Before Prophethood

AND THE QURAYSH:
After a long journey, Ibrahim (Alayhis salam) approached Makkah, which
lies in a valley between desolate mountains. As there was no water,
crops could notgrow and human life could not be sustained there.
Accompanied by his wife Hajar and his sonIsma'il, Ibrahim was fleeing
from the cult of idol-worship which had spread throughout the world.
He wanted to establish a centre in which Allah alone would be
worshipped and to which people could be called. It would be a beacon
of guidance and a sanctuary of peace, radiating true faith and
righteousness.
Allah accepted Ibrahim's intention and blessed thespot. After Ibrahim
had left the inhospitable territory, water flowed from a spring to
provide his small family with the means to survive. Hajar and Isma'il
dwelt in this arid place far away from other people. Allah blessed the
spring of Zamzam and, to this day, people continue to drink its water
and to take it with them to all corners of the globe.
While Isma'il was growing up, Ibrahim visited his family. He wanted to
sacrifice Isma'il, who was still onlya child, in order to show that
his love of Allah was greater than his love for his son, just as Allah
had commanded him to in a dream. Isma'il also agreed to Allah's
command that he should be sacrificed. But Allah saved him and provided
a ram from Paradise as a ransom to be sacrificed instead. Isma'ils
survival meant that he would be able to help his father in calling
people to Allah and to become the ancestor of the last Prophet of
Allah, His exalted Messenger.
On a later visit to Makkah,Ibrahim and his son together constructed
the Ka'bah, the House of Allah. They prayed to Allah to accept the
House and to bless their action. They also beseeched Allah to allow
them to live and die in Islam and for Islam to continue after their
death. They asked Allah to send a Prophet from among their descendants
to renew the call of his ancestor Ibrahim and to complete what he had
begun.
'When Ibrahim and Isma'il raised the foundations of the House,
praying, "Our Lord, accept this from us. You are the Hearing, the
Knowing. Our Lord, and make us surrender to You, and make of our
descendants a nation that surrenders to You. Show us our rites and
turn to us, You are the One who turns, the Compassionate. Our Lord,
and send among them a Messenger from among them who will recite to
them Your signs and teach them the Book and the Wisdom and purify
them. You are the Mighty,the Wise. " ' (2: 129-9
Allah blessed their descendants and the family multiplied in that
barren valley. Adnan, a descendant of Isma'il (peace be upon him) had
many children. Among Adnan's descendants Fihr ibn Malik, in
particular, was a distinguished chiefof the tribe. From Fihr's
descendants Qusayy ibn Kilab emerged. He ruled Makkah and held the
keys to the Ka'bah. He inspired obedience, was the guardian of the
waters of Zamzam and was responsible for feeding the pilgrims. He also
presided at the assemblies where the nobles of Makkah gathered for
consultationand he held the banner for war. He alone controlled the
affairs of Makkah.
Among his sons Abd Manaf was the most illustrious, while his eldest
son, Hashim became a great man of the people. He provided food and
water for the pilgrims coming to Makkah. He was the father of
Abdul-Muttalib, the Messenger of Allah's grandfather, who was also in
charge of feeding and giving water to the pilgrims. He was honoured
and held in high esteem by his people and his popularityoutstripped
that of his ancestors. His people loved him.
The descendants of Fihr ibn Malik were called Quraysh. This name came
to predominate over all others and the tribe adopted it. All the Arabs
recognised the excellent lineage and nobility of the Quraysh. Their
eloquence, civility, gallantry and high mindedness were unanimously
accepted.
IDOL WORSHIP IN MAKKAH:
The Quraysh continued tohold to the religion of Ibrahim and Isma'il,
glorifying the creed of tawhid and the worship of Allah alone, until
Amr ibn Luhayy became their chief. He was the first to deviate from
the religion of Isma'il and to set up idols which he encouraged people
to worship. Once he had travelled from Makkah to Syria on business
where he saw people worshipping idols. He was so impressed that he
brought some idols back to Makkah and set them up, commanding the
people there to venerate them.
Traditionally some people would take a few stones from the Haram, the
sanctuary, with them when they travelled fromMakkah as a token of
respect for the holy spot. This led to the day when they began to
worship any stones they liked. Later generations lost track of the
reasons why stones were originally venerated and the Quraysh were
happy to worship stone idols just like the people were doing in
surrounding countries.
THE EVENT OF THE ELEPHANT:
During this period a significant event took place which portended
another happening of even greater importance.It meant that Allah
desired a better future for the Arabs and that theKa'bah would take on
an importance never before attained by any place of worship anywhere
in theworld.
Abrahah al-Ashram, the viceroy of Negus, the King of Abyssinia, who
ruled over the Yemen, built an imposing cathedral in San'a' and named
it 'al-Qullays'. He intended to divert the Arab pilgrimage to San'a'.
As a Christian, he was jealous that the Ka'bah should be the place
where pilgrims gathered and he wanted this position for his church.
The Arabs were stunned by the news. They could not equate any other
place with the love and respect they had for the Ka'bah. They could
not contemplate exchanging it for any other house of worship. They
were preoccupied with the news and discussed it endlessly. An Arab
daredevil from the Kinanah tribe went so faras to enter the cathedral
and defecate in it. Abrahah was furious when he heard about it and
swore that he would not rest until he had destroyed the Ka'bah.
He set out for Makkah with a strong force that included elephants. The
Arabs had heard some frightening stories about elephants. They were
both distressed and alarmed. Although they wanted to obstruct the
progress of Abrahah's army, they realised that they lacked the power
to fight him. They could only leave the matter to Allah and trust to
the fact that He was the Lord of the Ka'bah and would protect it. This
trust is amply demonstrated by aconversation between Abrahah and the
leader of the Quraysh, Abdul-Muttalib, the grandfatherof the Prophet.
Abrahah had seized two hundred camels of his, so Abdul-Muttalib sought
permission to see him. Abrahah treated him with respect, descended
from his throne and sat down beside him. When Abrahah asked what he
wanted, Abdul-Muttalib replied, 'I want you to return my two hundred
camels.'
Abrahah was taken by surprise. He asked, 'Do you wish to speak to me
about your two hundred camels that I have taken but say nothing about
the House on which your religion and that of your forefathers depends
I have come to destroy it, yet you do not speak to me about it!'
Abdul-Muttalib replied, 'I am the owner of the camels. The House also
has an Owner. He will defend 'It will not be defended against me,'
retorted Abrahah. 'That remains to be seen,' said Abdul-Muttalib.
As Abrahah's force drew near, the Quraysh hid high up in the
mountainsand down in the ravines. They feared the army's approach and
waited to see how Allah would savethe sacred sanctuary. Abdul-Muttalib
stood with a group of Quraysh and took hold of the door of the Ka'bah,
imploring Allah to help them against Abrahah and his army.
Abrahah drew up his soldiers to enter Makkah fully intending to
destroythe House. His elephant, whose name was Mahmud, was prepared
for the attack. However, the elephant knelt down on the road and
refused to get up in spite of severe beatings. When they turned it to
face Yemen it got up immediately and moved off.
Allah then sent flocks of birds from the sea; each bird carried stones
in its claws. Whenever a stone struck one of Abrahah's soldiers it
killed him. The Abyssinians fled in terror,rushing back as the stones
hit them. Abrahah was badly hurt. When his soldiers tried to take him
with them, his limbs fell off one by one. They tookhim to San'a' where
he died a miserable death. The Qur'an relates:
'Have you not seen What your Lord did with the people of the Elephant?
Did He not make their plan come to nothing. He sent birds against them
in flocks, stoning them with stones of baked clay. He made them like
eaten stubble.'(l 05: 1-5)
When Allah repelled the Abyssinians from Makkah,the Arabs respect for
the Quraysh increased. They said, 'These are the people of Allah.
Allah fought on their side and helped them to defeat their enemy.'
The Arabs attached great importance to this event and rightly so. They
dated their calendar from it, saying, 'This occurred in the Year of
the Elephant,' and 'So-and-so was born in the Year of the Elephant' or
'This occurred so manyyears after the Year of the Elephant.' The Year
ofthe Elephant was 570 in the Christian calendar.
ABDULLAH AND AMINAH:
Abdul-Muttalib, chief of the Quraysh, had ten sons. Abdullah, the
tenth, was the noblest and his father married him to Aminah, daughter
of Wahb, leader of the BanuZuhrah. At that time, her lineage and
position made her the best woman in the Quraysh.
However before long Abdullah died, leaving a pregnant wife who was to
become the mother of the Messenger of Allah. Aminah saw many signs and
indications that her son would become an important figure in the
future.
NOBLE BIRTH AND PURE LINEAGE:
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was
born on Monday, 12 Rabi'al-Awwal, in the Year of the Elephant (570
C.E.). It was the happiest day ever. His ancestry can be traced back
to the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
His full name is Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul-Muttalib ibn Hashim
ibn Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy ibn Kilab ibn Murrah ibn Ka'b ibn Lu'ayy ibn
Ghalib ibn Fihribn Malik ibn an-Nadr ibnKinanah ibn Khuzaymah ibn
Mudrikah ibn Ilyas ibn Mudar ibn Nizar ibn Ma'add ibn Adnan. The
lineage of Adnan goes back to the Prophet Isma'il, the son of the
Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon both of them).
The Prophet's mother sent a message to his grandfather,
Abdul-Muttalib, telling him that she had given birth to a boy. He came
and looked at the baby lovingly. Then he picked him up and took him
into the Ka'bah. He praised Allah and prayed for his grandson whom he
named Muhammad. The Arabs were not familiar with this name and were
surprised by it.
BABYHOOD:
It was the custom in Makkah for suckling babies to be put in the care
of a desert tribe where they grew up in the traditional healthy
outdoor environment. Abdul-Muttalib looked fora wet-nurse for his
fatherless grandson, whom he loved more than all his children. Halimah
as-Sa'diyah who received this good fortune had left her home to find a
suckling child. It was a year of severe drought and her people were
suffering hardship. They needed some income, The baby (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace) had been offered to many nurses but they had
refused him, because they were hoping for a good payment from the
child's father. 'An orphan!' they would exclaim, 'What can his mother
or grandfather do!'
Halimah also left him at first but her heart had warmed to him. Allah
inspired her with love forthis baby so she returnedto fetch him and
took him home with her. Up until this time she had been an unlucky
person but now she found countless blessings. Her animals' udders and
her own breasts overflowed with milk and her aged camel and lame
donkey were rejuvenated. Everyone said, 'Halimah you have taken a
blessed child.' Her friends envied her.
She continued to enjoy prosperity from Allah until the baby had spent
two years with the Banu Sa'd and was weaned. Hewas growing up
differently from the other children. Halimah took him to his mother
and asked if she could keep him for a longer- period and Aminah
agreed.
While the infant, who was to become the Messenger of Allah, was with
the Banu Sa'd two angels came and split open his chest. They removed a
black clot from his heart and threw it away. Then they cleansed his
heart and replaced it.
He tended sheep with hisfoster brothers and was reared in an
uncomplicated, natural environment. He lived the healthy life of the
desert and spoke the pure Arabic for which theBanu Sa'd ibn Bakr were
famous. He was sociable and popular. His foster brothers loved him and
he loved them.
Eventually he returned toMakkah to live with his mother and
grandfather. He thrived under Allah's care and grew up to be healthy
and strong.
THE DEATHS OF AMINAH AND ABDUL-MUTTALIB:
When the Messenger of Allah was six years old, his mother, Aminah,
died.She had taken him to Yathrib to visit her relatives and on the
journey back her death occurred at al-Abwa between Makkah and Madinah
. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) must have felt very
lonely at this time but he went to stay with his grandfather who was
extremely kind to him. Hewould sit Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him) on his favourite seat in the shade of the Ka'bah and
affectionately caress him.
When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless himand grant him peace)
was eight, Abdul-Muttalibalso died.
HIS UNCLE,ABU TALIB:
The Messenger of Allah then went to live with hisuncle, Abu Talib, the
full brother of his father, Abdullah. Abdul-Muttalib had told Abu
Talib to takegood care of the boy so he was always protective towards
him. He treated him with more kindness than he showed to his own sons,
Ali, Ja'far and Aqil.
DIVINE TRAINING:
As he grew up, the Messenger of Allah was protected by Allah Almighty.
He distanced himself from the obscenities and bad habits of the
Jahiliyyah. He outshone everyone in manliness, character, modesty,
truthfulness, and trustworthiness. He earned respect and the name
'trustworthy'. He respected family ties and shared the burdens of
others. He honoured his guests and demonstratedpiety and fear of God.
He always provided his own food and was content with simple meals.
When he was about fourteen years old, the Fijar War broke out between
the tribes of Quraysh and Qays. The Messenger of Allah was atsome of
the battles, passing arrows for his uncles to fire. He learned about
war and about horsemanship and chivalry during these tribal
encounters.
MARRIAGE TO KHADIJA(R.A.):
When the Messenger of Allah was twenty-five, he married Khadijah bint
Khuwaylid, a Qurayshi woman of excellent character who was then forty
years of age. She had a fine intellect, noblecharacter and great
wealth. She had been widowed when her husband, Abu Halah, died.
Khadijah was a businesswoman who hired men to trade goodsfor her and
gave them a share of her profits. The Quraysh were a merchantpeople.
She tested the truthfulness of the Messenger of Allah, his noble
character and his sincerity when he took some of her goods to Syria to
trade. When she was told about his outstanding competence on this
journey she expressed her desire to marry him although she had refused
the offer of many noblemen of the Quraysh. The Messenger of Allah also
wished to marry her. His uncle Hamzah conveyed the khutbah, the
marriage proposal, to Khadijah's family and they all readily agreed to
it. When the marriage took place Abu Talib delivered the khutbah at
the ceremony.
Khadijah was the first woman that the Messenger of Allah married and
she bore him all his children except Ibrahim.
REBUILDING THE KA'BAH:
When the Messenger of Allah was thirty-five, the Quraysh decided to
rebuild the Ka'bah. Apart from needing a new roof, they found that the
stone walls, that were higher than a man's head, had no clay to
bindthe stones together. Theyhad no alternative but to demolish the
building and erect it again.
When the rebuilding had reached the point where the traditional Black
Stone had to be put in place, they began to argue. Each clan wanted to
have the honour of carrying out this prestigious task. They began to
argue fiercely among themselves. During these pagan days far more
trivial issues than this could spark off a war.
They prepared to fight. The Banu Abdu'd-Dar brought a large bowl
filled with blood. They and the Banu Adi put their hands in the blood
and took a vow to fight to the death.
It was a sign of death and evil. The Quraysh remained in that sorry
state for several days, before agreeing that the first person to enter
the door of the mosque should make the decisionabout placing the Black
Stone. The first to enter was the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless
himand grant him peace). When they saw him, they said, 'This is the
trustworthy one. We are pleased. This is Muhammad.'
The Messenger of Allah called for a piece of cloth He took the stone
and placed it in the centre of the cloth. Then he said that each clan
should take a corner of the clothand lift it together. They did this,
bringing it to its position. He put the BlackStone in place with his
own hands, and then the building continued.
This was how the Messenger of Allah prevented a war from breaking out
among the Quraysh by a supreme demonstration of wisdom.
HILF AL-FUDUL:
The Messenger of Allah was present at the Hilf al-Fudul. This was the
most renowned alliance ever heard of in Arabia. Itwas formed because a
man from Zabid had arrived in Makkah with some merchandise and al-As
ibn Wa'il, one of theQuraysh nobles, bought goods from him and
thenwithheld payment. The Zabidi asked the Quraysh nobles for help
against al-As ibn Wa'il, but they refused to intervene because of his
position. The Zabidi then appealedto the people of Makkah as a whole
for support.
All the fair-minded youngmen were full of enthusiasm to put the matter
right. They met in the house of Abdullah ibnJud'an who prepared food
for them. They made a covenant by Allahthat they would unite with the
wronged man against the one who had wronged him until the matter was
settled. The Arabs called that pact Hilf al-Fudul, 'The Alliance of
Excellence'. They said, 'These people have entered into a state of
excellence.' Then they went to al-As ibn Wa'il and took from him what
he owed to the Zabidi and handed it over.
The Messenger of Allah was proud of this alliance. He held it in such
high esteem that, after receiving the message of Islam, he said,'In
the house of Abdullah ibn Jud'an I was present at an alliance which
was such that if I was invited to take part in it now in Islam, I
would still do so.' The Quraysh pledged to restore to everyone whatwas
their due and not to allow any aggressor to get the better of those
hehad wronged.
In Allah's wisdom, His Messenger was allowed to grow up unlettered. He
could neither read norwrite. Thus, he could never be accused by his
enemies of altering otherideologies. The Qur'an indicates this when it
says, 'Before this you did not recite any Book nor write it with your
right hand for then those who follow falsehood would have doubted.'
(29: 48)
The Qur'an called him 'unlettered' and said, 'those who follow the
Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, whom they find written down with
them in the Torah and Evangel.' (7:157)