Dought & clear, - Scholarly opinions concerning the date of the Prophet’s birth and death, and which is mostlikely to be correct

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What are the dates of the birth and death of the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? I have seen many opinions concerning that; which is the correct opinion and what is the evidence in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah?
Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
The biographers and historians differed concerning the day and month of the birth of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This is something for which there is good reason, as it was not known what status this newborn would achieve; his situation was like that of any other newborn. Hence no one can state with certainty the date of his birth (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Dr. Muhammad at-Tayyib an-Najjaar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Perhaps the reason for this difference of opinion is that when he was born, no one expected that he would attend such a status. For that reason, he did not live in the spotlight from the beginning of his life. When Allah decreed that the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should begin to convey His message forty years after he was born, people began to seek out whatever memories they had about this Prophet, and they asked one another about every detail of his life. They were helped in that by what the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) himself narrated about incidents that he had experienced from his birth, as well as the reports narrated by his Companions and those who had also gone through those events with him.
At that time the Muslims began to collect everything that they had heard about the life story of their Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to transmit it to the people down throughout the ages
Al-Qawl al-Mubeen fi Seerat Sayyid al-Mursaleen, p. 78
Secondly:
Among the matters on which there is consensus with regard to his birth (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the definition of the year and the day.
1.With regard to the year:
It was the Year of the Elephant. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
There is no difference of opinion concerning the fact that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was born in Makkah, and that his birth was in the Year of the Elephant.
Zaad al-Ma‘aad fi Hadiy Khayr al-‘Ibaad, 1/76
Muhammad ibn Yoosuf as-Saalihi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Ibn Ishaaq (may Allah have mercy on him) said: (It was) the Year of the Elephant.
Ibn Katheer said: This is the well-known view of the majority.
Ibraaheem ibn al-Mundhir al-Hizaami, the Shaykh of al-Bukhaari, said: This is the opinion concerning which none of the scholars has any doubt. Khaleefah ibn Khayyaat, Ibn al-Jazzaar, Ibn Dihyah, Ibn al-Jawzi and Ibn al-Qayyim went further and narrated that there was consensus on this matter.
Subul al-Huda wa’r-Rashaad fi Seerat Khayr al-‘Ibaad, 1/334, 335
Dr. Akram Diya’ al-‘Umari (may Allah guide him) said:
In fact the reports that say otherwise all have flawed isnaads; they suggest that he was born ten years, or twenty-three years, or forty years, after the Year of the Elephant. But the majority of scholars are of the view that he was born in the Year of the Elephant. This is supported by the modern study undertaken by both Muslim and Orientalist researchers who stated that the Year of the Elephant corresponds to the year 570 CE or 571 CE.
As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah as-Saheehah, 1/97
2.With regard to the day:
It was a Monday. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was born on a Monday, his mission began on a Monday and he died on a Monday.
It was narrated that Abu Qataadah al-Ansaari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said: “That is a day on which I was born and on it my mission began – or Revelation came to me.”
Narrated by Muslim, 1162.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Those who say that he was born on Friday 17thRabee‘ al-Awwal were mistaken.
This was narrated by al-Haafiz Ibn Dihyah from what he read [?] of the bookI‘laam ar-Wara bi A‘laam al-Hudaby one of the Shi‘ah. Then Ibn Dihyan stated why it was da‘eef (weak), and it deserves to be classed as da‘eef because it is contrary to the text.
As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, 1/199
Thirdly:
With regard to the point on which there is scholarly disagreement, that has to do with defining the month and the day of the month. We have come across many opinions concerning that, including the following:
1.That he was born on 2ndRabee ‘ al-Awwal.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It was said that he was born on the second of the month. This was stated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr inal-Isti‘aab, and was narrated by al-Waaqidi from Abu Ma‘shar Nujayh ibn ‘Abd ar-Rahmaan al-Madani.
As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, 1/199
2.It was said that he was born on 8thRabee‘ al-Awwal.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It was said that he was born on the eighth of the month. This was narrated by al-Humaydi from Ibn Hazm, and was narrated by Maalik, ‘Aqeel, Yoonus ibn Yazeed and others from az-Zuhri from Muhammad ibn Jubayr ibn Mut‘im. Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr narrated that the historians regarded it as saheeh; it was stated definitively by al-Haafiz al-Kabeer Muhammad ibn Moosa al-Khawaarizmi, and was regarded as most likely to be correct by al-Haafiz Abu’l-Khattaan ibn Dihyah in his bookat-Tanweer fi Mawlid al-Basheer an-Nadheer.
As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, 1/199
3.It was said that he was born on 10thRabee ‘ al-Awwal.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It was said that he was born on the tenth of the month. This was narrated by Ibn Dihyah in his book, and was narrated by Ibn ‘Asaakir from Abu Ja‘far al-Baaqir. It was also narrated by Mujaalid from ash-Sha‘bi.
As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, 1/199
4.It was said that he was born on 12thRabee ‘ al-Awwal.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It was said that he was born on the twelfth of the month. This was stated by Ibn Ishaaq. It was narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in hisMusannaffrom ‘Affaan from Sa‘eed ibn Meena’ that Jaabir and Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was born in the Year of the Elephant on Monday 12thRabee‘ al-Awwal; on Monday his mission began, on Monday he was taken up to heaven, on Monday he migrated, and on Monday he died.
This is the well-known opinion according to the majority. And Allah knows best.
As-Seerah an-Nabawiyyah, 1/199
It was also said that he was born in Ramadan or in Safar or some other month.
What appears to us to be the case is that the strongest opinion concerning the birth of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is that he was born between the eighth and the twelfth of Rabee‘ al-Awwal. Some Muslim mathematicians and astronomers have determined that the Monday in question was the ninth of Rabee‘ al-Awwal. It may be that this is another opinion, and it has some merit. That corresponds to 20thApril 571 CE. This is what the authors of some modern books on Seerah (Prophet’s biography) regard as most likely to be correct, including Professor Muhammad al-Khudari and Safi ar-Rahmaan al-Mubaarakfoori.
Abu’l-Qaasim as-Suhayli (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The mathematicians say that his birth occurred in the solar month of April, on the twentieth of that month.
Ar-Rawd al-Unuf, 1/282
Prof. Muhammad al-Khudari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The Egyptian astronomer Mahmoud Basha (d. 1885 CE) who was well-versed in astronomy, geography and mathematics, and wrote several books based on his research stated that it was on the morning of Monday 9thRabee‘ al-Awwal, which corresponds to 20thApril 571 CE. That corresponds to the first year following the elephant incident. He was born in the house of Abu Taalib in Shi‘ab Banu Haashim.
Noor al-Yaqeen fi Seerat Sayyid al-Mursaleen(p. 9). See alsoar-Raheeq al-Makhtoom(p. 41).
Fourthly:
With regard to the date of the death of our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), there is no difference of opinion concerning the fact that it occurred on a Monday. The report narrated from Ibn Qutaybah, saying that it occurred on a Wednesday, is not correct. Perhaps what he meant is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was buried on Wednesday, which is correct.
With regard to the year of his death, there is no difference of opinion concerning the fact that it was in 11 AH.
With regard to the month of his death, there is no difference of opinion concerning the fact that it was in Rabee‘ al-Awwal.
With regard to the date of his death in that month, there is a difference of opinion among the scholars.
1.The majority are of the view that it occurred on 12thRabee‘ al-Awwal.
2.al-Khawaarizmi was of the view that it occurred on 1stRabee‘ al-Awwal.
3.Ibn al-Kalbi and Abu Makhnaf were of the view that it occurred on 2ndRabee‘ al-Awwal. As-Suhayli was inclined to favour this view and al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) regarded it as most likely to be correct.
The most well-known view is that of the majority, which is that the death of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) occurred on 12thRabee‘ al-Awwal 11 AH.
Seear-Rawd al-Unufby as-Suhayli (4/439, 440);as-Seerah an-Nabawiyyahby Ibn Katheer (4/509);Fath al-Baariby Ibn Hajar (8/130).
And Allah knows best.

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For children, - It is more blessed to give than to receive Charity, Charity in Islam

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A young man, a student in one of the university, was one day taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the students' friend, for his kindness towards the students.
As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day's work.
The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them."
"My young friend," answered the professor, "we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of the poor man. Put a coin into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how the discovery affects him."
The student did so, and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by.
The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes; but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin.
Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it round, and looked at it again and again. He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom the timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing.
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. "Now," said the professor, "are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?"
The young man replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the truth of those words, which I never understood before: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Charity Stories

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General Articles, - Biography, - Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (as) (571-634)

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A fine representative of Islamic moral values throughout his life and a close friend of our Prophet (saas), Hazrat Abu Bakr was born in Mecca in 571.
He was the first Caliph of the era in Islamic history known as the “Period of the Four Caliphs.” With the Qur’anic moral values he exhibited under all circumstances, he was an exemplary Muslim on whom great successes were bestowed.
Hazrat Abu Bakr embraced Islam at a time when it was not yet being preached openly.
From the moment he became a Muslim, he lived by Islamic moral values in the most scrupulous manner.
He provided great material assistance and personal support to our Prophet (saas) in his preaching work. With his devotion to, and deep love of Allah, he was instrumental in many people becoming acquainted with the moral values of Islam.
HAZRAT ABU BAKR’S CHARACTER
Hazrat Abu Bakr was known for his honesty even before embracing Islam. He was a leading member of the Quraysh and took part in meetings on important matters.
Hazrat Abu Bakr looked after blood money and debts, which were under the control of people with elevated virtues chosen by the tribes, who in turn determined the sums to be paid.
The Quraysh abided by his decisions on blood money and gladly paid the sums determined by him.
Hazrat Abu Bakr spent his youth exhibiting highly superior moral values, and was a close friend of the Prophet Muhammad (saas) even before he received the prophethood. Since he was one of the first people to heed the Prophet Muhammad’s (saas) call after he received the prophethood, the Prophet (saas) said to him:
"Abu Bakr heeded my call without any hesitation." (A Great History of Islam from Its Birth to Present, Vol: 2 p: 31)
After embracing Islam, Hazrat Abu Bakr obeyed everything the Prophet (saas) said and always maintained the bounds set by Allah. Because of his honesty, loyalty and chastity our Prophet (saas) referred to him as ‘Al-Siddiq’, meaning the Truthful One. With his broad learning, profound knowledge of religious matters, sure opinions and noble behavior, Hazrat Abu Bakr was an exemplary Companion.
When his son Abdurrahman joined the pagans at the battle of Badr, he fought against his son, and thus showed how he held earning Allah’s approval above all else.
HAZRAT ABU BAKR’S EXEMPLARY SPENDING OF HIS FORTUNE
Hazrat Abu Bakr spent his whole fortune in the cause of Allah. By paying large sums of money to slave owners, he was instrumental in the freeing of many Muslims taken captive by the Quraysh who wanted to force them to return to pagan beliefs.
Hazrat Abu Bakr was active in commerce and Allah bestowed great wealth and assets upon him. Since he spent his entire fortune on spreading Islamic moral values, causing our Prophet (saas) to say this about him;
"Abu Bakr is the leading figure when it comes to sacrificing all his possessions. What an excellent friend Abu Bakr is. There is Islamic love and brotherhood between us." (Bukhari, 8/Salat, 80)
Another account referring to how Hazrat Abu Bakr spent all he had on Allah’s path goes:
Urwa says:
"Aisha (as) told me: When he died, he left behind neither a dirhem nor a dinar." (Nawawi, Tahdhib al-Asma wal Lugat, II,189 Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, al-Isaba fi tamyiz al-Sahaba IV, 279)
THE JOURNEY OF OUR PROPHET (SAAS) AND HAZRAT ABU BAKR (AS)
Our Prophet(saas) left his home on the night of the 27th Safar in the 14th year of his prophethood and went to the home of Hazrat Abu Bakr. He and Hazrat Abu Bakr then left Mecca. Traveling south they came to Mount Thawr and hid in a cave there. That cave in Mount Thawr was known as "Athal." At that point, the pagans came right up to the cave mouth. But our Prophet (saas) was in complete submission to the destiny appointed for them by Allah.
If you do not help him, Allah did help him when the disbelievers drove him out and there were two of them in the Cave.* He said to his companion, ‘Do not be despondent, Allah is with us.’ (Surat at-Tawba, 40)
When the pagans saw that a spider has spun a web over the mouth of the cave, and that pigeons had built a nest and laid eggs there, they assumed nobody was inside and left.
Hazrat Abu Bakr was the devoted friend who sheltered in that cave alongside our Prophet (saas). He thus enjoyed the honor of witnessing that miraculous event.
THE CALIPHATE OF HAZRAT ABU BAKR
Hazrat Abu Bakr never abandoned the Prophet Muhammad (saas) after the migration, and carried the standard at the battle of Tabuk.
In the ninth year of the migration the Prophet (saas) charged him with leading the Hajj caravan.
When our Prophet (saas) fell ill, he appointed him as his representative to lead the Companions in prayer. And after the Prophet’s (saas) death, Hazrat Abu Bakr was chosen as Caliph. After assuming the post of Caliph, Hazrat Abu Bakr addressed the people in these important words:
"O People! I have become your ruler. Yet I am not the best of you. If I do good things, help me. If I do wrong things, show me the true. Honesty is certitude, but lying is betrayal. Even the weakest of you is strong alongside me, so I will protect his rights. But even the strongest of you is weak alongside me, so I will draw others’ rights from him." (Hazrat Muhammad and His Life, DIB Press, Ankara, 1996, p. 435)
With these words, Hazrat Abu Bakr summarized in the finest possible manner the virtues that a ruler possessed of Islamic moral values must have. He achieved much success throughout his brief caliphate of two years:
Disputes began arising at intervals after the death of our Prophet (saas), but he re-established the authority of the State by bringing Muslims together again.
He initiated work on the collection and preservation of the Holy Qur’an.
He was instrumental in Islamic moral values spreading beyond the Arabian Peninsula for the first time, to Syria, Palestine and Iraq.
He strove against false prophets and movements that had no place in religious moral values. He thus ensured that Islamic moral values remained as they were in the time of our Prophet (saas).
HAZRAT ABU BAKR TREATED THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK WITH AFFECTION AND COMPASSION
Hazrat Abu Bakr said that the People of the Book should be treated well, even in times of war. This moral value is very clear in an address he made to his army:
"Do not betray your cause. Do not abandon mercy even in war. Do not kill or persecute children, women or the elderly, and do not cut down date and other fruit trees or kill sheep, goats and other animals except in order to eat them. If you encounter people who are praying in churches, leave them to their worship. If you are offered food and drink, do not eat and drink without saying ’In the Name of Allah’.” (Ibn al-Athir, Al-Kâmil fi at-Tarikh II, 139)
THE SUPERIOR MORAL VALUES OF HAZRAT ABU BAKR IN THE WORDS OF OUR PROPHET (SAAS)
In a hadith from Abu-d Darda related by Bukhari, Prophet Muhammad (saas) says: "It is certain that Allah sent me to you as a prophet, but some people did not believe. But Abu Bakr said ‘You have spoken the truth!’ and helped me with his life and possessions. You will now leave this dear friend to me with this virtue, will you not?” (Prophet Muhammad (saas) said this twice). (Political, Religious, Cultural and Social Islam, Vol: 1 p: 269-270)
In another hadith related by Abu Huraira, the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "Apart from Abu Bakr, there are none whose goodness we have not repaid. He has done such good things for us that Almighty Allah will repay him on the Day of Reckoning... (A History of Political, Religious, Cultural and Social Islam, Kayihan Press, Hasan Ibrahim Hasan, Ziya Kazic, Ismail Yigit, Abdulkerim Ozaydin, Idris Bostan, Fehamettin Basar Vol: 1, p: 270)

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