AAMIL FEEL/ THE MONTH OF THE ELEPHANT
Abrahah, the vice-regent of Yemen, conquered Yemen and observed that people from all over Arabia would visit Makkah annually. When he inquired about this, he was told that they went on pilgrimage to the Ka'bah. Angered that a place could be more precious to people than his own, Abrahah decided to build a church of colored marble, with gold doors and silver ornaments, and ordered people to visit it instead of the Ka'bah. However, the people refused.
Abrahah became even angrier and decided to destroy the Ka'bah. He prepared a large army, led by an elephant, and set off towards Makkah. When he arrived at the outskirts, he captured some of Abd al-Muttalib's camels, which were grazing nearby. Abd al-Muttalib went to meet Abrahah and asked for his camel's back. Abrahah was surprised, saying, "I came to destroy your holy Ka'bah, and you're concerned about camels?" Abd al-Muttalib replied calmly, "The camels are mine, and the Ka'bah is for Allah; He will protect it."
Abd al-Muttalib then returned to Quraysh and told them to leave Makkah and wait at the mountains. Amina, still weak and sad, refused to leave, saying that Abrahah would not be able to enter Makkah and destroy the Ka'bah. She believed Allah would protect it. Abd al-Muttalib became agitated, but Amina showed no fear.
As Abrahah prepared to enter Makkah, he paraded his army and began to march towards the town. However, the elephant suddenly knelt down, refusing to move despite all efforts to prod it. When they turned its face towards Yemen or any other direction, it immediately stood up and moved, but as soon as they pointed it towards Makkah, it knelt down again.
Suddenly, Allah sent flocks of birds appearing from over the sea, each carrying three stones collected from Jahannam (Hell) and quenched by the sea water 77 times. The birds dropped the stones on Abrahah's army, penetrating through them and their horses. Even Abrahah was hit by the stones and, filled with fear, he and the remaining army fled back to Yemen, where he later died.
The people of Makkah came down from the mountain with great joy, glorifying Allah for the miracle. Allah said, "Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with the owners of the Elephant? Did He not make their plan into mischief against them, and sent against them birds in flocks, striking them with stones of baked clay, making them like green crops devoured (by cattle)?" (Quran 105:1-5)
THE SADEST NEWS
Some months later, the first batch of the caravan arrived, and the people of Quraish welcomed them. Barakah secretly checked if Abd Allah was among them, but he was not. The travelers informed Abd al-Muttalib that Abd Allah was ill, which prompted him to send another son, Al-Harith, to bring Abd Allah back. However, it was too late, and Abd Allah passed away before Al-Harith arrived. This news saddened Abd al-Muttalib, Amina, and the people of Quraish, as Abd Allah was dear to them.
Meanwhile, in Mecca, Amina, although grief-stricken by the loss of her husband, felt a sense of strength as she awaited the birth of her baby. During this time, she had several dreams, including one in which a voice informed her that she would have a boy and that his name would be Muhammad.
On Monday, the twelfth day of Rabi' al-Awal in the Year of the Elephant, Amina gave birth to a son. Allah sent many signs to mankind to indicate the birth of the greatest of men. Some of these signs were seen by Christian monks and Jewish scholars who had read the manuscripts and were aware that a prophet would arise from among the Arabs.
That night, a Jew passing by the meeting place of the Quraish leaders in Mecca asked if a baby boy had been born. When they confirmed, the Jew exclaimed, "This would be the Prophet of the Arab nation!" Meanwhile, in Yathrib, a learned Jew recognized a new star in the sky, unlike any he had seen before. He gathered the people and pointed to the star, saying, "A prophet might have been born."
Amina sent a messenger to inform her father-in-law, Abd al-Muttalib, about the birth. He was sitting near the Ka'bah, overjoyed, and began thinking of a name for the boy. He wanted a name that would fit the boy's significance. That night, Abd al-Muttalib dreamt that he should name the boy Muhammad, "The Praised One," just as Amina had dreamt days earlier. Abd al-Muttalib named the boy Muhammad (pbuh), and when he told the other Quraish leaders, they asked why he chose an uncommon name. Abd al-Muttalib replied, "I want him to be praised by Allah and by man."
THE PROPHET'S (PBUH) MOMENTS WITH HALIMA
During that time, it was common for women from the desert to come to Makkah and offer to take care of children from the city. Amina, like many other women, decided to send her son away from the city for his early years to the desert. Among the women who came to Makkah was Halima, who arrived with her newborn baby and husband. They were very poor, and Halima struggled to produce enough breast milk for her baby due to lack of nutritious food.
Initially, Halima was reluctant to take Muhammad (pbuh) as she was concerned about her ability to care for him. However, her husband encouraged her to accept him, saying, "Perhaps Allah will bless us because of him." As soon as Halima began to feed Muhammad (pbuh), her milk supply increased, and she had enough for both him and her own baby. When they returned home, their fortunes began to change for the better, and their farming activities became more profitable.
Halima and her husband realized that this good fortune was due to the presence of Muhammad (pbuh), whom they had grown to love as their own son. When Muhammad (pbuh) was two years old, Halima took him back to his mother, Amina. However, she pleaded with Amina to let her keep him a little longer. During his time with Halima's family in the desert, Muhammad (pbuh) played with her children and helped take care of the sheep. Sometimes, Halima would find him sitting alone, and it is said that on one occasion, two angels came to Muhammad (pbuh) and washed his heart with snow, making it pure. Allah intended Muhammad (pbuh) to be greater than any man ever born and to become the Seal of the Prophets. For this, Allah said: "In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful,
اَلَمۡ نَشۡرَحۡ لَـكَ صَدۡرَكَۙ
Have We not expanded thee thy breast?
وَوَضَعۡنَا عَنۡكَ وِزۡرَكَۙ
And removed from thee thy burden
الَّذِىۡۤ اَنۡقَضَ ظَهۡرَكَۙ
Which had weighed upon your back .
وَرَفَعۡنَا لَـكَ ذِكۡرَكَؕ
And raised high the esteem (in which) thou (art held)?
فَاِنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا
So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief:
اِنَّ مَعَ الۡعُسۡرِ يُسۡرًا
Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.
فَاِذَا فَرَغۡتَ فَانۡصَبۡۙ
Therefore, when thou art free (from thine immediate task), still labour hard,
وَاِلٰى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ
And to thy Lord turn (all) thy attention. (QURAN94;1-8)
When the Prophet (pbuh) was taken back to his mother, Amina, he was five years old and had grown into a strong, healthy, and beautiful child. He would later look back on his time with Halima with great joy and affection, and he always considered himself a part of the Banu Sa'd tribe, who had cared for him during his early years.
A year later, when the Prophet (pbuh) was six years old, his mother Amina decided to visit her late husband's grave in Yathrib (Madina) and stay with her son's uncles. She instructed her maid, Barakah, to prepare for the long journey, and they joined a caravan. After ten days, they arrived in Yathrib (Madina), where Muhammad (pbuh) was left in the care of his uncles while Amina visited her husband's grave every day, overcome with sadness.
A narrator described Abdullah, the Prophet's father, as "the absent one who never returned, the beloved one for whom we waited so long, the most beautiful youth of Makkah, the pride of the Quraysh."
Amina and Muhammad (pbuh) stayed in Yathrib (Madina) for a month, during which the young Prophet enjoyed his time with his uncles. On their way back to Makkah, Amina fell seriously ill with a fever at a place called al-Abwa, halfway between Yathrib and Makkah. One dark night, she called out to Barakah in a weak voice, saying, "O Barakah, I shall depart from this world shortly. I commend my son Muhammad (pbuh) to your care. He lost his father while he was in my womb. Now, he is losing his mother before his very eyes. Be a mother to him, ooo Barakah. Do not ever leave him."
Barakah was heartbroken and began to wail, distressing the young Prophet, who wept and clung to his mother's neck. Amina gave one last moan and then passed away. Barakah wept bitterly and, with her own hands, dug a grave in the sand and buried Amina, moistening the grave with her tears. She returned to Makkah with Muhammad (pbuh) and took him to his grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, staying with him to care for the young Prophet as she had promised his mother.
By the age of six, Muhammad (pbuh) had already experienced the loss of both his mother (Amina) and father (Abdullah). He was now being cared for by his grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, and his mother's servant, Barakah. Abd al-Muttalib loved his grandson dearly and always kept him by his side.
According to custom, Abd al-Muttalib would sit on a mat by the Kaaba, and people would come to talk to him. Sometimes, a large crowd would gather around him, but no one was allowed to sit beside him except his grandson, Muhammad (pbuh). Abd al-Muttalib would often say, "This boy will become a great person tomorrow."
It's clear that Abd al-Muttalib had high hopes for his grandson's future and was already recognizing his potential for greatness. This special treatment and attention from his grandfather likely had a profound impact on Muhammad (pbuh) and helped shape his confidence and sense of purpose.
Two years later, Abd al-Muttalib fell ill, and Muhammad (pbuh) stayed by his side constantly. Before his death, Abd al-Muttalib instructed his son Abu Talib to adopt Muhammad (pbuh), which he agreed to do. Abu Talib had many children of his own, but Muhammad (pbuh) quickly became part of the family and the favorite child.
Abu Talib took Muhammad (pbuh) on a caravan trip to Yathrib, where they arrived at a marketplace near Syria, a hub for trade between Romans and Arabs. A monk named Bahira lived nearby and noticed the caravan from afar, observing a large white cloud hovering above it. The cloud seemed to be shielding one of the travelers from the heat, and whenever that person sat under a tree, the cloud would disappear.
Bahira, who had longed to see the prophet mentioned in the scriptures, invited the Mekkans to dine with him, a first-time gesture that surprised the Arabs. During the meal, Bahira asked if everyone was present, and upon learning that a boy had been left behind to watch the camels, he insisted that the boy join them. When Muhammad (pbuh) arrived, Bahira observed him closely, noticing details that matched the descriptions in the old manuscripts.
Later, Bahira took Muhammad (pbuh) aside and asked him many questions. He noticed that Muhammad (pbuh) seemed unhappy about the idols kept in the Kaaba. They discussed Allah and Muhammad's (pbuh) life and family. During their brief time together, Bahira became convinced that Muhammad (pbuh) was indeed the Prophet who would succeed Jesus.
Bahira then approached Abu Talib and inquired about his relationship with Muhammad (pbuh). Abu Talib replied that Muhammad (pbuh) was his son, but Bahira corrected him, saying that this couldn't be the case since Muhammad (pbuh) was destined to grow up an orphan. Bahira urged Abu Talib to take great care of Muhammad (pbuh).
Unlike his peers, Muhammad (pbuh) never worshipped the idols or swore by them. He wondered why people were constantly striving for power and wealth, which saddened him and made him feel lonely. However, he kept these feelings to himself. Muhammad (pbuh) was a quiet, thoughtful boy who played with other boys his age.
It's clear that Bahira's encounter with Muhammad (pbuh) had a profound impact on him, and he recognized the young boy's unique qualities and destiny. Bahira's advice to Abu Talib emphasizes the importance of protecting and caring for Muhammad (pbuh). Additionally, Muhammad's (pbuh) nonconformity to the prevalent idolatry and his introspective nature are highlighted, setting him apart from his contemporaries.
FULLYGROWN AND HIS BEHAVIOUR
Barakah continued to care for the Prophet (pbuh) in Abu Talib's household. As he grew up, the Prophet (pbuh) exhibited exceptional behavior, unparalleled among the Quraish. He was renowned for his respectfulness, honesty, kindness, truthfulness, and reliability, earning him the title "the Trustworthy" (al-Amin) among the Quraish. His exemplary character was a testament to the good qualities Allah had bestowed upon him.
The Prophet (pbuh) would often spend quiet hours in a cave on Mount Hira, near Mecca, contemplatively thinking about Allah. By the time he was twenty-five, his reputation for honesty and integrity had spread far and wide, and he was highly regarded by both the elderly and the young. His unique inner knowledge, rooted in his belief in the oneness of Allah and His creation, set him apart from others.
People trusted him so much that they would entrust him with their valuables, knowing that he would safeguard them without compromising their quantity or quality. His unwavering commitment to Allah and his unshakeable integrity earned him a special place in the hearts of those around him.
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