met a monk. Four of theseMakkis decided to stop fora while to talk
with the monk.
In those days monks livedin places where there were very few people so
that they could have quiteto worship Allah. They also were people who
read books and knew many stories. Only a few Makkis knew about
reading. All they knew about was trade and enjoying themselves. They
knew they would hear interesting and entertaining stories from the
monk.
After talking for a while the monk asked the men," where are you from ?"
They answered, " we are from Makka.",
The monk then told them," Allah will send a prophetto Makka soon."
The four men continued on their journey thinking about the things the
monk had said. Each of them wished that the new prophet would be
hisown son.
Abdulmuttalib was asleepin Kaaba. He had a strangedream. He saw a tree
growing until it reached the sky. The tree had branches that spread to
the East and the West. It appeared that a very bright light was
shining on the tree. Abdulmutalib saw the Arabs and the non-Arabs bow
to the tree. The tree continued growing larger, higher, and brighter.
Then he sawsome people from Quraysh holding to the branches of the
tree, while other Qurayshis tried to chop down the tree. A very
handsome youth stopped them fromchopping down the tree. Abdulmuttalib
saw himself put his hand out to grab the tree, but he could not reach
it. He woke up from his sleep frightened.
Abdulmuttalib sat thinking of the dream andwhat it meant, but he could
not find an explanation for it. The next morning he went to the
priestess of the Quraysh to ask her to explain the dream. The Arabs
always asked the priest or priestess for the explanation of dreams.
When the priestess saw Abdulmuttalib, she saw sign of worry on his
face, so she asked, "why do you look so worried:"
Abdulmuttalib answered," I had a dream that frightened me." Then he
told her all about the dream.
When he finished, she said, "if your dream ever comes true, then one
of your sons will control the East and the West. All the people will
follow him."
Abdulmuttalib was pleased with what the priestess had told him. Later
when he met his son Abu Talib he told him about the dream and what
priestess had said. Then he said to his son, Abu Talib, " I hope you
arethe one the priestess meant in her explanation."
But the intended one was not Abu Talib. The one thepriestess mean was
the yet unborn grandson of Abdulmuttalib. Abdulmuttalib had grandson
named Abdullahwho was married to Amina, daughter of Wahb.Amina was
expecting a baby. Before the baby was born, Abdullah had gone on a
trading trip. He became ill on the trip and had died. Abdullah never
saw his son.
During her pregnancy, Amina felt no pain or discomfort. She had always
heard women complaining about the hardships of pregnancy, but she felt
very well. During these months Amina had many dreams. One night in a
dream she saw a light coming out of her. The light was shining on
castles of Syria.
Another night she heard avoice in her dream. The voice said, "Amina,
you are carrying the greatest man in the world. When you give birth,
give him the name, Muhammad and tell no one about this dream."
Amina woke up and looked around but there was no one in the room. She
tried to go to sleep again but she was still thinking about what she
had heard in the dream.
It was time for Amina's baby to be born. She gavebirth to a beautiful,
clean baby boy. Since the boy's father had died months earlier, Amina
sent the news to her son's grandfather, Abdulmuttalib. Abdulmuttalib
was sittingin the Kaaba when the news came. He was delighted. He went
to Amina and carried the boyhappily to the Kaaba. When he brought the
baby back to her, he said," I have named him Quthm."
Abdulmuttalib had a boy named Quthm but he had died when he was nine
years old. That made Abdulmuttalib very sad. So when Amina gave
birthto a boy, Abdulmuttalib wanted to name him afterthe dead boy.
Amina had to tell him, " I was ordered in a dream to call him
Muhammad." Abdulmuttalib picked up the baby, kissed him and said, " I
hope that my grandson, Muhammad, will be a great man."
On the seventh day after Mohammed's birth, Abdulmuttalib ordered
animals to be slaughteredand asked the people of Makka to come to a
feast. After everyone had eaten, Abdulmuttalib brought out his
grandson, Muhammad, to show the people. Everyone said thathe was such
a beautiful baby. The people also felt sad for the baby because he was
an orphan. His father had died before seeing him.....
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