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Birth of Prophet Hazrat
Muhammad (SAWW)
Muhammad (s) was born on Friday, the 17th Rabi'-ul-Awwal, 1st year of 'Amul-Fil
(corresponding to 570 C.E.) to bring the Message of God to the world. In
Sunni circles, 12th Rabi'-ul-Awwal is more famous. Thus, the prayer of
Ibrahim while constructing the Ka'bah was granted
Lord! And raise a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them
Thine verses, and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them,
indeed Thou art the Mighty, the Wise (Qur'an, 2:129).
And
the tidings of Christ came true:-
O Children of Israel! Surely, I am the messenger of Allah to you,
verifying that which is before me of the Torah and giving the good news
of a Messenger who will come after me whose name will be Ahmed. (Qur'an,
61:6)
'Abdullah, father of the Prophet, died a few month before (or two months
after) his birth, and his grandfather 'AbdulMuttalib took over the care
and upbringing of the child. After a few months, according to the
age-long custom of the Arabs, the child was entrusted to a Dai, a woman
called Halimah, of the tribe of Bani-Sa'd, for his upbringing.
When he was only six years old, he lost his mother as well; so, the
doubly-orphaned child was brought up by 'Abdul-Muttalib with the most
tender care. It was the will of God that the Prophet to-be should
undergo all the sufferings, pains and privations incidental to human
life in order that he might learn to bear them with becoming fortitude
and raise his stature in human perfection. Not two years had passed
before 'Abdul-Muttalib also expired.
'Abdul-Muttalib died at the age of 82, leaving the care and custody of
the orphaned Muhammad (s) to Abu Talib. Abu Talib and his wife, Fatimah
Bint Asad, loved Muhammad more than their own children. As the Holy
Prophet himself said, Fatima Bint Asad was his "mother" who kept her own
children waiting while she fed the Holy Prophet, kept her own children
cold while she gave him warm clothes. Abu Talib always kept the child
with him day and night. |