kabshah said: "Halima, by Allah, I see you have chosen a blessed spirit, did you notice how we spent such a blessed night and are enjoying its benefits?"
CHAPTER 8
LIFE IN THE DESERT
The time soon came for the foster parents to set off for their desert home with their charges, so Halima made her farewells to Lady Amina who handed her beloved son up to her as she sat upon her donkey.
Halima and her husband were quick to notice the multiple blessings that constantly came their way. Their donkey had always been the slowest ride because it was frail, and more recently showed signs of progressive lameness, but now it out-ran the others whilst the rest of the party looked on in amazement asking Halima if the donkey was the same one she had come with.
THE LAND OF BANI SA'D:
Before they reached the land of Ban Sa'd, the vegetation had already become scant, but upon reaching it there was no vegetation in sight, the land was barren with signs of drought everywhere. However, Halima's sheep would wander off yet always return full. It was so noticeable that the others in her party told their shepherds to take their sheep and follow Halima's. however, hers always returned full and yielded abundant milk but theirs did not.
The blessings never ceased to escape the attention of Halima's family and when they reached home their land became fertile once more an the palm trees bore an abundance of dates.
AL SHAIMA:
Halima had an older daughter named Hudhafa, also known as Al Shaima. Al Shaima loved her new brother dearly and never had to wait to be asked to look after him. It was a very happy time for the entire family and Halima's foster child grew rapidly in strength and out grew other children of similar age.
Halima's tribe in particular was famous for speaking pure Arabic and many of its tribesmen had become famous on account of the eloquent speech and poetry; it was in such an environment that the young Muhammad learned the art of the precise diction of pure Arabic.
THE RETURN TO MECCA:
Halima never ceased to wonder at the growth and strength of her foster son and thought it was time for him to visit his mother in Mecca so preparations were made for the journey.
When they reached Mecca Lady Amina was delighted to see and hold her son once more, but an epidemic had broken out and she feared for his safety so it was agreed that Halima should take him back with her to their desert home.
THE TWO ANGELS:
Little Muhammad loved to play with his brothers but also enjoyed sitting alone by himself. Several months had passed since his return from Mecca when one day as his brothers were playing not far away among the sheep and he sat alone, two angels, having taken the appearance of men, dressed in pure white robes came to him with a golden bowl containing snow.
Muhammad was neither afraid nor yet concerned when they miraculously
opened his chest, felt around his heart, washed it, then sealed his chest once more and left.
His brothers saw the two men, and watched in awe what had happened and as soon as they had left ran as fast as their legs could carry them to tell their mother. Halima and her husband rushed to Muhammad and found him standing alone. His face looked somewhat pale and Halima held him gently in her arms and asked what had happened. He told them about the two men and how they had opened his chest and looked for something, but what it was they were looking for he did not know. Halima looked at his chest but there were no signs of it being opened, nor yet were there any traces of blood. She looked for the two men, but there was no sign of them either. The only difference she could find was that the small mark she had taken to be a birth mark between his shoulders appeared to be raised a little more than usual.
Halima and her husband questioned their sons repeatedly, but none deviated from the account they first related and were convinced that the boys had spoken the truth. Halima and her husband were greatly distressed about the affair and feared that evil spirits were trying to harm their beloved foster son.
Fearing for his safety, it was decided to return the young Muhammad to Lady Amina, so once again Halima set off with Muhammad to Mecca.
HALIMA'S DECISION:
Halima decided not to tell Lady Amina the real reason for his early return but Lady Amina was quick to realize she was concealing something. At last Lady Amina persuaded Halima to tell her the real reason for her son's hasty return.
Lady Amina listened intently to the account of the opening of his chest and of Halima's fear that some evil jinn may be trying to harm him. Lady Amina comforted her and told her that no evil would come to him because she had been told that he was destined for an important role. She also told Halima about her blessed pregnancy and of the light that had shone from her womb. After hearing this Halima's heart was at peace once more and greatly relieved to know her fears for her beloved foster child were unfounded.
Lady Amina thanked Halima for the loving care she gave her son and once again Halima and her foster son returned to their home in the desert where he lived with his extended family until he reached five years old when he returned to live with his mother in Mecca.
The event of the chest opening was described in detail by Prophet Muhammad, praise and peace be upon him, in later years. He told his companions that when the angels opened his chest they were looking for a speck of black. When the found it they removed it and washed his heart in pure snow from the golden bowl then resealed his chest. He also said that each son of Adam, except Mary and her son, is touched by satan at birth.
CHAPTER 9
A NEW LIFE IN MECCA
It wasn't long before the young Muhammad had settled down very happily to his new lifestyle in the City of Mecca and found that he had lots of cousins, an affectionate grandfather named Abd Al Muttalib, as well as many uncles and aunts.
Amongst the children Muhammad loved most were Hamza and his young sister Saffiyah, the children of his grandfather, Abd Al Muttalib. Muhammad and Hamza were practically the same age, however, Muhammad was the elder, although technically speaking, Hamza was his uncle and Saffiyah his aunt.
THE JOURNEY TO YATHRIB:
One day, Lady Amina learned that a caravan would soon be leaving Mecca and pass through Yathrib (Medina) on its way north. It was a wonderful opportunity for Muhammad, who was now six, to meet the rest of his cousins and relatives that lived there.
Barakah, Lady Amina's maid, made the necessary preparations for the eleven day journey and they left with the caravan riding two camels, one ridden by Lady Amina and her son, the other by Barakah.
They stayed in Yathrib for a month and the young Muhammad met more of his cousins, the children of Adiyy. He enjoyed being with them and went kite flying and sometimes they would take him to their large well where he learned to swim. It was a happy time but the month soon passed and the caravan destined for Mecca was ready to leave, so they made their farewells and departed.
THE DEATH OF LADY AMINA:
As the caravan journeyed to Mecca, Lady Amina was taken seriously ill and never recovered. The angels took away her soul at a village called Al Abwa and it is there that she lies buried.
Barakah did her best to comfort the young Muhammad and together they made the heartbreaking journey to the house of his grandfather in Mecca. Abd Al Muttalib, deeply saddened by the loss, took his grandson into his own household and a very special love bonded them even more closely together.
THE LOVE OF ABD AL MUTTALIB:
For many years Abd Al Muttalib had taken to sleeping near the Ka'ba at Hijr Ishmael, the place where he had been told in a vision to dig for the well of Zamzam many years before Abdullah, Muhammad's father was born. At Hijr Ishmael his couch would be spread out for him and more often than not it was there that one would find him.
There was an unwritten rule that no one sat on his couch, not even his young son Hamza, however, such was the love he had for his grandson that he alone was welcome to join him there. One day some of Muhammad's uncles found him sitting on the couch and suggested he should not do so. Immediately, his grandfather told them: "Let my son stay, by Allah, he has a great future." The young Muhammad was a constant source of pleasure to his grandfather, and both enjoyed being in each others company.
It was noticeable that even at such a tender age, Muhammad showed signs of wisdom far beyond his years and when Abd Al Muttalib attended important tribal meetings in the House of Assembly with other elders of the tribe, he would take his grandson with him. Muhammad's opinion was often sought in earnest despite his age, whereupon, Abd Al Muttalib would proudly comment: "There is a great future ahead for my son!" Abd Al Muttalib always referred with pride to his grandson as being his "son".
THE DEATH OF ABD AL MUTTALIB:
Abd Al Muttalib was now eighty-two years of age and a few months after his grandson's eighth birthday he was taken ill and passed away. Before Abd Al Muttalib died he entrusted the care of his grandson to his son Abu Talib, the blood brother of Muhammad's father Abdullah, so Abu Talib willingly became Muhammad's guardian and took him into his own household.
As Abd Al Muttalib's bier was carried to a place known as Al Hujun for burial, many walked in his funeral procession and his young grandson shed many tears as he walked with them to the graveside. It was a time of great sorrow.
Like his father before him, Abu Talib became a loving guardian to his nephew and his wife, Fatima, daughter of Asad, Hashim's son, and half brother of Abd Al Muttalib, did all she could to compensate for the mother he had lost. Indeed, such was the degree of her care that in later years after her beloved trust had attained prophethood, he told those around him that rather than let him go hungry, Fatima would have preferred to let her own children go without.
Upon the death of Abd Al Muttalib the ascendancy to the house of Hashim had weakened for his family. All but one of the honorable offices he had held for so long now passed to Harb, the son of Umayya. The only position left for his household was that of providing for the pilgrims.
THE GUARDIANSHIP OF ABU TALIB:
When Abd Al Muttalib passed away there was very little left for his heirs to inherit and Abu Talib was poor, but like his father, he loved his nephew dearly, there wasn't anything he would not do for him. Many a night the young Muhammad would be found snuggled up to his uncle in bed, sleeping peacefully until the light of the morning.
During the day, Muhammad would go with him wherever he might go and when he was old enough Abu Talib entrusted him with the responsibility of shepherding his flock of sheep, which was a vital source of food and income to his family.
Unfortunately, some orientalists tried to imply that Abu Talib made his nephew look after his sheep in order to demean him -- indeed, this is not the case. It was a position of trust and one must remember that most prophets, peace be upon him, were shepherds at one time or another during their life.
THE DROUGHT:
Drought had stricken Mecca and its neighboring settlements in the valley yet against. It was a hard time for everyone both old and young alike. Abu Talib was highly respected in his tribe and in times of need, such as this, they would often turn to him for help and advice.
The situation continued to worsen and so in desperation several of the Koraysh went to Abu Talib to ask him to pray for rain. Muhammad was with him and heard their request so together, with Abu Talib carrying him on his shoulders, they made their way to the Ka'ba to supplicate to Allah.
As they entered the precincts of Ka'ba the sky was blue and the heat of the sun beat down just as it had done so for many weeks. Muhammad held on tightly to his uncle's fingers and together they supplicated for rain. Within moments, clouds gathered from all directions and rain started to fall - the drought was over. Like Halima, Abu Talib was quick to recognize the multiple blessings he and others shared on account of his nephew.
CHAPER 10
THE EARLY YEARS
It was time for the annual trip to Syria. Even though Hashim had secured pacts with tribes along the caravan route many years before, the journey was arduous and not without danger. With this in mind Abu Talib decided to leave is nephew behind thinking it was better for him to remain at home with Fatima and his other children.
When the time came for the caravan to depart, Muhammad, who was now twelve years old, rushed up to him and threw his arms around him. Abu Talib could never refuse his nephew and so it was agreed that he would join him on the long trip north to Syria.
BUHAIRAH, THE MONK:
After many weeks of arduous travel the caravan reached a place called Tayma that lay on the outskirts of Basra.
It was there that a monk by the name of Buhairah lived alone in a cell that had been inherited by a succession of hermit monks. Over the centuries, important religious documents had been brought to the cell and left by his predecessors so Buhairah had made it his life's work to study them well and had become very knowledgeable. In the documents were prophecies that told of another prophet to come after Jesus, peace be upon him. The prophecies described in detail the time in which he would be born, his appearance, character and background and it was Buhairah's dearest wish that he would be blessed to live long enough to see him.
As Buhairah was meditating outside his cell one day he noticed a caravan in the distance making its way towards the city. It was a common sight to see caravans making their way there, but as he gazed towards it he noticed there was something different about this one. In the blue sky was a lone white cloud that floated just above the caravaners heads, when the caravan changed direction the cloud would follow. He watched the caravan more intently and when it started to descend the neighboring hills he witnessed the palm tress bow their branches as the caravan passed by. He noticed something else even more strange, when the caravan came to rest under the trees the cloud disappeared and the palm branches bowed down still further to provide a dense and cooling shade.
Just before the caravan reached the market place it halted again under the shade of the trees and Muhammad, being the youngest, was asked to tend to the camels whilst the others went to the marketplace. Buhairah made haste to greet the caravaners and invited them to eat with him; caravans had stopped there many times before, but Buhairah had never invited them nor yet any other caravan to join him.
As they sat down to eat Buhairah looked at each one in turn, then asked if there was anyone missing from the party. They informed him that there was another, a boy, whom they had asked to tend the camels. Buhairah insisted that the boy should join them, and the caravaners felt embarrassed at their unintentional forgetfulness and so Muhammad was invited to join them. When he arrived, Buhairah observed his appearance and manners closely. After a while he questioned him and then asked him to swear by the idols of Mecca - which was common practice amongst the Arabs. Muhammad refused saying: "There is nothing more hateful to me than to do that."
The answers Muhammad gave Buhairah convinced him ninety-nine percent that the young boy, in whose company he was, was none other than the one prophesied in the scriptures to become the last Prophet of Allah. However, one thing bothered him, Abu Talib had referred to Muhammad as being his son, and the scriptures stated quite clearly that the last prophet would be an orphan, so he inquired about Muhammad's parents and was told that indeed Muhammad was an orphan, and that Abu Talib was not his real father, rather, he was his paternal uncle.
Now, Buhairah knew for certain that he had been blessed to live long enough to meet the boy destined to be the last Prophet of Allah. He was overcome with joy but at the same time a great sense of fear struck deep within his heart. He told Abu Talib that he must take great care of him and advised him not to continue onto Basra as he feared the descendants of the Jews that had migrated to Arabia many years before to await the arrival of the last Prophet would also notice his signs and try to harm him as he was not of their race. Abu Talib took Buhairah's advice and they returned to Mecca.
EARLY CHARACTER:
Muhammad had grown into a quiet, thoughtful youth preferring to look after his uncle's sheep rather than playing with the other children of Mecca. He loved the peace and tranquillity of the valleys and mountainside and whilst tending his flock he would pass his time observing and marveling at the wonders of the creation of Allah.
Like all boys of the Koraysh tribe he was taught the art of manhood and how best to defend himself. Muhammad had very keen eyesight and so it wasn't surprising that he became an excellent archer like his ancestor Prophet Ishmael.
His reputation for being honest, trustworthy and among other fine qualities, intelligent, was recognized by all who knew him, however, it wasn't until after his prophethood that he learned to read or write.
THE WEDDING:
There was to be a wedding in the City, elaborate preparations had already been made, and a fine table prepared. When Muhammad's friends learned of the festivities they were anxious to join in all the fun and rushed to find Muhammad to ask him to go with them. Festivities such as these did not attract him very much but his friends wanted him to go with him and he did not want to disappoint them so he agreed to accompany them.
As they neared the bride's house the sound of music grew louder and louder, when suddenly Muhammad was overcome by extreme tiredness so he told his friends to go on without him, and fell sound asleep and didn’t wake up until the following day when all the festivities were over.
THE AGE OF IGNORANCE:
The situation in Arabia had deteriorated to such an extent that murder,
lewdness, profanity, gambling and drunkenness in conjunction with other depravities had become common. The poor and weak were treated very badly and the position of women was quite deplorable. Many women were deprived of all their rights, they could be bought and sold at whim, and if they happened to inherit, their wealth was, more likely than not, ceased by their spouse.
To many, the greatest shame for a woman was to give birth to a daughter. She alone was blamed and disgrace fell upon the family and all too often innocent baby girls were buried alive or even strangled at birth.
Most tribes knew little or no form of government, each tribe was independent from the other except for the occasional alliance; as a result rivalries and deep rooted jealously often prevailed. Tribal feuds were common and all too often the origin of the feud had faded from memory but that was of no consequence, a feud was a feud, and therefore it was perpetuated without regard from one generation to the next resulting in the shedding of much blood.
As for the Ka'ba, it now housed over 360 idols and fortune tellers were consulted for both major and trivial decisions. Superstition was now a way of life and very few knew how to read or write -- it was a dark age -- the age of ignorance.
THE BATTLE OF FIJAR:
Muhammad was fifteen years of age when a clash between the tribes of Koraysh under the command of Harb, Ummayah's son and the Banu Huwazin erupted.
Since the time of Prophets Abraham and Ishmael, certain months of the years had been held sacred. During these months physical hostilities between the tribes had become strictly forbidden. However, the rule was broken when Al Barrad, Kais Al Kinani's son, killed Urwah Al Rahal, Utbah Al Huwazini's son.
The battle that ensued became known as the "Battle of Fijar" because it took place during the forbidden months. Abu Talib took part in the fighting which was destined to erupt spasmodically over a period of four years, however, Muhammad did not take part, rather, he gathered stray arrows for his uncle.
THE TREAT OF FUDUL:
After the recent battle the chieftains of the divided tribe of Koraysh known as the "Perfumed Ones" and the "Confederates" put aside their differences and met together in the house of Abdullah, Judan's son. They realized that if they were to show any sign of weakness between them it could result in either party falling prey to an enemy, and in the long term bring about the fall of the Koraysh tribe.
There was also another important factor to take care of relating to the protection of not only those living in Mecca but also visitors who suffered injustice on account of their weakened position. All who were present took an oath that from now on they would protect them and ensure that the injured party received their rights. This treaty was indeed a landmark as injustice was rampant.
Such was the importance of this treaty that the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, later told his companions: "Indeed, I witnessed with my uncles, in the house of Abdullah Judan's son, a treaty which is more beloved to me than a herd of cattle. Now in Islam, if I were to be asked to partake in something similar, I would accept."
Those that participated in the treaty were the descendants of Hashim, Muttalib, Abd Manaf, Asad, Zuhra and Tamin together with the young Muhammad and his uncles. Also, Abu Bakr, one of the most sincere and dearest friends of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and his father Abu Kuhafah of Taym took part.
THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE TREATY:
Amongst the Koraysh tribes known as "Confederates" was that of Sahm. it was from that tribe that a man of note agreed to purchase some valuable goods from a merchant visiting Mecca from Yemen. The deal was struck, the tribesman of Sahm received his goods, but then refused to pay the agreed price.
Although the merchant from Yemen was far from home and had no fellow tribesmen to support him, he was not daunted by the weakness of his position. He climbed to the top of Abu Kubays, a nearby hill on which the Black Stone which now graced the wall of Ka'ba had been found, and appealed to those present about the unjust transaction. His plaint fell upon the ears of Abdullah, Judan's son, chief of Taym who offered the use of his house to hear the matter, and so a meeting was convened.
Notables from both the "Perfumed Ones" and the "Confederates" gathered together in his house to hear the complaint whereupon the tribesman from Sahm was ordered to pay his debt and those allied to his tribe who were not present at the recent oath-taking raised no objection.
TRADE:
By now, Muhammad was a young man. The caravan journeys he had made with his uncle had taught him many things, so it was natural that he too should take to trading as a livelihood.
There were those in Mecca who gained much wealth through trading. Some of them, for one reason or another, choose not to accompany the caravans on their missions, preferring to entrust their goods and money to a caravaner who would in return be given a share of the profit. However, reliable, trustworthy people had become increasingly difficult to find.
Muhammad's reputation for fairness, honesty and trustworthiness were known by all in Mecca so when he took to trading, Meccan businessmen welcomed him as their profit-sharing partner. Such was his reputation that both businessmen and tribesmen would refer to him as "Al Amin", the trustworthy.
THE UNSETTLED TRANSACTION:
Muhammad had negotiated a business transaction with a man by the name of Abdullah, however, part of the transaction remained unsettled, so it was agreed that the two should meet again to finalize the matter on a specific day.
The matter slipped Abdullah's memory and Muhammad waited patiently for him to arrive for three days. On the third day when Abdullah finally arrived, Muhammad neither raised his voice nor did he take offense at being kept waiting, the only comment he made was that he had been concerned for him on account of his delayed arrival. It was not in him to quarrel nor yet to turn anyone away. This degree of tolerance was indeed a very rare quality to be found in Arabs of that day.
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