MUHAMMAD SAW THE MESSENGER OF ISLAM (515 pages, 7/41)
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m to be their chief. This proposal offended them. Now there was one person among the tribe of Hudhayl, by name ‘Urwa bin Hayyad who was a very skilled marksman. Him they sent to meet with Muhammad Khuza’i. ‘Urwa struck him down with an arrow, and Qays, his brother fled back to Yemen, and informed Abraha of what had happened. Abraha, enraged, said, “No need to send anyone there, I will go there myself with an army, and destroy the place, and whomever I find of the Bani Kinana, I will slay them all. Whether they like it or not, I will force them to come worship at my church!” So Abraha set about to array his troops.
Meanwhile, the Bani Kinana had sent one of their men to Yemen to have a look at that marvelous church. He arrived and stood gazing at the building from outside, but not going in. They could tell he was not a Christian, so they asked him, “Who are you and where are you from?” He told them, “I am a tribesman, and I have heard the news of a great church that was built here in Yemen, so I have come to see it for myself, so that I might bring the Arab tribes here for the pilgrimage.” Abraha was informed of this, and he said, “Let the man inside the church and show him everything, don’t prevent him from looking around.”
So they took the Bedouin into the church, and here he saw things he had never seen before in all his life, such exquisite paintings set with precious gems, gilded crosses and crucifixes embellished with rubies, garnets and pearls, suspended from golden chains, sumptuously decorated and of priceless, inestimable wealth. The sight of this glory made him speechless, he stood still for a long while and at last began to weep. He then turned to the guardians of the church and said, “Please permit me to stay in this church overnight, I wish to spend the night therein, all by himself.” Towards the morning he felt a need and emptied his bowels, and smeared the filth all along the altar and the pulpit of the church. Then he asked the doorkeepers to let him out, and he left and was quickly gone.
When the people assembled in the morning to pray, they saw what had happened in their church, and they sent word to Abraha, their king. “This Arab who stayed in the church last night, he did this, and he was sent by those Arabs in Mecca to do it.” Abraha flew into a rage and swore a holy oath that he would not return to Yemen before he had not totally destroyed the holy house of the Arabs, and defiled it with filth.
Now, the Negus had an elephant whose name was Mahmud. It was battle- proven, and when placed amidst the troops it would never step on any of the soldiers. It was always victorious, and there was no greater and more sweet-
natured elephant in all of Abyssinia than he. The other elephants feared him and weakened before him, and followed his lead. Wherever Mahmud the elephant turned to go, there all the other elephants would direct their course. Abraha possessed thirteen Abyssinian elephants that he had brought to Yemen. Abraha now wrote a letter to the Negus, explaining to him what the Arab had done to the church, and he asked the Negus to send him the elephant Mahmud. Abraha lined up the elephants, assembled his fighters and set out for Mecca with the intention of destroying the Kaba.
Abraha marched towards Mecca and when he entered the region of Hijaz, he was confronted by Dhu Nafr a very valiant fighter who had seen many battles. He was a native of the region of Hamir in the Kingdom of Yemen and he was a close friend of Abdul-Muttalib. He met Abraha’s forces with an army of twelve thousand men and they engaged in battle. This time Abraha won the battle, and Dhu Nafr was taken prisoner. Abraha wanted to have him killed, but Dhu Nafr pleaded for his life. He said, “What good is it to you if you spill the cupful of blood coursing in my veins? As you know, my name is well-known among the Arabs – it is better if you spare me and keep me as your prisoner, I may yet be of use to you and render you valuable service.” So Abraha spared him and set a watch over his prisoner of war, then he marched on towards Mecca.
Near to the city he came to a camp of tent dwellers. There was a man of the Bani Khath’am, Nufayl bin Habib. The tribe of Khath’am was divided into two groups, one of them Shahran and the other Nahis, and they were a tribe of 50,000 households. Their leader was Nufayl, and he led an army of 1,000 men against Abraha. Abraha won the upper hand and took Nufayl prisoner. He wanted to put him to death, but Nufayl pleaded with him and said, “Oh Abraha, as you know I am the leader of 50,000 households. If you spare my life, these 50,000 homes will be your faithful servants. The ways through this desert are difficult; you need a guide through this terrain. If you spare me, I will guide you to Mecca and on to the Kaba.” Abraha saw that he had a point, and spared his life.
The heads of the tribes, hearing of the fate of both Dhu Nafr and Nufayl, grew afraid and nobody else dared stand in Abraha’s way. Thus he advanced as far as the area of Ta’if. The leading tribe there was the Bani Thaqif, and their leader was Mas’ud bin Mu’attib. They welcomed Abraha with gifts and offerings, paying homage to him and submitting to his superiority. Abraha also presented them with gifts and asked for a guide to lead him to Mecca. They sent with him a man from the Bani Thaqif called Abu Righal and he went ahead of them,
showing them the way to Mecca. Thus they arrived before the city and set up their camp at a place known as Mughammas. There Abu Righal died, and to this day his grave can be seen at Mughammas. It is a custom among all the Arabs to throw stones at his grave every time they pass by, so that there is a huge pile of stones over it.
The Wisdom of Abdul-Muttalib
When Abraha and his army were seen to be approaching Mecca, all the townspeople gathered round Abdul-Muttalib, Muhammad’s grandfather. They said, “What shall we do? We cannot fight against Abraha; what shall we do?” Abdul-Muttalib answered them, “There is only one thing to be done: everyone betake himself and his sons and daughters into the hills surrounding Mecca and hide them there. This Kaba here is Allah’s house: we will leave it in His care, for He is mightier than we are. Either He will let the enemies take and destroy it, or He will keep it from them, and defend it from their forces. It is in His hands, and He does as He pleases.” So spoke Abdul-Muttalib.
While they were yet engrossed in their deliberations, Abraha selected an advance party of 5,000 men and sent them towards Mecca. He appointed al-Aswad bin Mafsud as their chief and Abraha ordered him to plunder and pillage the outskirts of Mecca, and to take what ever he pleased of men and animals, but on no account should he enter the city itself.
So, al-Aswad bin Mafsud took his men to the environs of the town. They rounded up whatever they found of horses, sheep, camels and cattle and took the shepherds hostage as well. Among the animals they drove off were 200 camels belonging to Abdul-Muttalib. They brought the captive shepherds before Abraha who asked them, “What preparations have the people of Mecca made? Are they intending to fight or are they going to ask for quarter?” The shepherds replied, “The people of Mecca are not intending to fight at all. They are giving up the city to the king, for this is what Abdul-Muttalib advised them to do.”
Present among the Arab tribesmen in Abraha’s army there was a man from among the nobles of Yemen, named Hunata. To him Abraha turned and said, “You go to the people of Mecca and tell them that I take no pleasure in spilling the blood of the Meccans. All I am interested in is destroying the Kaba, which is here. This is what I have come for, and to this end I have sworn a binding oath. Let them have no fear; they are safe. Bring to me their leader so that I might see what sort of person he is.”
Hunata went then and informed Abdul-Muttalib of what Abraha wanted, and he brought him before the king. It was evening before the soldiery arrived, and Abdul-Muttalib spent that night together with the two prisoners. One of them, Dhu Nafr was Abdul-Muttalib’s good friend. Abdul-Muttalib said to him, “Is there no way you can use your influence?” He answered, “I have no power over anything, I am a prisoner, and every day I must fear for my life. But there is one person I know although I have not told Abraha about this, but I am acquainted with one of the servants here, and he is a friend of mine, a good man, by name Unays. I will send to him and commend your case to him strongly, so that he will inform the king of your standing with the Arabs, and that he may treat you accordingly.”
For Abdul-Muttalib was a very highly respected man, and none among the Arabs enjoyed greater regard than he; he was known to stand by his word, and he was a model of generosity. Every time he slaughtered a camel, he would distribute its meat among men, break up the bones and throw them to the dogs, and the offal he would take to the mountains where the birds and the wild beasts could feed on them. He therefore was called, ‘he who feeds men and wild beasts’. Dhu Nafr told Unays about Abdul-Muttalib and his high reputation, and sent him to Abraha, so that he might inform him. Hearing about this noble Arab, Abraha sent for him, and in the morning Abdul-Muttalib was brought before Abraha.
Abraha was seated upon his royal throne. Now Abdul-Muttalib was most impressive and dignified in his person, and perceiving this, Abraha found it unsuitable for Abdul-Muttalib to be seated beneath him. He also thought it imprudent for him to sit beside him on his throne, so he descended from his throne and sat with him upon the carpet. He greeted him with all tokens of respect and looked him over. His dignity and appearance pleased him very much. He asked his interpreter to translate for him, and he was much taken by Abdul- Muttalib’s conversation. In his heart he conceived the intention not to destroy the Kaba for the sake of Abdul-Muttalib, and not to raze the city.
He let the interpreter ask Abdul-Muttalib what favor he would ask of him, promising him to fulfill whatever it was. Abdul-Muttalib answered, “Yesterday they plundered and took away my two hundred camels; these I want returned to me.” Abraha felt sad hearing these words from Abdul-Muttalib, and said to himself, “What a pity! This person apparently has not the wits to match his looks; his arrangements are not wise; here I am come with a mighty army to destroy that on which depends the whole fame and pride of Mecca. He could have asked for me to spare it, I would have granted it him for his sake; instead he
asks me only for his 200 camels! If I went away and left the Kaba intact, he would get back his two hundred camels in any case!” This he told the interpreter to tell Abdul-Muttalib. To this Abdul-Muttalib answered, “This house does not belong to me. It has an owner, and He knows very well how to guard and defend it. He has no need of my protection, if He likes He will save it, if He likes He will let it be destroyed. That is none of my concern. All I want are my camels, they are my rightful property, let the king return them to me.” So Abraha had the camels returned to him, and he led them back towards Mecca.
He said to the people of Mecca, “Go, go out and hide in the hills! Leave the city, and leave the (holy) house, leave it in the hands of Him who owns it!” So all the men took their families and went out into the hills. Abdul-Muttalib also took his sons and went to the hills. The next morning Abraha set out and approached the town. At Mina he stopped and enquired what the inhabitants of the city were up to. He was told that they had all left town, and no one was left. Then Abraha ordered the elephant Mahmud and the other elephants to march into the town and to tear down the Kaba, the houses of Mecca and to devastate the whole city without harming a single soul. Then they should retreat and go back to where they came from.
Divine Support Saves Mecca
They led the elephant Mahmud towards the city, but when it was about to set foot across the city limit, it stopped, and nothing they did could move it. They beat it about the head, stuck hooks into its belly; no force could sway him. Seeing the elephant Mahmud stopped, all the other elephants stopped dead in their tracks as well.
Then Allah ordered the Ababil birds to fly against them. They came down by the sea. Each one of the birds carried three little bits of mud or stone, like peas or lentils, one in its beak and one in each claw. They came flying towards Mecca and hovered over the army. By the leave of Allah, a wind rose up from Hell and turned those bits of mud into stone, as clay is baked. While these stones were red-hot and glowing, they pelted the army of Abraha. No sooner they fell upon a man that they burnt their way into his body, so that he swelled up and burst. Some were hit and died on the spot; others withdrew and fled in panic and disarray. Some made it back all the way to their country, there to die.
Only the ones who were not touched by these stones survived. Abraha was hit on his head by a stone, and his whole body swelled, and he suffered greatly the whole journey back to Yemen where he died, in terrible agony. As for the
elephants, they too fled and Allah had mercy on them and spared them, leading them into safety. Abdul-Muttalib returned to Mecca and sent word to the Meccans to come back to their city, all danger now being over. On account of these events Abdul-Muttalib’s reputation grew even more, and they now knew for sure that the Kaba was the house of the Lord, and that Allah destroyed any who dared to go against it.
This event is mentioned in the Holy Quran in these words:
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. Hast thou not seen how thy Lord did with the Men of the Elephant? Did He not make their guile to go astray? And he loosed upon them birds in flights, hurling against them stones of baked clay and He made them like green blades devoured. (The Elephant)
The Blessed Birth
When the term was fulfilled and the moment of delivery approached, the holy house, the Kaba at Mecca all at once was seen to split in two. The Quraysh were appalled by this event, and everybody searched for an explanation. The Bani Hashim said, “This is on account of Abdullah, the son of Abdul-Muttalib’s death that this has happened”, while the Bani Zuhayr said, “This holy house has split asunder because the father of Amina, Wahb ibn Abdu Manaf has died, and he was one of the bravest men of Quraysh.”
While they were thus engaged in finding explanations for this inexplicable happening, they heard a voice coming from inside the Kaba that said, “Oh men of Quraysh! This holy house has not come apart on account of the death of any, but rather because the time of birth has drawn nigh for the Light of this world, the Glory of the world to come, the shining Lamp of Paradise, Muhammad bin Abdullah to emerge from his mother’s womb. He is to be a great prophet, he will cleanse this holy house of the abominations and idols that are polluting my precincts, and he will make me pure and pristine once more with the light of true faith; I will become the Qibla of his entire nation and the annual pilgrimage will be held on my grounds. Know that it is in honor of his long desired advent that this edifice has cracked and split.”
The night that Muhammad was born, Allah Almighty, Exalted be He, commanded the angels to open wide all the gates of Heaven and of Paradise; on that day the sun shone with more brilliance, and greater was its light than on other days, and the whole world was gladdened.
Abdullah bin Salam reports: On the night the prophet was born, I was sitting together with a learned Jew. He raised his face to Heaven and spoke to me, “Ya Ibn Salam! This very night at Mecca the Arabian prophet, Muhammad ibn Abdullah is to be born who will illuminate the world.” I said to him, “What do these words of yours mean, how do you know such a thing?” He answered me, “I have been watching the skies, and I see now such a light as has not been seen since the world began. That is how I come to know of this event.”
I then entered a dark room, and I saw seventy candles burning in it so that it was
brilliantly lit. I knew then that unusual things were happening. When I came to Mecca, I asked about that night, and I found that the Jewish scholar had told me the truth; it had indeed been the night in which the Prophet Muhammad came into this world.
The Prophet’s blessed mother, Amina, relates: “At the time I was ready to give birth there was no one with me, neither man nor woman attended me (for everyone, including Abdul-Muttalib, had gone to make Tawaf of the Kaba.) I was all alone in the house. Suddenly there was a terrifying noise and I felt great fear. Then a white bird alighted upon my breast and my fear left me, I became calm and no trace of pain or anxiety remained. Next I was handed a cup of sweet white sherbet, and when I drank of it, my heart filled with peace and joy and light. After this, I beheld a number of tall women approaching me, tall and slender as cypress trees, and of astounding beauty. I took them to be the daughters of Abdu Manaf. They came and sat around me in a circle, and I was mostly surprised and wondered how they had come to know of my condition and who had informed them.
While I was yet pondering this question in my heart, one of the ladies spoke and said, ‘I am Hawa, the wife of the Prophet Adam,’ and another one of them said, ‘I am Sarah, the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim.’ Yet another said, ‘I am Asiya, the wife of Fir’aun of Egypt’. And another said, ‘I am Maryam, the daughter of ‘Imran, the mother of ‘Isa.’ The others were introduced as the Huris of Paradise, all of whom had come to usher the Holy Prophet into his earthly life and to welcome him with due veneration.
All the while the noises I had been hearing became stronger and louder and more fearful. Suddenly I perceived a white curtain being drawn from the skies down to the earth, so that I was veiled from the eyes of the Jinn. Then there was a flock of birds with beaks of green emerald and ruby red wings. These birds flew down and fluttered about me so closely that I could feel the beating of their wings upon my skin. They flew round and round me as if in Tawaf (circumambulation). The Lord Almighty then removed the veil from my eyes so that I beheld the whole world from east to west. Three flags I saw them bring down from Heaven: one they planted in the ground in the east, one in the west and one right atop the Kaba. In the heavens that were open to my eyes I beheld men bearing bejeweled vessels of gold, and they assisted at the birth of the blessed child, and I suffered neither pain nor trouble.
And when I looked again, I saw that the child was born circumcised, and that his umbilical cord was cut and he was wrapped in a piece of white silk. He touched
the ground with his blessed head, lifted the forefinger of his right hand, and made humble supplication to Allah Almighty. I bent down to hear what he was saying, and these were the words I heard:
Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill’Allah wa inni Rasulullah; Allahu Akbar kabiran, wal-hamdu-lillahi kathiran, wa subhanallahi bukratan wa asilan. Allahumma, ummatiy, ummatiy…
There is a narration from Safiya, the daughter of Abdul-Muttalib:
“I was present the night the Prophet Muhammad was born. At the very moment of birth I saw a great light appear. During the night, I beheld six signs. The first was that the instant the holy child was born. He bent down his head and performed a prostration. The second, that he lifted up his blessed head and spoke clearly and distinctly these words: La ilaha illAllah, inni Rasulullah. The third, that a great light was manifested. The fourth, that when I wished to wash the child, I heard a voice speaking to me that said: ‘Oh Safiya, do not trouble yourself, we have already washed and cleansed him.’ The fifth sign was that he was born already circumcised, and his umbilical cord was cut. The sixth sign was when I looked for something with which to swaddle the child, I noticed upon his back a certain mark. Looking at it closely, I was able to read the words: ‘La ilaha illAllah, Muhammad Rasulullah.”
Safiya also said, “When he prostrated himself, he spoke some words in secret. I bent my ear to his blessed lips to hear what he was saying, and I heard him say: ‘Ummatiy, ummatiy (my nation, my nation).’”
Now let us pause briefly to consider this point: this noble prophet of unequaled rank and highest station prayed to his Lord from the very moment he was born, entreating Him for our sake, for the sake of his nation, while we, who stand in dire need of his prayer and intercession in this world and the next are enveloped in heedlessness. We forsake the example of his radiant and honored Sunna (example) and are negligent in our observance of the Shari’a that we have the privilege of knowing. Day and night we are careless in the recital of Salawat (praises and prayers on the Holy Prophet ), being engulfed in our own sloth. How can we be worthy of such lofty intercession?
If we paused to consider this for a moment and reflected on the implications, we would realize that we are totally overcome by our heedlessness, whereas we should busy ourselves constantly with the application of the holy ways of the law, and try to make all our actions accord with the guidance it contains, and to tirelessly recite praises and prayers on the Holy Prophet. May Allah–Exalted be
He–effect betterment for us all and improve our state, and grant us success and favor, for the sake of the prince among all the Divine Messengers. Amin.
To continue our narration: Amina the mother of the Holy Prophet recounts: “I then beheld a white cloud in the sky moving towards me, and from it came as if the sounds of horses. This cloud descended and enveloped the little child Muhammad and carried him away out of my sight. I heard a voice calling: ‘We are taking Muhammad , to show him the whole world. We shall encircle it and dive into the depths of the oceans, so that all that lives in and under the earth may know of the advent of this noble being and shall have seen his face and learned of his arrival. Hereafter the world shall be filled with the light of faith; of unbelief and rebellion against the Lord Almighty nothing will remain.’ Thus I heard the voices speak to me.”
“After only a brief moment, that cloud alighted anew, and I saw my son Muhammad again, wrapped now in a piece of green silk, dripping with milk. His face was radiant as the moon on her fourteenth night, and he exuded a fragrance sweeter than that of yellow musk. I then beheld three persons standing aside; one of them held in his hand a jug of silver, another held a bowl of green emerald, and the third held a piece of folded white silk. The latter unfolded this bit of silk and took from its folds a ring so bright it dazzled the eyes of the beholder.
“The first took the baby Muhammad and washed him seven times from the silver jug; then the next person took a ring from the folds of silken cloth and impressed its bezel in a place between the baby’s shoulders. After that he wrapped it up again in the bit of silk. He then took the baby Muhammad from me and held him under his wing for a whole hour, all the while whispering many secrets into his ears. At last he kissed him upon both his eyes and said, ‘Tuba laka, ya Muhammad , blissful tidings to you, oh Muhammad , in all Allah’s creation, you are the most awesome and venerable of all that serve Him Almighty. Triumph and victory has been given to your companions and your nation. It is you who holds the keys to the castle of bliss.’”
It is related by Ibn Abbas: The night the Holy Prophet was born, all the idols in the Kaba fell from their places and broke to pieces. At that time a voice was heard calling out from the unseen, and it said: “Woe and perdition on Quraysh, for the glorious and trusted prophet has come in truth, embellished with adornments from the loftiest gardens of Paradise. Lat and Uzza and all other idols are now finished and done for, Iblis himself is imprisoned.”
The Kaba itself was inwardly hung with golden lamps from Paradise, and all creatures of the heavens and the earth, the youths and the maidens from Paradise, all created beings other than mankind rejoiced and gave each other the glad tidings. “Oh Muhammad,” they wished, “may Allah make you happy and always pleased, for there is no creature born with greater honor than you, and none that is more excellent. Never have the angels celebrated the birth of any created being as they now celebrate your birth into this world!” Between Heaven and earth there were raised pillars of support, and all were made of precious stone, and not one of them was alike unto another.
It is reported by Ka’b-al-Akhbar: One of the miracles of that night was a fish that lived in the sea, and its name was Zalmusa. This fish had seventy heads and seventy tails, and a single scale on his back could have held seventy mountains and plains, the smallest of which would have been the size of Jabil Qubais (a hill in Mecca). Now you can picture the size of that tremendous fish! The night the Holy Prophet was born, by the Will of Allah Almighty this fish was so convulsed with mighty emotion that he caused the seven seas to heave from enthusiasm, so that all the sea creatures were instantly informed of the arrival of the Holy Prophet in the world of men.
The Holy Prophet’s illustrious grandfather was at the Kaba when Amina gave birth, and she sent him word of the glad event, inviting him to come and see her newborn son. Abdul-Muttalib relates: “I was at the time within the building of the Kaba. There I witnessed how the walls of the building themselves began to shake and tremble with joy, calling out to each other: ‘The Lord Almighty has bestowed great honor on us that we might see the coming of the prophet who will cleanse us of the filth of these idols!’ I was amazed at hearing this, and I understood then that you must have given birth, and that these words heralded the importance of the child you had born.”
Amina reports: Later, when he looked upon my son Muhammad , he said, “Praise be to the All-Powerful Lord that He has granted me such an auspicious grandchild!” and he praised him with a great many praises, while from the child’s blessed body such a beautiful scent issued forth that it filled the whole town of Mecca as if with the fragrance of musk and amber.
Voices of praise and rejoicing were heard throughout the town, even to the house of Abu Lahab, the Prophet’s uncle. While he lay sleeping, voices from the unseen filled his room and the smell of musk and amber pervaded the air. From this he awoke, greatly perplexed. A slave girl, Thauba, was sleeping by his side.
To her he turned to ask what she made of these strange sounds and voices. Thauba answered, “Good news and tidings of joy to you, oh Abu Lahab! Your brother Abdullah’s wife Amina has born a son. Muhammad . From his blessed body issues this perfumed cloud and this wonderful fragrance. The sounds you hear are the voices of those who inhabit the regions between Heaven and earth, heralding the birth of this miraculous child.”
Abu Lahab was pleased at the good news she gave him and he said to her, “Ya Thauba, for that you have given me joyful tidings, I shall give you your freedom. Go to the house of the mother of Muhammad and offer your services as a wet- nurse, for you too, are nursing a child, named Masruj.” So Thauba went and became the wet-nurse for Muhammad . For seven days his mother Amina gave him milk, after that Thauba came and nursed him until he was given to Halima as-Sa’adia.
It is related that some people saw Abu Lahab in their dreams after he had died. When they asked him how he fared in the afterlife he replied, “Woe is me! Was I not the uncle of a great and distinguished prophet? Would that I had believed in him and become one of the blissful dwellers of Paradise gardens! Ah, but I chose to be his greatest enemy, persisting in error and disbelief, so that I am one of the damned of Hell.
However, there are two grants of mercy that I receive over and above all the other inmates of the Fire: from the night linking Sunday to Monday up to the following night, my punishment is alleviated; and when I place my two fingers in my mouth on that day, a cool drink of water issues forth from between my index and middle fingers that soothes my torment.”
That blessed night all idols in the entire world fell from their pedestals and shattered to bits, and Shaytan’s throne was overturned so that it hung downwards and he fell off it. The angels then caught hold of him and imprisoned him for forty days in the forty seas. Finally, he contrived his escape, and he came up to the Mount Abu Qubais and let out a mighty scream. Hearing him yell, all the devils and Ifrit came flying and gathered round, asking him, “What is it with you that you scream so loud?” He answered them, “Such a terrible destroyer has been sent down upon you as you have never known or seen before. What is more, against t
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m to be their chief. This proposal offended them. Now there was one person among the tribe of Hudhayl, by name ‘Urwa bin Hayyad who was a very skilled marksman. Him they sent to meet with Muhammad Khuza’i. ‘Urwa struck him down with an arrow, and Qays, his brother fled back to Yemen, and informed Abraha of what had happened. Abraha, enraged, said, “No need to send anyone there, I will go there myself with an army, and destroy the place, and whomever I find of the Bani Kinana, I will slay them all. Whether they like it or not, I will force them to come worship at my church!” So Abraha set about to array his troops.
Meanwhile, the Bani Kinana had sent one of their men to Yemen to have a look at that marvelous church. He arrived and stood gazing at the building from outside, but not going in. They could tell he was not a Christian, so they asked him, “Who are you and where are you from?” He told them, “I am a tribesman, and I have heard the news of a great church that was built here in Yemen, so I have come to see it for myself, so that I might bring the Arab tribes here for the pilgrimage.” Abraha was informed of this, and he said, “Let the man inside the church and show him everything, don’t prevent him from looking around.”
So they took the Bedouin into the church, and here he saw things he had never seen before in all his life, such exquisite paintings set with precious gems, gilded crosses and crucifixes embellished with rubies, garnets and pearls, suspended from golden chains, sumptuously decorated and of priceless, inestimable wealth. The sight of this glory made him speechless, he stood still for a long while and at last began to weep. He then turned to the guardians of the church and said, “Please permit me to stay in this church overnight, I wish to spend the night therein, all by himself.” Towards the morning he felt a need and emptied his bowels, and smeared the filth all along the altar and the pulpit of the church. Then he asked the doorkeepers to let him out, and he left and was quickly gone.
When the people assembled in the morning to pray, they saw what had happened in their church, and they sent word to Abraha, their king. “This Arab who stayed in the church last night, he did this, and he was sent by those Arabs in Mecca to do it.” Abraha flew into a rage and swore a holy oath that he would not return to Yemen before he had not totally destroyed the holy house of the Arabs, and defiled it with filth.
Now, the Negus had an elephant whose name was Mahmud. It was battle- proven, and when placed amidst the troops it would never step on any of the soldiers. It was always victorious, and there was no greater and more sweet-
natured elephant in all of Abyssinia than he. The other elephants feared him and weakened before him, and followed his lead. Wherever Mahmud the elephant turned to go, there all the other elephants would direct their course. Abraha possessed thirteen Abyssinian elephants that he had brought to Yemen. Abraha now wrote a letter to the Negus, explaining to him what the Arab had done to the church, and he asked the Negus to send him the elephant Mahmud. Abraha lined up the elephants, assembled his fighters and set out for Mecca with the intention of destroying the Kaba.
Abraha marched towards Mecca and when he entered the region of Hijaz, he was confronted by Dhu Nafr a very valiant fighter who had seen many battles. He was a native of the region of Hamir in the Kingdom of Yemen and he was a close friend of Abdul-Muttalib. He met Abraha’s forces with an army of twelve thousand men and they engaged in battle. This time Abraha won the battle, and Dhu Nafr was taken prisoner. Abraha wanted to have him killed, but Dhu Nafr pleaded for his life. He said, “What good is it to you if you spill the cupful of blood coursing in my veins? As you know, my name is well-known among the Arabs – it is better if you spare me and keep me as your prisoner, I may yet be of use to you and render you valuable service.” So Abraha spared him and set a watch over his prisoner of war, then he marched on towards Mecca.
Near to the city he came to a camp of tent dwellers. There was a man of the Bani Khath’am, Nufayl bin Habib. The tribe of Khath’am was divided into two groups, one of them Shahran and the other Nahis, and they were a tribe of 50,000 households. Their leader was Nufayl, and he led an army of 1,000 men against Abraha. Abraha won the upper hand and took Nufayl prisoner. He wanted to put him to death, but Nufayl pleaded with him and said, “Oh Abraha, as you know I am the leader of 50,000 households. If you spare my life, these 50,000 homes will be your faithful servants. The ways through this desert are difficult; you need a guide through this terrain. If you spare me, I will guide you to Mecca and on to the Kaba.” Abraha saw that he had a point, and spared his life.
The heads of the tribes, hearing of the fate of both Dhu Nafr and Nufayl, grew afraid and nobody else dared stand in Abraha’s way. Thus he advanced as far as the area of Ta’if. The leading tribe there was the Bani Thaqif, and their leader was Mas’ud bin Mu’attib. They welcomed Abraha with gifts and offerings, paying homage to him and submitting to his superiority. Abraha also presented them with gifts and asked for a guide to lead him to Mecca. They sent with him a man from the Bani Thaqif called Abu Righal and he went ahead of them,
showing them the way to Mecca. Thus they arrived before the city and set up their camp at a place known as Mughammas. There Abu Righal died, and to this day his grave can be seen at Mughammas. It is a custom among all the Arabs to throw stones at his grave every time they pass by, so that there is a huge pile of stones over it.
The Wisdom of Abdul-Muttalib
When Abraha and his army were seen to be approaching Mecca, all the townspeople gathered round Abdul-Muttalib, Muhammad’s grandfather. They said, “What shall we do? We cannot fight against Abraha; what shall we do?” Abdul-Muttalib answered them, “There is only one thing to be done: everyone betake himself and his sons and daughters into the hills surrounding Mecca and hide them there. This Kaba here is Allah’s house: we will leave it in His care, for He is mightier than we are. Either He will let the enemies take and destroy it, or He will keep it from them, and defend it from their forces. It is in His hands, and He does as He pleases.” So spoke Abdul-Muttalib.
While they were yet engrossed in their deliberations, Abraha selected an advance party of 5,000 men and sent them towards Mecca. He appointed al-Aswad bin Mafsud as their chief and Abraha ordered him to plunder and pillage the outskirts of Mecca, and to take what ever he pleased of men and animals, but on no account should he enter the city itself.
So, al-Aswad bin Mafsud took his men to the environs of the town. They rounded up whatever they found of horses, sheep, camels and cattle and took the shepherds hostage as well. Among the animals they drove off were 200 camels belonging to Abdul-Muttalib. They brought the captive shepherds before Abraha who asked them, “What preparations have the people of Mecca made? Are they intending to fight or are they going to ask for quarter?” The shepherds replied, “The people of Mecca are not intending to fight at all. They are giving up the city to the king, for this is what Abdul-Muttalib advised them to do.”
Present among the Arab tribesmen in Abraha’s army there was a man from among the nobles of Yemen, named Hunata. To him Abraha turned and said, “You go to the people of Mecca and tell them that I take no pleasure in spilling the blood of the Meccans. All I am interested in is destroying the Kaba, which is here. This is what I have come for, and to this end I have sworn a binding oath. Let them have no fear; they are safe. Bring to me their leader so that I might see what sort of person he is.”
Hunata went then and informed Abdul-Muttalib of what Abraha wanted, and he brought him before the king. It was evening before the soldiery arrived, and Abdul-Muttalib spent that night together with the two prisoners. One of them, Dhu Nafr was Abdul-Muttalib’s good friend. Abdul-Muttalib said to him, “Is there no way you can use your influence?” He answered, “I have no power over anything, I am a prisoner, and every day I must fear for my life. But there is one person I know although I have not told Abraha about this, but I am acquainted with one of the servants here, and he is a friend of mine, a good man, by name Unays. I will send to him and commend your case to him strongly, so that he will inform the king of your standing with the Arabs, and that he may treat you accordingly.”
For Abdul-Muttalib was a very highly respected man, and none among the Arabs enjoyed greater regard than he; he was known to stand by his word, and he was a model of generosity. Every time he slaughtered a camel, he would distribute its meat among men, break up the bones and throw them to the dogs, and the offal he would take to the mountains where the birds and the wild beasts could feed on them. He therefore was called, ‘he who feeds men and wild beasts’. Dhu Nafr told Unays about Abdul-Muttalib and his high reputation, and sent him to Abraha, so that he might inform him. Hearing about this noble Arab, Abraha sent for him, and in the morning Abdul-Muttalib was brought before Abraha.
Abraha was seated upon his royal throne. Now Abdul-Muttalib was most impressive and dignified in his person, and perceiving this, Abraha found it unsuitable for Abdul-Muttalib to be seated beneath him. He also thought it imprudent for him to sit beside him on his throne, so he descended from his throne and sat with him upon the carpet. He greeted him with all tokens of respect and looked him over. His dignity and appearance pleased him very much. He asked his interpreter to translate for him, and he was much taken by Abdul- Muttalib’s conversation. In his heart he conceived the intention not to destroy the Kaba for the sake of Abdul-Muttalib, and not to raze the city.
He let the interpreter ask Abdul-Muttalib what favor he would ask of him, promising him to fulfill whatever it was. Abdul-Muttalib answered, “Yesterday they plundered and took away my two hundred camels; these I want returned to me.” Abraha felt sad hearing these words from Abdul-Muttalib, and said to himself, “What a pity! This person apparently has not the wits to match his looks; his arrangements are not wise; here I am come with a mighty army to destroy that on which depends the whole fame and pride of Mecca. He could have asked for me to spare it, I would have granted it him for his sake; instead he
asks me only for his 200 camels! If I went away and left the Kaba intact, he would get back his two hundred camels in any case!” This he told the interpreter to tell Abdul-Muttalib. To this Abdul-Muttalib answered, “This house does not belong to me. It has an owner, and He knows very well how to guard and defend it. He has no need of my protection, if He likes He will save it, if He likes He will let it be destroyed. That is none of my concern. All I want are my camels, they are my rightful property, let the king return them to me.” So Abraha had the camels returned to him, and he led them back towards Mecca.
He said to the people of Mecca, “Go, go out and hide in the hills! Leave the city, and leave the (holy) house, leave it in the hands of Him who owns it!” So all the men took their families and went out into the hills. Abdul-Muttalib also took his sons and went to the hills. The next morning Abraha set out and approached the town. At Mina he stopped and enquired what the inhabitants of the city were up to. He was told that they had all left town, and no one was left. Then Abraha ordered the elephant Mahmud and the other elephants to march into the town and to tear down the Kaba, the houses of Mecca and to devastate the whole city without harming a single soul. Then they should retreat and go back to where they came from.
Divine Support Saves Mecca
They led the elephant Mahmud towards the city, but when it was about to set foot across the city limit, it stopped, and nothing they did could move it. They beat it about the head, stuck hooks into its belly; no force could sway him. Seeing the elephant Mahmud stopped, all the other elephants stopped dead in their tracks as well.
Then Allah ordered the Ababil birds to fly against them. They came down by the sea. Each one of the birds carried three little bits of mud or stone, like peas or lentils, one in its beak and one in each claw. They came flying towards Mecca and hovered over the army. By the leave of Allah, a wind rose up from Hell and turned those bits of mud into stone, as clay is baked. While these stones were red-hot and glowing, they pelted the army of Abraha. No sooner they fell upon a man that they burnt their way into his body, so that he swelled up and burst. Some were hit and died on the spot; others withdrew and fled in panic and disarray. Some made it back all the way to their country, there to die.
Only the ones who were not touched by these stones survived. Abraha was hit on his head by a stone, and his whole body swelled, and he suffered greatly the whole journey back to Yemen where he died, in terrible agony. As for the
elephants, they too fled and Allah had mercy on them and spared them, leading them into safety. Abdul-Muttalib returned to Mecca and sent word to the Meccans to come back to their city, all danger now being over. On account of these events Abdul-Muttalib’s reputation grew even more, and they now knew for sure that the Kaba was the house of the Lord, and that Allah destroyed any who dared to go against it.
This event is mentioned in the Holy Quran in these words:
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim. Hast thou not seen how thy Lord did with the Men of the Elephant? Did He not make their guile to go astray? And he loosed upon them birds in flights, hurling against them stones of baked clay and He made them like green blades devoured. (The Elephant)
The Blessed Birth
When the term was fulfilled and the moment of delivery approached, the holy house, the Kaba at Mecca all at once was seen to split in two. The Quraysh were appalled by this event, and everybody searched for an explanation. The Bani Hashim said, “This is on account of Abdullah, the son of Abdul-Muttalib’s death that this has happened”, while the Bani Zuhayr said, “This holy house has split asunder because the father of Amina, Wahb ibn Abdu Manaf has died, and he was one of the bravest men of Quraysh.”
While they were thus engaged in finding explanations for this inexplicable happening, they heard a voice coming from inside the Kaba that said, “Oh men of Quraysh! This holy house has not come apart on account of the death of any, but rather because the time of birth has drawn nigh for the Light of this world, the Glory of the world to come, the shining Lamp of Paradise, Muhammad bin Abdullah to emerge from his mother’s womb. He is to be a great prophet, he will cleanse this holy house of the abominations and idols that are polluting my precincts, and he will make me pure and pristine once more with the light of true faith; I will become the Qibla of his entire nation and the annual pilgrimage will be held on my grounds. Know that it is in honor of his long desired advent that this edifice has cracked and split.”
The night that Muhammad was born, Allah Almighty, Exalted be He, commanded the angels to open wide all the gates of Heaven and of Paradise; on that day the sun shone with more brilliance, and greater was its light than on other days, and the whole world was gladdened.
Abdullah bin Salam reports: On the night the prophet was born, I was sitting together with a learned Jew. He raised his face to Heaven and spoke to me, “Ya Ibn Salam! This very night at Mecca the Arabian prophet, Muhammad ibn Abdullah is to be born who will illuminate the world.” I said to him, “What do these words of yours mean, how do you know such a thing?” He answered me, “I have been watching the skies, and I see now such a light as has not been seen since the world began. That is how I come to know of this event.”
I then entered a dark room, and I saw seventy candles burning in it so that it was
brilliantly lit. I knew then that unusual things were happening. When I came to Mecca, I asked about that night, and I found that the Jewish scholar had told me the truth; it had indeed been the night in which the Prophet Muhammad came into this world.
The Prophet’s blessed mother, Amina, relates: “At the time I was ready to give birth there was no one with me, neither man nor woman attended me (for everyone, including Abdul-Muttalib, had gone to make Tawaf of the Kaba.) I was all alone in the house. Suddenly there was a terrifying noise and I felt great fear. Then a white bird alighted upon my breast and my fear left me, I became calm and no trace of pain or anxiety remained. Next I was handed a cup of sweet white sherbet, and when I drank of it, my heart filled with peace and joy and light. After this, I beheld a number of tall women approaching me, tall and slender as cypress trees, and of astounding beauty. I took them to be the daughters of Abdu Manaf. They came and sat around me in a circle, and I was mostly surprised and wondered how they had come to know of my condition and who had informed them.
While I was yet pondering this question in my heart, one of the ladies spoke and said, ‘I am Hawa, the wife of the Prophet Adam,’ and another one of them said, ‘I am Sarah, the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim.’ Yet another said, ‘I am Asiya, the wife of Fir’aun of Egypt’. And another said, ‘I am Maryam, the daughter of ‘Imran, the mother of ‘Isa.’ The others were introduced as the Huris of Paradise, all of whom had come to usher the Holy Prophet into his earthly life and to welcome him with due veneration.
All the while the noises I had been hearing became stronger and louder and more fearful. Suddenly I perceived a white curtain being drawn from the skies down to the earth, so that I was veiled from the eyes of the Jinn. Then there was a flock of birds with beaks of green emerald and ruby red wings. These birds flew down and fluttered about me so closely that I could feel the beating of their wings upon my skin. They flew round and round me as if in Tawaf (circumambulation). The Lord Almighty then removed the veil from my eyes so that I beheld the whole world from east to west. Three flags I saw them bring down from Heaven: one they planted in the ground in the east, one in the west and one right atop the Kaba. In the heavens that were open to my eyes I beheld men bearing bejeweled vessels of gold, and they assisted at the birth of the blessed child, and I suffered neither pain nor trouble.
And when I looked again, I saw that the child was born circumcised, and that his umbilical cord was cut and he was wrapped in a piece of white silk. He touched
the ground with his blessed head, lifted the forefinger of his right hand, and made humble supplication to Allah Almighty. I bent down to hear what he was saying, and these were the words I heard:
Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill’Allah wa inni Rasulullah; Allahu Akbar kabiran, wal-hamdu-lillahi kathiran, wa subhanallahi bukratan wa asilan. Allahumma, ummatiy, ummatiy…
There is a narration from Safiya, the daughter of Abdul-Muttalib:
“I was present the night the Prophet Muhammad was born. At the very moment of birth I saw a great light appear. During the night, I beheld six signs. The first was that the instant the holy child was born. He bent down his head and performed a prostration. The second, that he lifted up his blessed head and spoke clearly and distinctly these words: La ilaha illAllah, inni Rasulullah. The third, that a great light was manifested. The fourth, that when I wished to wash the child, I heard a voice speaking to me that said: ‘Oh Safiya, do not trouble yourself, we have already washed and cleansed him.’ The fifth sign was that he was born already circumcised, and his umbilical cord was cut. The sixth sign was when I looked for something with which to swaddle the child, I noticed upon his back a certain mark. Looking at it closely, I was able to read the words: ‘La ilaha illAllah, Muhammad Rasulullah.”
Safiya also said, “When he prostrated himself, he spoke some words in secret. I bent my ear to his blessed lips to hear what he was saying, and I heard him say: ‘Ummatiy, ummatiy (my nation, my nation).’”
Now let us pause briefly to consider this point: this noble prophet of unequaled rank and highest station prayed to his Lord from the very moment he was born, entreating Him for our sake, for the sake of his nation, while we, who stand in dire need of his prayer and intercession in this world and the next are enveloped in heedlessness. We forsake the example of his radiant and honored Sunna (example) and are negligent in our observance of the Shari’a that we have the privilege of knowing. Day and night we are careless in the recital of Salawat (praises and prayers on the Holy Prophet ), being engulfed in our own sloth. How can we be worthy of such lofty intercession?
If we paused to consider this for a moment and reflected on the implications, we would realize that we are totally overcome by our heedlessness, whereas we should busy ourselves constantly with the application of the holy ways of the law, and try to make all our actions accord with the guidance it contains, and to tirelessly recite praises and prayers on the Holy Prophet. May Allah–Exalted be
He–effect betterment for us all and improve our state, and grant us success and favor, for the sake of the prince among all the Divine Messengers. Amin.
To continue our narration: Amina the mother of the Holy Prophet recounts: “I then beheld a white cloud in the sky moving towards me, and from it came as if the sounds of horses. This cloud descended and enveloped the little child Muhammad and carried him away out of my sight. I heard a voice calling: ‘We are taking Muhammad , to show him the whole world. We shall encircle it and dive into the depths of the oceans, so that all that lives in and under the earth may know of the advent of this noble being and shall have seen his face and learned of his arrival. Hereafter the world shall be filled with the light of faith; of unbelief and rebellion against the Lord Almighty nothing will remain.’ Thus I heard the voices speak to me.”
“After only a brief moment, that cloud alighted anew, and I saw my son Muhammad again, wrapped now in a piece of green silk, dripping with milk. His face was radiant as the moon on her fourteenth night, and he exuded a fragrance sweeter than that of yellow musk. I then beheld three persons standing aside; one of them held in his hand a jug of silver, another held a bowl of green emerald, and the third held a piece of folded white silk. The latter unfolded this bit of silk and took from its folds a ring so bright it dazzled the eyes of the beholder.
“The first took the baby Muhammad and washed him seven times from the silver jug; then the next person took a ring from the folds of silken cloth and impressed its bezel in a place between the baby’s shoulders. After that he wrapped it up again in the bit of silk. He then took the baby Muhammad from me and held him under his wing for a whole hour, all the while whispering many secrets into his ears. At last he kissed him upon both his eyes and said, ‘Tuba laka, ya Muhammad , blissful tidings to you, oh Muhammad , in all Allah’s creation, you are the most awesome and venerable of all that serve Him Almighty. Triumph and victory has been given to your companions and your nation. It is you who holds the keys to the castle of bliss.’”
It is related by Ibn Abbas: The night the Holy Prophet was born, all the idols in the Kaba fell from their places and broke to pieces. At that time a voice was heard calling out from the unseen, and it said: “Woe and perdition on Quraysh, for the glorious and trusted prophet has come in truth, embellished with adornments from the loftiest gardens of Paradise. Lat and Uzza and all other idols are now finished and done for, Iblis himself is imprisoned.”
The Kaba itself was inwardly hung with golden lamps from Paradise, and all creatures of the heavens and the earth, the youths and the maidens from Paradise, all created beings other than mankind rejoiced and gave each other the glad tidings. “Oh Muhammad,” they wished, “may Allah make you happy and always pleased, for there is no creature born with greater honor than you, and none that is more excellent. Never have the angels celebrated the birth of any created being as they now celebrate your birth into this world!” Between Heaven and earth there were raised pillars of support, and all were made of precious stone, and not one of them was alike unto another.
It is reported by Ka’b-al-Akhbar: One of the miracles of that night was a fish that lived in the sea, and its name was Zalmusa. This fish had seventy heads and seventy tails, and a single scale on his back could have held seventy mountains and plains, the smallest of which would have been the size of Jabil Qubais (a hill in Mecca). Now you can picture the size of that tremendous fish! The night the Holy Prophet was born, by the Will of Allah Almighty this fish was so convulsed with mighty emotion that he caused the seven seas to heave from enthusiasm, so that all the sea creatures were instantly informed of the arrival of the Holy Prophet in the world of men.
The Holy Prophet’s illustrious grandfather was at the Kaba when Amina gave birth, and she sent him word of the glad event, inviting him to come and see her newborn son. Abdul-Muttalib relates: “I was at the time within the building of the Kaba. There I witnessed how the walls of the building themselves began to shake and tremble with joy, calling out to each other: ‘The Lord Almighty has bestowed great honor on us that we might see the coming of the prophet who will cleanse us of the filth of these idols!’ I was amazed at hearing this, and I understood then that you must have given birth, and that these words heralded the importance of the child you had born.”
Amina reports: Later, when he looked upon my son Muhammad , he said, “Praise be to the All-Powerful Lord that He has granted me such an auspicious grandchild!” and he praised him with a great many praises, while from the child’s blessed body such a beautiful scent issued forth that it filled the whole town of Mecca as if with the fragrance of musk and amber.
Voices of praise and rejoicing were heard throughout the town, even to the house of Abu Lahab, the Prophet’s uncle. While he lay sleeping, voices from the unseen filled his room and the smell of musk and amber pervaded the air. From this he awoke, greatly perplexed. A slave girl, Thauba, was sleeping by his side.
To her he turned to ask what she made of these strange sounds and voices. Thauba answered, “Good news and tidings of joy to you, oh Abu Lahab! Your brother Abdullah’s wife Amina has born a son. Muhammad . From his blessed body issues this perfumed cloud and this wonderful fragrance. The sounds you hear are the voices of those who inhabit the regions between Heaven and earth, heralding the birth of this miraculous child.”
Abu Lahab was pleased at the good news she gave him and he said to her, “Ya Thauba, for that you have given me joyful tidings, I shall give you your freedom. Go to the house of the mother of Muhammad and offer your services as a wet- nurse, for you too, are nursing a child, named Masruj.” So Thauba went and became the wet-nurse for Muhammad . For seven days his mother Amina gave him milk, after that Thauba came and nursed him until he was given to Halima as-Sa’adia.
It is related that some people saw Abu Lahab in their dreams after he had died. When they asked him how he fared in the afterlife he replied, “Woe is me! Was I not the uncle of a great and distinguished prophet? Would that I had believed in him and become one of the blissful dwellers of Paradise gardens! Ah, but I chose to be his greatest enemy, persisting in error and disbelief, so that I am one of the damned of Hell.
However, there are two grants of mercy that I receive over and above all the other inmates of the Fire: from the night linking Sunday to Monday up to the following night, my punishment is alleviated; and when I place my two fingers in my mouth on that day, a cool drink of water issues forth from between my index and middle fingers that soothes my torment.”
That blessed night all idols in the entire world fell from their pedestals and shattered to bits, and Shaytan’s throne was overturned so that it hung downwards and he fell off it. The angels then caught hold of him and imprisoned him for forty days in the forty seas. Finally, he contrived his escape, and he came up to the Mount Abu Qubais and let out a mighty scream. Hearing him yell, all the devils and Ifrit came flying and gathered round, asking him, “What is it with you that you scream so loud?” He answered them, “Such a terrible destroyer has been sent down upon you as you have never known or seen before. What is more, against t
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