Part 22

") Saheeh Bukhaaree, “The Book of Business Transactions”; chapter, “It is Disliked to Argue out Loud in Marketplaces.” Hadeeth number: 2125. Bukhaaree also related it in the “Book of Tafseer.” Hadeeth number: 4738.

Madeenah). And his rule will be in Ash-Sham (perhaps referring to the fact that, in the end times, Ash-Sham, which consists of Syria and neighbouring lands, will be one of the strongholds of Islam).

Before the advent of Islam, scholars from the People of the Book - at least the sincere ones among them - gave glad tidings of the coming of Prophet Muhammad #8. For example, while Salmaan Al-Faarisee was travelling from one land to another in search of the truth, he spent some time under the guidance of a monk, who once said to Salmaan -, “Verily, the time of a Prophet who will be sent with the religion of Ibraaheem draws near. He will appear in the land of the Arabs, and he will migrate to a land that is situated between Harratain (land that is replete with volcanic rocks; this refers to the lands that border Al-Madeenah to the east and to the west). Between them (i.e., between Harratain, or in other words, in Al-Madeenah) are date-palm trees. He will have with him signs that are not hidden: He eats from what is given (to him) asa gift, but he doesn’t eat what is given as charity; and the stamp of Prophethood is located between his shoulders. If you are able to go to those lands, then do so.”

Eventually, Salmaan # made it to Al-Madeenah, though in the process he was wrongfully taken captive and turned into a slave. Shortly after Salmaan 4 arrived there, the Messenger of Allah 2 migrated to Al-Madeenah. Wanting to put the monk’s words to the test, Salmaan .& went to the Prophet ## and gave him food, saying that he was giving it as charity. The Messenger of Allah x gave the food to his Companions #, but did not eat any of it himself. Later on, Salmaan # returned with more food; this time, he 2 told the Prophet #% that he was giving him the food not in charity, but as a gift. The Prophet #@ gave some of the food to his Companions #, and ate some himself. Then on another occasion, Salmaan # saw with his own two eyes the third and final sign: The stamp of Prophethood between the Prophet’s shoulders. Salmaan 4% then

" Saheeh As-Seerah An-Nabawiyyah (pg. 30). ?l Refer to As-Seerah An-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Katheer (1/300).

Then there is the story of Abu At-Taihaan, who moved from his homeland in Ash-Sham in order to live in Al-Madeenah, among the Banu Quraizah tribe. Abu Taihaan died two years before the beginning of Prophet Muhammad’s Prophethood. When he was on his deathbed, Abu Taihaan said to the members of the Banu Quraizah tribe, “O group of Jews, what do you think prompted me to move from the land of wine and leavened bread - AshSham - to the land of suffering and hunger - Al-Hijaaz (AlMadeenah)?” They said, “You know best.” He said, “I came to this city in order to wait for the appearance of the Prophet whose time is near at hand. I had hoped for him to be sent (during my lifetime), so that I could follow him.”

Besides Abu Taihaan, other rabbis and scholars were also coming forth with information about the awaited Prophet. News of his arrival spread among Jews and other peoples; in fact, all of the Jews of Al-Madeenah believed with certainty that the awaited Prophet was soon to arrive.

The Jewish tribes of Al-Madeenah waged intermittent wars against the Aus and Khazraj tribes, both of which also fought against one another frequently. The Jewish tribes often changed alliances, sometimes siding with the Aus, and sometimes siding with the Khazraj. The Jews of Al-Madeenah would often say to their Arab neighbours, “Indeed, the time draws near when a Prophet will be sent. We will fight alongside him against you.” Such threats had an unintended effect on the people of Aus and Khazraj, some among whom later said, “Along with the mercy of Allah 4 and His guidance, one of the factors that prompted us to embrace Islam is what we would hear from the Jews. We were the people of polytheism and idol-worship, and they were the People of the Book. They had knowledge that we did not possess. There was enmity between us, and when we would inflict upon them that which they disliked, they would say to us, ‘Indeed, the time draws

") Refer to As-Seerah An-Nabawiyyah As-Saheehah by Al-’Umaree. (1/122).

near when a Prophet will be sent. We will fight alongside him against you’)

When the leader of the Romans, Haraq], received a letter from the Prophet 2%, he said, “I knew that he (the awaited Prophet) had come out, but I never thought that he would be one of you (i.e., an Arab).

The _ eneral State Of Affairs Prior To The Advent Of Islam

In short, decadence and corruption were widespread. When evil begins to spread in any given society, individual men can, and often do, rise up to remedy affairs, but such a solution was not possible in the middle of the sixth century (of the Christian calendar). The situation didn’t require the changing of one single belief or the removal of one evil practice; instead an entire outlook on life needed to be changed, and a new way of living needed to be introduced. Centuries of cumulated false beliefs and practices stood in the way of the necessary change, and individual reformers were not enough to solve the problem. To bring mankind out of darkness and into light, to transform men to the extent that they change into entirely new beings, Allah 8 sent a Messenger # to mankind. Allah % said:

oS oil Gy i Op dhe ish es ok x

1p6 G yp IB AS 6 we A sail 4 ie

“Ts he who was dead (without faith by ignorance and disbeiep and We gave him life (by knowledge and faith) and set for him a light (of belief) whereby he can walk amongst men, like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism, and hypocrisy) from which he can never come out? Thus it is made fair-seeming to the

disbelievers that which they used to do.”’ (Qur'an 6: 122)

The most profound description of mankind’s state prior to and after the sending of Prophet Muhammad #% is given in the following Verse:

Ge cee taker Thee ere eee eet ; i) KEM ecb S35 een YGF at ye (teats

4@ 6 SO ue Ki ie aS Ge Sat way

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e., this Qur'an), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah’s Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to you, that you may be guided.” (Qur'an 3: 103)

The Signs Of Prophethood That The Prophet 2 Witnessed

The coming mission of Prophethood was being hinted at in many ways to the Prophet #%. For instance, Jaabir ibn Samurah & reported that the Messenger of Allah #¥ once said, “Verily, 1 know a stone in Makkah that would extend greetings of peace to me before I was sent (as a Prophet); indeed, I (still) know it now.”

Also, even before Jibreel #% appeared to the Prophet #¢ for the first time in the cave of Hira, the Prophet #% would see true dreams: whatever he #% would see in a dream would occur in exactly the same manner in real life.”! The Prophet #x also felt an

"] Saheeh Muslim, “The Book of Virtues’; chapter, “The Superiority of the Prophet's Lineage; Also, the Stone that Greeted Him Prior to Prophethood.” Hadeeth number: 2277.

The Prophet's marriage to Khadeejah... 125

inward change that occurred prior to his Prophethood: solitude and worship were made beloved to him. He #* would seek out solitude and worship in the cave of Hira, which is situated just northwest of Makkah. He #¢ would remain in the cave for a number of nights at a time, sometimes for 10 nights, sometimes for even longer - for upwards of an entire month. In between stays in the cave, the Prophet #£ would return to his home, remaining there for only a short while. Then when he 2 gathered more supplies, he # would return to the cave.

Revelation Descends, And The Phase Of Secret Preaching Begins

Revelation Descends To The Prophet 22 For The F'rst Time

Until the Prophet #% reached the age of forty, he #2 would seek solitude in the cave of Hira, where he would worship Allah 4 and contemplate the universe around him. He # would remain in the cave for a number of nights, leaving it only when he #% ran out of provisions. He #@ would then go to his home, get the provisions he needed, and return to the cave for another succession of days"! Imam Bukhaaree, who is known as the ‘Father of authentic Hadeeth compilations, the books of Sunan and Masaaneed, and history books,’ related that ‘Aishah %& said, “The first form of revelation that the Messenger of Allah #@ was initiated with, was the good (or true) dream that he would see in his sleep. Every dream that he saw became realized like the light of the morning (i.e., events occurred in the exact same manner that he had seen them occur in his dreams). Next, solitude was made beloved to him, and so he would isolate himself in the cave of Hira, where he would worship (Allah) for a number of nights before returning to his family and getting more provisions for the same purpose. He #% would return to Khadeejah % and furnish himself with a quantity of provisions that would last hima similar number of nights. This continued until the truth came to him while he #¢ was in the cave of Hira. The Angel Jibreel % came to

" Refer to Saheeh As-Seerah (pg. 67).

him and said, ‘Read.’ He #¢ answered, ‘I am not of those who read (ie., he #% was illiterate).’ The Prophet # (later) said, ‘He then took me and embraced me with a strong embrace until I became very much fatigued, at which point he released me. He said: Read. And I said: I am not of those who read. He then took me and embraced me with a strong embrace for a second time, until I was (again) overcome by fatigue, at which point he released me and said: Read. I said: I am not of those who read. He then took me and embraced me with a strong embrace for a third time. He then released me and said: