Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the peace blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
Some of the extra-ordinary and miraculous events surrounding the Prophet*
The greatest miracle that the Prophet* was given and presented to the people of Arabia was the Qur’an – the Absolute Word of Allah. We have covered its miraculous nature in previous study circles. Here we will deal with some additional events that were signs for the people at the time.
A couple of weeks ago we covered the dissolution (cancelling) of the boycott of the Muslims and some of the tribes. When the people went to tear up the document that was hanging on the Kaaba wall it had been eaten up by insects, all apart from the first words: ‘In the name of Allah our Lord’. This demonstrates that the helpers of Allah come in all shapes and sizes.
Another sign was the strength and ability of the Prophet* when he wrested with Rukaana – the undisputed & undefeated wrestling champion of Mecca. He had asked the Prophet* to challenge him in order to discredit the Prophet* and claim superiority over him – and they settled on a bet of 100 sheep (in the time before betting was made Haram) for the winner. Thrice the Prophet* defeated Rukaana who had never been overturned and put on his back. After that he professed Islam and was given back his 100 sheep by the Prophet*.
In the time between the migration to Abyssinia and the conversion of Umer, the Prophet* performed one of his greatest miracles by the leave of Allah. The Quraish knew that prophets came with miracles and wanted a sign other than the Qur’an and so the Prophet* told them to gather one night and observe the splitting of the moon. Many people gathered, Muslims & non-Muslims, and saw the moon split in two on either side of the mountain of Mina. The Prophet* asked them to behold the majesty of Allah but the disbelievers made excuses – and this is mentioned in the Qur’an: “The hour of Judgement in near and the moon is cleft asunder, but if they see a sign they say this is but transient magic.”
Some scholars say this is one of the greatest miracles of any of the prophets as it was witnessed both in the heavens and on earth. So, why isn’t this documented in any other place if the moon did split, ask some people even today:
- As this happened at night it would not have been visible to the half of the globe in daylight.
- in the area covered by night, some parts would have been too early or too late to see the moon
- in the area covered by night, some parts may have been cloudy
- in the area covered by night, people do not generally run around looking at the moon
- documentation of the peoples in that era was not great and many important things that happened were not always recorded
- some scholars have heard rumours that this event was documented in places like India and China, where people refer to events happening ‘in the year the moon split’. There needs to be more evidence of this documentation and other arguments about astronomy and a rift on the moon being observable.
In the early years the Quraish teased the Muslims about many things (see previous circles) and they were particularly delighted when the Persian Empire defeated the Christians from the West. They taunted the Muslims saying that it was now the time of the pagans as they were winning, and as the Persians were victorious so the Quraish would defeat the Muslims. The sympathies of the Muslims were with the Christians as they were ‘people of the Book’ and were originally worshippers of the one True God (although many had since gone astray). Then Allah revealed a prophecy in the Qur’an: “The Romans have been defeated but they will be victorious within 10 years in the nearest land, and on that day the Muslims will be happy with the victory of Allah.”
On hearing this Abu Bakr placed a bet with Abu Jahl for 100 camels (again, in the time before betting was prohibited) that the Romans would win within 10 years. Abu Jahl agreed as the general news was that the Persians were so strong that they would roll over and obliterate the Christians. About 8 years later the Persians were indeed defeated in a major battle near the Dead Sea and news of this victory reached the Muslims on the very day that they defeated the Quraish in the battle of Badr. In addition, the word in Arabic (ard-nal ard) was previously translated as ‘the nearest land’ but could also mean ‘the lowest land’ which would refer to the Dead Sea area – as it is below sea level.
[The other extra-ordinary event was the Night Journey & Ascension....more next week]
Choosing friends and feeling good as Muslims
The Prophet* once said: ‘The Muslim is a mirror to a Muslim…’ There are many lessons from this short statement that highlight how we should chose our friends, how important good friends are and how we can start to feel good about ourselves.
- a mirror helps to complete you: you can notice if your hair is straight or if your shirt is buttoned properly. It helps you to perfect yourself. Likewise, a Muslim friend would point out the good and negative elements in a person so that they can improve themselves – and this is done by friends for the best of intentions.
- a mirror is fair and it doesn’t exaggerate or belittle features – it will show your nose as it is, neither bigger nor smaller. Likewise, a Muslim friend will always be honest to another Muslim friend and reflect things as they are.
- a mirror provides a ‘secret image’ – one that is for those that are present and looking. The mirror does not store the image (especially if not nice) and show it to other people later on. Hence, Muslim friends are friends to each other and keep their secrets safe and between each other, and does not go behind his friend and start backbiting or putting his friend down. So, friends keeps confidence for each other.
- a mirror is always polite and says so much by saying so little, hence the mirror does not overpower someone with criticism if they look bad in the mirror. A friend wouldn’t slap another friend just because of the way they look but they would be polite and get the message across effectively.
- the closer you get to a mirror the clearer the image can become and so, any defect can be fixed more easily. Hence, with a good Muslim friend, the closer they are in friendship the more honest they are and the better they know each other, especially their good points and faults. Hence, their advice would be sincere and for the best of intentions.
- when you stand back from the mirror it can also give you a sense of the whole picture – more than just the face. With good Muslim friends they are also able to tell each other not just about the small aspects of life but the wider picture – including complimenting on the overall objectives of life and where each action fits into the scheme of life & worship.
These are just some of the ways in which some of the scholars have explained this part of the Hadith, and how looking in the mirror should never be the same again! It also highlights the importance of choosing good Muslim friends.
How we feel about ourselves should not be based on our colour, height, physique, place of birth as we did not, as individuals, put much effort into being these. If we base our worth on these that would be shallow. If a good-looking person had and accident and became disfigured, they should not go from being proud to ashamed because of how society or other people see them. We should not live our life for the approval of other people as all of us are flawed. Muslims should have a positive identity about themselves based on something better and more lasting than the identity that western society gives us. Our reference point for feeling good is not ‘what people think’ but something greater.
If parents keep telling children that they are silly or stupid, then over time the children will start to believe it and act according to it. Also, if friends or society always tell people to behave in a certain way or are something bad then people will start to believe that themselves. We shouldn’t let western society judge us as Muslims because their values can be different to many Muslim values. The Prophet* did not criticise people or always put them down. Infact, the Prophet* used to praise people whenever he found good in them and there are books dedicated to the compliments the Prophet* paid to his followers. Hence we should not belittle people with constant criticism as this may crush their confidence over time, but we should sincerely compliment each other.
When children are approaching their teen years then they are very impressionable and there is a danger they will change their behaviour to gain approval from friends – such as starting to smoke, dressing a in ceratin way or talking/swearing in a particular fashion. Then children will act differently with friends, with parents, with the opposite sex, with relatives, and when they are by themselves. They never get settled and develop different personalities rather than being consistent and true to themselves. People may even want to change their names because they are ashamed of the name or what others may think about them because of it.
Last week we talked about a story where the followers of Musa felt very negative about themselves. But our Prophet* forbade Muslims to be disrespectful about themselves and he said tat is was haram to belittle ourselves. On one occasion he said that Muslims shouldn’t say they are ‘like pigs or donkeys’ in a way that is derogatory (saying very negative things). Today we may say that we are ‘so stupid and always foolish’, but this is wrong. We should mention what we have done wrong and try to improve on it but not to lower our self-worth. On another occasion, Abu Hurairah was very late for a gathering and the Prophet* sent for him. He reported that he didn’t come to the meeting because he thought he was unclean following a dream he had. The Prophet* told him off saying that a believing Muslim is never impure.
Another companion stayed away from the Prophet* and went to see Abu Bakr complaining that he felt like a hypocrite because when he was around the Prophet* he felt really good but when he got home he would go back to normal and be caught up in worldly affairs. Abu Bakr said that the same happened to him. So they went to the Prophet* who reassured them that it is not humanly possible to feel so good all the time. This lifted their morale and self-confidence.
So, where do we get our confidence from? Where do we get our self-belief or esteem from? What should we be proud of?
Our worth comes from our relationship with Allah. Allah informs us that He “has honoured the son of Adam”. We have all been honoured by Allah. Indeed, Allah says that “We have preferred them over many of Our creation”. Furthermore, the Prophet* said that the destruction of the Kaaba is less evil in the eyes of Allah than the death of an innocent Muslim. They drop of blood of Muslims is sacred and we should feel proud because of that.
We would naturally feel some joy if we get a specific personal mention & praise by important people such as a headmaster, a community leader, or the Prime Minister or even Obama! However, if we mention the name of Allah in an assembly of people, the Prophet* informs us that Allah – the Creator of the heavens and earth – will make a mention of us in a better assembly. Also, the Prophet* tells us that even if we make a mention of Allah (such as ‘SubhanAllah’ or ‘Alhadulillah’) then Allah will make a mention of us in Himself. That must be one of the best power-up boosts we can imagine! Saying the Kalimah gives us a personal relationship with Allah. As our belief (Aqeeda) and actions are based on Islam, something we think about and put our effort into – this would be something we should truly feel proud of!
Proud to be Muslim!
To finish off and linking the two themes from today: friendship and esteem. The Prophet* mentioned that the parable of friendship is like the perfume seller and the blacksmith – hanging around the latter will be associated with smelly and dirty clothes whereas being with the former and we will smell nicer! Also, we will begin to be judged by the company we keep and are seen to be with –and we should have self respect in this regard too.
In addition, Ali gave advice to his son, saying: “Oh my son! Be selective with your friends and do not enslave yourself to others as Allah has created you a free man”. Enslavement to others could mean changing ourselves (personality, behaviour, habits, clothes etc) for the approval of others.
Ali also mentioned that we should be careful with our friends as they can be our helpers in this life and the Hereafter. People asked him how could friends help us in the hereafter, as the former is fairly obvious. Ali replied by quoting from the Qur’an where “friends in the Hereafter will be the enemies of each other except the righteous”. Those ‘friends’ in Hell will be cursing each other and blaming each other for their situation, and those friends in Paradise will be thanking each other – for eternity – for the friendship they had and how it helped them reach a more settled place. All that is left to say is Alhamdulillah – and praise Allah in ourselves or in a group!!
Seerah of Muhammed*
*: May the peace blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon him
TMQ: Translation to the nearest meaning of the Qur’an
Private and Secret stage
Ibn Qayyum talks about types of Revelation (Wahi) to the Prophet* ~
1 – Dreams: Before prophethood there was a period of true vision = dreams that came true the next day for 6 months (True Dreams that will happen or need interpreting; Dreams from Shaytan; Meaningless Dreams)
2 – Angel inspires Muhammed* (but does not appear): The noble spirit revealed that no soul will perish until in exhausts its due course so fear Allah and gently request Him and never get so impatient to the verge of disobedience to Allah, what Allah has can never be acquired but through obedience to Him
3 – Angel appears to Muhammed* in physical form of human being: Hadith Jibreel
4 – Angel came to Muhammed* as a toll of a bell: hold him tightly and he would sweat profusely, feel the weight of the angel and the sound like a ringing bell (sound of beating wings like dragging a chain on rocks), bending of the camel or Zaid bin Harithah’s thigh being crushed
5 – Muhammed* would see Jibreel in his actual form: happened twice, his wings would cover the horizon
6 – Allah would speak to Muhammed* directly: al-Miraj
Gap in the early revelation and the Prophet*’s initial doubts, but then Muhammed* went about inviting only close friends & associates and studied in the House of Arqam
Khadijah - first believer, first woman (one of the four greatest women – Khadijah, Maryam, Aasiyah, Fatimah)
Ali - first child
Zaid bin Harithah - first slave
Abu Bakr - first free man (male convert) with no hesitation (as-Saddiq)
Public Stage
“And warn your tribe (O Muhammad) of nearest kindred” TMQ 26:214
Then Muhammed* openly declared Islam. Ali & Muhammed* put on a banquet for elders and then stood on Mount Safa’ and called ‘Yah-Subaaha’ to gather all the people for a critical announcement. In a straight-forward manner he said: “O people! Will you believe me if I say there is an army marching behind this mountain which is about to attack you? They all answered, 'Of course we would, we have not heard a lie from you throughout your life.' Muhammed* then said, 'O people of the Quraish! I warn you to fear God's punishment. Save yourself from the fire…' then Abu Lahab ibn Abd Al-Muttalib, broke the silence saying, 'Give our oath to you? May evil befall you for the rest of the day! Have you gathered us here to tell us such words?'
Hence Allah revealed: “May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, may he (himself) perish. His wealth avails him not, neither what he had earned. Soon will he roast in a flaming fire, and his wife, the bearer of the firewood, upon her neck a rope of twisted palm-fibre." (TMQ, 111:1-5)
Hadith (Riyadh as-Salihin): On Sincerity and having an intention for all actions, words and states, outward and inward
Abu Bakra Nufay' ibn al-Harith ath-Thaqafi said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'When two Muslims clash with their swords, then both the killer and killed are in the Fire.' I asked, "Messenger of Allah, I can understand this with regard to the killer, but what about the murdered man?' He replied, 'He also was eager to kill his companion.
Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The group prayer of a man is some twenty degrees higher than his prayer in his business or his house. That is because when one of you does wudu' thoroughly and then goes to the mosque with no other object than that of doing the prayer, without being impelled by anything other than the prayer, Allah will raise him up a degree with every step he takes, and a wrong action will also fall away from him, until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he is in prayer the whole time he is waiting for it and the angels pray for him all the time he is sitting there, saying, 'O Allah! Show mercy to him! O Allah! Forgive him! O Allah! Turn towards him!' as long as he has not caused anyone injury and has not broken wudu'." [Muslim]
Abu'l-'Abbas 'Abdullah ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas ibn 'Abdu'l-Muttalib said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in what he reported from his Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, "Allah wrote good actions and bad actions and then made that clear. Whoever intends to do a good action and then does not do it, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will write a full good action for him. If he intends to do it and then does it, Allah will write ten to seven hundred good actions multiplied many times over. If he intends an evil action and then does not do it, Allah will write a full good action for him. If he intends it and then does it, Allah will write one bad action for him."
Another Hadith on a topic we talked about last week:
The hairdresser of Pharaoh’s daughter: While she was combing the girl’s hair, the comb fell from her hand, and she, unconsciously, uttered the name of Allah. “You mean father, don’t you?” asked the girl. “No, Allah is my God as well as yours and your father’s,” replied the hairdresser, and, being affected by Musa (AS) as well as following the sorcerers’ example, she spilled out all that she has kept secret. Immediately, the girl told her father, Pharaoh, about this. Consequently, he ordered for her four children to be fetched. Then he asked her, “Do you have another god besides me?” “Allah is my God as well as yours,” she would reply. He kept asking her the same question before he boiled each of her first three children alive, and she would give the same reply. Until the youngest one, who was a baby, was left. She was about to revert when her baby spoke out and told her she is on the right path and she shouldn’t be afraid. Then, they burned them both. Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) narrates that, as he was making al-mi’raj, he smelt the sweetest scent ever. When he asked Jibril (AS) (Gabriel) about it, he told him that it’s the scent of Pharaoh’s daughter’s hairdresser and her four children.
Topic: The Purpose of Knowledge
In this Saturday’s The Guardian there is an interesting article about how the Universities in England about how the UK Government will focus funding in the Universities for courses that can demonstrate they can have commercial benefit and be productive to society. (see In search of the next Stephen Hawking: Physicists warn Britain risks losing the next generation of great minds http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/oct/02/search-for-stephen-hawkings-successor) and so what is the place of knowledge in Islam and the West?
Understanding Western development:
After the decline of the Roman Empire in the 5th Century CE, European feudal states ("Dark Ages"), but the Muslims conquered Spain. Crusades then the Renaissance then the age of Enlightenment (18th Century) due to a weak Catholic Church and the increase in exploration and trade with the Old World nations, Capitalism slowly begun to replace feudalism and modern Science was starting to be developed and its findings were applied to technological advancements. The industrial revolution (19th Century), where changes in agriculture, transport and manufacturing caused a shift from an economy based primarily on manual labour to one based on industry. Political revolutions and the formation of nation-states, using Capitalist values.
Muslim Education
First & powerful words revealed to Muhammed* (and the Muslims) was Iqra (‘Read’ and‘Recite’)
“Read in the name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot. Read, for your Lord is most Generous, Who teaches by means of the pen, teaches man what he does not know.” TMQ 96: 1-5
Muhammed* did not read to ‘read’ but to ‘recite’ as he had direct information from Allah. It was Allah’s plan to ensure Muhammed* was illiterate & unfamiliar with scriptures [‘If you had known scripture before this or were able to write then this would cause doubts in the ones who want to make doubts’ ~ TMQ 29:48].
Reading is the key to knowledge for Muslims but Muhammed* getting taught by Jibreel. Muhammed prioritised learning (e.g., Badr Prisoners of War asked to teach). But there is Knowledge that Benefits: Umer was reading the Torah and Muhammed* criticised him, but later after many years, Muhammed* said ‘I had prohibited you from reading the stories of Bani Israel but now I am allowing you to read it, but do not believe in it and do not disbelieve in it’; Furthermore, Muhammed* used to make du’a: ‘Oh Allah I ask that you give me knowledge that benefits and I seek refuge in you from knowledge that does not benefit’
Knowledge is developmental: need to feed the students what they can understand easily. Then examinations will test the people according to their level
The Muslim world historically excelled in education and made huge contributions to science and technology. It was the Abbasids that first formalised education in the Muslim world setting in motion what is considered the golden age of Islam by historians, where substantial development occurred in many scientific spheres. The Khulufaa' attracted to their courts men of science, poets, physicians and philosophers whom they supported. Learning progressed and developed with differences of creed, colour, race and tribe being no barrier to learning.
The Masjid (Mosque) served as the fundamental educational institution of early Muslims. However, as the demand for learning grew, the Madrassah - modern day college began to appear. Prior to this period education was taught in mosques in an informal manner. At this early stage, people seeking knowledge tended to gather around certain knowledgeable Muslims – shaykhs who began to hold regular religious education sessions - majalis. With the creation of Madrassah's the Jamia (university) emerged. The University of Al-Karaouine (Jami'at al-Qarawiyyin) in Fez, Morocco as the oldest university in the world founded in 859 and Al-Azhar University (Cairo) in the 10th century, offered a wide variety of academic degrees, including postgraduate degrees, and was the first fully-fledged university.
The Islamic form of education, was eventually emulated by the Europeans - of which many of the similarities stand till this day - the term Chair in a university, reflects the Arabic Kursi, upon which the ‘alim (teacher) would sit and teach his students. The modern doctorate in Latin is termed "a licence to teach" and had already developed long before it was transmitted to Europe, being a direct translation of the Arabic Ijazat at-tadris. A permission to teach was granted by an ‘alim, who had studied with an ‘alim after he had resolved a problem by issuing a fatwa, then defending it in front of a panel of ‘alims.
Even the modern day graduation ceremony resembles the Islamic ceremony. The robes worn today, were called Jubba tul faqih, and were given when an ‘alim received his ijazah. The early Islamic State also created the first public hospital (which replaced healing temples and sleep temples) and the psychiatric hospital, the public library and lending library, the academic degree-granting university, and the astronomical observatory as a research institute (as opposed to a private observation post as was the case in ancient times). The first universities that issued diplomas were the Bimaristan medical university-hospitals, where medical diplomas were issued to students of medicine who were qualified to be practicing doctors of medicine from the 9th century.
Sir John Bagot Glubb wrote "By Mamun's time medical schools were extremely active in Baghdad. The first free public hospital was opened in Baghdad during the Caliphate of Haroon-ar-Rashid. As the system developed, physicians and surgeons were appointed who gave lectures to medical students and issued diplomas to those who were considered qualified to practice. The first hospital in Egypt was opened in 872 AD and thereafter public hospitals sprang up all over the empire from Spain and the Maghrib to Persia."
Madrasahs were also the first law schools, and many have suggested that the "law schools known as Inns of Court in England" may have been derived from the Madrasahs that taught Islamic law and jurisprudence.
Islamic purpose for education and learning includes:
- Building the Islamic Personality (aqliya and nafseeyah) by planting the Islamic culture in the hearts and minds of students
- Preparing the future generation to become scientists, specialists in all fields of life (Islamic sciences and natural sciences) so that they give rise to the Ulema and specialists who will lead the Ummah to become a great nation
“And He has subjected to you the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; and the stars are subjected by His command. Surely, in this are proofs for a people who understand.” TMQ An-Nahl 16:12
“And He has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; it is all as a favour and kindness form Him. Verily, in it are signs for a people who think deeply.” TMQ Al-Jathiyah 45:13
