REBUILDING THE KA'BA
In the past, the people of Quraish intended to rebuild the Kaaba. However, they hesitated to start the project, fearing that Allah might be displeased with them. But a wise old man took the initiative and began the work. They worked tirelessly until they reached the first foundation built by Abraham. When they started to remove the stones of this foundation, the ground began to shake violently, making it impossible for them to continue. So, they decided to build on top of the existing foundation.
All the tribes in Makkah contributed the necessary materials for the construction. When they reached the point where the Black Stone was to be inserted, a dispute arose among the tribes over who should have the honor of placing it. The argument became so heated that they almost came to blows. Just then, a wise man suggested that they should be guided by the first person to enter the place of worship. Everyone agreed, and as Muhammad (pbuh) was the first to enter, they were all pleased because they trusted him implicitly.
They explained the cause of the argument to him, and he asked them to bring a large cloak, which they did. He spread the cloak on the ground, placed the Black Stone in its center, and asked a representative from each tribe to hold one edge of the cloak. Together, they raised it to the height where the stone was to be inserted. Then, the Prophet (pbuh) took the stone from the cloak and inserted it himself, restoring peace among the people.
MARRIEGE TO KHADIJA
At that time, Khadija was the most respected woman in Makkah, known for her wealth and respectability. She owned a caravan that frequently traveled north for trade. Khadija noticed Muhammad (pbuh) as a trustworthy and honest man and proposed that he work for her. The Prophet (pbuh) agreed and joined her other workers on a trading journey. During this journey, several incidents occurred that caught the attention of Maysala, one of the workers close to the Prophet (pbuh).
One incident happened when they stopped to rest, and Muhammad (pbuh) sat under a tree. Maysala, who was working nearby, was approached by a monk who asked, "Who is the man resting under the tree?" Maysala replied, "He is from Quraysh, the people who guard the Ka'ba." The monk said, "No one but a Prophet is sitting beneath this tree."
Another event occurred on their return journey, when Maysala was riding behind the Prophet (pbuh) at noon, and saw two angels appearing above Muhammad (pbuh), shielding him from the sun's rays.
When they arrived back in Makkah, Maysala shared these incidents with Khadija, who was impressed by the Prophet's (pbuh) integrity and the signs that surrounded him. Muhammad (pbuh) had earned a significant profit for Khadija, surpassing any previous gains.
Khadija, a beautiful and attractive widow, had received many proposals but had declined them all. She saw the goodness in Muhammad (pbuh) and sent a friend to ask him why he was not married. Muhammad (pbuh) replied that it was due to his lack of wealth. The friend asked if he would accept a proposal from a rich, beautiful, and noble lady, and Muhammad (pbuh) inquired about her identity. When told it was Khadija, he was overjoyed, as he deeply respected her.
The Prophet (pbuh) then approached his uncle Abu Talib, and together they went to Khadija's uncle's house to request her hand in marriage, which was accepted. Their marriage was a joyful occasion, uniting the most respected man and woman in Makkah. They were well-suited and lived happily together.
Baraka Never Left the Prophet
After the marriage, Barakah went to live with Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadija to serve them and fulfill her promise to the Prophet's (pbuh) mother. She said, "I never left him (pbuh), and he never left me." They were blessed with six children, two sons and four daughters. Sadly, their firstborn son, Qasim, passed away shortly before his second birthday, and their last child, a son, only lived for a short time. However, their four daughters - Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah - all survived.
For a few years, Muhammad (pbuh) lived a peaceful life as a merchant in Mecca, and his wisdom benefited many people. Years later, Muhammad (pbuh) called out to Barakah and said, "Ya Ummah! (He always called her "Mother".) Now I am a married man, and you are still unmarried. What do you think if someone should come now and ask to marry you?" Barakah replied, "I shall never leave you. Does a mother abandon her son?" Muhammad (pbuh) smiled and kissed her head. He looked at Khadija and said, "This is Barakah, my mother after my own mother. She is the rest of my family." Khadija said to Barakah, "You have sacrificed your youth for Muhammad's (pbuh) sake. Now he wants to repay some of his obligations to you. For my sake and his, agree to be married before old age overtakes you."
Barakah agreed and married Ubayd ibn Zayd from the Khazraj tribe of Yathrib, who had come seeking her hand in marriage. She went with him to Yathrib, where she gave birth to a son named Ayman, and people began calling her "Umm Ayman" (the mother of Ayman). However, her marriage was short-lived, and her husband passed away. She returned to Mecca to live with her "son" Muhammad (pbuh) in Khadija's house.
This is the story of Barakah, a companion who dedicated her life to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). May Allah grant her Al-Jannah (Paradise).
THE FIRST COMING OF MALAYKA GEBRIEL AND THE CALL TO BEGIN MISSION
When Muhammad (pbuh) was 40 years old, he left Mecca to spend the month of Ramadan in the cave of Mount Hira, as was his custom. During the middle of the month, the angel Gabriel appeared to him for the first time and said, "Read!" Muhammad (pbuh) replied, "I cannot read." Gabriel held him and pressed him, saying again, "Read!" Muhammad (pbuh) repeated, "I cannot read." Gabriel pressed him a third time, and Muhammad (pbuh) began to sweat. Then, Gabriel released him and said, "Read in the name of thy Lord who created, created man from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the Most Generous." Muhammad (pbuh) repeated after Gabriel, and when he finished, Gabriel disappeared.
Muhammad (pbuh) was confused and returned home, but wherever he looked, he saw Gabriel in the sky. When he arrived home, he was in a state of fear and confusion, and he asked his wife Khadija to cover him with a blanket. Khadija had never seen Muhammad (pbuh) like this before and was worried. Later, Muhammad (pbuh) woke up and told Khadija what had happened. She listened without any doubt and said, "I swear by Allah, who has my soul in His hands, that you will be our people's prophet." Muhammad (pbuh) went back to sleep after hearing Khadija's words of consolation.
Later, Khadija went to her cousin Waraka's house with Muhammad (pbuh) and told him what had happened. Waraka was an old blind man who had become a Christian after reading manuscripts. He listened to their story and said, "This is the same message that was sent to Moses and Jesus. You, Muhammad, are the prophet of our people." Waraka's words reassured Muhammad (pbuh), and he began to understand the significance of his experience in the cave.
Later, Khadija and the Prophet (pbuh) visited her cousin Waraka's house and shared the experience with him. Waraka, an old blind man who had become a Christian after reading many manuscripts, listened intently and said, "Muhammad has been chosen by Allah to guide mankind, just as Malika Gabriel appeared to Moses and ordered him to guide his people." However, Waraka warned that most people would reject his message and even mistreat his followers, so he must be patient and careful. Waraka expressed his desire to live long enough to see the message Muhammad (pbuh) would share.
After this meeting, the angel Gabriel continued to visit the Prophet (pbuh). However, Waraka passed away a few days later, and the revelations stopped temporarily. The Prophet (pbuh) felt overwhelmed and unable to share the message, leading him to attempt to climb a mountain and intentionally fall to his death. But each time he tried, Gabriel would appear and reassure him, "Truly, you are the messenger of Allah," calming his heart.
The Prophet (pbuh) waited for the revelations to resume, wondering why they had stopped. Some narrations suggest that Allah stopped the revelations to relieve the Prophet (pbuh) from fear. Days passed, and while the Prophet (pbuh) was walking, he saw Gabriel sitting on a chair in the sky, which filled him with fear. So he lied down and when Gebriel disappeared he went home to cover himself but the malayka appeared and reviled to him,
يٰۤاَيُّهَا الۡمُدَّثِّرُ
O thou wrapped up (in the mantle)!
قُمۡ فَاَنۡذِرۡ
Arise and deliver thy warning!
وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرۡ
And thy Lord do thou magnify!
وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرۡ
And thy garments keep free from stain!
وَالرُّجۡزَ فَاهۡجُرۡ
And all abomination shun!
(Quran 74:1-5)
This revelation encouraged the Prophet (pbuh) to begin sharing his message without fear. The Prophet's (pbuh) life lasted for sixty-three years, with his prophethood beginning at the age of forty. He spent the first thirteen years of his prophethood in Mecca, sharing his message in secret for the first three years and openly for the next ten years. Later, he migrated to Medina, where he spent the remaining ten years of his life.
FORMS OF THE REVELATION
Below are some of the ways of which the message from Allah had been revealed or communicated to the prophet pbuh. Malayka Gabriel communicated the message to the Prophet (pbuh) in various forms:
1. Original form: Malayka Gabriel appeared in his original form, such as when he first called the Prophet (pbuh) to prophethood.
2. Human form: Malayka Gabriel appeared in the form of a human being, allowing the Prophet (pbuh) to converse with him easily. The companions also saw the angel in this form.
3. Direct revelation: The Prophet (pbuh) received the message directly from Allah, such as when he ascended to the heavens to receive the command to perform daily salah.
4. Invisible inspiration: Malayka Gabriel invisibly cast the message into the Prophet's (pbuh) mind and heart. In this case, the Prophet (pbuh) would say, "The noble spirit revealed to me."
5. Physical sensation: The angel would sometimes seize the Prophet (pbuh) tightly, causing him to sweat, as part of the communication process.
6. Dreams: The message was sometimes revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) through dreams, which is a common human experience.
As previously mentioned, the Prophet (pbuh) spent thirteen years in Mecca and ten years in Medina, starting from his fortieth year. The thirteen years in Mecca can be divided into two phases:
1. Secret call (3 years): The Prophet (pbuh) spent the first three years (from his 40th to 43rd year) delivering the message secretly to the Makkans.
2. Open call (7 years): From the beginning of his 44th year to his 50th year, the Prophet (pbuh) openly delivered the message to the Makkans.
3. Propagation beyond Mecca (3 years): From his 50th year until his migration to Medina, the Prophet (pbuh) propagated the message beyond Mecca, spreading it to other tribes and regions.
After the migration to Medina, the Prophet (pbuh) spent the remaining ten years of his life (from his 53rd year to his 63rd year) continuing to propagate the message and establish the Islamic community.
These various forms of communication demonstrate the unique ways in which the Prophet (pbuh) received the message from Allah through Malayka Gabriel.
STAGES OF WHICH THE MESSAGE WAS DELIVERED
As previously mentioned, the Prophet (pbuh) spent thirteen years in Mecca and ten years in Medina, starting from his fortieth year. The thirteen years in Mecca can be divided into two phases:
1. Secret call (3 years): The Prophet (pbuh) spent the first three years (from his 40th to 43rd year) delivering the message secretly to the Makkans.
2. Open call (7 years): From the beginning of his 44th year to his 50th year, the Prophet (pbuh) openly delivered the message to the Makkans.
3. Propagation beyond Mecca (3 years): From his 50th year until his migration to Medina, the Prophet (pbuh) propagated the message beyond Mecca, spreading it to other tribes and regions.
After the migration to Medina, the Prophet (pbuh) spent the remaining ten years of his life (from his 53rd year to his 63rd year) continuing to propagate the message and establish the Islamic community.
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