MUHAMMAD SAW THE MESSENGER OF ISLAM (515 pages, 4/41)
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he angels stand in attendance and celebrate his coming with songs of praise and honor. And on the whole earth there is no better place than that place where his blessed remains are to be buried; it is the choicest of all spots in this world.” Thus he spoke and swore by Allah.
I was completely dumbfounded by this explanation and therefore took exact note
of the very date and hour when he uttered these words. So when we actually arrived in Madinah, we heard that it was indeed on that very night that the Holy Prophet had departed from this passing abode to that of permanence. But at that time, I did not meet Abu Bakr as-Siddiq; only later, after his death, during the Khalifa of ‘Umar, when I went to see the Khalifa at Madinah, I heard that he was there. I met him and gave him Salams. He looked at me and recognized me, and he honored me by admitting me into his close company.
I then told him and all those assembled of what I had observed of Ka`b ul Akhbar. Everyone present marveled at this, saying he must be a sorcerer, a wizard. But Ka`b who was there with me spoke up and said: “God forbid, I am neither sorcerer nor wizard, Allahu Akbar!” and he took from beneath his seat a small box which resembled a white pearl, fastened by a golden lock which was sealed with a golden seal. He broke the seal and opened the box that revealed a piece of green silk folded up in many folds. “Do you know what this is?” he asked the assembly. “I don’t know,” I answered him. He said, “In this is wrapped (a volume) of the divinely revealed books of the Torah and the Injil (Old and New Testaments) in which the signs and characteristics of the Holy Prophet are set down by the revelation of the Almighty.” Thereupon we all cried out: “Oh Abu Ishaq! May Allah Almighty have mercy on you! Do tell us of the very beginning of creation, when the Prophet was created!” We entreated him and he began to speak:
Verily, when Allah Almighty intended to create the most noble of all the sons of Adam , He spoke to Jibra'il , the trustworthy angel, ordering him to bring a sufficient quantity of clay from the purest and most exalted place on earth. Jibra'il , being the highest in command of the sublime heavenly assembly, descended down to earth, and took a quantity of clay from the site of what is now the Holy Prophet’s fragrant resting place, as there can be no better place on earth than this site.
Allah then took this bit of clay and mixed it with the waters of the river Tasnim which flows in Paradise. He formed something akin to a white pearl. Subsequently, the pearl was dipped into all the various rivers and streams of Paradise and endowed with their outstanding properties. It was then shown to all the seven layers of the heavens and the earth, and amid showers of praise and glorification it was made known to all dwellers of Heaven and earth that this substance had found acceptance and high honor in the divine presence, and that it was the very best of all created materials.
Now, when the time had come for Adam to be created, this light was placed upon his forehead, and the sound of a rushing river issued from it. Adam asked his Lord: “Oh my Lord, praised be Thy very mention, what is this voice upon my forehead?”
The Lord answered him, “It is the sound of the praise and glorification of the light of the seal of the prophets, Sayyiduna Muhammad ! Be mindful of this light and hold it in high respect, and know that it will be passed on to your descendants. Therefore, enjoin them to take only pure and virtuous women for their wives, and to refrain from folly and frivolous conduct until the time has come for the owner of that light to enter the world.” This he solemnly vowed to undertake, and from that time on the light of Muhammad shone upon his blessed forehead.
It is also said that at the time Adam was created that light was first placed at his back upon his shoulders. Wherever Adam went, rows upon rows of angels followed him, gazing at his back, and when he stood still, they stood behind him, praising and celebrating this shining light. Adam finally addressed the Lord and said, “Oh my Lord, why is it that there are always so many angels gathered at my back, what is the wisdom in this?” The Lord answered him, “Oh Adam , on your back I have placed the light of Muhammad, and the angels are forever paying their respects to it.”
Thereupon Adam said, “Oh my Lord, do Thou place this blessed and revered light in front of me, so that the angels are not always behind me.” The Lord granted him this favor and placed the light of Muhammad upon Adam’s forehead. Now the angels always stood facing Adam as they revered this blessed light. Adam perceived the great love and devotion the angels held for this light, until at last he made supplication to his Lord, saying, “Oh my Lord, will You not grant me the privilege of once seeing this wonderful light which all these myriads of angels are incessantly adoring?”
The Lord heard his prayer and in answer to Adam’s supplication He placed the light of Muhammad upon the index finger of his right hand (which is called the Shahada finger). The finger began ringing the praises of this most auspicious light, and Adam along with all the angels heard it and named that finger ‘sajah’. They then continued to praise the owner of that magnificent light, reciting Salawat upon the most noble and perfect of all prophets, upon whom be peace, and not only the angels, but all of creation began praising the light of
Muhammad .
At the time when Adam and his wife Hawa were by divine command expelled from their blessed abode in the Garden of Eden, their Paradise clothing was stripped from them so that they grew aware of their nakedness and felt shame. They sought to conceal themselves from the blessed angels, and tried to hide behind the trees of Paradise. But the trees refused them, all except the ‘Ud tree (the aloes). Allah Almighty addressed this tree and asked it why it had sheltered Adam and Hawa whereas none of the other trees had done so. The ‘Ud tree answered, “Oh gracious and merciful Lord! You have placed the light of Your beloved Muhammad upon Adam’s forehead and You have commanded all of creation to praise this wonderful light as they gaze upon it. Adam came to me with this light upon him, begging for shelter. For the sake of this hallowed light, how could I refuse him? I felt shame for this blessed light and accepted it into my shade, oh Lord!”
Allah Almighty replied, “Oh, ‘Ud tree! For that you have so honored the light of My beloved, I will cause you to be more highly esteemed by My servants among men than any other tree, and I have made your leaves to be white; however, since you have acted as you did without My leave, you will not be able to give off your much-desired fragrance lest you are burnt to ashes.”
According to another narration: when Adam and Hawa were stripped of their robes of Paradise and ordered to go down to earth and leave their celestial abode, they looked about at all the marvels and heavenly splendor they were to leave behind, and began to weep bitterly for what they had lost. All the trees of Paradise wept along with them, all except for the ‘Ud tree (the aloes). Allah Almighty addressed that tree, asking it, “Why are you alone of all trees in Paradise not weeping for Adam and Hawa?”
The tree answered, “Oh my Lord, it is upon Thy command that they leave the Jannah (Paradise); out of respect for what Thou hast commanded I do not weep for them.” The Lord then said, “For that you have shown respect for my divine command, I decree that on earth they will not benefit from your fragrant essence until they have put fire to your wood.”
The tree then asked, “Oh my Lord, as You have willed me to be burnt, do tell me what is the wisdom of it?” The tree then received this reply: “It is because you have showed no compassion with My Prophet in his need that I have decree for you...”
When Adam and Hawa stood naked they looked about from which tree they might take a few leaves to cover their nakedness. All the trees surrounding them lifted up their branches away from them and refused them even a single leaf. Desperately they searched, until they came to the fig tree. This tree took pity on them and gave them some of its leaves to cover themselves with. However, no sooner had they taken the leaves from this tree than they turned black and brittle and fell away from them, uselessly. Upon this, they wept even more bitterly than before, and there came to them a call which they heard and understood: “Know that whomever the Lord has stripped of his covering, no one has the power to clothe! The servant forsaken by his Lord can receive no help from any quarter!”
Upon these words, Adam turned to his Lord, the Almighty Source of All Things, and pleaded with Him to grant them the gift of covering their nakedness. Again they came to the fig tree, and it willingly gave them a few leaves. Adam shook the tree, and three leaves fell from it. With these Adam covered himself. He then shook the tree a second time, and this time five leaves fell from it. These Hawa used to cover herself with. From that time onwards, it has been the custom to wrap men’s bodies for burial in three pieces of unstitched cloth, while women are wrapped in five pieces of cloth.
The Lord then said to the fig tree, “Oh fig tree, why did you make Adam a gift of your leaves?” The tree replied, “Oh my Lord, You had not prohibited it, so I gave them some of my leaves.” The Lord then spoke to the fig tree, “As you took pity on Adam when My Wrath was upon him, I shall make you very brittle and hollow from within, so that men shall not climb upon you nor use your wood for any purpose, nor will they burn you for fuel. Your leaves I will make brittle and harsh, and no living creature on earth will find them tasty or sweet.”
When the Lord of the Worlds issued His divine command for Adam to go down from Paradise and settle upon the earth, Adam in his distress called upon the souls of all the prophets who were to be his offspring, and he called upon the noble soul of Muhammad , the seal of the prophets, to intercede with the Lord on his behalf, and he wept long and much. “What is the hidden meaning of this,” he cried, “that my Lord has created me and placed me in these Paradise gardens, only to remove me now from this abode of bliss and making me to live in the lower world, upon the earth?”
The Lord Almighty answered his wailing thus: “Oh Adam! In My majesty and might, I have created you to be My representative on earth; the reason I first set you to live in these gardens of Paradise is this: so that from this day on until the
Last Day you and all your descendants may look to this realm of bliss as to their real and true native land; that they may turn their hearts towards it full of longing and desire, and that they may believe in My unity and confirm the message of all My prophets and messengers, and respond in their words and works to My command. Thus they will exert themselves to regain their homeland of Paradise.”
Therefore some of the learned in the scriptures have interpreted the saying of the prophet : “Love of one’s homeland is a part of faith” as referring to Paradise, the original home of man, and this saying is a sign and indication of this secret. Adam , when he received his Lord’s words, understood His intention and left Paradise behind him.
Adam descended upon the mount of Sarandib (Sri Lanka) while Hawa came to earth at Jeddah. Shaytan was cast out also, but opinions differ as to where he landed: some say it was at Basra, some say at another place, but some even say he alighted at no particular place at all. Now, when Adam and Hawa were expelled along with Iblis, Iblis conceived within himself an evil suggestion. “I have succeeded in driving Adam and his mate out of Paradise,” he thought to himself, “what damage can I do him now that he is coming to earth, what intrigue can I work against him there?”
Wondering about this, he called together all the wild beasts living on earth and told them that Adam’s advent would result in his progeny peopling the whole earth and hunting all the wild beasts to extinction. “Woe on us,” they cried, “what are we to do?” Shaytan replied, “This is what you must do: gather all together at the spot where Adam is to descend, and as soon as he arrives, attack him all of you and tear him to pieces. That will be the end of him for all times.”
Thus Iblis excited the wild beasts against Adam before he came to earth. When Adam set foot on the ground he found all the animals gathered round him, prepared to attack. Adam was bewildered at this reception and knew not what to do. The angel Jibra’il came to him in less than an instant and told him, “Oh Adam, put out your hand and stroke the head of the dog, that you might witness the power of our Lord to effect the strange and wondrous.” Adam did as the angel counseled him, and no sooner had he touched the dog than it turned against its fellow creatures and fell upon them, so that they dispersed in confusion. Since that day the dog is the enemy of all other beasts of prey, and he attacks them wherever he chances upon them.
Adam spent his first long years on earth weeping constantly, entreating the Almighty to forgive him and show him mercy. At long last he also prayed to the Lord to reunite him with his wife, Hawa. His prayer was then accepted, and it is written that the Lord Himself inspired in Adam the words of supplication that made his prayer acceptable:
Thereafter Adam received certain words from his Lord, and he turned towards him...
(The Cow, 35)
The commentators have written much on this subject; here only two of their remarks shall be mentioned. One is transmitted from Sayyiduna ‘Ali who relates that Adam’s prayer for forgiveness was this:
La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, Rabbi, a‘amiltu su’an wa zalamtu nafsi wa anta arham-ur-rahimin. (There is no God but Thou, Glory to Thee; my Lord, I have done wrong, I have wronged my own soul, and Thou art most merciful of those that show mercy).
The Holy Prophet says that Allah Almighty will pardon him who entreats Him with these words, even if his sins be as numerous as the foam upon the waves of the ocean, or the grains of the desert sands.
Secondly, Hasan of Basra relates that the words given to Adam were these verses of the Holy Quran:
...Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if Thou dost not forgive us, and have mercy upon us, we shall surely be among the lost.
(The Battlements, 23)
When Adam pleaded to the Lord in these words, Allah Almighty forgave him, and sent down to him from Heaven a house which had been made in Paradise, that was called the ‘Bayt al-Ma’mur, the heavenly house. Two doors it possessed, one of which opened to the east, the other to the west, and it was set down at the spot where today the Kaba stands at Mecca. Adam was then commanded through revelation to circumambulate this heavenly house, and he was taught the rites of the Hajj and the Sa’i by the angel Jibra'il himself.
After completing the Tawaf and Sa’i, he was led out to Arafat to be reunited with Hawa. She had spent the long years of separation looking for him in this place, and as it was the place of meeting and, as it were, re-acquaintance, it was known henceforth as ‘Arafat’ which means ‘to get to know’. The angel then asked them
what they hoped for from their Lord, and they answered, “We seek nothing but His pardon and forgiveness,” wherefore this place is called Muna (hope, wish, desire).
Now every time Adam wished to consort with his wife Hawa, they would proceed by purifying themselves and by making preparations so that the sublime light that was housed in Adam’s body might be transferred to his wife while in a state of purity, and they persisted in these efforts. Each time Hawa became pregnant, she would look at her husband Adam , and when she perceived the light of Muhammad upon his brow, she knew that she had not yet conceived his successor.
Hawa was pregnant twenty times, and each time she bore him twins, a boy and a girl. Until one day she conceived the father of the prophets, Seth : she then saw the light upon Adam’s brow disappear from its place only to relocate upon her own. She greeted it with great joy and celebration. Allah Almighty created Seth as the only single birth in her womb, as an honor to the light of Muhammad . This was an omen to them that the owner of this illustrious light was about to be born into the world and that though he was of mankind, there was none like him and no one matched him in perfection. When the child was born, they named him Seth , and the meaning of this name is ‘gift of God’.
When Hawa had born her son Seth , she looked at him and saw the light of Muhammad sparkling upon his brow. The Almighty also placed a veil between Seth and Shaytan, so that he was shielded and protected from his wiles. The angels circled round the child and honored him, and from the heavens on high a call was heard: “Good tidings to thee, oh earth, and all thy inhabitants! The proof of the light of Muhammad has shone forth upon Seth , it illuminates the heavens and the earth! This light will continue to pass from the pure to the pure, until such a time as its rightful possessor will appear in the world of men!”
This heavenly voice was heard every day until the boy Seth had reached the age of puberty. Adam then called his son to him, gazed at his forehead and said to him, “Oh my son, truly the Lord of might and glory has promised to me that this light of Muhammad which is upon your brow shall not be taken from the world and shall not disappear. However you must take care that it is passed only to such women as are very chaste and pure, and of outstanding virtue.”
Thereafter Adam turned to the Lord and prayed: “Oh Allah! I have received a
promise from this servant that he will carefully preserve this noble light, and I bear witness to this, his commitment. Oh Lord, wilt Thou not send a witness to confirm this solemn pledge?” The Lord then sent the angel Jibra'il with a host of seventy thousand angels. They brought with them a piece of white silk from Paradise, as well as a pen from the heavenly pens.
They saluted Adam and spoke to him, “The Lord Almighty says: Verily, the time is nigh for the light of My beloved Muhammad to travel down through the generations; therefore, prepare and make your bequest to your son Seth. Let him swear a solemn oath that he too will pass this on to his sons, and they to theirs, until the time is ripe for the rightful possessor of this noble light to come into his own. The heavenly angels this day bear witness to this solemn pledge that you undertake, to ensure that this light is carried down through the generations only by those of pure and chaste comportment, who refrain from all manner of lewdness and sinful action and seek to keep the line of transmission untainted. Today this oath is witnessed by the angels and penned down upon this white silk from Paradise.”
Jibra'il had brought another object from Paradise: this was a box in which were kept the descriptions of the great prophets and messengers. The piece of white silk was placed therein. Next, two crimson robes were brought and Seth was clothed in them. Then a contract of nikah (marriage) was drawn up for him with a woman by the name of Nahwailat al-Baida who in beauty and nature resembled his mother Hawa. The angel Jibra'il performed the nikah ceremony and recited a khutba (sermon) for them and thus they were man and wife.
When this lady now became pregnant from Seth , she heard a voice calling to her: “Oh Nahwailat-al-Baida! Good tidings to you, you have conceived the successor of that luminous light which is upon your husband’s brow!” Thus she was cheered. When she bore the child, they named him Enush. The child was protected from the wiles of Shaytan the Accursed by this noble light. When the boy had grown, his father Seth said to him, “Oh my son, when you marry, be mindful of selecting a pure and chaste woman, for you are to be my successor.” Enush heeded his father’s words, and in time he passed on the trust to his son Kan’aan, and he to his son Mahalalel, and he to Yered, his son.
Yered took to wife a woman named Birra who bore him a son, Enoch who is known to us as Idris . Yered bequeathed to his son Enoch all the pledges that were written and recorded, and Enoch accepted them from him. He married a woman by the name of Barukhanan, and had a son by her. This son they named
Methusalah; and he sired a son named Lamaq. Lamaq was as a lad extremely bright and gifted, and he also was very strong. Lamaq took to wife Kaswir and she became the mother of Nuh . Lamaq bequeathed to Nuh all he had; Nuh married Na’ama and had a son named Sam by her. Upon his brow Nuh perceived the light of Muhammad , and he bequeathed to him the holy trust that had come to him from the time of Adam .
Sam had a son by name of Arpachshad, and his son was named Shalach. Shalach married Marhana and had a son by her whom he named Abir. (He was to become the Prophet Hud ). Abir married a woman named Munshaha and had a son by her whom he named Peleg. Peleg had a son named Arghu, and Arghu’s son was named Saruq. Saruq’s son was Nahor. Nahor had a son and called him Terah. Terah married a pure woman named Edna, and their son he named Ibrahim .
When Ibrahim came into the world two banners of light were set up, one in the east and one in the west. Ibrahim grew and became aware of a voice coming from his hands that was praising the light of Muhammad which he held in his blessed hands. He begged the Almighty to tell him about this voice, and the Lord answered him, “It is the voice of the light of My beloved Muhammad , and it is reciting praises of My Glory and Unity. Now your turn has come to preserve this light; it has come down to you from the time of your father Adam , you are the next in line to pass it on.”
Ibrahim told his wife Sarah what the Lord had told him, and for a very long time she expected the successor to that light to make his appearance through her. Until such a time as her maid Hagar conceived the intended heir to that blessed light; then Sarah was stricken with disappointment and jealousy, being deprived of the honor and happiness of bearing the Prophet Ibrahim’s sole and single heir. Her husband consoled her and said, “Don’t give in to sorrow; our Almighty Lord is full of grace and bounty and does not rescind on His promise. It is His decree that you too will be blessed and made glad.” So Sarah was patient until Allah’s time was fulfilled and she bore her son Ishaq.
When Ishaq had reached the age of maturity, Ibrahim called all his six children to him, gathered them round him and showed them the box which had come to him as inheritance from his forefather Adam . He opened the box for them and in it they saw many small boxes, as many as there are prophets and messengers sent to this world. Each of the boxes contained a description of one of the prophets.
The very last box contained the description of the earthly form of the seal of prophets, Muhammad . He was shown in the position of Qiyam (standing in prayer). On his right side stood Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, and upon his forehead were written these words: ‘he was the first to believe in me’; on his left was depicted ‘Umar ibn Khattab, upon whose forehead were written the words: ‘in his righteousness he fears neither blame nor blamer.’ Behind him, stood ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, and upon his forehead was written: ‘Modesty is his virtue.’ Before him stood ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, and upon his forehead was written: ‘His virtue is generosity, and in faith he is the brother of the Prophet Muhammad .’ All around him stood the sainted uncles and companions and the elders of the community of Madinah, and their names were written upon their depictions.
Ibrahim showed all his children the family tree and this chain of succession of the Holy Prophets. They saw that henceforth all prophets were to be descended from their brother Ishaq , with one exception: the seal of the prophets was to be born of the line of Ismail. The Prophet Ibrahim spoke to his son Ismail , “As you can tell, the pride of all the worlds and seal of the prophets is to descend from your line; therefore, take the utmost care for yourself and enjoin upon your sons, to marry only the purest and most virtuous women of your age, so that this unrivalled light may come down through the ages to its rightful owner unsoiled.”
Ismail married a woman by the name of Ri’lah and she conceived and bore him a son Qaydar. Qaydar grew into a strong and comely youth, the first and best among the spear throwers and a champion wrestler as well. Ismail perceived the light of Muhammad upon his forehead and to him he bequeathed the box he had inherited from his father and made him his heir.
Qaydar, thinking it preferable to marry from the tribe of Ishaq , chose women from that line, and he married no less than one hundred times. For two hundred years he lived with them, but they bore him not a single child. One day, as he was returning from the hunt, the wild animals assembled round him and addressed him in distinct and eloquent speech. “Oh Qaydar,” they said, “what is it with you? Already you have passed a large portion of your life on earth, how is it that the successor to the light upon your forehead has not yet appeared? Could it be that you have been wasting your time? And what of the solemn pledge you made to your father.”
Qaydar, upon hearing these words, felt hurt and fell into a mood of gloom and foreswore all worldly enjoyments, until he could solve this problem. As he was wandering about in his perplexity, Allah Almighty sent an angel to speak to him
who assumed the shape of a man, and said to him, “Oh Qaydar, in a short while Allah Almighty will adorn you with new strength, and you will bring under your dominion great cities and towns. You will also deliver the holy light which is deposited in your safekeeping to a pure woman who is not of the tribe of Ishaq . Allah demands a sacrifice of you, so that you may be directed towards that woman who is destined for you.”
Qaydar then slaughtered seven hundred rams as a sacrifice to his Lord, and from Heaven descended a fire like a streak of white light and burned his sacrifices. A heavenly voice was heard saying: “Oh Qaydar! Your sacrifice is made and accepted, your prayer is granted. The box you have inherited is with you and guidance shall come to you through your dreams.”
That night Qaydar saw a dream; in it he was told that the prophet who was to be the ultimate heir of the holy light was to come from the pureblooded Arab tribes of Arabia. He was told to go to those tribes and ask for the hand of one lady named Fakhira in marriage, so that through her he might attain his goal. Qaydar joyfully awoke from his dream, praised the Lord and thanked Him. He sent out his scouts and envoys forthwith to all the tribal chiefs of the Arabs to ask for the hand of such a woman. But no one could be found fitting the description.
At long last he himself set out to search among the Arab tribes. He came into the realm of Jurhum ibn Zuhri bin Amir bin Yaru’ bin Qahtan, and learned that this king indeed had a daughter named Fakhira and that she was a woman of modesty and virtue. He asked for her and they were united in marriage. Qaydar traveled back with her to his home country and this lady conceived from him. Qaydar then wished to open the box that had been passed down to him, but a voice was heard coming from it, that said: “Beware and refrain! Only the hand of a prophet may open this chest! Desist, lest harm befall you!” Qaydar heeded the warning and took the box to the son of Ishaq who was Ya’qub .
His wife Fakhira meanwhile bore him a male child and they named him Hamil. Hamil grew up, and when he was old enough his father said to him, “Come with me, I will take you to the building which your grandfather Ibrahim has built at Mecca, and I will show the holy sites and teach you the rites.” They set out for the holy house, the ‘Baytullah’, and when they had come to a place known as Sabil which is quite close by the holy house, they encountered the angel of death who had assumed a human form. “Where are you going?” he asked Qaydar. Qaydar answered, “We are going to the holy house of the Lord so that I might show my son the holy places and teach him the rites.” The angel of death said to him, “Come up to me, I have something to tell you in private..” Qaydar stepped
up to him, and the angel took from his soul while yet engaged in conversation with him. Hamil saw his father fall and rushed to attack the killer. But the angel of death addressed the young man, “Will you not check at least to see whether he is really dead..?” and while Hamil bent to do so, the angel vanished.
When Hamil looked up and found himself alone, he realized he had been speaking to an angel. Just then, by the grace of God, some people from the tribe of Ishaq came by that place. They attended to the dead man; they washed and prepared him for the f
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he angels stand in attendance and celebrate his coming with songs of praise and honor. And on the whole earth there is no better place than that place where his blessed remains are to be buried; it is the choicest of all spots in this world.” Thus he spoke and swore by Allah.
I was completely dumbfounded by this explanation and therefore took exact note
of the very date and hour when he uttered these words. So when we actually arrived in Madinah, we heard that it was indeed on that very night that the Holy Prophet had departed from this passing abode to that of permanence. But at that time, I did not meet Abu Bakr as-Siddiq; only later, after his death, during the Khalifa of ‘Umar, when I went to see the Khalifa at Madinah, I heard that he was there. I met him and gave him Salams. He looked at me and recognized me, and he honored me by admitting me into his close company.
I then told him and all those assembled of what I had observed of Ka`b ul Akhbar. Everyone present marveled at this, saying he must be a sorcerer, a wizard. But Ka`b who was there with me spoke up and said: “God forbid, I am neither sorcerer nor wizard, Allahu Akbar!” and he took from beneath his seat a small box which resembled a white pearl, fastened by a golden lock which was sealed with a golden seal. He broke the seal and opened the box that revealed a piece of green silk folded up in many folds. “Do you know what this is?” he asked the assembly. “I don’t know,” I answered him. He said, “In this is wrapped (a volume) of the divinely revealed books of the Torah and the Injil (Old and New Testaments) in which the signs and characteristics of the Holy Prophet are set down by the revelation of the Almighty.” Thereupon we all cried out: “Oh Abu Ishaq! May Allah Almighty have mercy on you! Do tell us of the very beginning of creation, when the Prophet was created!” We entreated him and he began to speak:
Verily, when Allah Almighty intended to create the most noble of all the sons of Adam , He spoke to Jibra'il , the trustworthy angel, ordering him to bring a sufficient quantity of clay from the purest and most exalted place on earth. Jibra'il , being the highest in command of the sublime heavenly assembly, descended down to earth, and took a quantity of clay from the site of what is now the Holy Prophet’s fragrant resting place, as there can be no better place on earth than this site.
Allah then took this bit of clay and mixed it with the waters of the river Tasnim which flows in Paradise. He formed something akin to a white pearl. Subsequently, the pearl was dipped into all the various rivers and streams of Paradise and endowed with their outstanding properties. It was then shown to all the seven layers of the heavens and the earth, and amid showers of praise and glorification it was made known to all dwellers of Heaven and earth that this substance had found acceptance and high honor in the divine presence, and that it was the very best of all created materials.
Now, when the time had come for Adam to be created, this light was placed upon his forehead, and the sound of a rushing river issued from it. Adam asked his Lord: “Oh my Lord, praised be Thy very mention, what is this voice upon my forehead?”
The Lord answered him, “It is the sound of the praise and glorification of the light of the seal of the prophets, Sayyiduna Muhammad ! Be mindful of this light and hold it in high respect, and know that it will be passed on to your descendants. Therefore, enjoin them to take only pure and virtuous women for their wives, and to refrain from folly and frivolous conduct until the time has come for the owner of that light to enter the world.” This he solemnly vowed to undertake, and from that time on the light of Muhammad shone upon his blessed forehead.
It is also said that at the time Adam was created that light was first placed at his back upon his shoulders. Wherever Adam went, rows upon rows of angels followed him, gazing at his back, and when he stood still, they stood behind him, praising and celebrating this shining light. Adam finally addressed the Lord and said, “Oh my Lord, why is it that there are always so many angels gathered at my back, what is the wisdom in this?” The Lord answered him, “Oh Adam , on your back I have placed the light of Muhammad, and the angels are forever paying their respects to it.”
Thereupon Adam said, “Oh my Lord, do Thou place this blessed and revered light in front of me, so that the angels are not always behind me.” The Lord granted him this favor and placed the light of Muhammad upon Adam’s forehead. Now the angels always stood facing Adam as they revered this blessed light. Adam perceived the great love and devotion the angels held for this light, until at last he made supplication to his Lord, saying, “Oh my Lord, will You not grant me the privilege of once seeing this wonderful light which all these myriads of angels are incessantly adoring?”
The Lord heard his prayer and in answer to Adam’s supplication He placed the light of Muhammad upon the index finger of his right hand (which is called the Shahada finger). The finger began ringing the praises of this most auspicious light, and Adam along with all the angels heard it and named that finger ‘sajah’. They then continued to praise the owner of that magnificent light, reciting Salawat upon the most noble and perfect of all prophets, upon whom be peace, and not only the angels, but all of creation began praising the light of
Muhammad .
At the time when Adam and his wife Hawa were by divine command expelled from their blessed abode in the Garden of Eden, their Paradise clothing was stripped from them so that they grew aware of their nakedness and felt shame. They sought to conceal themselves from the blessed angels, and tried to hide behind the trees of Paradise. But the trees refused them, all except the ‘Ud tree (the aloes). Allah Almighty addressed this tree and asked it why it had sheltered Adam and Hawa whereas none of the other trees had done so. The ‘Ud tree answered, “Oh gracious and merciful Lord! You have placed the light of Your beloved Muhammad upon Adam’s forehead and You have commanded all of creation to praise this wonderful light as they gaze upon it. Adam came to me with this light upon him, begging for shelter. For the sake of this hallowed light, how could I refuse him? I felt shame for this blessed light and accepted it into my shade, oh Lord!”
Allah Almighty replied, “Oh, ‘Ud tree! For that you have so honored the light of My beloved, I will cause you to be more highly esteemed by My servants among men than any other tree, and I have made your leaves to be white; however, since you have acted as you did without My leave, you will not be able to give off your much-desired fragrance lest you are burnt to ashes.”
According to another narration: when Adam and Hawa were stripped of their robes of Paradise and ordered to go down to earth and leave their celestial abode, they looked about at all the marvels and heavenly splendor they were to leave behind, and began to weep bitterly for what they had lost. All the trees of Paradise wept along with them, all except for the ‘Ud tree (the aloes). Allah Almighty addressed that tree, asking it, “Why are you alone of all trees in Paradise not weeping for Adam and Hawa?”
The tree answered, “Oh my Lord, it is upon Thy command that they leave the Jannah (Paradise); out of respect for what Thou hast commanded I do not weep for them.” The Lord then said, “For that you have shown respect for my divine command, I decree that on earth they will not benefit from your fragrant essence until they have put fire to your wood.”
The tree then asked, “Oh my Lord, as You have willed me to be burnt, do tell me what is the wisdom of it?” The tree then received this reply: “It is because you have showed no compassion with My Prophet in his need that I have decree for you...”
When Adam and Hawa stood naked they looked about from which tree they might take a few leaves to cover their nakedness. All the trees surrounding them lifted up their branches away from them and refused them even a single leaf. Desperately they searched, until they came to the fig tree. This tree took pity on them and gave them some of its leaves to cover themselves with. However, no sooner had they taken the leaves from this tree than they turned black and brittle and fell away from them, uselessly. Upon this, they wept even more bitterly than before, and there came to them a call which they heard and understood: “Know that whomever the Lord has stripped of his covering, no one has the power to clothe! The servant forsaken by his Lord can receive no help from any quarter!”
Upon these words, Adam turned to his Lord, the Almighty Source of All Things, and pleaded with Him to grant them the gift of covering their nakedness. Again they came to the fig tree, and it willingly gave them a few leaves. Adam shook the tree, and three leaves fell from it. With these Adam covered himself. He then shook the tree a second time, and this time five leaves fell from it. These Hawa used to cover herself with. From that time onwards, it has been the custom to wrap men’s bodies for burial in three pieces of unstitched cloth, while women are wrapped in five pieces of cloth.
The Lord then said to the fig tree, “Oh fig tree, why did you make Adam a gift of your leaves?” The tree replied, “Oh my Lord, You had not prohibited it, so I gave them some of my leaves.” The Lord then spoke to the fig tree, “As you took pity on Adam when My Wrath was upon him, I shall make you very brittle and hollow from within, so that men shall not climb upon you nor use your wood for any purpose, nor will they burn you for fuel. Your leaves I will make brittle and harsh, and no living creature on earth will find them tasty or sweet.”
When the Lord of the Worlds issued His divine command for Adam to go down from Paradise and settle upon the earth, Adam in his distress called upon the souls of all the prophets who were to be his offspring, and he called upon the noble soul of Muhammad , the seal of the prophets, to intercede with the Lord on his behalf, and he wept long and much. “What is the hidden meaning of this,” he cried, “that my Lord has created me and placed me in these Paradise gardens, only to remove me now from this abode of bliss and making me to live in the lower world, upon the earth?”
The Lord Almighty answered his wailing thus: “Oh Adam! In My majesty and might, I have created you to be My representative on earth; the reason I first set you to live in these gardens of Paradise is this: so that from this day on until the
Last Day you and all your descendants may look to this realm of bliss as to their real and true native land; that they may turn their hearts towards it full of longing and desire, and that they may believe in My unity and confirm the message of all My prophets and messengers, and respond in their words and works to My command. Thus they will exert themselves to regain their homeland of Paradise.”
Therefore some of the learned in the scriptures have interpreted the saying of the prophet : “Love of one’s homeland is a part of faith” as referring to Paradise, the original home of man, and this saying is a sign and indication of this secret. Adam , when he received his Lord’s words, understood His intention and left Paradise behind him.
Adam descended upon the mount of Sarandib (Sri Lanka) while Hawa came to earth at Jeddah. Shaytan was cast out also, but opinions differ as to where he landed: some say it was at Basra, some say at another place, but some even say he alighted at no particular place at all. Now, when Adam and Hawa were expelled along with Iblis, Iblis conceived within himself an evil suggestion. “I have succeeded in driving Adam and his mate out of Paradise,” he thought to himself, “what damage can I do him now that he is coming to earth, what intrigue can I work against him there?”
Wondering about this, he called together all the wild beasts living on earth and told them that Adam’s advent would result in his progeny peopling the whole earth and hunting all the wild beasts to extinction. “Woe on us,” they cried, “what are we to do?” Shaytan replied, “This is what you must do: gather all together at the spot where Adam is to descend, and as soon as he arrives, attack him all of you and tear him to pieces. That will be the end of him for all times.”
Thus Iblis excited the wild beasts against Adam before he came to earth. When Adam set foot on the ground he found all the animals gathered round him, prepared to attack. Adam was bewildered at this reception and knew not what to do. The angel Jibra’il came to him in less than an instant and told him, “Oh Adam, put out your hand and stroke the head of the dog, that you might witness the power of our Lord to effect the strange and wondrous.” Adam did as the angel counseled him, and no sooner had he touched the dog than it turned against its fellow creatures and fell upon them, so that they dispersed in confusion. Since that day the dog is the enemy of all other beasts of prey, and he attacks them wherever he chances upon them.
Adam spent his first long years on earth weeping constantly, entreating the Almighty to forgive him and show him mercy. At long last he also prayed to the Lord to reunite him with his wife, Hawa. His prayer was then accepted, and it is written that the Lord Himself inspired in Adam the words of supplication that made his prayer acceptable:
Thereafter Adam received certain words from his Lord, and he turned towards him...
(The Cow, 35)
The commentators have written much on this subject; here only two of their remarks shall be mentioned. One is transmitted from Sayyiduna ‘Ali who relates that Adam’s prayer for forgiveness was this:
La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, Rabbi, a‘amiltu su’an wa zalamtu nafsi wa anta arham-ur-rahimin. (There is no God but Thou, Glory to Thee; my Lord, I have done wrong, I have wronged my own soul, and Thou art most merciful of those that show mercy).
The Holy Prophet says that Allah Almighty will pardon him who entreats Him with these words, even if his sins be as numerous as the foam upon the waves of the ocean, or the grains of the desert sands.
Secondly, Hasan of Basra relates that the words given to Adam were these verses of the Holy Quran:
...Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if Thou dost not forgive us, and have mercy upon us, we shall surely be among the lost.
(The Battlements, 23)
When Adam pleaded to the Lord in these words, Allah Almighty forgave him, and sent down to him from Heaven a house which had been made in Paradise, that was called the ‘Bayt al-Ma’mur, the heavenly house. Two doors it possessed, one of which opened to the east, the other to the west, and it was set down at the spot where today the Kaba stands at Mecca. Adam was then commanded through revelation to circumambulate this heavenly house, and he was taught the rites of the Hajj and the Sa’i by the angel Jibra'il himself.
After completing the Tawaf and Sa’i, he was led out to Arafat to be reunited with Hawa. She had spent the long years of separation looking for him in this place, and as it was the place of meeting and, as it were, re-acquaintance, it was known henceforth as ‘Arafat’ which means ‘to get to know’. The angel then asked them
what they hoped for from their Lord, and they answered, “We seek nothing but His pardon and forgiveness,” wherefore this place is called Muna (hope, wish, desire).
Now every time Adam wished to consort with his wife Hawa, they would proceed by purifying themselves and by making preparations so that the sublime light that was housed in Adam’s body might be transferred to his wife while in a state of purity, and they persisted in these efforts. Each time Hawa became pregnant, she would look at her husband Adam , and when she perceived the light of Muhammad upon his brow, she knew that she had not yet conceived his successor.
Hawa was pregnant twenty times, and each time she bore him twins, a boy and a girl. Until one day she conceived the father of the prophets, Seth : she then saw the light upon Adam’s brow disappear from its place only to relocate upon her own. She greeted it with great joy and celebration. Allah Almighty created Seth as the only single birth in her womb, as an honor to the light of Muhammad . This was an omen to them that the owner of this illustrious light was about to be born into the world and that though he was of mankind, there was none like him and no one matched him in perfection. When the child was born, they named him Seth , and the meaning of this name is ‘gift of God’.
When Hawa had born her son Seth , she looked at him and saw the light of Muhammad sparkling upon his brow. The Almighty also placed a veil between Seth and Shaytan, so that he was shielded and protected from his wiles. The angels circled round the child and honored him, and from the heavens on high a call was heard: “Good tidings to thee, oh earth, and all thy inhabitants! The proof of the light of Muhammad has shone forth upon Seth , it illuminates the heavens and the earth! This light will continue to pass from the pure to the pure, until such a time as its rightful possessor will appear in the world of men!”
This heavenly voice was heard every day until the boy Seth had reached the age of puberty. Adam then called his son to him, gazed at his forehead and said to him, “Oh my son, truly the Lord of might and glory has promised to me that this light of Muhammad which is upon your brow shall not be taken from the world and shall not disappear. However you must take care that it is passed only to such women as are very chaste and pure, and of outstanding virtue.”
Thereafter Adam turned to the Lord and prayed: “Oh Allah! I have received a
promise from this servant that he will carefully preserve this noble light, and I bear witness to this, his commitment. Oh Lord, wilt Thou not send a witness to confirm this solemn pledge?” The Lord then sent the angel Jibra'il with a host of seventy thousand angels. They brought with them a piece of white silk from Paradise, as well as a pen from the heavenly pens.
They saluted Adam and spoke to him, “The Lord Almighty says: Verily, the time is nigh for the light of My beloved Muhammad to travel down through the generations; therefore, prepare and make your bequest to your son Seth. Let him swear a solemn oath that he too will pass this on to his sons, and they to theirs, until the time is ripe for the rightful possessor of this noble light to come into his own. The heavenly angels this day bear witness to this solemn pledge that you undertake, to ensure that this light is carried down through the generations only by those of pure and chaste comportment, who refrain from all manner of lewdness and sinful action and seek to keep the line of transmission untainted. Today this oath is witnessed by the angels and penned down upon this white silk from Paradise.”
Jibra'il had brought another object from Paradise: this was a box in which were kept the descriptions of the great prophets and messengers. The piece of white silk was placed therein. Next, two crimson robes were brought and Seth was clothed in them. Then a contract of nikah (marriage) was drawn up for him with a woman by the name of Nahwailat al-Baida who in beauty and nature resembled his mother Hawa. The angel Jibra'il performed the nikah ceremony and recited a khutba (sermon) for them and thus they were man and wife.
When this lady now became pregnant from Seth , she heard a voice calling to her: “Oh Nahwailat-al-Baida! Good tidings to you, you have conceived the successor of that luminous light which is upon your husband’s brow!” Thus she was cheered. When she bore the child, they named him Enush. The child was protected from the wiles of Shaytan the Accursed by this noble light. When the boy had grown, his father Seth said to him, “Oh my son, when you marry, be mindful of selecting a pure and chaste woman, for you are to be my successor.” Enush heeded his father’s words, and in time he passed on the trust to his son Kan’aan, and he to his son Mahalalel, and he to Yered, his son.
Yered took to wife a woman named Birra who bore him a son, Enoch who is known to us as Idris . Yered bequeathed to his son Enoch all the pledges that were written and recorded, and Enoch accepted them from him. He married a woman by the name of Barukhanan, and had a son by her. This son they named
Methusalah; and he sired a son named Lamaq. Lamaq was as a lad extremely bright and gifted, and he also was very strong. Lamaq took to wife Kaswir and she became the mother of Nuh . Lamaq bequeathed to Nuh all he had; Nuh married Na’ama and had a son named Sam by her. Upon his brow Nuh perceived the light of Muhammad , and he bequeathed to him the holy trust that had come to him from the time of Adam .
Sam had a son by name of Arpachshad, and his son was named Shalach. Shalach married Marhana and had a son by her whom he named Abir. (He was to become the Prophet Hud ). Abir married a woman named Munshaha and had a son by her whom he named Peleg. Peleg had a son named Arghu, and Arghu’s son was named Saruq. Saruq’s son was Nahor. Nahor had a son and called him Terah. Terah married a pure woman named Edna, and their son he named Ibrahim .
When Ibrahim came into the world two banners of light were set up, one in the east and one in the west. Ibrahim grew and became aware of a voice coming from his hands that was praising the light of Muhammad which he held in his blessed hands. He begged the Almighty to tell him about this voice, and the Lord answered him, “It is the voice of the light of My beloved Muhammad , and it is reciting praises of My Glory and Unity. Now your turn has come to preserve this light; it has come down to you from the time of your father Adam , you are the next in line to pass it on.”
Ibrahim told his wife Sarah what the Lord had told him, and for a very long time she expected the successor to that light to make his appearance through her. Until such a time as her maid Hagar conceived the intended heir to that blessed light; then Sarah was stricken with disappointment and jealousy, being deprived of the honor and happiness of bearing the Prophet Ibrahim’s sole and single heir. Her husband consoled her and said, “Don’t give in to sorrow; our Almighty Lord is full of grace and bounty and does not rescind on His promise. It is His decree that you too will be blessed and made glad.” So Sarah was patient until Allah’s time was fulfilled and she bore her son Ishaq.
When Ishaq had reached the age of maturity, Ibrahim called all his six children to him, gathered them round him and showed them the box which had come to him as inheritance from his forefather Adam . He opened the box for them and in it they saw many small boxes, as many as there are prophets and messengers sent to this world. Each of the boxes contained a description of one of the prophets.
The very last box contained the description of the earthly form of the seal of prophets, Muhammad . He was shown in the position of Qiyam (standing in prayer). On his right side stood Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, and upon his forehead were written these words: ‘he was the first to believe in me’; on his left was depicted ‘Umar ibn Khattab, upon whose forehead were written the words: ‘in his righteousness he fears neither blame nor blamer.’ Behind him, stood ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, and upon his forehead was written: ‘Modesty is his virtue.’ Before him stood ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, and upon his forehead was written: ‘His virtue is generosity, and in faith he is the brother of the Prophet Muhammad .’ All around him stood the sainted uncles and companions and the elders of the community of Madinah, and their names were written upon their depictions.
Ibrahim showed all his children the family tree and this chain of succession of the Holy Prophets. They saw that henceforth all prophets were to be descended from their brother Ishaq , with one exception: the seal of the prophets was to be born of the line of Ismail. The Prophet Ibrahim spoke to his son Ismail , “As you can tell, the pride of all the worlds and seal of the prophets is to descend from your line; therefore, take the utmost care for yourself and enjoin upon your sons, to marry only the purest and most virtuous women of your age, so that this unrivalled light may come down through the ages to its rightful owner unsoiled.”
Ismail married a woman by the name of Ri’lah and she conceived and bore him a son Qaydar. Qaydar grew into a strong and comely youth, the first and best among the spear throwers and a champion wrestler as well. Ismail perceived the light of Muhammad upon his forehead and to him he bequeathed the box he had inherited from his father and made him his heir.
Qaydar, thinking it preferable to marry from the tribe of Ishaq , chose women from that line, and he married no less than one hundred times. For two hundred years he lived with them, but they bore him not a single child. One day, as he was returning from the hunt, the wild animals assembled round him and addressed him in distinct and eloquent speech. “Oh Qaydar,” they said, “what is it with you? Already you have passed a large portion of your life on earth, how is it that the successor to the light upon your forehead has not yet appeared? Could it be that you have been wasting your time? And what of the solemn pledge you made to your father.”
Qaydar, upon hearing these words, felt hurt and fell into a mood of gloom and foreswore all worldly enjoyments, until he could solve this problem. As he was wandering about in his perplexity, Allah Almighty sent an angel to speak to him
who assumed the shape of a man, and said to him, “Oh Qaydar, in a short while Allah Almighty will adorn you with new strength, and you will bring under your dominion great cities and towns. You will also deliver the holy light which is deposited in your safekeeping to a pure woman who is not of the tribe of Ishaq . Allah demands a sacrifice of you, so that you may be directed towards that woman who is destined for you.”
Qaydar then slaughtered seven hundred rams as a sacrifice to his Lord, and from Heaven descended a fire like a streak of white light and burned his sacrifices. A heavenly voice was heard saying: “Oh Qaydar! Your sacrifice is made and accepted, your prayer is granted. The box you have inherited is with you and guidance shall come to you through your dreams.”
That night Qaydar saw a dream; in it he was told that the prophet who was to be the ultimate heir of the holy light was to come from the pureblooded Arab tribes of Arabia. He was told to go to those tribes and ask for the hand of one lady named Fakhira in marriage, so that through her he might attain his goal. Qaydar joyfully awoke from his dream, praised the Lord and thanked Him. He sent out his scouts and envoys forthwith to all the tribal chiefs of the Arabs to ask for the hand of such a woman. But no one could be found fitting the description.
At long last he himself set out to search among the Arab tribes. He came into the realm of Jurhum ibn Zuhri bin Amir bin Yaru’ bin Qahtan, and learned that this king indeed had a daughter named Fakhira and that she was a woman of modesty and virtue. He asked for her and they were united in marriage. Qaydar traveled back with her to his home country and this lady conceived from him. Qaydar then wished to open the box that had been passed down to him, but a voice was heard coming from it, that said: “Beware and refrain! Only the hand of a prophet may open this chest! Desist, lest harm befall you!” Qaydar heeded the warning and took the box to the son of Ishaq who was Ya’qub .
His wife Fakhira meanwhile bore him a male child and they named him Hamil. Hamil grew up, and when he was old enough his father said to him, “Come with me, I will take you to the building which your grandfather Ibrahim has built at Mecca, and I will show the holy sites and teach you the rites.” They set out for the holy house, the ‘Baytullah’, and when they had come to a place known as Sabil which is quite close by the holy house, they encountered the angel of death who had assumed a human form. “Where are you going?” he asked Qaydar. Qaydar answered, “We are going to the holy house of the Lord so that I might show my son the holy places and teach him the rites.” The angel of death said to him, “Come up to me, I have something to tell you in private..” Qaydar stepped
up to him, and the angel took from his soul while yet engaged in conversation with him. Hamil saw his father fall and rushed to attack the killer. But the angel of death addressed the young man, “Will you not check at least to see whether he is really dead..?” and while Hamil bent to do so, the angel vanished.
When Hamil looked up and found himself alone, he realized he had been speaking to an angel. Just then, by the grace of God, some people from the tribe of Ishaq came by that place. They attended to the dead man; they washed and prepared him for the f
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