Before begots and all those who see The Prophet SAWW as just a mere “bashar”, they should look at what an independent researcher, a non-Muslim found out when he researched the Greatest 100 Men. He declared unreservedly that Prophet Muhammad SAWW was the top of the list. This is the truth that cannot be denied for Allah SWT has attested to that in The Quran. “Certainly, you possess sublime morality” (68:4).
On Friday, the Seventeenth of Rabi’ul Awwal, in the Year of The elephant when the vassal of the Christian King, Abraha, tried to attack The Ka’ba and perished under a barrage of lethal pebbles in the tiny feet of ababeel birds (105:3), The Prophet SAWW was born in the pure house of Hadhrat Abdullah ibni Abdul Muttalib AS and Hadhrat Amena binti Wahab AS. The Seventeenth of Rabi’ul Awwal is the most authentic date of his birth because its source is authentic. How so? And not Monday, Twelfth Rabi’ul Awwal as is believed by the amma? The reply is simple. When a biographer researches material on the biography a personage would he ask strangers or neighbors for facts and dates or would he turn to the most reliable source the progeny of the biographee. Obviously, the people of the house would know the truth. Thus, we have accepted The Prophet Saw’s progeny’s testimony that The Prophet SAWW’s birthdate is Seventeenth of Rabi’ul Awwal, while others have gotten the Twelfth from stray sources.
The Prophet SAWW lost his father before his birth. So, his grandfather, Hadhrat Abdul Muttalib AS, the saintly Sheikhul Batha, following the True Path of Hadhrat Ibrahim Khalilullah AS named him MUHAMMAD. This name though not unknown was rarely kept by the Arabs. So, curiosity was aroused and Hadhrat Abdul MuttalibAS was asked why he had chosen this name. Only a divinely inspired person would reply that he wished for this newborn to be praised in the heavens, as he would be on earth. The renowned poet of the time, Hassaan bin Thabit then composed a verse saying: “The Creator derived the name of His Prophet from His Own Name. Just as Allah SWT is MAHMOOD (THE ADORABLE), His Prophet is MUHAMMAD (The Praiseworthy). Both these names are derived from the same root and bear the same meaning.”
Indeed, the name had to be a rare one for there should be no mistake in identifying the personage who was foretold in the Scriptures with spiritual and corporeal signs that the signs and the name had to be fully evident in order to ensure there was no mistake in identifying the True Prophet against false ones. Thus, the fewer the bearers of this unique name, the lesser the chances of impostors. The Quran mentions two names MUHAMMAD (Ala Imran: 138, Muhammad: 2, Al-Fath: 29 and Al-Ahzab: 40) and AHMAD in Suratul Saff. The name AHMAD, also a derivation of the same root was given to him by his mother Hadhrat Amena AS. Thus, it is evident that Hadhrat Abdul Muttalib AS and his family including Hadhrat Abu Talib AS and Hadhrat Amena AS were close to Allah SWT, unlike the Abu Jahls, Abu Sufyans, and Abu Lahabs. Halima Sa’diyyah RA suckled The Prophet SAWW. When Hadhrat Abdul MuttalibAS learnt her name and her tribal affinity he said: “Very good! Very good! Two good traits and two decent qualities. One of them is happiness and prosperity and the other is humility and forbearance.”
A person’s greatness comes from the permanency of his life work. The Prophet SAWW was born in a hostile, ignorant, arrogant and cruel milieu. This worked to the advantage of opportunist, but for the Arabs themselves it was a bane. The Prophet SAWW came to succor the people and those whose economic interest was threatened did not favorably accept his reforms of corrupt society. The Prophet SAWW had a mission and he fulfilled it, despite all that he had to go through. Thus, his legacy lives on and so does the enmity against him by those who lost power, prestige and prosperity of opportunism. The Prophet SAWW was a descendant of Hadhrat Ibrahim Khalilullah AS and Hadhrat Ismail Dhabihullah. Hadhrat IbrahimAS had prayed to Allah SWT to keep him and his descendants (dhuriyyah) away from idol-worship. Thus The Prophet SAWW was descended from a line of pure, self-sacrificing, generous personages. The qualities bravery, compassion, generosity and cheerfulness were enough. On top of it he was The Divinely appointed Prophet SAWW. He had no need to be taught by anyone and His character and behavior was unblemished.
He left behind Allah SWT’s Book and his pure progeny. Each of his descendants was great in his/her own right. Her father who stood up and gave his seat to Fatimatu Zzahraa AS every time she came in his presence revered his only daughter. He gave her the epithet of Umm Abiha. His cousin and son-in-law Imam Ali ibni Abi TalibAS was second to none but The Prophet SAWW. His grandsons were The Masters of the Youths of Paradise and his last descendant the prayer leader of prophet of Allah Hadhrat Isa AS. The Prophet SAWW taught his rightful successor Imam Ali AS a thousand kinds of knowledge each of which opened a thousand more gates for the Imam AS.
What did he give to his society? A society that created its own gods and ate them during famine, a society steeped in internecine warfare, infanticide and barbarism. To turn round such savage people into noble believers of One True God and think good of others and share wealth, compassion and civilization was the feat that only a person of The Prophet SAWW’s caliber could ever achieve. When he conquered Makkah bloodlessly, he asked his enemies what treatment they expected from him. In unison, they said what would be expected of a magnanimous son of magnanimous ancestry. The Prophet SAWW declared an amnesty for the bloodthirsty foe that included the human raw liver-chewing wife of Abu Sufyan, the inveterate enemy of The Prophet SAWW. Abu Sufyan had colluded and conspired with the opportunists to harass and plot against The Prophet SAWW. Yet, vengeance was not The Prophet SAWW’s way.
Yet today those who claim to be the followers of The Prophet SAWW object to his remembrance and call Miladu Nnabi ‘shirk’. The leaders of such schools of faith spread malice against The Prophet SAWW and his Purified Progeny and shed innocent blood. Ibn Taymiyya never saluted The Prophet SAWW for thirty years when he went to The Prophet SAWW’s Mosque and he becomes a Mufti of the Muslims! Such ingratitude and bigotry would be expected of his avowed enemies, not from the so-called leaders of Muslims. They have forgotten the favor The Prophet SAWW did to them to convert their ancestors from paganism, idol worshipping and barbarism into a civilized people.
Yet, to The Day of Judgment, wherever there are the true followers of The Prophet SAWW, the followers of The Ahlul Bayt AS, the name of The Prophet SAWW shall resound in the Salawaat, Salaam, Na’at, Qasida and in remembrance of his life and that of his progeny. Enemies join hands with hypocrites to belittle the name of The Prophet SAWW who is a mukaffir that is someone who is never thanked for the favors he has done. Yet, Allah SWT defeats these ploys. More and more people are seeing the Light and embracing Islam and each new Muslim adds to the resonating voice of “I testify that there is no god save Allah and Muhammad is His Prophet.”
