Moulud Lecture April 2007
Allah said: "From Allah has come to you a Light and a Book manifest." (5:15)
Comments
Suyuti in Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Fayruzabadi in the Tafsir Ibn `Abbas entitled Tanwir al-miqbas (p. 72), Shaykh al-Islam, Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, the Mujaddid of the sixth century, in his Tafsir al-kabir (11:189),
Qadi Baydawi in his Tafsir entitled Anwar al-tanzil,
al-Baghawi in his Tafsir entitled Ma`alim al-tanzil (2:23),
Imam al-Shirbini in his Tafsir entitled al-Siraj al-munir (p. 360), the author of Tafsir Abi Sa`ud (4:36),
Said: "What is meant by a Light is: Muhammad, Blessings and peace upon him."
Hadith of Maysir and Irbadah
Al Irbadh ibn Sariya, said that the Prophet (s) said, "According to Allah, I am the Seal of the Prophets, while Adam was still in clay."
Maysara Al Dhabbi (r) said he asked the Prophet (s), "Oh, Messenger of Allah, when did you become a prophet?" He (s) answered, "While Adam was still between the soul and the body."
The Prophet (saw) said: "I was a Prophet while Adam was still between the spirit and the body."
Tirmidhi narrated it and said it hasan sahih, and it is authenticated by al-Hakim 2:609 as sahih, and also narrated by Ibn Abi Shayba in his Musannaf 14:292, and al-Bukhari in his Tarikh 7:374.
Nur-i-Muhammadi [sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam]
"Hadith of Jabir"
It is related that Jabir ibn `Abd Allah said to the Prophet : "O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, tell me of the first thing Allah created before all things." He said:
"O Jabir, the first thing Allah created was the light of your Prophet from His light,
References
Abd al-Razzaq (d. 211) narrates it in his Musannaf according to Qastallani in al-Mawahib al-laduniyya (1:55)
Who is this abd ar-Razzak?
Imâm `Abdur-Razzâq ibn Hammâm ...held a high rank in the science of Hadîth and was strong (thiqa) in its transmission. His rank can be gauged by realizing that he was among the top students of Imâm Mâlik (ra) and was the teacher of the teacher of Imâm Bukhârî and Imâm Muslim. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was among his students… "Ahmad ibn Sâlih Misrî states, ‘I asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal, have you seen anyone better in Hadîth than `Abdur-Razzâq?’ He answered, ‘No.’" (`Asqalânî, Tahdhîbut-tahdhîb, 2/311) He then stated: "I love the Hadîths of `Abdur-Razzâq on the authority of Ma`mar more than all of the Hadîths of the people of Basra." Hâfiz Ibn Hajar al-`Asqalânî concludes: "thiqa, hafiz, musannif, shahîr – strong, memoriser, writer/author and well-known." (`Asqalânî, Tahdhîbut-tahdhîb, 1/505)
(Muhammad ibn `Alawi) in his commentary on `Ali al-Qari's book of the Mawlid entitled Hashiyat al-Mawrid al-rawi fi al-mawlid al-nabawi (p. 40) said: "The chain of Jabir is sound without contest, but the scholars have differed concerning the text of the hadith due to its peculiarity. Bayhaqi also narrated the hadith with some differences." Then he quoted several narrations establishing the light of the Prophet.
Nabahani (Yusuf ibn Isma`il) cites it as evidence in al-Anwar al-muhammadiyya (p. 13), in his Jawahir al-bihar (p. 1125 or 4:220 of the Baba edition in Cairo), and in his Hujjat Allah `ala al-`alamin (p. 28).
Lineage
Ibn Abbas (r) related that whenever Muhammad (s) mentioned his genealogy, he never went beyond Ma'add, the son of Adnan, and would stop, saying, "The genealogists have lied." He would repeat that twice or thrice.
Ibn Abbas also said, "Between Adnan and Isma'il there are thirty fathers who are not known."
Abraha, the king of the Yemen
When Abraha, the king of the Yemen came to destroy the ka’bah and news of this came to Quraish, Abd Al Muttalib told them, "He will not get to this House, for it is under the protection of its Lord." On the way to Mecca Abraha plundered Quraish's camels and sheep, among them four hundred she-camels that belonged to Abd Al Muttalib.
He and many of the Quraish rode to Mount Thabeer.
After climbing the mountain the light of Allah’s Prophet (s) appeared in the form of a circle on his forehead like a crescent, and this beam reflected on the Sanctified House.
When Abd Al Muttalib saw that, he said, "Oh, people of Quraish, you may return now, it is safe.
By Allah, now that this light has formed a circle on me, there is no doubt that victory belongs to us."
Abraha sends a representative to speak to Abd al-MUttalib
They returned to Mecca where they met a man sent from Abraha.
Upon looking at the face of Abd Al Muttalib the man was overwhelmed; his tongue stuttering.
The man fainted, all the while bellowing like an ox being slaughtered.
When he regained his senses, he fell in prostration to Abd Al Muttalib, saying,
"I bear witness that you are truly the Master of Quraish."
The elephant speaks
It has been narrated that when Abd Al Muttalib appeared before Abraha, the huge white elephant in his army looked at Abd Al Muttalib’s face and kneeled down like a camel does, and fell into prostration.
Allah caused the elephant to speak, saying, "Peace be upon the light in your loins, Abd Al Muttalib." When, the army of Abraha approached to destroy the Holy Ka'ba, the elephant kneeled down again. They beat him severely on his head to make him stand up, which he refused to do.
The birds attack
Then Allah sent against them flights of birds from the ocean, every one of them carrying three stones: one in its beak, and one in each claw. The stones were the size of lentils, and when one hit a soldier, it killed him. They fled in chaos…
It is this event that Allah was referring to when He addressed His Prophet (s) saying, "Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant..."
This event is an indication of the prestige of our Master, Muhammad (s)
The Conception of the Beloved Prophet
Once while sleeping in the courtyard of the Ka’ba after Allah had saved Abd Al Muttalib from Abraha’s wrath, he saw an amazing dream.
He woke up frightened, and came to the soothsayers of Quraish, to whom he related his dream. They told him, "If it is a true vision, then from your loins someone will come whom all the inhabitants of Heaven and Earth will believe in, and who will be very well known.
At that time he married Fatima, and she conceived Abdullah, Al Zabeeh (r), whose story is well known.
Years later, when they were returning home after having sacrificed a hundred camels as a ransom to save his life, Abdullah (r) and his father passed by a Jewish soothsayer named Fatima.
Abdullah is offered sex (out of marriage)
When she looked at the face of Abdullah (r), who was then the most handsome man in Quraish, she said, "I will give you the same number of camels, which were sacrificed for you if you have intercourse with me now."
She said this because of the light of prophethood that she saw in his face, and she was hoping that she would conceive this honorable prophet. Abdullah (r) replied,
"Regarding haram, death is better,
And I don't see any halal in sight,
And about what you are asking for,
An honorable one must protect his honor and religion."
The next day, Abd Al Muttalib brought him to meet Wahab ibn Abd Manaaf, who was the chief of Bani Zuhra, their master in lineage and origin.
Marriage to Amina
Abd Al Muttalib married Abdullah (r) to Wahab’s daughter, Aamina (r), who was then the best woman in Quraish, both in lineage and birth.
They became husband and wife on Monday, one of the days of Mina, at the mountain pass of Abu Talib, and she conceived the Prophet.
The next day, Abdullah (r) went out and passed by the woman who proposed to him earlier.
He asked her, "Why don't you offer me what you offered me yesterday?"
She replied, "The light that you were carrying yesterday has left you; therefore I have no need for you today. I was hoping to have that light in me, but Allah willed it to be put elsewhere."
As early as the Prophet’s conception, many wonders began to happen to Aamina.
Sahl Ibn Abdullah Al Tustari said, "When Allah created Muhammad (s) in his mother's womb, on a Friday night during the month of Rajab, he ordered Ridwan, the Keeper of Paradises, to open the Highest Paradise. A caller announced in the Heavens and Earth that the concealed light, which would form the guiding prophet, would settle on that very night in his mother's womb where his creation would be completed.
It was also revealed that he would come out as a bearer of glad tidings and as Warner.
His birth brings blessings
It is narrated by Ka'b Al Ahbaar (r), that on the night of the Prophet’s conception it was announced in Heaven and each of its divisions, and on Earth and all its corners, that the concealed light, from which the Prophet of Allah (s) was made, would settle in Aamina's womb.
Also, on that day all the idols on Earth turned upside down.
Quraish was suffering from a severe drought and great distress, but through this blessed event the earth turned green and the trees bore fruit, and blessing came to them from every direction.
Because of these blessed signs, the year when Muhammad (s) was conceived was called the Year of Triumph and Joy.
Once, an angel came to me while I was in between sleeping and wakefulness, and said, ‘Do you feel that you are pregnant with the Master of people?’, then he left me. When the time of birth approached, he came again and said.
‘Say: I seek refuge for him with The One from the evil of every envious one.
and name him Muhammad.’"
Ibn Abbas (r) said, "One of the miracles of the Prophet’s conception was that on that night, every one of Quraish's animals spoke and said, ‘By the Lord of the Ka'ba, the Messenger of Allah has been conceived. He is the leader of the world and the light of its inhabitants.
There is no throne belonging to any king of this world which hasn’t been turned upside down tonight.’
The beasts of the east rushed to the beasts of the west carrying the good news, and likewise the inhabitants of the oceans greeted each other.
Every day of the month of his conception there was a call in Heaven and a call on Earth:
Rejoice, the time is near when Abul Qasim will appear, blessed and fortunate."
His father dies
It has been mentioned that when Abdullah (r) died, the angels said, "Oh, our Lord and Master, your prophet has become an orphan.
" Allah said, "I am his protector and supporter."
The Miraculous Birth of Muhammad (saw)
Amr ibn Qutaiba heard his father, who was very knowledgeable, say, "When it was time for Aamina to give birth, Allah said to the angels, ‘Open all the gates of Heaven, and the gates of Paradise.’ The sun on that day was dressed with a great light, and in that year Allah allowed all the women on Earth to conceive boys, for the sake of Muhammad (s)."
Amina talks
Ibn Abbas (r) said Aamina (r) used to relate to the people, "An angel came to me in a dream during my sixth month of pregnancy and said to me,
‘Oh, Aamina, you are pregnant with the best of the worlds.
When you give birth to him name him Muhammad, and keep it secret.’
When I started to experience the pains of labor no one knew that I was home alone, including Abd Al Muttalib who was doing his circumambulating of the Ka’ba.
I heard a loud bang that scared me. Then I saw what looked like the wing of a white bird, rubbing my heart, causing all fear to subside, and every pain I was feeling disappeared.
Before me appeared a white drink which I drank, after which a bright light fell upon me and I was surrounded by some women, tall as palm trees, who looked like the women of Abd Manaaf.
I was amazed, thinking, ‘Oh, how did they find out about me?’
They said to me, ‘We are Asia, pharaoh's wife, and Maryam, the daughter of Imran.’
My condition continued to intensify, and I could hear the banging getting louder and more frightening hour after hour.
While I was still going through this I suddenly saw a piece of white silk stretched between Heaven and Earth, and heard someone say, ‘Hide him so people can not see him.’
I saw men standing in the air with silver jugs in their hands.
I saw a group of birds filling my room, each possessing emerald beaks and ruby wings.
Then Allah removed the veil from my sight, and I witnessed the whole Earth east and west, and three banners erected; one in the east, one in the west and one on top of the Ka'ba.
Then I gave birth to Muhammad.
Immediately he was prostrating, raising his two hands to Heaven as if in humble supplication.
Then I saw a white cloud coming from Heaven, which covered him causing him to disappear from my sight, and I heard a voice calling,
‘Take him around to all the corners of earth, east and west, and into the oceans, so all will know him by his name, his attributes, and his form.’ Then the cloud quickly disappeared."
Al Khateeb Al Baghdadi narrates that Aamina (r) said,
"When I gave birth to Muhammad I saw a large illumined cloud, wherein I heard horses neighing, wings flapping, and men talking.
It covered him and he disappeared from my sight.
Then I heard a voice calling, ‘Take Muhammad all over the Earth. Show him to every spiritual being; the Jinn, human beings, angels, birds, and wild beasts.
Give to him the shape of Adam,
the knowledge of Seth,
the courage of Noah,
the intimacy of Abraham,
the tongue of Ismail, the contentment of Isaac,
the eloquence of Salih,
the wisdom of Lot,
the glad tidings of Jacob,
the strength of Moses,
the patience of Job,
the obedience of Jonah,
the strife of Joshua,
the protection of David,
the love of Daniel,
the reverence of Ilias,
the impeccability of John the Baptist,
and the asceticism of Jesus,
and immerse him in the qualities of the prophets.’
Then the cloud cleared and Muhammad was grabbing a piece of green silk, folded tightly, with water gushing forth from it, and someone was saying, ‘Great, great, Muhammad has grasped the whole world; all the creation in it has entered into his grasp, with none left out.’
Then I looked at him and he looked like a moon on the night when it is full.
His fragrance spread like the finest musk and suddenly, there were three individuals, one held a silver jug, the second, an emerald washtub, and the third, a piece of white silk, which he unfolded. He then took out a dazzling looking ring and washed it from the jug seven times, then he made a seal between his shoulders with the ring, wrapped him with the silk, and finally carried him under his wings and gave him back to me."
Eve (as) gave birth to forty sons from Adam (as), in twenty births; but she gave birth to Seth (as) separately, out of respect to Our Master Muhammad (s), whose light moved from Adam to Seth. Before Adam’s death, he gave Seth custody over his children, and he, in turn, entrusted the children with the testament of Adam: to put this light only into pure women.
This testament continued, century after century, until Allah gave this light to Abdul Muttalib and his son Abdullah. In this way, Allah kept pure the impeccable lineage of Prophet Muhammad (s) from the fornication of the ignorant.
Ibn Abbas (r) said, "Muhammad (s) said, ‘Nothing of the fornication of ignorance has touched my birth. I was born by no other than the marriage of Islam.’
al-Shahrastani in his Kitab al-milal wa al-nihal (2:238) said: "The light of Muhammad went from Ibrahim to Isma`il.
Nabi Adam looks up
It has been narrated that when Allah created Adam (as), He (swt) inspired him to say,
"Oh, Lord, why did you give me the nickname, Abu Muhammad (the father of Muhammad)?" Allah replied, "Oh, Adam, raise your head." He raised his head and saw the light of Muhammad (s) in the canopy of the Throne. Adam then asked, "Oh, Lord, what is this light?" Allah replied, "This is the light of a prophet from your progeny. His name in the heavens is Ahmad, and on Earth it is Muhammad (s). If it were not for him, I would not have created you, nor heaven, nor the Earth."
Adam makes tawbah through Muhammad (saw)
Omar Ibn Al Khattab (r) said that our Master Muhammad (s) said, "When Adam committed the sin, he said, ‘Oh, Allah, I ask you for the sake of Muhammad to forgive me.’ Allah said to him, ‘How did you know Muhammad when I haven't created him yet.’ Adam answered, ‘Because, O My Lord, when You created me with Your Hand, and blew into me from Your Spirit, I looked up and saw written on the legs of the Throne, La ilaha illallah, Muhammadun Rasoolullah. I knew that You did not attach any name to Yours except that of the most beloved of Your creation.’ Allah said, ‘Oh, Adam, you have spoken the truth: he is the most beloved of My creation. And since you asked Me for his sake, you are forgiven. Were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created you. He is the seal of the prophets from your progeny.’"
Ibn Asakir narrated from Jalhama ibn Urfuta that Muhammad (s) said, "
I came to Mecca during a drought.
Some men of Quraish came to Abu Talib and said, ‘Oh, Abu Talib, the valley is barren and the families are suffering. Let us go and pray for rain.’
Abu Talib came out, and with him was a young boy who looked like the Sun after the clouds have cleared.
He was surrounded by other young children.
Abu Talib led him to the Ka’ba and had him stand with his back against it. There wasn’t even a tiny cloud in the sky, but as soon as the young boy rose his hands, clouds started to arrive from every direction and it started raining, then pouring.
The valley blossomed and both in Mecca and out in the desert became fertile. About this miracle, Abu Talib wrote the following verses:
‘To the one of bright complexion,
rain is sent for the sake of his countenance,
He is a refuge for the orphans,
and support for the widows.’"
Article by Allie Khalfe
Edited By Sheigh Ahmad Hendricks
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 30 October 2007 )
Source: http://zawiyah.org.za/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=67&Itemid=73&PHPSESSID=4d0e8a576b1f4e4276790357dbcbc4de
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