Baad Az Khuda Buzurg Tuee, Qissa Mukhtasar
TAG: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
The Moon-Splitting Miracle
The moon splitting was a miracle with which Allah The Almighty supported the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The moon split into two parts, and some Companions saw the mountain of Hiraa’ between them. This miracle took place before the prophetic emigration when the Makkan disbelievers asked the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to provide them with evidence of the truthfulness of his Da‘wah (call). The Hadeeth reads: “The people of Makkah asked the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to provide them with a sign [that would prove the truthfulness of his message]. He consequently showed them the moon divided into two parts until they saw the mountain of Hiraa’ between them.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “During the lifetime of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, the moon split into two parts – one of them was above the mountain and the other at the bottom of it. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, then said:‘Bear witness [to that]’” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, also said, “I saw the mountain of Hiraa’ between the two split halves of the moon.”
The moon splitting is one of the signs of the hour that have, of course, already taken place. It was narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Five [signs of the Hour] have occurred: the smoke, the moon splitting, [the defeat of] the Romans, Al-Batshah, and Al-Lizaam.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Al-Lizaam refers to either aridity or the sticking of corpses to one another at the battle of Badr. Al-Batshah (the mighty grasp) refers to the killing that occurred at the battle of Badr.
The moon splitting is mentioned in the Quran coupled with the approach of the Hour. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {The Hour has come near, and the moon has split [in two]} [Quran 54:1]
However, because of their natural belying and obstinacy, the Qurayshis turned away and described the incident as magic. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And if they see a miracle, they turn away and say, ‘Passing magic’} [Quran 54:2]
Their argument, of course, is no more than a refutable malicious allegation that was even refuted in the past. Abu Is’haaq Az-Zajjaaj, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Some of the religious innovators agreed with the non-Muslims in negating the incident of the moon splitting. Reason should not deny this in any way, for the moon is created by Allah The Almighty who does whatever He wills as He will wrap it up in darkness and destroy it on the Day of Resurrection.”
Some have argued that if the moon had truly split, it would have been consecutively narrated by a huge number of narrators and all the people on earth would have known it – and knowing it would not have been exclusive to the Makkans. This, however, is refuted by the fact that the incident took place during the night, while most people were asleep, doors were shut and there were very few people who examined the sky. There may be a lunar eclipse and great stars appear at night while none witnesses this except a few people. Also, the moon splitting was a miracle that took place at night for obstinate people who asked for it, so none but them needed to witness it. The moon that night might have been in a place in the sky that allowed it to be seen only in some places, just as the solar eclipse appears in some places and disappears in others.
Al-Khattaabi, may Allah have mercy upon him, was quoted as saying, “The moon splitting is a great miracle which is hardly comparable to any other of the miracles of the prophets. This is due to its occurrence in the kingdom of heaven away from the norms of this complex [earthly] world – so none longs for reaching it by any means, and, therefore, taking it as a proof is even more binding.”
Some modern studies, which are interested in studying the surface of the moon, proved the existence of traces of ruptures and splitting. This motivated some people to embrace Islam when they knew that the Quran mentioned this incident centuries ago. Exalted is Allah who showed evidence of His Divinity and great creation. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth. But is it not sufficient concerning your Lord that He is, over all things, a Witness?} [Quran 41:53]
Argument About Jesus
In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful
Whenever the son of Mary is cited as an example, your people raise an outcry, saying: ‘Who is better: Our deities or he?’ They cite him only to challenge you. They are contentious people. He was but a servant of Ours whom We had favored and made an example to the Children of Israel. (Gold; Al-Zukhruf: 43: 57-59)
These verses begin the final passage of this surah, which picks up the legends the pagan Arabs weaved around their worship of angels. It refers to one of the arguments they used to defend their absurd beliefs. It was a futile argument that reflected no attempt to arrive at the truth; it was more an exercise in polemics. They had been told that both they and what they worshipped were bound for hell. The reference here is to their idols that were first intended as representations of angels, but which were later worshipped as deities. They were told that whoever worshipped anything other than God would be in hell together with the thing worshipped. In response, some of them cited the example of Jesus (peace be upon him), who was worshipped by some of those who deviated from true Christianity. They asked whether Jesus would also be in hell? This was nothing but an idle argument. They also claimed that they were better guided than the Christians who worshipped Jesus, a human being, while they worshipped the angels, God’s daughters. All this was no more than compounded falsehood. In connection with this, the surah gives an account of Jesus, explaining the truth about him and his message, and the differences that gripped his people both before and after him.
Addressing all those who deviate from their true faith, the surah warns them against the sudden coming of the Last Hour. It moves on to portray a long scene of the Day of Judgment, giving an image of lasting happiness for the God-fearing and one of painful suffering for the guilty. Furthermore, the surah negates their legends concerning the angels, makes it clear that God is free of all that they allege concerning Him, and outlines some of His attributes, including His complete ownership of both this life and the life to come. The surah concludes with a directive to the Prophet (peace be upon him) to be forbearing and to turn away from the unbelievers. They will come to know what is there to be known. This is an implicit warning to those who continue to argue after things have been made very clear.
In his biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Ibn Ishaq gives the following report: The Prophet sat with Al-Waleed ibn Al-Mugheerah in the Sacred Mosque, and they were joined by Al-Nadr ibn Al-Harith. There were a few other men from the Quraysh. The Prophet spoke to them, but Al-Nadr interrupted him. The Prophet argued with him until he silenced him. He then read to them a passage of the Qur’an that included the verse that says: “You and all that you were wont to worship instead of God are but the fuel of hell: that is what you are destined for.” (21: 98) The Prophet then left.
Then came Abdullah ibn Al-Zibaari of the Tameem tribe who sat with them. Al-Waleed said to him: Al-Nadr was no match for Muhammad. Indeed Muhammad said that both we and the deities we worship will be the fuel of hell. Ibn Al-Zibaari said: “Had I been the one who argued with him I would have won. Ask Muhammad whether everyone worshipped other than God will be in hell together with those worshipping him. Well, we worship the angels, and the Jews worship Ezra, while the Christians worship Jesus, son of Mary.” Al-Waleed and those who were in the Mosque admired what Ibn Al-Zibaari had said and felt that he had put forward a winning argument. When this was mentioned to the Prophet, he said: “Anyone who likes to be worshipped in place of God will be joined to those who worship him. These people only worship Satan and whoever Satan orders them to worship.” God then revealed the verse that says: “But those for whom (the decree of) ultimate good has already gone forth from Us will be kept far away from that hell.” (21: 101) This means that Jesus, Ezra, and other rabbis and priests who were sincere in their faith but were then worshipped as deities by later people will be safe from hell. Furthermore, concerning the argument about Jesus being worshipped and the admiration of the argument by Al-Waleed ibn Al-Mughirah and others, God revealed the verse that says: “Whenever the son of Mary is cited as an example, your people raise an outcry.”
In Al-Kashshaf, a commentary on the Qur’an, Al-Zamkhshari gives a largely similar report, without mentioning its source. Both reports show clearly how argumentative the pagan Arabs were. They were exactly as the Qur’an describes them: “They are contentious people.” They were certainly skillful in dispute. They realized what the Qur’an and the Prophet meant, but they tried hard to twist its meaning, indulged in polemics, exploiting the fact that the Qur’anic statement was general in its implication. This is characteristic of everyone who is devoid of sincerity, seeking to manipulate words and phrases in order to twist what was a clear meaning. Therefore, the Prophet strictly prohibited contentious arguments. Abu Umamah, a companion of the Prophet, reports: “The Prophet came out once only to find some people involved in an argument concerning the Qur’an. He was so angry that he looked as though vinegar had been poured over his face. He then said to them: ‘Do not argue about God’s book citing parts of it against other parts. No community strays into error unless they are given to contentious argument.’ He then quoted the Qur’anic verse that says: ‘They cite him only to challenge you. They are contentious people.’
Syed ul Alameen (PBUH) Ka Sabar, Hilm Aur Afw-o-Darguzar
Syed ul Alameen (PBUH) Ka Sabar, Hilm Aur Afw-o-Darguzar
The Last Prophet (PBUH)
You have already heard about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Adam (Alaih Assalaam) was the first prophet and Muhammad (PBUH) was the last prophet. Allah had given Muhammad (PBUH) a book, which is called the Quran. All the stories about the prophets which you have now read can be found in the Quran. In the Quran is also written what you should do and what you are not allowed to do.
Muhammad (PBUH) was the last prophet because Allah gave him the Quran and all that we must know about Allah can be found in the Quran. Everybody can look in the Quran to discover what he should do. Therefore, there is no need for another prophet after Muhammad (PBUH).
Muhammad (PBUH), like the other prophets, told the people: You should worship only Allah. Allah has created you, He has made plants and animals so that you can eat them. He made the earth, sky, water, air, and the day and the night for you. So be grateful to Him and do good.
Now you know the stories of many prophets. But remember that there are more prophets in addition to these, for Allah has sent His prophets to all peoples. You must also have noticed that all the prophets had been saying the same thing: Mankind should worship only Allah. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)has taught us how we should worship Allah. You can also learn it: it is not difficult.
There are, however, other things that we should do. We must believe in Allah, we must pray, fast, share our money with the poor and needy, and go on a pilgrimage to Makkah once in our lifetime, if we can afford it.
Resurrection and the Day of Judgment
As you know, Allah always sent prophets to mankind. These prophets told man what is good and what is bad. The prophets have also told many other things. They said: When we die, we will be buried, but Allah is Almighty. He will wake us all from death. This will happen on the Day of Resurrection. On this day, all of us will be gathered to Allah. Those of us who have done good will remain with Allah forever. But those who have done evil, and have not repented, or asked Allah’s forgiveness, will not be allowed to remain with Allah. Such is the Day of Judgment. To strive to do good means to listen to the words of the prophets and thus obey Allah. In this way, one can always remain with Allah after death. But to turn to evil means not to listen to the word of the prophets and to disobey Allah. Therefore those who do evil may not remain with Allah after they are dead.
So you may ask, why doesn’t everybody want to do good? The reason is that some people think they don’t have to listen to the prophets. But they are wrong to think: The prophets have told people what they should do. We should do good as long as we live. Doing good brings more happiness in life than anything else. We shall have friends for as long as we live, and after we die.
However, the people who do evil will have evil people with them. They will have many enemies. They will have enemies all their life and when they die, too.
The prophets and the people who worship Allah are our friends. The people who do evil and who turn away from Allah are not our friends.
Our Beliefs
We believe in Allah, the one and only almighty God, Lord and Creator. Him we trust and Him alone we fear.
We believe in the angels created by Allah. We know them even though they are not visible to us. They are the obedient servants of Allah and they carry out all His orders.
We believe that the words that Allah revealed to the prophets were written down in books. The last book, which was given to Muhammad (PBUH) is the Qur’an. The Quran is the only book from Allah that is complete and preserved in its original form.
We believe that Allah has sent His prophets to all mankind with the message to worship only Allah and to do good.
We believe in the Day of Resurrection when Allah will wake us from our deaths. We will be rewarded for the good that we have done and those of us who did not believe in Allah and did evil will be punished.
We believe that Allah has taught us to understand what good and evil are so that we can decide for the good and against the evil.
Rasool E Kareem (SAW) Ko Milnay Wala Sawab
Rasool E Kareem (SAW) Ko Milnay Wala Sawab
Misconception: Muslims Worship Muhammad (PBUH)
According to Islamic belief, the Prophet Muhammad was the last Messenger of God. He, like all of God’s prophets and messengers – such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus — was only a human being. Christians came to the mistaken assumption that Muslims worship Muhammad by formulating an incorrect analogy – they worship Jesus so they assumed Muslims worship Muhammad. This is one of the reasons that they called Muslims by the incorrect name “Mohammedans” for so many years! Muhammad, like Jesus, never claimed divine status. He called people to worship only Almighty God, and he continually emphasized his humanity so that people would not fall into the same errors as Christians did in regard to Jesus. In order to prevent his deification, the Prophet Muhammad always said to refer to him as “the Messenger of God and His slave”. Muhammad was chosen to be God’s final messenger — to communicate the message not only in words but to be a living example of the message. Muslims love and respect him because he was of the highest moral character and he brought the Truth from God – which is the Pure Monotheism of Islam. Even when Islam was in its very early stages, God revealed that Muhammad “was sent as a mercy to all of mankind” – thus informing us that the message of Islam would become very widespread. Muslims strive to follow the great example of Muhammad, peace be upon him, but they do not worship him in any way. Additionally, Islam teaches Muslims to respect all of God’s prophets and messengers – but respecting and loving them does not mean worshipping them. All true Muslims realize that all worship and prayer must be directed to Almighty Allah alone. Suffice it to say that worshipping Muhammad — or anyone else — along with Almighty Allah is considered to be the worst sin in Islam. Even if a person claims to be Muslim, but they worship and pray to other than Almighty Allah, this cancels and nullifies their Islam. The Declaration of Faith of Islam makes it clear that Muslims are taught only to worship God. This declaration is as follows: “There is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger and Servant of God”.
30 Facts About Islam
1) “Islam” means “peace through the submission to God”.
2) “Muslim” means “anyone or anything that submits itself to the will of God”.
3) Islam is not a cult. Its followers number over 1.5 billion worldwide. Along with Judaism and Christianity, it is considered to be one of the three Abrahamic traditions.
4) There are five pillars of practice in Islam. These practices must be undertaken with the best of effort in order to be considered a true Muslim: A) Shahadah – declaration of faith in the oneness of God and that Muhammad is the last prophet of God. B) Formal prayer five times a day. C) Fasting during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan. D) Poor-due “tax” – 2.5% of one’s savings given to the needy at the end of each year. E) Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if physically and financially able.
5) There are six articles of faith in Islam. These are the basic beliefs that one must have in order to be considered a true Muslim. They believe in A) the One God. B) all the prophets of God. C) the original scriptures revealed to Prophets Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad. D) the angels. E) the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter. F) the divine decree (or destiny).
6) Islam is a complete way of life that governs all facets of life: moral, spiritual, social, political, economic, intellectual, etc.
7) Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the world. To become Muslim, a person of any race or culture must say a simple statement, the shahadah, that bears witness to the belief in the One God and that Prophet Muhammad was the last prophet of God.
8) “Allah” is an Arabic word that means “God”. Muslims also believe that “Allah” is the personal name of God.
9) Allah is not the God of Muslims only. He is the God of all people and all creation. Just because people refer to God using different terms does not mean that they are different gods. Spanish people refer to God as “Dios” and French people refer to God as “Dieu”, yet they are all the same God. Interestingly, most Arab Jews and Arab Christians refer to God as “Allah”. And the word Allah in Arabic appears on the walls of many Arab churches.
10) The Islamic concept of God is that He is loving, merciful, and compassionate. But Islam also teaches that He is just and swift in punishment. Nevertheless, Allah once said to Prophet Muhammad, “My mercy prevails over my wrath.” Islam teaches a balance between fear and hope, protecting one from both complacency and despair.
11) Muslims believe that God has revealed 99 of His names (or attributes) in the Holy Qur’an. It is through these names that one can come to know the Creator. A few of these names are the All-Merciful, the All-Knower, the Protector, the Provider, the Near, the First, the Last, the Hidden, and the Source of Peace.
12) Muslims believe in and acknowledge all the prophets of old, from Adam to Jesus. Muslims believe that they brought the message of peace and submission (Islam) to different peoples at different times. Muslims also believe that these prophets were “Muslims” because they submitted their wills to God.
13) Muslims neither worship Muhammad nor pray through him. Muslims solely worship the unseen and Omniscient Creator, Allah.
14) Muslims accept the original unaltered Torah (the Gospel of Moses) and the original Bible (the Gospel of Jesus) since they were revealed by God. However, none of those original scriptures are in existence today, in their entirety. Therefore, Muslims follow the subsequent, final, and preserved revelation of God, the Holy Qur’an.
15) The Holy Qur’an was not authored by Muhammad. It was authored by God, revealed to Muhammad, and written into physical form by his companions.
16) The Holy Qur’an has no flaws or contradictions. The original Arabic scriptures have never been changed or tampered with.
17) Actual seventh-century Qur’ans, complete and intact, are on display in museums in Turkey and many other places around the world.
18) If all Qur’ans in the world today were burned and destroyed, the original Arabic would still remain. This is because millions of Muslims, called Hafiz (or “preservers”) have memorized the text letter for letter from beginning to end, every word and syllable. Also, chapters from the Qur’an are precisely recited from memory by every Muslim in each of the five daily prayers.
19) Muslims do not believe in the concept of “vicarious atonement” but rather believe in the law of personal responsibility. Islam teaches that each person is responsible for his or her own actions. On the Day of Judgment Muslims believe that every person will be resurrected and will have to answer to God for their every word, thought, and deed. Consequently, a practicing Muslim is always striving to be righteous.
20) Islam was not spread by the sword. It was spread by the word (Islamic teachings) and the example of its followers. Islam teaches that there is no compulsion in religion (the Holy Qur’an 2:256 and 10:99).
21) Terrorism, unjustified violence, and the killing of innocent people are absolutely forbidden in Islam. Islam is a way of life that is meant to bring peace to a society, whether its people are Muslim or not. The extreme actions of those who claim to be Muslim may be, among other things, a result of their ignorance or uncontrolled anger. Tyrant rulers and those who commit acts of terrorism in the name of Islam are simply not following Islam. These people are individuals with their own views and political agendas. Fanatical Muslims are no more representative of the true Islamic teachings than Timothy McVeigh or David Koresh are of Christianity. Extremism and fanaticism is a problem that is common to all religious groups. Anyone who thinks that all Muslims are terrorists should remember that the famous boxer Muhammad Ali, perhaps the most celebrated person of our era, is a practicing Muslim.
22) The word “jihad” does not mean “holy war”. Instead, it means the inner struggle that one endures in trying to submit their will to the will of God. Some Muslims may say they are going for “jihad” when fighting in a war to defend themselves or their fellow Muslims, but they only say this because they are conceding that it will be a tremendous struggle. But there are many other forms of jihad that are more relevant to the everyday life of a Muslim such as the struggles against laziness, arrogance, stinginess, or the struggle against a tyrant ruler or against the temptation of Satan, or against one’s own ego, etc.
23) Women are not oppressed in Islam. Any Muslim man that oppresses a woman is not following Islam. Among the many teachings of Prophet Muhammad that protected the rights and dignity of women is his saying, “…the best among you are those who treat their wives well.” (Tirmidhi)
24) Islam grants women numerous rights in the home and in society. Among them are the right to earn money, financial support, an education, an inheritance, to be treated kindly, to vote, to a dowry, to keep their maiden name, to worship in a mosque, etc., etc.
25) Muslim women wear the head-covering (hijab) in fulfillment of God’s decree to dress modestly. From a practical standpoint, it serves to identify one as attempting to follow God in daily life and, therefore, protects women from unwanted advances from men. This type of modest dress has been worn by righteous women throughout history. Prominent examples are traditional Catholic Nuns, Mother Teresa, and the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
26) Arranged marriages are allowed in Islam but are not required. Whereas “forced” marriages, usually stemming from cultural practice, are forbidden. Divorce is permissible, however, reconciliation is what is most encouraged. But if there are irreconcilable differences then Islam permits a fair and just divorce.
27) Islam and the “Nation of Islam” are two different religions. Islam is a religion for all races and enjoins the worship of the one unseen God who, orthodox Muslims believe, never took human form. The “Nation”, on the other hand, is a movement geared towards non-whites and teaches that God appeared in the form of Fard Muhammad in 1930 and that Elijah Muhammad (a man who died in 1975) was a prophet of God. These beliefs clearly contradict the basic Islamic theology outlined in the Qur’an. The followers of “the Nation” adhere to some Islamic principles that are mixed with many other teachings that are alien to Islam. To better understand the difference between the two, read about Malcolm X, his pilgrimage to Mecca, and his subsequent comments to the media. Islam teaches equality amongst all races (Holy Qur’an 49:13).
28) All Muslims are not Arab. Islam is a universal religion and way of life which includes followers from all races of people. There are Muslims in and from virtually every country in the world. Arabs only constitute about 20% of Muslims worldwide. Indonesia has the largest concentration of Muslims with over 120 million.
29) In the five daily prayers, Muslims face the Kaaba in Mecca, Arabia. It is a cube-shaped stone structure that was originally built by Prophet Adam and later rebuilt by Prophet Abraham. Muslims believe that the Kaaba was the first house of worship on Earth dedicated to the worship of one god. Muslims do not worship the Kaaba. It serves as a central focal point for Muslims around the world, unifying them in worship and symbolizing their common belief, spiritual focus, and direction. Interestingly, the inside of the Kaaba is empty.
30) The hajj is a simultaneous pilgrimage to the Kaaba made by millions of Muslims each year. It is performed to commemorate the struggles of Abraham, Ismail, and Hagar in submitting their wills to God.
Khadijah (RA): Wife Of Hazart Muhammad (SAW)
Abdullah ibn Jafar reported that he heard Sayyiduna Ali say in Kufa that Allah’s Messenger, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The best of the women of her time was Maryam, daughter of Imran, and the best of the women of her time was Khadijah, daughter of Khuwaylid.”
Is it, not a great honor that the first person to embrace Islam was a woman? She was the first to bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that her husband was the Messenger of Allah. Her husband was our beloved Prophet Muhammad, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and she was called Khadijah, ( may Allah be pleased with her) She was also called Thaira, meaning ‘pure’.
Khadijah, may Allah be pleased with her, came from a noble family. Her father Khuwaylid had been one of the most honored leaders of their tribe until he was killed in battle. Her husband had also died, leaving her a very wealthy woman. When Muhammad (peace be upon him) was still a young man, she entrusted him with some of her wealth, asking him to trade with it in Syria on her behalf. He was already well known for his honesty, truthfulness, and trustworthiness. He returned from Syria after having made a large profit for Khadijah.
After hearing his account of the journey, she decided that he would make the best of the husbands, even though many of the most important nobles of the Quraish had already proposed to her and had been refused, and in due course, she proposed to him. After the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib, had given the proposed marriage his blessing, Muhammad and Khadijah were married. At the time of the marriage, the Prophet was twenty-five years old, while Khadijah was forty years old.
For the next fifteen years, they lived happily together, and Khadijah bore several children. Their first child, a son whom they named Qasim, died when he was only two years old. Two more sons, called Tayyib and Tahir, were also born, but they too died in their infancy. However, Muhammad and Khadijah also had four daughters who survived: Zaynab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum, and Fatima.
No one except Allah of course, knows more about a man than his wife, both his good and his bad qualities, his strengths, and his weaknesses. The more Khadijah came to know about her husband, the more she loved and respected him. Everyone in Makka called him ‘al-Amin’, which means ‘the trustworthy one’, and she, more than anyone else, knew how fitting this name was. It became Muhammad’s custom each year to spend the month of Ramadan in seclusion and reflection in a cave on the mountain of Hira, which is on the outskirts of Makka. Khadijah would always make sure that he was provided with food and drink during his retreat. Towards the end of one Ramadan, when he was forty and Khadijah fifty-five, Muhammad suddenly appeared at their house in the middle of the night, trembling with fear and saying, “Cover me up, cover me up!”
Khadijah was very alarmed to see him in such a state. Quickly she wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and, when he had calmed down, she asked him to describe exactly what had happened. He told her how a being whom he had never seen before – in fact it was the angel Jibril – had suddenly appeared to him while he was asleep and had said, “Read!”
“But I cannot read,” he had replied, for he was unlettered and could neither read nor write. “Read!” the angel had repeated, clasping Muhammad close to his chest. “I cannot read,” he had repeated. “Read!” the angel had repeated, firmly embracing him yet again. “What shall I read?” he had asked in desperation, and the angel had replied:
Read, in the Name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot, Read, and your Lord is the Most Gracious, Who taught with the pen, taught man what he did not know. (Quran 96:1-5)
Although Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not fully realize it at the time, this was the beginning of the revelation of the Qur’an; but in that first encounter with the angel Jibril, Muhammad was very frightened, for he did not know who the angel Jibril was or what was happening. He woke up and ran out of the cave only to find Jibril still in front of him, and whenever he turned away from him, there Jibril was in front of him yet again, filling the horizon with his mighty yet beautiful form.
“Oh Muhammad,” said Jibril eventually, “you are the Messenger of Allah and I am Jibril,” and with these words, he disappeared from Muhammad’s sight.
After the angel had disappeared Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) clambered down the mountain as fast as he could run. As she listened to Muhammad’s words, Khadijah did not share any of these fears. She realized that something tremendous and awe-inspiring had happened to her husband, and she was certain, knowing him as she did, that he was neither mad nor possessed. “Do not worry,” she said, “for by Him who has dominion over Khadijah’s soul, I hope that you are the Prophet of this nation. Allah would never humiliate you, for you are good to your relatives, you are true to your word, you help those who are in need, you support the weak, you feed the guest and you answer the call of those who are in distress.”
When Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was a little more relaxed, Khadijah took him to see her cousin, Waraqa ibn Nawfal, for he was a man of knowledge, and she was sure that he would be able to explain the meaning of what had just happened to her beloved husband. Waraqa had studied the books of both the Jews and the Christians very closely and he had learned a great deal from many of their wisest people. He knew that the coming of another Prophet had been foretold by both Moses and Jesus, peace be on them, and he knew many of the signs that would confirm the identity of this Prophet when he appeared.
After listening closely to his story, Waraqa, who was both old and blind, exclaimed, “This is the same being who brought the revelations of Allah to Moses. I wish I was young and could be alive when your people will drive you out.”
“Will they drive me out?” asked Muhammad.
“Yes,” replied Waraqa. “No one has come with what you have been given without being treated with enmity; and if I were to live until the day when you are turned out, then I would support you with all my might. Let me just feel your back.” So, saying, Waraqa felt between the Prophet’s shoulder blades and found what he was feeling for a small round, slightly raised irregularity in the skin, about the size of a pigeon’s egg. This was yet another of the many signs that Waraqa already knew would indicate the identity of the next Prophet after Jesus, (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
“This is the Seal of the Prophethood!” he exclaimed. “Now I am certain that you are indeed the Prophet whose coming was foretold in the Torah that was revealed to Moses and in the Injil that was revealed to Jesus, (PBUH) You are indeed the Messenger of Allah, and the being who appeared to you on the mountain was indeed the angel Jibril!”
Khadijah was both overjoyed and awed to find that her understanding of what had happened on the mountain had been confirmed. Not long after this incident, Muhammad was commanded in a subsequent revelation from Allah, through the angel Jibril, to call people to worship Allah only, and it was at this point that Khadijah did not hesitate in expressing in public what she had now known for certain in secret for some time: ” I bear witness that there is no god except Allah,” she said, “and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
In the years that followed, difficult years in which the leaders of the Quraish did everything in their power to stop the Prophet from spreading his message, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was a constant source of help and comfort to Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the difficulties which he had to face. All her wealth was spent in the way of Allah, helping to spread the message of her husband, helping to free slaves who had embraced Islam, and helping to feed and shelter the community of Muslims that slowly but surely began to grow in numbers and strength.
Prophet Abraham (PBUH) Prayed For The Teacher For His People
[2:129] – Prophet ABRAHAM (PBUH) prayed for the Teacher for his people
[Quran – 2:129 – Laleh Bakhtiar] “Our Lord! And raise Thou up, then, in the midst of them, a Messenger from among them who will recount to them Thy signs and teach them the Book, and wisdom and make them pure. Truly, Thou, Thou alone art The Almighty, The Wise.”
[2:151 and 3:164] – ALLAH (SWT) Sent The Teacher
[Quran – 2:151 – Laleh Bakhtiar] “As We sent to you a Messenger from among you who recounts Our signs to you, and makes you pure, and teaches you the Book and wisdom, and teaches you what you be knowing not.”
[Quran – 3:164 – Laleh Bakhtiar] “Certainly, God showed grace to the ones who believe when he raised up among them a Messenger from themselves who recounts His signs to them and makes them pure and teaches them the Book and wisdom. And, truly, before that they had been, certainly, clearly wandering astray.”
[Bukhari, Book #56, Hadith #667] “Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr: The Prophet said, “Convey (my teachings) to the people even if it were a single sentence, and tell others the stories of Bani Israel (which have been taught to you), for it is not sinful to do so. And whoever tells a lie on me intentionally, will surely take his place in the (Hell) Fire.”
[Bukhari, Book #74, Hadith #281] “Narrated Ibn Mas’ud: Allah’s Apostle taught me the Tashah-hud as he taught me a Sura from the Quran, while my hand was between his hands. (Tashah-hud was) all the best compliments and the prayers and the good things are for Allah. Peace and Allah’s Mercy and Blessings be on you, O Prophet! Peace be on us and on the pious slaves of Allah, I testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and I also testify that Muhammad is Allah’s slave and His Apostle… (We used to recite this in the prayer) during the lifetime of the Prophet, but when he died, we used to say, “Peace be on the Prophet.”
[Muslim, Book #004, Hadith #1904] “Abu Rifa’a reported: I came to the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) when he was delivering the sermon, and I said: Messenger of Allah, here is a stranger and he wants to learn about his religion and he does not know what his religion is. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) looked at me and left his sermon till he came to me, and he was given a chair and I thought that Its legs were made of iron. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) sat In it and he began to teach me what Allah had taught him. He then came (to the pulpit) for his sermon and completed it to the end..”
[Sunan Abu Dawud, Book #7, Hadith #1396] “Narrated Amr ibn al-‘As: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) taught me fifteen prostrations while reciting the Qur’an, including three in al-Mufassal and two in Surah al-Hajj.”