Chapter One: The Sending of the Prophet and a Summary of His Biography

Chapter One: The Sending of the Prophet and a Summary of His Biography
Section One: Preparation for Prophethood
Section Two: A Short Biography of the Prophet –peace be upon him– and His Lineage
Section Three: The Beginning of Revelation

Section One: Preparation for Prophethood
Allah –the Mighty and Majestic– facilitated many matters in the lead up to the sending and prophethood of the Prophet J foretelling his coming.

For example:
1. The supplication of Abraham, the glad tidings given by Jesus –peace be upon them both– and the vision of his mother Amina: The Prophet  said regarding himself: “Indeed I was the servant of Allah and the last of the Prophets when Adam –peace be upon him– was still clay; and I shall inform you of the explanation of that: the supplication of my father Abraham, and the glad tidings of Jesus to his people, and the vision which my mother had.”[445]

The meaning of this narration is:
that the Prophet –peace be upon him– said:
I am the answer to the supplication of Abraham –peace be upon him– who was the chosen beloved servant of Allah; because when he was raising the foundations of the Kaaba with his son Ishmael.

Allah informed us in the Quran of his saying:
]رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلۡ مِنَّآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ١٢٧ رَبَّنَا وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا مُسۡلِمَيۡنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ أُمَّةٗ مُّسۡلِمَةٗ لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبۡ عَلَيۡنَآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ١٢٨ رَبَّنَا وَٱبۡعَثۡ فِيهِمۡ رَسُولٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ يَتۡلُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَٰتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمۡۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ]
Sura al-Baqarah; (2):127-129
]Meaning: Our Lord, accept this from us. Verily You are the all-Hearing, the all-Knowing. Our Lord and make us submissive unto You and from our offspring a nation submissive to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who Accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.]

Allah answered the supplication of Abraham and Ishmael –peace be upon them both– thus the last prophet was Muhammad –peace be upon him– who was from their descendants.

As for his saying:
“And the glad tidings of Jesus”: that is because Jesus –peace be upon him– gave glad tidings of Prophet Muhammad’s coming.

just as Allah mentioned in the Quran:
]وَإِذۡ قَالَ عِيسَى ٱبۡنُ مَرۡيَمَ يَٰبَنِيٓ إِسۡرَٰٓءِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيۡكُم مُّصَدِّقٗا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةِ وَمُبَشِّرَۢا بِرَسُولٖ يَأۡتِي مِنۢ بَعۡدِي ٱسۡمُهُۥٓ أَحۡمَدُۖ]
Sura as-Saff; (61):6
]Meaning: And remember when Jesus the son of Mary said: “O children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.]

Jesus –peace be upon him– was the last of the prophets sent to the Israelites. There were no other prophets between him and Muhammad. He gave glad tidings of a prophet called Ahmad succeeding him; and from the names of Prophet Muhammad –peace be upon him– is Ahmad.

As for the vision of his mother:
then she had a true vision when the pains of childbirth overcame her, and she delivered him – wherein there appeared to her eyes a light that illuminated for him Basra in the Levant.[446]

2. The fact that the Prophet –peace be upon him– emerged from the Arab nation:
The Arab nation was given precedence over the rest of the nations present at that time. It was prepared for the spiritual reformation of humanity contained by Islam, despite being an illiterate, idolatrous nation that was split and divided due to its strong nomadism.

On the other hand, the Arab nation was distinguished with independent thought, individual freedom, intelligence, independent will, self-respect, heroism, as well as both physical and mental strength.

The Arab nation was also the closest to establishing justice between individuals.

Likewise, they reached the peak of eloquence and magniloquence. This was something that made them receptive and responsive to intellectual evidence, as well as literary and poetic devices.

Furthermore, it enabled them to communicate divine and religious knowledge, as well as logic and cosmology – at a time when the other nations were divided by religious and doctrinal partisanship, in addition to racial intolerance.

The greatest trait possessed by the Arabs –however– was that their natural dispositions remained undamaged, even though the developed civilisations were more advanced than them in all arts and manufacture.

Islamic reform is based upon giving precedence to reformation of the soul –by independence of the mind and will, and correction of one’s character– over reformation of that which the earth contains from minerals, plants, and animals.

In this way, Allah –the Mighty and Majestic– prepared this nation for the great reform brought by Muhammad J.[447]

3. The nobility of his lineage: His lineage is the purest and noblest of lineages.

just as Allah the Almighty said:
]إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصۡطَفَىٰٓ ءَادَمَ وَنُوحٗا وَءَالَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَءَالَ عِمۡرَٰنَ عَلَى ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ]
Sura aali-`Imran; (3):33
]Meaning: Indeed, Allah chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran over the worlds (mankind & jinn).]

Similarly, there occurs in Sahih Muslim the narration of Wathilah bin al-Asqa` that he said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah –peace be upon him– saying: “Verily Allah chose Kinana (tribe) from amongst the descendants of Ishmael, and He chose the tribe of Quraish from amongst Kinana, and He chose the Banu Hashem clan from amongst Quraish, and he chose me from amongst Banu Hashem.”[448]

Allah granted eminence to the Banu Hashem clan due to that which they were distinguished with from virtues and morals. Hence they were the most honest of people at times of unrest, and the best of them to the poor and orphans.

`Amr bin `Abd Manaf was nicknamed Hashem due to him being the first person to break bread for Tharid –which is a delicious dish– which he would give to those affected by drought. Every year all of the pilgrims would eat to their fill, and his dinner table remained food-laden in times of ease and hardship alike.

`Abdul-Muttalib –the grandfather of the Prophet –peace be upon him– outdid Hashem in this regard, and even fed the animals and birds. He was also the first person to worship in the cave of Hira, and it is said that he abstained from drinking wine.

In summary:
The family of the Prophet –peace be upon him– surpassed the rest of their people in ethics, morality, and virtue. Allah chose Muhammad –peace be upon him– from amongst the clan of Banu Hashem – making him the best of the children of Adam, and their chief.[449]

4. He  had exemplary character:
Allah –the Exalted– created him having noble traits, and praiseworthy qualities. Prior to prophethood he was the best of his people –the best of mankind, even– due to the purification of his soul, the soundness of his natural disposition, and his excellent manners and character.

He was well-known for his honesty, trustworthiness, and fine manners. This was something that caused him to have such a high standing in society before prophethood – to the extent he was nicknamed ‘the trustworthy one’.

Muhammad –peace be upon him– remained upon this until he reached full strength and maturity in body and mind –not desiring wealth or reputation, nor seeking fame or prestige– until the revelation came to him from the Lord of the Worlds.[450]

5. The fact he was illiterate; unable to read or write:
This was from the greatest of preparations and proofs indicating the truth of his prophethood; the fact an unlettered man emerged from an illiterate nation having never read a single book or written a single word, nor having ever uttered any poetry or spoken in prose extemporaneously – the fact he came with such a tremendous call and a divine, just legislation which eradicated all social chaos and guaranteed its adherents perfect human happiness while freeing them from the enslavement of worshipping other than their Lord, the Mighty and Majestic.

All of this proved the truthfulness of his prophethood and acted as preparation for it.[451]

6. The fact he was raised in Makkah – the good land that Allah chose to be the location for the first house upon earth establishing His monotheism, sincere worship, and perfect rites.

Allah –the Exalted and Most High– said:
]إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيۡتٖ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكٗا وَهُدٗى لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ]
Sura aali-`Imran; (3):96
]Meaning: Indeed, the first house of worship established for mankind was that at Makkah – blessed and a guidance for the worlds (mankind).][452]

-------------------------------------------------------

(445) See: ‘al–Musnad’ (no. 17280); ‘Dala•il an–Nubuwwah’ of al–Bayhaqi (1/80–82); & ‘ar–Rawd al–Unuf’ of as–Suhayli (1/290).

(446) See: ‘Dala•il an–Nubuwwah’ of al–Bayhaqi (1/80–84); & ‘Khulasat as–Sirah an–Nabawiyyah wad–Da`wah al–Islamiyyah’ of Shaikh Muhammmad Rashid (pp. 13–14).

(447) See: ‘Khulasat as–Sirah an–Nabawiyyah’ (pp. 3–7).

(448) Reported by Muslim (no. 2276).

(449) See: ‘al–Fusul fi Sirat ar–Rasul’ of Ibn Kathir (pp. 5–7); & ‘Khulasat as–Sirah an–Nabawiyyah’ (pp. 10–11).

(450) See: ‘Khulasat as–Sirah’ (pp. 17–19).

(451) See: ‘Khulasat as–Sirah’ (pp. 25).

(452) See: ‘Akhbaru Makkah fi Qadim ad–Dahr wa Hadithihi’ of al–Fakihi ((126) 5/190).

Section Two: A Short Biography of the Prophet –peace be upon him– and His Lineage
His lineage:
He was Muhammad the son of `Abdullah, the son of `Abdul-Muttalib, the son of Hashim, the son of `Abd Manaf, the son of Qusayy, the son of Kilab, the son of Murrah, the son of Ka`b, the son of Lu’ayy, the son of Ghalib, the son of Fihr, the son of Malik, the son of an-Nadhr, the son of Kinanah, the son of Khuzaymah, the son of Mudrikah, the son of Ilyas, the son of Mudar, the son of Nizar, the son of Ma`d, the son of Adnan. Adnan was from the Arabs, who were from the descendants of Ishmael the son of Abraham –peace be upon them both.[453]

The mother of the Prophet –peace be upon him– was Amina the daughter of Wahb, the son of `Abd Manaf, the son of Zuhrah – who was the brother of the grandfather of the Prophet.

After `Abdullah – the father of the Prophet –peace be upon him–married her; he remained with her and her family for three days, after which she became pregnant with the Prophet –peace be upon him–. She found great ease in bearing him – as is the case with healthy, chaste women.[454]

His mother had a vision while she was pregnant with him – mention of which has preceded.

His birth:
As a baby he was handsome, fit, and in good health. His birth was in the Year of the Elephant, corresponding with the year 571CE.[455]

His father died while he was in the womb of his mother, thus his grandfather `Abdul-Muttalib nurtured him. His mother suckled him for three days, after which his grandfather entrusted his suckling to a woman by the name of Halima as-Sa`diyyah.

His suckling amongst the tribe of Sa`d:
It was from the customary practices of the Arabs that they would send their children to be suckled in desertlike regions, as it led to them growing up strong and healthy.[456]

Due to her new foster child, the household of Halima as-Sa`diyyah was showered with blessings in a way they had not previously experienced. For example, they had travelled to Makkah on a frail jenny. On the return journey from Makkah, however, as Halima rode with the infant on her lap, the jenny moved so swiftly that it left the rest of the caravan behind. This was something that amazed her fellow travellers.

Halima used to complain that her breast milk did not suffice her nursling and that he would constantly cry out of hunger. However, when the Prophet –peace be upon him– would suckle, her breasts overflowed with milk to the extent that she would breastfeed them both until they were satisfied.

Halima also narrated that the homeland of her people –the Sa`d tribe– was drought-stricken. Upon being granted the honour of suckling her foster child, both her land and cattle yielded, and her circumstances changed from suffering and poverty to happiness and ease.

After two years had passed, Halima took him back to his mother and grandfather in Makkah. However, she pleaded with his mother to let her keep him for longer, due to that which she witnessed from the blessings she had been granted because of him. His mother Amina consented, and thus Halima returned home delighted with Muhammad.

After the passing of yet another two years, Halima returned him to his mother at the age of four. Thereafter his mother looked after him until her passing when he was six years old. Then, for the next two years, he remained under the guardianship of his grandfather. Before his grandfather died, he instructed his son – Abu Talib, who was the paternal uncle of the Prophet –peace be upon him– to take custody of him. Upon the passing of the Prophet’s grandfather, Abu Talib took Muhammad –peace be upon him– under his care, treating him the same as his own family and children.[457]

Abu Talib lived a harsh life and thus the Prophet –peace be upon him– was not accustomed to luxury. Perhaps this was out of Allah’s concern for His noble Prophet.

Muhammad –peace be upon him– grew accustomed to shepherding with his milk siblings during the time he spent in the desert with the tribe of Sa`d. This was something he continued to do for the people of Makkah, as it provided him with a wage that enabled him to be financially independent of his uncle.

Travelling with his uncle to the Levant, and his meeting with Bahira the monk: At the age of twelve years, two months, and ten days, the Prophet –peace be upon him– accompanied his uncle –Abu Talib– upon a trade expedition to the Levant. During the journey, Bahira the monk saw Muhammad –peace be upon him– and gave his uncle glad tidings. He also warned him of the enmity of the Jews upon seeing the Seal of Prophethood between his shoulders.

Travelling on business with Khadijah’s wealth:
Muhammad –peace be upon him– travelled again to do business with the wealth of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. She paid him more than she used to pay other wageworkers as the trip was extremely profitable for her. Rather it brought her bliss in this world and the Hereafter.

Khadijah was the wisest and most desirable woman from Quraysh, to the extent she used to be called even prior to Islam:
‘The Pure One’ – due to that which she possessed from chastity, purity, and apparent virtue.

His marriage to Khadijah:
When her servant –Maysarah– informed her of what he had witnessed upon the journey from the excellent character and virtue of the Prophet –peace be upon him–, as well as that which Bahira the monk said to his paternal uncle –Abu Talib–, she was impressed by what she heard and she desired him as her husband. Khadijah was a widow before her happy marriage to Muhammad –peace be upon him– at approximate age of forty. He was twenty-five years old at the time.

The Prophet –peace be upon him– did not marry anyone else during her lifetime and he did not love anyone else like her. She died ten years after his prophethood. He would mention her frequently, spend in charity on her behalf, and give gifts to her friends. She bore all of his children except for Ibrahim – who was born by his bondmaid, Maria al-Qibtiyyah.

This is a small glimpse at the life of the Prophet –peace be upon him– and some of the events that occurred prior to prophethood and revelation.[458]

---------------------------------------------------

(455) See: ‘Hada•iq an–Anwar’ of Ibn ad–Dabi` ash–Shafi`i (1/29); ‘Khulasat as–Sirah’ (pp. 14); & ‘Fiqh as–Sirah’ of Shaikh Muhammad al–Ghazali, with referencing by Shaikh al–Albani (pp. 58–63).

(456) See: ‘Jawami` as–Sirah an–Nabawiyyah’ of Ibn Hazm al–Andalusi (pp. 607); & ‘ar–Rawd al–Unuf’ (1/278–286, and 297).

(457) See: ‘ar–Rawd al–Unuf’ (1/300–301); & ‘A`lam an–Nubuwwah’ of al–Mawardi (pp. 248–249).

(458) See: ‘Sunan at–Tirmidhi’ (no. 3620); ‘Dala•il an–Nubuwwah’ (1/90–92); ‘ar–Rawd al–Unuf’ (1/313–318); ‘al–Khasa•is al–Kubra’ of as–Suyuti (1/226); ‘Khulasat as–Sirah’ (pp. 15–16); ‘Muhammadun Rasulullah’ of Ahmad Taymur Basha (pp. 35–36); & ‘Fiqh as–Sirah’ of al–Ghazali (pp. 68–69).

Section Three: The Beginning of Revelation
The Prophet –peace be upon him– attained maturity and reached his mental and physical peak as he approached the age of forty. Revelation started in the form of good dreams, such that he would not have a dream except it came true like bright daylight – precisely as he had dreamt it.

The solitude of the Prophet –peace be upon him– in the cave of Hira, and the sending down of Revelation to him:
Solitude was made beloved to him and hence he would isolate himself in the cave of Hira in Makkah. Here he would worship Allah for nights on end before returning to Khadijah to stock up on food and water. He remained upon this state until the truth came to him in the month of Ramadan when the Quran was revealed to him.

The angel Gabriel appeared to him to teach him the first verses that were revealed of the Quran, saying: “Read!” “I cannot read,” he said. The angel repeated: “Read!” to which he replied: “I cannot read.” Once again, the angel commanded him: “Read!” “I cannot read,” he restated. After each of the three answers the angel would press his chest and squeeze it until he could bear it no longer.

When Gabriel let him go after the third time, he recited the first verses that were revealed of the Quran.

He said:
]ٱقۡرَأۡ بِٱسۡمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ١ خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِنۡ عَلَقٍ ٢ ٱقۡرَأۡ وَرَبُّكَ ٱلۡأَكۡرَمُ ٣ ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِٱلۡقَلَمِ ٤ عَلَّمَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مَا لَمۡ يَعۡلَمۡ]
Sura al-`Alaq; (96):1-5
]Meaning: Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created all that exists. He created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught to write with the pen.]

With these tremendous verses –that command with knowledge and inform of how humans are created– revelation began to be sent down upon the Prophet –peace be upon him–. He returned to his wife, Khadijah, with a trembling heart – however he kept his sanity. “Wrap me up! Wrap me up!” he said. He ordered her to cover him with garments. She did so until his fear was dispelled, then he informed her of what had happened. “I feared for myself [that I may die or fall sick permanently]” he told her.

Khadijah –may Allah be pleased with her– said in reply:
“Never! I swear by Allah that He would never disgrace you. You maintain the ties of kinship, you bear the burdens of the poor, you help the destitute, you honour the guest, and you assist those who are stricken with calamities.”

In this way Khadijah –by way of her wisdom– assured her husband that whoever desired good for the people then Allah would not disgrace them. The established way of Allah entails that a person is rewarded in accordance with their deeds.

Khadijah then took the Prophet –peace be upon him– to her cousin –Waraqa bin Nawfal– who had converted to Christianity in the days of pre-Islamic ignorance. He used to write the Gospels in Hebrew and was old in age, having become blind. Khadijah said to him: “Listen to what Muhammad has to say.” “What have you seen, my nephew?” Nawfal asked. The Prophet –peace be upon him– informed Nawfal of what had occurred. Upon hearing what had happened, Waraqa said: “This is the paraclete[459] that was sent to Moses. Would that I were a youth –i.e. young– and would that I were alive when your people expel you.”

The Messenger –peace be upon him– said to him:
“Will my people really expel me?!” He replied: “Yes. No man has ever come with the like of which you have and not been held in enmity; but if I should live to that day, I will give you great help.” Waraqa died soon afterwards, and the revelation ceased.[460]

No further revelation was sent after the first instance for the following three years, during which the Prophet increased in readiness and his yearning and longing grew.

The Prophet –peace be upon him– said:
“As I was walking, I heard a voice in the sky, and when I looked up towards the sky, I saw the angel who had come to me in the cave of Hira. He was sitting on a chair in-between the sky and the earth. I was so startled[461] by him that I fell to the ground. I came to my family and said: “Cover me! Cover me”.

He described himself as being terrified by him, however the terror on the second occasion was less than the first. When he returned to his family he enshrouded and wrapped himself up – i.e. he enveloped himself completely in garments.

Allah the Almighty then revealed to him His saying:
]يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُدَّثِّرُ ١ قُمۡ فَأَنذِرۡ ٢ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرۡ ٣ وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرۡ ٤ وَٱلرُّجۡزَ فَٱهۡجُرۡ]
Sura al-Muddathir; (74):1-5
]Meaning: O you enveloped! Arise and warn! And your Lord Magnify! And your garments purify! And defilement forsake!]

The explanation of this revelation is:
O you who has enveloped himself garments! Arise and warn the people with the Quran; convey Allah’s call to them; purify your garments and deeds from the defilements of polytheism; forsake the idols; and abandon the idolaters.

The continuation of revelation, and the Prophet’s calling to Islam:
Revelation continued to be sent down successively following that, and the Prophet –peace be upon him– conveyed the call of his Lord. Allah revealed to him the command to invite people to His worship alone, and to the religion of Islam – which He chose for mankind and concluded all religions with. The Prophet –peace be upon him– undertook the mission, calling to the way of his Lord with wisdom, fair preaching, and disputation with that which was best.[462]

The first to answer his call were:
Khadijah from the women; Abu Bakr as-Siddiq from the men; and `Ali bin Abi Talib from the children. After that the people continued to embrace Islam and the Muslims grew in number. Due to this, the polytheists persecuted him severely – expelling him from Makkah and torturing his companions. So he migrated to Madinah wherein the revelation continued to be sent down upon him. He continued his call –fighting religious wars and conquering– until his successful conquest of Makkah.

Thereafter Allah completed for him the religion and contented him with the glory of Islam and multitude of Muslims, before He caused him to die at the age of sixty-three years. Forty years he spent before prophethood, and twenty-three he spent as a prophet and messenger.[463]

By way of his death Allah concluded the divine messages and made it obligatory upon the jinn and mankind to obey him. Whoever obeys him will attain happiness in this world and shall enter Paradise in the Hereafter; and whoever disobeys him shall be miserable in this world and will enter the Fire in the Hereafter.

After Allah –the Mighty and Majestic– caused the Prophet –peace be upon him– to die, his Companions adhered to his way. They conveyed his call, conquered many lands in the name of Islam, and propagated the Religion of Truth until it reached the ends of the earth. His religion shall remain until the Day of Resurrection.

What can be said regarding an unlettered man who grew up amongst an illiterate people – yet he brought about a reformation that changed the entire history of humanity, and that encompassed legislation, politics, and all other aspects of religion and worldly life? A reform that expanded –with its language– in a single century from the region of Hijaz to the distant regions of Europe and Africa in the west, and to China in the Far East. A reform that all nations yielded to and all countries succumbed to. A reform that captivated the souls before the bodies, and that resulted in civilisation and advancement, justice and mercy, as well as the sciences of logic and cosmology.

All of this occurred at the hands of a nation who had only recently become literate. A nation purified by the Quran and taught by it that personal reform leads to universal reform. Is it at all possible that this could have occurred without revelation from One All-Wise, all-Knowing; or that it could have happened without Divine aid from the True God, the Almighty, the all-Powerful, the Most Merciful?[464]

------------------------------------------------------

(459) Paraclete (Arabic: Namus): One entrusted with the secret of a king. It is also said to mean: one entrusted with the secret of a person, and is used in contradistinction to the word ‘spy’ – one who seeks to know the evil deeds of another. See: ‘ar–Rawd al–Unuf’ (1/408)

(460) See: ‘Sahih al–Bukhari’ (no. 4953); ‘Muslim’ (no. 161); ‘ar–Rawd al–Unuf’ (1/396); & ‘Khulasat as–Sirah an–Nabawiyyah’ (pp. 19–20).

(461) Startled by him: i.e. frightened and scared. See: ‘an–Nihayah fi Gharib al–Hadith’ of Ibn al–Athir (1/228).

(462) See: ‘Jawami` as–Sirah’ (pp. 21).

(463) See: ‘Jawami` as–Sirah’ (pp. 6–7).

(464) See: ‘Khulasat as–Sirah’ (pp. 30–31).