Part 14

In Sharhus-Sunnah, Al-Bagawee mentioned the Prophet's lineage up until ‘Adnaan, and then said, “Beyond ‘Adnaan, his lineage is

" Saheeh Muslim, “The Book of Virtues”; chapter, “The Superiority of the Prophet's Lineage.” Hadeeth number: 2776.

") Saheeh Bukhaaree, “The Virtues of the Ansaar’; chapter, “The Sending of the Prophet #4.” Hadeeth number: 3851.

not correctly memorized.’ ’Urwah ibn Az-Zubair said, “The people we have found who say that they know who is beyond ‘Adnaan, are only guessing.’”!

Ibn Al-Qayyim mentioned the Prophet's lineage until ‘Adnaan and then said, “(The Prophet’s) lineage until here is known to be correct and is agreed upon by genealogists, so there is no disagreement whatsoever. As for what is beyond ‘Adnaan, there is difference of opinion. Yet they (genealogists) unanimously agree that ‘Adnaan is from the direct line of Ismaa’eel see 718.

And Ibn Sa’d wrote in his Tabagaat: “We refrain (from claiming any knowledge about the lineage of the Prophet #4) between ‘Adnaan and Ismaa’eel %%.’’ Adh-Dhahabee said, “Adnaan is from the children (ie, from the direct line) of Ismaa’eel ibn Ibraaheem 3, and this is unanimously agreed upon by the people (i.e., by historians and genealogists), but they differ about those grandfathers (of the Prophet #) that are between ‘Adnaan

Men with noble lineages have throughout history been accorded with special honour. Generally speaking, a person with noble lineage is not denied the right to lead and to have authority, but people question the right of a person of low lineage to be a leader - a king, a president, an emperor, etc. Since the Prophet #4 was being prepared for Prophethood, Allah 3 blessed him with a noble lineage, thus making it easier for people to accept and follow him.

The Prophet # indeed possesses a most wonderful lineage. He # is from the direct line of both Ismaaeel %% and Ibraaheem ¥. Furthermore, he #% is the answer to Ibraaheem’s supplication; he # said about himself, “I am the supplication of my father Tbraaheem (i.e, the answer to his supplication), and the glad

"51 Zaad Al-Ma‘ad (1/71).

4] As-Seerah An-Nabawiyyah by Adh-Dhahabee (pg. 1).

tidings of my brother ‘Eesa (Jesus). It is most often the case that people who are blessed with noble lineages aspire for higher goals and aims, and turn away from base desires; and of course, this was especially true of Prophets # and Messengers 2%.

The first narration mentioned in this section, as well as other similar narrations, points to the fact that Allah 3% favoured Arabs above all other peoples, and the Quraish in particular above all other tribes. If one loves the Prophet #%, then one should, by extension, love the people to whom he was sent and the tribe among whom he was born. That love should be felt not because of their race, but because of a simple reality: Every Qurashee (a member of the Quraish) Arab was blessed by being related to the Messenger of Allah #8. This does not mean that we should love all individuals among the Quraish, nor does it run contrary to the reality that many members of the Quraish and many Arabs disbelieved in Islam. For as soon as one of them deviated from the truth and disbelieved in Allah 3%, the true relation between him and the Messenger of Allah #2 became destroyed and any blood relation between them was taken out of consideration - and the same of course applies to present-day Arabs and descendants of the Quraish.

‘Abdullah Ibn ‘A duluttalib’s Marriage To Aaminah Bint Wa b, And Aaminah’s Dream

‘Abdullah was one of ‘Abdul-Muttalib’s most beloved sons. ‘Abdullah was about to be slaughtered at one point during his youth (the history of which is not mentioned in this work), but he was spared and his father paid 100 camels for his ransom. ‘Abdullah got married to Aaminah bint Wahb ibn ‘Abd-Manaaf ibn Zuhrah ibn Kilaab, whose lineage was very noble indeed.

Either before the Prophet's birth or shortly afterwards (historical accounts differ in this regard), ‘Abdullah died and was buried in Al-Madeenah, alongside his uncles from the Banu ‘Adee ibn An-

Najjaar clan. He had gone to Ash-Sham (Syria and surrounding regions) for a business trip, and death overtook him in AlMadeenah, during his return journey; but he had already impregnated his wife. And so it was as if it was being said to him:

“Your mission in life is complete; as for this pure child you leave behind, Allah will, with His Wisdom and Mercy, take care of him and prepare him for the task of taking mankind out of darkness and bringing them into the light.”

The marriage of ‘Abdullah to Aaminah was not the beginning of the Prophet's affair. When the Prophet # was once asked about the beginning of his affair, he #¢ said, “I am the supplication of my father Ibraaheem (i.e., the answer to his supplication) and the glad tidings of my brother ‘Eesa. And my mother saw (in a dream) that light came out of her, light that illuminated the castles of AshSham (Ash-Sham refers to the region of Syria and neighbouring lands).

The supplication of Ibraaheem 4% is related in this Verse of the Qur'an:

CAS 24s ase ae Ge ye iS ye EG Ep

“Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own (and indeed Allah answered their invocation by sending Muhammad z), who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qur’an) and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or Prophethood, etc.), and sanctify them. Verily! You are the All-Mighty, the AllWise.” (Qur'an 2: 129)

And the glad tidings of ‘Eesa 3% are mentioned in this Verse:

“1 Ahmad (5/262), Al-Haakim (2/600), and Mujma’ Az-Zawaaid (8/222). Imam Ahmad’s chain of this narration is Hasan (acceptable), and other corroborating narrations strengthen (its grading). Al-Haakim said, “Its chain is authentic, thought neither of them (i.e., Bukhaaree and Muslim) related it (in their Saheeh compilations)”; Adh-Dhahabee concurred with his grading of the Hadeeth .

Sa oe baat Sh af S25 3 kee] gs gS CPF Se Si GY (is We cect G

ae CB A Ae

oo ae Ven “oye

a be Presa) ee uo

“And (remember) when ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam vary, said : “O Children of Israel! Iam the Messenger of Allah unto you confirming the Taurat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad. But when he (Ahmad, i.e., Muhammad 2) came to them with clear proofs, they said : ‘This is plain magic.”

In the above-mentioned Hadeeth, the Prophet #% said, “And my mother saw (in a dream) that light came out of her, light that illuminated the castles of Ash-Sham (Ash-Sham refers to the region of Syria and neighbouring lands).’”” Commenting on these words, Ibn Rajab said, “The coming out of this light at the time of his birth is an indication of the light that he #% was to come with, that the people of earth were to be guided by, and that was going to remove the darkness of Shirk (polytheism, to associate partners with Allah in worship).” Allah 8 said:

Wee SI Ae its pede teal jay} ais See 2 ifs well & Ke wa wl rig 4 GABEO Ant Chess 53 i i sb opt I) cclit % a pees se Lt 552,

4@ pt bere JIL Seas

“O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our Messenger (Muhammad 2) explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the Scripture and passing over (i.e., leaving out without explaining) much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a light (Prophet Muhammad 2) and a plain Book (this Qur’an). Wherewith Allah guides all those who

seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism).” (Qur'an 5: 15, 16)

Ibn Katheer said, “The specific mention of Ash-Sham as being the place where his light shall appear points to how Islam will have a stable and firm footing in the lands of Ash-Sham. In the end times (ie., just before the end of this world), Ash-Sham will be a stronghold of Islam and its adherents, and it is there that ‘Eesa (Jesus) ibn Maryam 2 will descend ~ in Damascus, at the white minaret on its eastern side. It is related both in Saheeh Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet #% said, “A group from my nation will continue to remain successful upon the truth; they will not be harmed by those who forsake them, nor by those who oppose them; (they will remain upon that state) until Allah’s command comes (i.e.,a gentle, good wind that will take the souls of all believers), and they will still be upon that state.” In Saheeh Bukhaaree, the following is included in the narration: “ And they are in Ash-Sham.”!]

The Birth Of The Pro het 2¢

Scholars agree that the Prophet 2% was born on a Monday, and most scholars maintain that he was born after 12 nights had passed from the month of Rabee’ul-Awwal. Furthermore, scholars agree that he was born during the Year of the Elephant. As for the location of his birth, the Prophet # was born in the house of Abu Taalib, in the mountain pass of Banu Haashim.

The wet nurse of the Prophet #, was Umm Aiman Barakah AlHabashiyyah, who was the female slave of his father, ‘Abdullah. The first woman to breast-feed the Prophet # was Thuwaibah, the female slave of Abu Lahab. Zainab bint Abu Salamah %

" Refer to Tafseer Ibn Katheer (1/184). Bukhaaree related this Hadeeth in his Saheeh, in “The Book of Virtues.” Hadeeth numbers: 3640 and 3641. Bukhaaree also related in another book of his Saheeh: Adhering to the Qur’an and Sunnah. Hadeeth number: 7311.