Biographies of Leaders of Islam

The Supreme Among the Prophets

MUHAMMAD THE CHOSEN ONE (PEACE BE UPON HIM AND HIS PROGENY)

NAME AND LINEAGE

Prophet Abraham, the Friend of God, had two sons: ISHAQ (ISAAC), whose descendants included BANI (children of) Israel, Moses, Jesus and many other prophets arising from his tribe, and also Samuel (Ishmael) who had twelve sons one of whom was QAYDAR whose offspring inhabited HIJAZ (northern Arabia). Among his other sons was 'ADNAN who earned a high reputation. Prophet Muhammad's family tree reaches up to 'ADNANA as follows: He is Muhammad son of 'ABD-ALLAH son of 'ABD AL-MUTTALIB son of HASHIM son of 'ABDU MANAF son of QUSAY son of KILAB son of MURRA son of KA'B son of LUAYY son of GHALIB son of FEHR son of MALIK son of NADR son of KANANA son of KHUZAYMA son of MUDRIKA son of ILYAS son of MUDAR son of NEZAR son MA'AD son of 'ADNAN.

The descendants of NADR son of KANANA were known as QURAYSH. Prophet Muhammad's mother was 'AMINA daughter of WAHAB son of 'ABD MANAF son of ZUHRA son of KILAB son of MURRA. This shows that on both maternal and paternal sides, the Prophet belonged to the distinguished tribe of QURAYSH.

BIRTH

In 570 A.D., ABRAHA AL-ASHRAM, then vice-gerent of Yemen on behalf of the ABYSSINIAN king the NEGUS, was a staunch Christian who had built a magnificent cathedral in SAN'A' and had ordered the Arabs to go there for the pilgrimage instead of Mecca. He had marble brought to it from one of the derelict palaces of the Queen of SHEBA. In it, he set up crosses made of gold and silver, and pulpits of ivory and ebony. He wrote to his master the NEGUS saying: "I have built thee a church, O King, the like of which was never built for any king before thee; and I shall not rest until I have diverted unto it the pilgrimage of the Arabs". Not only was his order totally ignored, and man from KINANAH, a relative tribe of QURAYSH, went to SAN'A' to deliberately defile the church, which he did one night, returning safely to his people.

ABRAHA'S fury knew no bounds and he vowed to raze the KA'BA to the ground in revenge. He advanced with a large army in the van of which he placed an elephant, hence the Year of the Elephant which started a whole era of reckoning. That system of reckoning continued to be followed until the days of UMAR IBN AL-KHATTAB, the second caliph, when, upon the suggestion of IMAM ALI IBN ABU TALIB, the era of the HIJRI calendar was introduced. It was on a Friday, the 17th of RABI' AL-AWWAL in that year (corresponding to April 28, 570 A.D.) that the holy Prophet was born in Mecca, the main metropolis of HIJAZ. Earth received the greatest blessings from Heaven and mankind was exalted by the advent of its greatest Law-giver ever.

But this great child, destined to be the supporter of the poor, the helpless and the orphans, could not enjoy the bliss of his father's love.

'ABD-ALLAH passed away in the full bloom of youth only a few months before Prophet Muhammad (P) was born. Some historians say that 'ABD-ALLAH died from an unidentified sickness only two months before the birth of his son Muhammad. The sadness of the situation is yet further aggravated when we learn that at the age of six he was deprived of his mother's affection as well. Providence had perhaps decided that he who would one day encompass every creature of the world in his affection, would have to taste the bitterness of the loss of his parent's affection in the tender years of childhood. As was the custom, a good-natured nurse of the tribe of BANI SA'D was appointed as a foster-mother to nurse Muhammad in the healthy climate of her desert village.

After weaning, he came back to Mecca to live with his mother 'AMINA. After her death, his grandfather ABD AL-MUTTALIB took him into his personal care and brought him up with fatherly affection. But after two years, this noble family-head also died. In the last days of his life, his major concern had been the safe upbringing of that child who he thought would grow up into a great personality. While breathing his last, he called his son ABU TALIB and entrusted Muhammad to his care. Other sons, older in age, stood by, but the far-sighted chief could see that none would look after his grandson as sincerely as ABU TALIB. History tells us that right up to his last breath, ABU TALIB fulfilled the promise which he had made to his respected father at the time when the life's lamp of the latter flickered.

In fact he extended the same love to Prophet Muhammad (p) as he did to his own children. He fostered him from the young age of eight years up to the time when he was a ripe, seasoned man of fifty-three, protecting him at the obvious risk of jeopardizing both his own life and that of his dear sons. His wife Fatima daughter of ASAD, too, was so affectionate to him that the Prophet tasted the flavor of maternal love from her. It was, therefore, only natural that when that noble lady died, Prophet Muhammad (p) uttered sorrowfully: "She was a mother to me after my real mother".

FIRST TRIP TO SYRIA

When Muhammad was twelve years old, ABU TALIB undertook a trade trip to Syria. Being an ambitious boy, he accompanied him. It was during this journey that BUHAIRA, a Christian hermit, met him and observed the signs of which he had read in previous Scriptures, and predicted: "This boy is destined to be a Prophet of great power and prestige". It was a very brief and fleeting encounter. They never stayed with BUHAIRA as some people mistakenly suggest.

PARTICIPATING IN THE 'LEAGUE OF THE INTERVENERS'

When Muhammad was twenty years old, the elders of the tribe of QURAYSH, headed by ZUBAIR son of ABD AL-MUTTALIB, drafted a covenant which they called "HILF AL-FUDUL", that is, "the league of the interveners", promoting chivalric principles. In the aftermath of 'ABD AL-MUTTALIB'S death, the Arabian tribes took to lawlessness. The anarchy and chaos reached such a level that the lives and property of strangers were no longer safe in Mecca. Resenting this situation, the HASHEMITES, the Prophet's clansmen, called upon the tribes of ZOHRA and TAYM to suppress the shameful disorder. They assembled at the house of 'ABD-Allah son of ADNAN and took an oath that: "We will always defend the oppressed, redress the grievances at all cost, and cooperate with one another to achieve this noble cause". Muhammad was one of the participants, and he held this agreement in high esteem. Even in the hey-day of Islam, when all other covenants of the Days of ignorance had been cancelled, he held himself bound by the said agreement and used to say: "If somebody were to appeal to me today in the name of that charter, I would surely respond to his appeal".

Yet in spite of such noble efforts, the vicious circle of evil was in full rotation. Women were regarded as inferior creatures; many of them were reduced to prostitution. Drinking, gambling, idolatry, adultery and usury were the order of the day. Murder, inter-tribal feuds and endless chains of revenge incidents were devastating the land. Life was neither safe nor peaceful. These were the moral and social conditions which the sensitive youth Muhammad was watching with very profound concern.

TRADE JOURNEY

The Prophet was twenty-five years old when he made a journey to Syria to sell KHADIJA'S merchandise there. The trip was so successful that KHADIJA obtained twice the profit she usually accrued every year.

MARRIAGE

KHADIJA daughter of KHUWAILID was deeply impressed by the moral excellence, honesty, and respectable personality of Prophet Muhammad (p) He, too, admired her fair dealing and noble character. So when an intermediary suggested that he should marry her, Muhammad reflected upon it and said, "She is a wealthy lady while I am too poor to be considered by her". But when he was assured of her agreement should he propose, he gladly made the forma request. KHADIJA acceded to it and a date was fixed for the marriage ceremony. AMR IBN ASAD acted as the trustee of his niece KHADIJA. ABU TALIB, on behalf of his nephew Muhammad, recited the marriage sermon and paid the matrimonial dower. Thus, the most sacred wedlock was executed. Although she was senior in age, Prophet Muhammad (P) esteemed her so much that he never thought of taking another wife during her lifetime.

EXCELLENCE OF CONDUCT

The MECCANS had seen and tested the Prophet from boyhood to youth. They were so much impressed by his honesty and righteousness that they called him "the truthful" and "the trustworthy". They entrusted their cash and precious articles to him with full confidence. His opinion was eagerly sought in disputed affairs of contending tribes.