Qalam Seerah: Life of the Prophet (pbuh)

Episode 36: The Prophet Recruits Talented Young People Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). This session talks about the early Muslim community. Of note, many of the young converts were from the younger generation.

Episode 35: Two Uncles with Different Responses – Abu Talib and Abu Lahab Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). This episode contrasts two uncles of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam): Abu Lahab and Abu Talib. Abu Lahab His real name was Abdul Uzza. His complexion was light, but his cheeks were red. He was an intense individual and his face would become red: ‘Lahab’ is a red, burning coal. Abu Lahab was very wealthy, powerful and influential. He was more of a business leader as opposed to a civic leader, as he was not active in the service of his community. He was married to Umm Jameel, who was the sister of Abu Sufyan. They were a ‘power couple’ at that time. Both individuals made it their life’s mission to oppose Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and his message in the most vile and insulting manner. Abu Lahab openly demonised the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) in public. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would speak to people at local fairs and at Hajj about Islam, approaching people from all walks of life: free and slave, weak and powerful, rich and poor. Abu Lahab would tail him and cry out to any listeners that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had abandoned the religion of his forefathers, and made derogatory accusations of him being crazy, a magician, and a liar. He also carried pebbles, which he would distract the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) with as he spoke to people by throwing them at his head. Abu Lahab even forced his two sons who were engaged to the two daughters of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) to cancel the engagement in a humiliating manner. One son simply announced the separation to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), but the other ripped his shirt and spat on him. Later, the daughters went on to marry Uthman ibn Affan during their lifetimes.

Episode 34: The Prophet Presents Islam & Appeals to Banu Hashim Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The second phase of Prophethood was initiated- it was time to take the message public. This did not occur all at once, but occurred as a phased approach. 26:214 And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred. 26:215 And lower your wing to those who follow you of the believers. Allah had instructed the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) to warn his closest tribes people, and hinted of the possible negative response of his endeavours, by encouraging the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) to show mercy to the believers who would soon encounter difficulties. The Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) told Ali of his concerns that his family would not like the message, so he hesitated. However, Jibreel came and said ‘Oh Muhammad, if you do not do what your Lord has commanded, your Lord will punish you’. Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was being held accountable for delivering the message. First Public Invitation The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) called Ali and asked him to prepare a goat, some accompanying food and a big bowl of milk. He was asked to gather the family of Abdul Muttalib. About 40 people came, including the uncles of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam): Abu Talib, Hamza, Abbas and Abu Lahab. One of the miracles of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) occurred at this meeting: the spread was not sufficient for the gathering, but everyone ate and drank to their fill. Just as Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was about to speak, Abu Lahab interjected, commenting on how Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had done magic in relation to the food and got up and left. The rest of the gathering followed suit and exited.

Episode 33: A Community in the Making – Some of the early Companions (ra) Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). A hadith by Imam Ahmad reports that the first seven people to make their Islam known were the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), Abu Bakr, Ammar ibn Yasir, his mother Sumayyah, Suhayb, Bilal and Miqdad. As far as the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was concerned, he was defended by means of his uncle, Abu Talib. Abu Bakr was protected by his people, Banu Taym. As for the rest, they were at the mercy of the disbelievers and their harsh treatment e.g. they would grab them, dress them in armour of iron and leave them to scorch in the hot desert sun. All were eventually able to have some reprieve from the torture, except Bilal. He would be handed over to the children of Makkah, who would tie him up and drag him around the streets of Makkah, as he proclaimed the oneness of Allah. Abu Bakr (radi Allahu anhu) took the message to some prominent, remarkable people: he was the direct means of delivering Islam to the following people in the first few days of himself becoming Muslim: ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam Talhah ibn Ubaidullah Sa’ad ibn Abi Waqqas Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf He gathered them together, took them to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), who presented Islam to them and they all believed. Abu Bakr had many qualities, including being: a leader of his people a businessman of good character: he was never known to engage in social evils e.g. he was never intoxicated an expert in genealogy i.e. of family trees. Later on, when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) engaged in more dawah, Abu Bakr would accompany him; he would start off a conversation by identifying family ties and then would introduce the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), who could deliver his message. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that someone who guides towards something that is good, it is as if he has done it himself i.e. he gets the reward for it as well. Also, whoever starts a good practice in Islam gets the reward of it and the reward of whoever will follow that good practice i.e. it is a form of Sadaqah Jariyah.

Episode 32: The Next 3 Converts: Ali bin Abi Talib, Zayd bin Harithah & Abu Bakr (ra) Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Afif the Businessman Afif was a businessman who attended during the Hajj to do trade with Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), who was also a businessman. While they were sitting, they saw a man came out of a tent, face the Ka’ba and start praying. Then a woman came out and stood behind him and prayed. Then a boy came and stood to his right and started praying. One narration states that Afif questioned Abbas about this religion, as it did not seem familiar. Abbas reported that this was Muhammad ibn Abdullah, who believes that Allah had sent him as a Messenger and that that the treasures of the emperors of Rome and Persia would be opened for him and his followers. This was his wife Khadijah, who believes in him and follows him, and this boy was his cousin Ali ibn Abu Talib, who also believes in him. Afif later said he wished he believed that day, as he would have been the second adult to believe. The second narration describes the prayer. The man went into ru’ku and the boy and woman went into ru’ku with him. After that he stood up and the child and woman stood up with him. Then the man fell into sujood and both of them went into sujood. Afif commented that this was really remarkable. Abbas asked if Afif knew who these people were, commenting that this was Muhammad ibn Abdullah, his nephew; the boy was Ali ibn Abu Talib and the woman was Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, the wife of the man. ‘He says your Lord, the Lord of the sky, has commanded him to do what you see them doing’. Abbas commented that, ‘I swear by Allah, I do not know anyone other than these three who follows this religion today’. It is interesting to see that at such an early stage, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) emphasised the importance of praying together as a family and that the prayer was one of the first things he taught new followers.

Episode 31: The First Four Revelations & The First Convert To Islam

Episode 30: Divine Revelation and Inspiration: It’s Nature, Protection, Preservation, Types, and Interaction Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). From this point on, revelation was consistent. This episode discusses revelation in more detail. Revelation is a treasure that warrants protection from dangers, like the shayateen of the jinn. The jinn are similar to humans in that there are believers and disbelievers amongst them. The shayateen al-jinn would eavesdrop on the discourse of the angels e.g. about the commands of Allah and the rizq and qadr of people.  They would then pass this information on to soothsayers, fortune-tellers and magicians. The latter would then convince people of their abilities to predict the future. The Quran was protected, as fireballs were sent against shayateen trying to steal news from the heavens. When they reported this to Iblis, he said this could only be happening because of an important event, and they were told to travel searching for the answer. It is said the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) stopped to pray Fajr and when they heard the Quran being recited, they stopped, listened and surmised that this is what had come between them and the news of the heavens.  Another narration relates that Iblis himself came to Makkah and he saw the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) coming down from Hira and Jibreel (alayhi as-salaam), and he then realised what had happened. How would revelation come to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and what effect did it have upon him? Accounts from throughout his life report that: Never did the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) leave a sitting or anyone from his family ever leave the house, except he would receive revelation i.e. it was frequent. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would be gripped by the weight and pressure of receiving revelation e.g. he would break into a sweat, even on the coldest of days, with the sweat dripping off his face as if they were pearls falling; his face would become red; his body and face would heat up; Zaid ibn Thabit reports that the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) leg was over his when he received revelation, and it felt as if his leg would be crushed and break. Close to his face, you could hear the sounds of bees buzzing. The experience did not take away the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) consciousness e.g. he received revelation when he was eating and holding food and he did not spill anything. He would pull back from the people around him and not talk or respond to people. His eyes would remain open, but his hearing and heart would become devoted to what was coming down. He would receive revelation whilst riding his animal- on one occasion, Surah al-Ma’idah came down in its entirety whilst he was riding a camel: it was so heavy it weighed down the camel, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) descended as a mercy to the animal. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was seen to be moving his lips rapidly as he would try to read it back to Jibreel(alayhi as-salaam) who was relating the Quran to him. Allah revealed: Move not your tongue with it, [O Muhammad], to hasten with recitation of the Qur’an. 75: 16  Indeed, upon Us is its collection [in your heart] and [to make possible] its recitation. 75:17

Episode 29: Pause and Continuation of Revelation Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The next major stage was the pause in revelation. However, some accounts report that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) received a second revelation straight after the first. These are reported to be the first few verses of Surah Qalam (68): some say the first 2 verses, others the first 4-5 verses. 68:1 Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe, 68:2 You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman. 68:3 And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted. 68:4 And indeed, you are of a great moral character. Some reports say there was a third revelation to provide the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) recourse to cope with what was happening: Surah 73 (Al-Muzzammil). 73:1 O you who wraps himself [in clothing], 73:2 Arise [to pray] the night, except for a little – 73:3 Half of it – or subtract from it a little 73:4 Or add to it, and recite the Qur’an with measured recitation. 73:5 Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word. 73:6 Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence [of heart and tongue] and more suitable for words. 73:7 Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation. This revelation was to emphasise to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) that he would only be as solid as his night prayer to ‘charge his batteries’. Surprisingly, Allah is not telling him to rest at night, but to stand and pray and use this time to converse and connect with Allah.

Episode 28: Read. The Right Man For The Job: Aftermath of Revelation, Khadijah & Waraqah bin Nawfal Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was meant for this job as a Prophet: this was no random act. Everything in his life had been leading up to the start of revelation. Iman Ahmad ibn Hanbal reports that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was asked when he was made a Prophet: he said this happened when Adam (alayhi as-salaam) was in the state between dust/clay and before the soul was breathed into him i.e. when Allah created humans. We sometimes talk about the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) in ‘superhero’ terms. However, he experienced pain, difficulty and adversity- he had the true human experience. Imagine the event of the first revelation: this experience must have been earth-shattering, one that could damage someone’s psyche. Allah created a system so the Prophets would be gradually acclimated to the experience. They would have a warm-up period in the form of true dreams. These would make the Prophets trust their heart. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had true dreams for 6 months prior to revelation. Revelation started on a Monday. When asked about fasting on Mondays, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that was the day he was born and that was the day he received the first revelation. As for the month, the vast majority agree that it started in Ramadan. As for the specific day, opinions vary: the 14th, 17th, 21st or 27th night- Allah knows best! Ibn Ishaaq leans towards the opinion it was the 21st night, in the 40th year of the Prophet’s life. Read more http://www.qalaminstitute.org/2012/10/seerah-life-of-the-prophet-the-right-man-for-the-job-aftermath-of-revelation-khadijah-waraqah-bin-nawfal/

Episode 27: Read. The First Revelation Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). This session further discusses the start of the final revelation. The first thing that began from divine revelation was that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) started having true dreams i.e. he would see something in a dream, and that exact thing would then happen in real life. The scholars explain that true dreams taught the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) to learn to trust his heart, so that he would not have doubts. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) spent increasing time alone, away from society in contemplation in the mountains. This practice is known as ‘Tahannuth’, which comes from the root ‘to break a promise’. It means to pull away and leave something. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was drawing away from the corruption, idolatry and chaos of society: to clean something, you have to remove it from that environment. His heart was now ready to receive revelation. One day, the angel Gabriel came to him and said, ‘Read!’ He said, ‘I am not a reader’ i.e. he did not have the ability to read. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said the angel grabbed him and smothered him: he held on, until the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) felt he lost all his energy. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) tried to resist, but he finally gave up, unable to fight further. The angel released him, and again, he said, ‘Read!’ The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) repeated again, ‘I do not read’. The angel grabbed and smothered him again. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) finally desisted in fighting back, and the angel left him. The angel said for the third time, ‘Read!’ He again repeated, ‘I do not read’. The angel squeezed again, until the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) lost all energy, then he let go. The angel then recited: 96:1     Recite in the name of your Lord who created – 96:2     Created man from a clinging substance. 96:3     Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous – 96:4     Who taught by the pen – 96:5     Taught man that which he knew not. This story shows that there is a physical as well as a spiritual preparation. If we look into our deen today, we see that the spiritual preparation includes some physical activity e.g. making wudu, praying salah, and fasting: there is a link between the two. You have to apply yourself physically to achieve something.