LIFE OF PROPHET
The Main Events of Prophet’s Life from Birth to
Prophet Hood:
Birth and Upbringing:
The prophet (PBUH) was born on 12th Rabi-ul-Awal, 570 A.D.
His father had died six months before his birth.
At his birth, he was given to his foster mother, Halima Saadia, who
took him to a village and he returned at the age of six.
When he came back, his mother, Aamnah, took him to Yasrib to meet
a few relatives and visit the grave of the Prophet’s father.
However, on their way back Hazrat Aamnah fell ill and died.
The Prophet was escorted back by a slave girl Umm-e-Aimen.
Back in Makkah, the Prophet’s grandfather, Abdul Mutalib took his
custody; but he too passed away two years later.
So, now, the prophet’s paternal uncle, Abu Talib, took his care and
trained him as a shepherd.
Once, the Prophet was accompanying his uncle on a trade journey to
Syria, when on their way they met a Christian Monk, Bahira. Bahira
recognized in the prophet, signs of prophet hood and cautioned them to not
continue their journey ahead.
When the prophet was 15 years old, war broke out between two
tribes.
The Prophet accompanied his uncles in this war – known as the
sacrilegious war – but he had no major role in them apart from collecting
arrows thrown by the enemy and handing them over to his uncles.
After this war, a committee was formed in Makkah to prevent further
bloodshed.
This was called the Half-ul-Fazul, and the Prophet was not only
present but actively participated.
He is reported to have said: “I was present at the house of Abdullah
Bin Judan at so excellent a pact that if toady in Islam I were summoned
unto it I would gladly respond”.
Marriage to Khadija:
During his early years, the Prophet came to be known as Al-Sadiq
and Al-Amin.
In such times, a widow trader, Hazrat Khadija, needed a trustworthy
person to carry her goods to Syria.
She heard of the good character of the prophet and decided to hire
him.
She sent her slave girl Maisara along on the trade expedition, and
when they returned not just had the Prophet made huge profits, but
Maisara spoke a lot good about the Prophet. Hazrat Khadija was so
impressed that she sent a marriage proposal to the Prophet, which was
accepted on his behalf by Abu Talib, his uncle.,
Although Hazrat Khadija was 15 years older than the Prophet, they
had a successful marriage and had 6 children, 2 of whom died in infancy.
Fixing of Black Stone:
Later, once, when the Ka’abah was being rebuilt, the issue of fixing
the black stone aroused. Everybody wanted to this prestigious task and
none was willing to compromise; so much so that bloodshed was feared.
In such a hostile situation, an elderly man suggested that anybody
who entered the Ka’abah first would make the decision.
Fortunately, it was the Holy Prophet who made a very wise decision.
He laid the stone on a sheet and told the leaders of the tribes to hold
the sheet from each corner and lift it up.
When the stone reached the desired level, the Prophet picked the
stone and placed it on its position. Thus everyone was happy.
Gradually, when the Prophet was nearing the age of 40, he used to
take dates and water and meditate in the cave of Hira, pondering over the
ill practices of Arabs.
The Main Events of His Activities in Makkah and
Experience with Opponents: ·
First Revelation:
When the Prophet was nearing the age of 40, in 610 A.D, he would
take dates and water along and meditate in the cave of Hira.
He used to ponder over the god of his fore fathers, especially Hazrat
Ibrahim and he detested the ill practices of the Arabs.
One such day, towards the end of Ramzan an angel appeared before
him and asked him to read.
The Prophet replied that he could not read since he had not received
any formal education. The angel then hugged him tightly and asked him
again to read.
The Prophet again replied that he could not read.
The angel again squeezed the Prophet tightly and repeated his
demand for the third time. The Prophet finally asked, what should I read?
In response, the angel recited the first 4 verses of Surah Alaq:
Read! In the name of your Lord, who created, Created man out
of a clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And your Lord is most
bountiful, He who taught by the pen, Taught man what he did not
know.
After the Prophet had recited these verses, the angel disappeared.
In confusion, the Prophet ran out of the cave.
Outside, he saw the angel filling the horizon and then he heard a
voice: “O Muhammad! You are the messenger of Allah and I am
Jibrael”.
The Prophet ran to his house and asked Hazrat Khadija to cover him
up in a blanket.
He then narrated the entire incident to her.
On hearing the entire account, Hazrat Khadija pacified him by
saying: “you have never done any wrong to anyone. You are kind to
the others and help the poor. Allah will not let you down”.
Hazrat Khadija later took the Prophet to her cousin and Christian
scholar, Warqah-bin-Naufil.
Warqah confirmed the prophet hood of the prophet and said that he
had been visited by the same angel who had visited other prophets.
He also forewarned that the Prophet will be expelled from his own city
by his own people.
Opposition and Persecution by the Quraish:
During his early years, the Prophet had to face severe persecution and
opposition from the Quriash, some examples are mentioned below:
When the prophet first called them to Islam at the mount of safa, he
was ridiculed and made fun of.
Once, when the Prophet was praying a Quraish threw the intestines
of a camel on his back while he was prostrating.
Umm-e-Jabeel, the wife of Abu Lahb, used to throw thorny bushes
on the path of Prophet.
Abu Lahb told his sons to divorce their wives who were the Prophet’s
Daughters, just to add to his worries.
During the tie when there was a gap between the revelations the
makkans used to mock the Prophet that his God had abandoned him.
A lady used to throw rubbish on the Prophet.
The makkans wrote poems to ridicule the Prophet and called him a
magician.
They also offered him bribes like making him king or marrying him to
the prettiest girl so that he would stop preaching Islam.
When both of the Prophet’s sons passed away in infancy, the Quraish
called him “abtar” – he who has no male descendants.
In between such persecutions, Prophet’s wife Hazrat Khadija and his
uncle Hazrat Abu Talib passed away. This was a huge loss for the Prophet
because both of them had been a source of immense support for the
Prophet. It was because of this tragic loss that the Prophet called this year
the year of grief.
Sometime later, the Prophet visited Taif to preach Islam. He was
accompanied by his adopted son Zaid Bin Haris. When the Prophet called
the people of Taif to Islam, he had to face a very negative response. The
young boys of Taif hurled stones at the Prophet and was forced to retreat in
a badly bleeding condition.
The final blow was when the Makkans gathered at Dar-un-Nadwa
and made a plan to assassinate the Holy Prophet, so much so that he and
his followers were forced to migrate to Madinah.
Not only the Prophet himself, but his followers also had to face
maltreatment and the hands of Quraish. Cited below are some examples:
Hazrat Bilal – an Abyssinian slave – was tortured by his master
Ummaya Bin Khalf. Ummaya would tie a rope around Hazrat Bilal’s neck
and drag him on the streets. He would also make Hazrat Bilal on burning
coal and place a stone on his chest so that he could not move. Yet, Hazrat
Bilal never renounced his faith and remained steadfast. He was later freed
by Hazrat Abu Bakr.
Hazrat Abu Bakr himself was tied with a rope along with Hazrat
Talha.
Hazrat Usman was tortured by his very own uncle.
Hazrat Zinra was persecuted to an extent that she lost her eye sight.
Hazrat Talha and Zubair were dragged in streets and suffocated.
The parents were of Hazrat Ammar Bin Yasir were tortured to
death. Infact, his mother Hazrat Summayah was the first female martyr of
Islam.
Suhaib Rumi eventually lost control of what he said due to extensive
persecution.
Khabab bin Arrat was made to lie on burning coal.
Abu Fukaih, too, was made too loe on hot burning stones until his
tongue dropped out.
Abu Zarr Ghaffari was attacked by a crowd of non-believers and he
fell down senseless.
For 3 whole years, all the people of Bani Hashim except Abu Jahl
were forced to leave in a secluded valley in the outskirts of Makkah. A total
boycott, social and economic was done with them so much so that they had
to survive on boiled leather for food.
Migration to Abyssinia:
The hardships and suffering of the Muslims increased.
The Prophet gave permission to a group of Muslims to migrate to
Abyssinia.
Accordingly, in the fifth year of prophet hood, a group of eleven men
and four women secretly left for Abyssinia, these included Hazrat Usman
and his wife Ruqqaya, daughter of the Prophet.
The followed another group of 70 men including Hazrat Jafar, son of
Abu Talib.
Although the Quraish tried to follow the emigrants and bring them
back, they failed.
In fact, Najashi the king of Abyssinia treated the Muslims very kindly.
Boycott:
During the early years in Makkah, the believers had to face severe
persecutions at the hands of Quraish.
The Quraish tried their best to harass the Muslims and make them
denounce their faith.
Yet the Muslims remained steadfast, proving that they could even risk
their lives for Islam.
It was because of this steadfastness that they were able to live
through the three years in the secluded valley –Shib Abi Talib.
Situation got so worse that the people had to survive on leather and
boiled leaves.
Echoes of crying children were heard from the valley.
Eventually, after 3 years of immense hardships, the hearts or Quraish
melted and they lifted the ban.
Year of Grief:
The 3 tough years had just ended when another blow came to the
Prophet in the form of his uncle, Abut Talib’s death.
He was the same uncle who had bought up the Prophet and
showered on him his love and affection.
His death worried the Prophet a lot as his influential status was a
source of protection for the Prophet.
The very same year, the wife of Prophet also passed away.
Hazrat Khadija had provided the Prophet with financial and moral
support and her death was a very saddening event for the Prophet.
After these two great losses the Prophet called this year the year of
grief and did not feel secure in Makkah for now he had little protection left.
Visit to Taif:
While the Prophet was just recovering from this loss, he decided to
focus on the expansion of Islam.
Therefore, he travelled to the valley of Taif along with his adopted
son, Zaid Bin Haris, to preach Islam.
His message was not at all welcomed there in fact young boy’s hurled
stones at him until he bled.
Eventually, the Prophet took refuge in a nearby orchard and when an
angel asked about punishing the people, the Prophet refused recognizing
their influence and in fact prayed for them.
After this event he realized that he needed another place to preach
Islam as it was certainly not acceptable to the people of Taif or Makkah.
Mairaj:
In the 10th year of prophethood, the prophet was taken for Isra and
Mairaj.
While the Holy Prophet was asleep in his house, Jibrael (A.S) came
and took him to Ka’abah, where the Prophet rode a mule like animal called
Burraq.
It took him to Jerusalem where the Holy Prophet offered two Rakat.
He again rode the Burraq and they reached the heavens.
The prophet was taken to all seven heavens where he met various
prophets.
Angel Jibrael then led them to the lote tree beyond which the angel
couldn’t go but the Prophet was permitted to go.
Allah spoke to him directly over there and the last verses of Surah
Baqarah were revealed. 5 prayers a day were also made compulsory here.
Pledges of Aqabah:
On his return from Taif, Prophet resumed his preaching,
concentrating more on outsiders who came to Makkah for pilgrimage.
In the eleventh year of Prophet Hood, six pilgrims from the tribe of
Khazraj in Madinah came to Makkah.
The Prophet called them to Islam and they embraced faith.
Next year, 12 people from Yasrib met the Prophet at Aqabah,
accepted faith, agreed to abstain from idol worship, cruelty and falsehood,
lead a righteous life and believe in one God.
This was called the First Pledge of Aqabah.
These newly converts promised to spread Islam in Yasrib and the
Prophet sent 2 people with them to preach Islam to the residents of Yasrib.
In the 13th year of prophet hood, a delegation consisting of 75 people
came from Yasrib to take the same pledge which was now called the 2nd
pledge of Aqabah.
They also invited the Prophet to Yasrib and pledged full support for
him and his followers. This made the Prophet realize that the people of
Yasrib were keen to accept Islam and their hospitality could be beneficial to
Islam.
The main events of his activities in Medina, his leadership of the
community there and his conflicts with the Makkans and others
