Muhammad and His God Before the Revelation (Be’that)

Reciprocal Divine Love Manifested

Muhammad (SWT) was not a secular man and he was not created for the life of this world.
Rather, he was a divine man who was concerned with the Hereafter and worked for it. He enslaved all his life for the service of the Hereafter. Muhammad (SA) lived in this life with his body only. But his heart, mind, souls, interests, and concerns were all with his lord, creator, and his beloved one. If these were the feelings of Muhammad and what he presented towards his Lord before his inauguration as prophet, was that love and giving from one side only? Or was it reciprocal between Muhammad and his Lord?

Without a doubt, it was reciprocal! And how couldn't it be when Allah (SWT) says in His sacred tradition, {Whoever comes closer to Me one hand length, I will come closer to him one arm length. And whoever comes closer to Me one arm length, I will come closer to him a mile. And whoever comes to Me walking, I will come to him rushing!}

So, what were the bounties of the Lord of Muhammad to Muhammad? Muhammad was an orphan, so Allah (SWT) took care of him and sent his grandfather Abdul Mutaleb, then his uncle Abu Taleb who were the chiefs of their tribe to be his guardians and take care of him and raise him in the best and most perfect way. Allah (SWT) sent to Muhammad (SA) the kind-hearted Haleema to become his nursing mother and caretaker.

Allah (SWT) guided him to know him more and made him feel more comfortable in the way of his Lord. He (SWT) protected him during his dangerous trips to that dark cave in that lonely mountain, so no scorpion, snake, beast, or thief dared to attack him. Allah (SWT) alleviated his feeling of loneliness to the extent that he didn't feel it. Allah (SWT) kept him away from entertainment, nonsense, the pleasures of life, and He (SWT) did not preoccupy Muhammad from His worship.

Allah (SWT) sent to him Khadeeja with her wealth, love, compassion, affection, honor, nobility in family, and her prosperous trade. Muhammad (SA) married her and worked in her commercial caravans. Allah (SWT) showered them with his blessings and sustenance. So Muhammad (SA) came out from poverty and tough life to a better and easier life. Allah (SWT) then gifted him with Al-Kawthar that is manifested in his beloved daughter Fatima to please him and introduce happiness to him. He (SWT) gave him Ali as a brother, cousin, adopted son, beloved companion, and the source of happiness and pleasure to his own self and soul.

He (SWT) gave him Zaid as a sincere servant and obedient son to assist him in the matters of life. Allah (SWT) instilled Muhammad's love in the hearts of the people, so he had sincere and close companions and relatives who loved him very dearly. Muhammad belonged to a respected and noble tribe and held an honorable position among the people. These were some of the bounties of Allah (SWT) to Muhammad (SA). As Allah (SWT) said to Muhammad in the Qur’an,

**“**Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter [93:6]?”

The love was reciprocal, the relationship was continuous, and the bounties were ongoing until the great bounty, virtue, and honor which had no similarity or resemblance from the Lord of the Worlds! It took place in that fateful night in Cave Hiraa’!

That is why the selection of Allah (SWT) to Muhammad did not come from nothing. Muhammad submitted to God before he received the divine revelation, and he rushed towards Allah (SWT) before he was inaugurated as prophet. Muhammad was attracted to light at a time when only darkness was known.

He willingly headed to his true Lord at a time when people did not accept anything but idols, lies, personal interests, nonsense, and fantasies. He filled himself with divine light at a time when man only knew materialism.

Hence, Muhammad was qualified for the divine selection and bounty, as Allah (SWT) is the absolute Justice and there is no way that He (SWT) would choose for His prophecy except the best of the qualified persons. This was the personality, heart, conscience and spirit of Muhammad by which he deserved the selection of Allah (SWT). This character with all what it possesses is the one we will see later manifesting itself clearly after the inauguration of prophecy while conveying the final divine message!

By that divine selection, it indicated the reality of his attachment to his lord even before the inauguration of prophecy. This is the personality which will suffer a lot when facing the rejection of the nonbelievers to his call for Islam and the worship of Allah (SWT) alone.

**“…**And if their turning away is hard on you [6:35].”

The same personality which will agonize itself because of the disbelief of the people and their lack of faith!!

**“**Perhaps you will kill yourself with grief because they do not believe [26:3].”

It is the same personality that will give sighs of pain on those who go astray and do not obey their God, as depicted in the Holy Qur’an,

**“**So let not your soul waste away in grief for them [35:8].”

It is the same personality which will exhaust itself in conveying the message and urging the people to accept faith and Islam, to the extent that the Creator Himself who is the sender of the message and the one who ordered to convey it, intervenes to limit the overwhelming and extreme efforts of Muhammad in conveying the message. So we find Allah (SWT) revealing verses such as:

• “Remind them, for you are only a reminder. You are not a watcher over them [88:21-22]*!*”

• **“**As for him who considers himself independent, To him do you address yourself [80:5-6].”

• **“**Surely you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases [28:56].”

• **“**Do not move your tongue with it to make haste with it [75:16].”

• **"**And do not make haste with the Qur’an before its revelation is made complete to you [20:114].”

And He (SWT) says,

**“**Will you then force men till they become believers [10:99].”

And countless other verses which all show and indicate that Muhammad was not just a messenger who was assigned to convey a message and so he carried out a mission which he was assigned to do. No, and a thousand times NO! Muhammad was assigned to convey a message which he himself loves, adores, and is fond of it! He lives it with all his soul, being, and conscience even before he knew about it and was assigned to convey it.

That is because faith was mixed with his flesh, blood, and bones. It was as if it became a non-detachable part of him even before the divine inspiration to him. After all, we may be assigned with a task or mission in our lives and we may perform it well. But there is a big difference if we are assigned a task which we ourselves love and enjoy and have total faith in the mission and its importance. Surely, that will reflect on our performance of that task. Consequently, our performance of that mission or task will stand as a proof and witness to the extent of our love, conviction, and sincerity of that mission.