Seerah – Part 6
(May 21, 2021)
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Prophethood
According to a narration from Ayesha (RA), the commencement of the Divine Inspiration to Allah’s Messenger was in the form of dreams which came true like bright day light, and then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go in seclusion in the cave of Hira where he used to worship Allah alone, continuously for many days before his desire to see his family. He used to take with him the journey food for the stay and then come back to his wife (Khadija) to take his food like-wise again till suddenly the Truth descended upon him while he was in the cave of Hira.
The angel came to him and asked him to read. The Prophet replied, “I do not know how to read. The Prophet added, “The angel caught me (forcefully) and pressed me so hard that I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read and I replied, ‘I do not know how to read.’ Thereupon he caught me again and pressed me a second time till I could not bear it any more. He then released me and again asked me to read but again I replied, ‘I do not know how to read (or what shall I read)?’ Thereupon he caught me for the third time and pressed me, and then released me and said:
اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ () خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ () اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ () الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ () عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ
Read: In the Name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot. Read: And your Lord is the Most Generous Who taught by the pen, Taught man that which he knew not. (Qur’an 96:1-5)
Muhammad (S) repeated these verses, just as the angel had said them. When the angel was sure Muhammad (S) knew them by heart, he went away. Now that he was alone Muhammad (S) could not understand what had happened to him. He was terribly afraid and rushed out of the cave. Perhaps the cave was haunted? Perhaps the devil had taken a hold of his mind? But he was stopped by a voice from heaven which said; ‘O Muhammad (S) you are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Jibril.’ He looked up at the sky and wherever he turned he saw Jibril (AS).
Then Muhammad (S) returned with that experience, and the muscles between his neck and shoulders were trembling till he came upon Khadija and said, “Wrap me up! Wrap me up.” She wrapped him in a garment, and when the state of fear was over, he said to Khadija, “O Khadija, What is wrong with me. I fear that something bad may happen to me.” Then he told her the story. Khadija replied, “Nay! But receive the good tidings. By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you, for by Allah, you keep good relations with your kith and kin, speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist those who are stricken with calamities.” She is also reported to have said, “Rejoice O dear husband and be cheerful. He in whose hands stands Khadija’s life bears witness to the truth of this fact, that you will be the prophet to this people.”
Then she took him to Waraqah bin Naufal, the son of Khadija’s paternal uncle. He was old and blind and knew the Scriptures of the Jews and the Christians, and is stated to have translated them into Arabic. Khadija said to Waraqah, “Listen to the story of your nephew, O my cousin!” Waraqah asked, “O my nephew! What have you seen?” Allah’s Messenger described whatever he had seen. Waraqah said, “This is the same angel whom Allah had sent to Moses…I swear by Him in whose hand Waraqah’s life is, Allah has chosen you to be the prophet of this people. They will call you a liar, they will persecute you, they will drive you out, and they will fight against you. Oh, that I could live to those days. I would fight for these.” And he kissed him on his forehead.
Allah’s Messenger asked, “Will they drive me out?” Waraqah replied in the affirmative and said, “Anyone who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly.”
But after a few days Waraqah died and the Divine revelation was also paused for a while.
Jabir bin ‘Abdullah Al-Ansari (RA) while talking about the period of pause in revelation narrated the speech of the Prophet: “While I was walking, all of a sudden I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up and saw the same angel who had visited me at the cave of Hira sitting on a chair between the sky and the earth. I got afraid of him and came back home and said, “Wrap me.” And then Allah revealed the following five verses of Surah Muddasir:
يَاأَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ () قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ () وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ () وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ () وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ
“O you wrapped up in garments! Arise and warn. And magnify your Lord. And purify your clothes. And keep away from pollution.”(Muddasir, 74:1-5)
After this the revelation started coming strongly, frequently and regularly. The first revelation (i.e., the first five verses of Surat al-Alaq) marked his nubuwwah (Prophethood) and the second revelation of the first five verses of Surat al-Muddasir marked his risalah (Messengership). This is because the first revelation did not instruct him to call people towards Islam. But the second revelation instructed him to do so.
The First Muslims
After that momentous day in the month of Ramadan, revelation came again and again to the Prophet (S). He understood now what he had to do and prepared himself for what was to come. Only a strong and brave man, helped by Allah, can be a true prophet because people often refuse to listen to Allah’s message. Khadija was the first to believe the Prophet (S) and accept as true what he brought from Allah. Through her, Allah made things easier for the Prophet (S). Khadija strengthened him, helped him spread his message, and stood up to the people who were against him.
Then Revelation ceased for a time. The Prophet (S) was upset and unhappy, thinking that Allah had left him, or that he might have angered Allah in some way so that Allah no longer thought him worthy of His message. However, the Angel Jibril came back to him and brought this surah of the Quran:
وَالضُّحَى () وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَى () مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَى () وَلَلْآَخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنَ الْأُولَى () وَلَسَوْفَ يُعْطِيكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضَى () أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآَوَى () وَوَجَدَكَ ضَالًّا فَهَدَى () وَوَجَدَكَ عَائِلًا فَأَغْنَى () فَأَمَّا الْيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقْهَرْ () وَأَمَّا السَّائِلَ فَلَا تَنْهَرْ () وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ
By the morning light. And the night as it settles. Your Lord did not abandon you, nor is He displeased. The life to come is better for you than this first life. And your Lord will give you, and you will be satisfied. Did He not find you orphaned, and shelter you? And found you wandering, and guided you? And found you in need, and enriched you? Therefore, do not mistreat the orphan. Nor drive away the one who asks for help. But proclaim the blessings of your Lord. (Adh-Dhuha, 93.1-11)
The Prophet (S) began to speak secretly of Allah’s message to those who were close to him and whom he could trust. At that time Makkah was going through hard times. There was very little food. Abu Talib, the Prophet’s uncle, who had taken care of him after his grandfather’s death, was finding it very difficult to feed his large family. The Prophet (S) said that he and another uncle, al-‘Abbas, who was a rich man, would each bring up one of Abu Talib’s children in order to help him. The Prophet (S) took ‘Ali and his uncle took Ja’far.
One day, when the Prophet (S) was outside the city, the angel Jibril appeared to him. Jibril kicked the side of a hill and a spring of water began to flow out. He then began to wash himself in the running water to show the Prophet (S) the ritual ablution to be made before prayer. Then Jibril showed him all the positions of Muslim prayer – the various movements and things to be said with each movement. The Prophet (S) returned home and taught all these things first to Khadija and then to his followers. Since then Muslims have continued to purify themselves before prayer by performing the ritual ablution and have followed the same movements and prayers first performed by the Prophet (S). To begin with, only the Prophet (S) and his wife knew of these things.
Then one day ‘Ali entered the room and found the Prophet (S) and Khadija praying. He was puzzled and asked what they were doing. The Prophet (S) explained to him that they were praising Allah and giving thanks to Him. That night ‘Ali stayed up thinking about all that the Prophet (S) had said. Finally he came to a decision and the next day he went to Muhammad (S) and told him that he wanted to follow him. Thus Khadija was the first woman to embrace Islam, the teachings which the Prophet (S) brought from Allah, and ‘Ali was the first young man. Shortly after they were joined by Zayd ibn Harithah, a slave, freed and adopted by the Prophet (S).
The Prophet (S) began to leave Makkah with ‘Ali in order to pray. One day Abu Talib happened to pass by and when he saw them he stopped and asked them what they were doing. The Prophet (S) told him that they were praying and following the religion of Ibrahim (AS). He explained that, like Ibrahim (AS), he had been ordered to guide the people to the Truth. Abu Talib looked at his son, ‘Ali, and said: “Muhammad (S) would never make you do anything that was wrong. Go with him. But I cannot leave the religion I now follow and which was followed by my father.” Then he turned to the Prophet (S), saying, “Even so, I promise you, that no one will hurt you as long as I am alive.” And with that Abu Talib went on his way.
At about this time the news of Muhammad (S) being the Prophet reached an honest, wise, and respected merchant of Makkah called Abu Bakr. He knew Muhammad (S) well and believed he could never lie, so he went to find out for himself if the story were true. The Prophet (S) told him that he had indeed been sent by Allah to teach everyone to worship Allah alone – the one and only true God. On hearing this from the Prophet’s own lips Abu Bakr knew it to be the truth and became a believer instantly. Later the Prophet (S) was reported to have said that everyone he ever invited to accept Islam showed signs of disbelief and doubt, except Abu Bakr; when he was told of it he did not hold back or hesitate.
Because of his wisdom, honesty, and kindness people had always turned to Abu Bakr for advice. He was, therefore, a man of some influence and through him many people came to Islam.
Among these was Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, the uncle of Aminah, the Prophet’s mother. The night before Abu Bakr came to visit him and tell him about Islam, Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas dreamt that he was walking in darkness. As he walked he saw the moon and when he looked at it he saw ‘Ali, Abu Bakr, and Zayd, the Prophet’s freed slave, calling him to come and join them. When Abu Bakr told him about the Prophet’s religion, he understood the meaning of his dream and went at once to the Prophet (S) and declared himself a Muslim. He understood that to be a Muslim means to submit oneself to Allah’s Will and to worship only Him.
Another person brought to Islam by Abu Bakr was Bilal. One night Abu Bakr went to the house of Umayya ibn Khalaf, one of the most important men of Quraysh. Umayya was out and Abu Bakr found only Umayya’s slave, Bilal, at home. Abu Bakr talked to the slave about Islam and before he left, Bilal, too, had become a Muslim. The number of people following the Prophet (S) began to grow. Sometimes they would all go out of the city to the mountains around Makkah to hear him recite the Qur’an and to be taught by him. This was all done very secretly and only a very few people knew about Islam in those early days.
The Troubles Begin
Three years passed and one day the angel Jibril came to the Prophet (S) and ordered him to start preaching openly to everyone. So the Prophet (S) told the people of Makkah that he had something very important to tell them. He stood on a hillside in Makkah, called Safa, and they gathered around to hear what he had to say. He started by asking them if they would believe him were he to say that an army was about to attack them. They answered that indeed they would, because he never lied. He then told them that he was the Messenger of Allah, sent to show them the right way, and to warn them of terrible punishments if they did not follow him in worshipping only Allah and none other. Abu Lahab, one of the Prophet’s uncles who was among the listeners, suddenly stood up and said, “May you perish! Did you call us here just to tell us this?” At that moment, Allah sent to the Prophet (S) the following Surah:
تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ () مَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ () سَيَصْلَى نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ () وَامْرَأَتُهُ حَمَّالَةَ الْحَطَبِ () فِي جِيدِهَا حَبْلٌ مِنْ مَسَدٍ
The Power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish. His wealth and gains will not save him. He shall roast at a flaming fire, And his wife, the carrier of firewood will have upon her neck a rope of palm-fiber’. (A-Masad, 111.1-5)
Then the crowd dispersed and the Prophet (S) was left alone. A few days later the Prophet (S) tried again to call some of his relatives to Islam. A feast was prepared in his house for all of his uncles. After the meal he spoke to them and said, “O sons of ‘Abdul Muttalib! I know of no Arab who has come to his people with a better message than mine. I have brought you the best news for this life and the next. Allah has ordered me to call you to Him. So which of you will help me?” All the men kept silent. Then ‘Ali, his cousin, jumped up and said: “O Prophet of Allah! I will help you.” Then the men all got up and left, laughing as they went because only one young boy (‘Ali) had agreed to help the Prophet (S).
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Resources and References:
Imam Ibn Kathir – Stories of the Prophets
Leila Azzam & Aisha Gouverneur – the Life of the Prophet Muhammad
Anwar Al-Awlaki – The Life of Muhammad (Makkan Period) & The Life of Muhammad (Medina Period): https://www.kalamullah.com/muhammad.html
Aisha Stacey – The Religion of Islam (islamreligion.com)
