Muhammad (Sm), Hazrat Prophet Muhammad (Sm) was born in the Year of the Elephant (Amul-e-Fil), when the Yemeni ruler Ashabul Fil Abraha tried to attack the Holy Ka’ba (Baitullah) with an army and elephants in his train. It was on a Monday in the month of Rabiul Awwal in the Arabic calendar that Hazrat Muhammad (Sm) was born. There are four different dates cited by various authorities as his birthday: the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 12th day of the month of Rabiul Awwal. But there is no doubt that he was born on the Monday that fell between the 8th and 12th that month. Majority of Islamic scholars believe that the 12th of Rabiul Awwal is the most probable date. Hafiz Ibne Hazar Al-Askalani and Ibne Aseer are among those who have accepted this date. It should be noted that according to some historians the Prophet’s date of birth coincided with the attack that was carried out by Abraha on 20 April 570 or 571, although others have mentioned 19 April and 21 April as possible dates.
Muhammad’s (Sm) father Abdullah died when he was still in his mother’s womb. After he was born, his mother named him Ahmed. However, his grandfather Abdul Muttalib named him Muhammad (Sm) since he desired his grand-son to be admired by everyone in all ages. His Akika or naming ceremony was organised a few days after his birth by his grandfather. Muhammad (Sm) was at first suckled by his mother Amina. After two or three days he was breast-fed by Suwaibah, a slave-girl of his uncle Abu Lahab. As was the practice in the then aristocratic Arab families, he was given over to a wet nurse named Halima Sadia belonging to the Taif’s Sad tribe, who was also entrusted with the responsibility of bringing him up. He spent the first five years of his life with her.
Muhammad (Sm) used to graze goats and sheep in the fields with his foster-brother Abdullah. But he would not then indulge in childish pranks or pick up quarrels, as boys are wont to do. While shepherding a flock of goats and sheep two angels once made an incision into his heart and purified it by extracting a black clot of blood from it. The black clot of blood was the source of all sin and evil designs. When Muhammad (Sm) was six years old his mother Amina died. His grandfather Abdul Muttalib then took the responsibility of bringing up the child.
However, he was not able to enjoy the benefit of his grandfather’s affection for a long time since he too died when the Prophet was only eight years old. His uncle Abu Taleb was then entrusted with the duty of raising him. The young boy used to busy himself with the shepherding of the flock in the fields and with household works. His school was the open sky and the desert landscape and mountains where he worked. When the Prophet (Sm) was twelve years old Abu Taleb took him along on a business trip to Syria. According to the custom of his family, the Prophet entered business at the age of twenty.
In his dealings and transactions, Muhammad (Sm) earned a great reputation for his honesty, magnanimity, virtuous conduct, and trustworthiness. In fact, he won the confidence and trust of everyone and was thus given the title of ‘Al-Ameen’ for his probity and reliability. It was due to this fact that the Prophet Muhammad (Sm) was entrusted with the responsibility of re-establishing the sacred Hazre Aswad when the Holy Ka’ba was re-built.
On hearing about Muhammad’s (Sm) diligence, sense of responsibility, honesty, and other remarkable qualities, Khadija (R), an intelligent and sagacious lady having exceptional moral standards together with profound experience in worldly affairs, invited him to become her business partner. Muhammad (Sm) agreed to her proposal and set out on a business trip to Syria in this capacity. During this trip he handled the business dealings skillfully and managed to make a handsome profit by selling the goods he had brought along. He purchased different commodities from Syria and handed them over to Khadiza (R). When he returned to Makkah Khadija (R) earned a big profit by selling these commodities. A servant of Khadija (R) named Maysara accompanied Muhammad (Sm) on two of his Syrian business trips. He reported to Khadija (R) about Muhammad’s (Sm) good manners, business skill and honesty. He also told her about Muhammad’s (Sm) gentle behaviour, humility, and overall excellence. Highly impressed by these qualities of head and heart Khadija (R) wanted to marry Muhammad (Sm). He responded to her proposal positively and with Abu Taleb’s blessings they soon got married.
Although at the time of their marriage he was twenty-five years old and she was forty, their married life was one of complete bliss. The marriage resulted in two (or three) sons, Qasim and Tahir (Tahir was also called Abdullah) and four daughters [Zaynab (R), Ruqayya (R), Umme Kulthum (R), and Fatima (R)]. Khadija (R) was the mother of all of the Prophet’s children except his third son Ibrahim (R), who was born to Maria Kibtia. However, all the male children died in their childhood. The Prophet did not remarry till Khadija’s (R) death at the age of sixty-five.
From his childhood, Muhammad (Sm) was a man of thoughtful persuasion. As he grew up, he began to reflect on the barbaric and irrational practices, such as idol worship, feud, drinking, violent crimes, gambling, incest, etc. and began meditating on the solutions to the situation. He used to leave his home and go to the Hera caves in Jabal Nur, located two miles away from Makkah. Here he would spend his time in prayer and meditation and return home now and then. On one such occasion he saw a divine light and heard sounds of a kind that he had never heard before. From this time he began to receive messages in his dreams (Ruia Sadeqa). Those dreams would later come true. One day, God’s messenger and courier of Ohi Hazrat Jibrail (Gabriel) came to him and recited five verses of Sura Alaq. He was forty years old then. The time for his elevation to prophethood had come.
After receiving the revelation, Muhammad (Sm) was in a daze for a while. When he recovered, he was able to see Jibrail on a throne. The amazing sight perplexed him so much that he came back home and lied down folded in garments. It was then that the seven verses of Sura Muddathir were revealed to him. The first two revelations were very significant: ‘He is the Creator Who leads His creations to perfection step by step. He is the most exalted, and read in His name. He has taught the use of the Pen,- taught man that which he knew not. He is the source of all knowledge; hence the use of the Pen to acquire knowledge and seek Him in all things — from a termite to man. When one recalls that the Prophet (Sm) was illiterate, this revelation acquires a special significance. By manifesting such a view, the Prophet beckoned towards a world of unbridled knowledge. The second revelation was as follows:
‘O thou wrapped up (in a mantle)! Arise and deliver thy warning! And thy Lord do thou magnify. And thy garments keep free from stain! And all abomination shun! Nor expect, in giving, any increase (for thyself)! But, for thy Lord’s Cause, be patient and constant! (74:1–7).
The Prophet (Sm) began to spread the Word of islam cautiously among his near and dear ones in the Quraish tribe. Among the first to respond to his call and convert to Islam were Khadiza (R), Abu Bakr (R), Ali (R), his foster-son Zaid (R), and his nurse Umme Aiman (R). At Hazrat Abu Bakr’s (R) call Zubair (R), Talha (R) and a few others embraced Islam. In this way the Prophet (Sm) preached Islam secretly among his closest people for three years before preaching it openly in the fourth year of his elevation to prophethood in accordance with the following revelations: ‘And admonish thy nearest kinsmen’ (26:214), and ‘Therefore expound openly what thou art commanded’ (15:94). The Prophet (Sm) ascended to the Safa Mountain and in a loud voice summoned all members of his Quraish tribe to assemble and accept the invitation for conversion to Islam. However, they declined his invitation to join his religion. From this time the people of Quraish began to oppress the Prophet (Sm) and his followers.