Tag: Prophet

Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Miracles – By Imam an-Nawawi

The Messenger of Allah possesses many manifest miracles and signs demonstrating [his veracity], reaching thousands and they are well known.

From amongst them was the Qur’an, the manifest and clear miracle and brilliant proof, falsehood cannot approach it from before it or behind it. It is a revelation from One Who is All-Wise and Praiseworthy. It incapacitated the most eloquent of people in the most eloquent of times to produce a single chapter that would be comparable to it, even if the whole of creation were to gather for that purpose. Allah, the Exalted says,

“Say: If the whole of mankind and the jinn gathered in order to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like of it, even if they assisted each other.” [Al-Israa’ (17): 88]- It challenged them to this despite their large numbers, their eloquence and their severe enmity, and it challenges them to this day.

As for the other miracles, it is not possible to enumerate them all due to their huge number and renewing and increasing nature. However, I will mention some examples:

The splitting of the moon, water flowing from between his fingers, increasing the quantity of food and water, the glorification of the food, the palm tree yearning for him, stones greeting him, the talking of the poisoned leg [of roasted sheep], trees walking towards him, two trees that were far apart coming together and then parting again, the barren [and therefore dry] sheep giving milk, his returning the eye of Qatidah bin an-Nu`man to its place with his hand after it had slipped out, his spitting lightly into the eye of Ali when it had become inflamed and its being cured almost immediately, his wiping the leg of `Abdullah bin `Atiq whereupon he was immediately cured.

His informing of the places of death of the Day of Badr saying, ‘this is the place of such polytheists on the and-such a person.’ His informing of his killing Ubayy bin Khalaf, that a group of his nation would traverse an ocean and Umm Haram would be amongst them and this occurred. That all that was drawn together for him of the ends of the earth and displayed to him would be opened for his nation, that the treasures of the Chosroes would be spent by his nation in the Way of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent. That he feared for his nation that they would be tempted by the wealth and allurement of this world and that the treasures of the Persians and Romans would be ours and that Suraqah bin Malik would wear the trousers of Chosroes.

He informed us that Hasan bin `Ali would reconcile between two large warring parties of the Muslims, that Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas would live such that nations would benefit by him and others would be harmed. That an-Najashi had died on this particular day while he was in Ethiopia and that al-Aswad al-`Ansi had been killed on this particular day while he was in Yemen.

That the Muslims would fight the Turks who were described as having small eyes, wide faces and small, chiselled noses and that Yemen, Syria and Iraq would be conquered by the Muslims.

He informed us that the Muslims would comprise three armies, an army in Syria, and army in Yemen and an army in Iraq. That they would conquer Egypt, a land whose [unit of land measurement] was the Qirat, that they should deal with their people well for they have protection [being Copts] and ties of kinship [through Hajar]. That Awais al-Qarni would come to you from the auxiliaries of Yemen, he would be afflicted with leprosy and it would be healed except for the space of a dirham, and he indeed arrived during the rule of `Umar.

He informed us that a group of his nation would always be upon the truth and that mankind would become many in number and that the Ansar would diminish in number and that the Ansar would not be given their due [with regards distribution of wealth and leadership]. That mankind would keep on asking questions until they would say, “Allah created the creation…” [Referring to the hadeeth, “the people would continue asking until they say, ‘this is Allah Who created everything…but who created Allah?’” (al-Bukhari and Muslim)]

He informed us that Ruwayfi` bin Thabit would live a long life, that Ammar bin Yasir would be killed by the transgressing group, that this nations shall divide into sects and that they would fight each other.

He informed us that a fire would emanate from the land of Hijaz and the likes of this. All of this occurred exactly as he (sallallahu `alayhe wa sallam) said it would.

He said to Thabit bin Qays, “You will live being praised… and you will die as a martyr”, and he lived being praised and was martyred at al-Yamamah. He said to `Uthman, “He would be afflicted by a severe trial.” [The meaning of severe trial is his being imprisoned in his house and his being killed by the transgressors.]

He said about a person amongst the Muslims who had just fought a severe fight that”He would be from amongst the denizens of the Fire”, and later he committed suicide. Wabisah bin Ma`bad came to him in order to ask him about righteousness and sin upon which he asked, “Have you come to ask about righteousness and sin?”

He said to `Ali, az-Zubair and al-Miqdad, “Go to the garden of Khakh for indeed there is Dha`inah” who has a book with her. [Dha`inah is the woman with whom Hasib al-Balta`ah (radhiAllahu `anhu) sent a letter to the people of Mecca in order to inform them of the plans of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu `alayhe wa sallam) to fight them. It was concerning this that the first verses of Surah Mumtahinah were revealed.

The garden of Khakh is a place falling between Mecca and Madinah. Refer to Bukhari [no. 3983] and Muslim [no. 2494] and Tafsir ibn Kathir [4/344]]

They found her there but she initially denied having the book and then took it out from within her braids.

He said to Abi Hurayrah, when Satan had stolen some dates, “Indeed he shall return” and he did. He said to his wives, “The most prolific of you in giving charity will be the quickest of you to join me.” and it was so [Zaynab bint Jahsh (radhi Allahu `anha) was the most prolific of them in giving charity and was the first to die. Refer to Muslim [no. 2452].]

He said to ‘Abdullah bin Sallam, “You will remain upon Islam until you die.”

He (sallallahu `alayhe wa sallam) supplicated for Anas that his wealth and sons increase and that he should live a long life and it was so. He lived for more than one hundred years and not one of the Ansar was richer than he and one hundred and twenty of his children had already been buried before the arrival of al-Hajjaj [to Basrah]. This is detailed further in Sahih Bukhari and others. [Bukhari no. 1982]

He supplicated that Islam be strengthened through ‘Umar bin al-Khattab or Abu Jahl, and Allah strengthened it through `Umar (radiyAllahu `anhu). He supplicated against Suraqah bin Malik and the feet of his horse sank into the earth and he was thrown off, he called out asking for safe conduct and was granted it, then he asked the Prophet to make a supplication for him.

He supplicated that Allah remove feeling the bitter cold and heat from `Ali and so never did he feel cold or hot. He supplicated for Hudhayfah, the night that he sent him to spy on the Confederates, that he not feel the cold and he did not until he had returned. He supplicated for ibn `Abbas that Allah grant him understanding of the religion and it was so. He supplicated against `Utbah bin Abi Lahb… that Allah cause a dog from amongst his dogs to overcome him and he was killed by a lion at az-Zarqa`. [This is how it is in all of the printed editions; perhaps the author means `Utaybah bin Abi Lahb for this description fits him. As for `Utbah, he accepted Islaam in the year of the Conquest of Mecca.]

He supplicated for the descent of rain when they asked him to at the time of drought. There was not a single cloud in the sky, and then when he had supplicated, the clouds gathered like mountains and it rained until the next Friday. It rained so much that they had to come back and ask him to supplicate and stop the rain, so he supplicated and the rain stopped and they walked out into the glaring sun.

He (sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam) supplicated for Abu Talhah and his wife, Umm. Sulaym, that he bless them in the night they had spent together and she became pregnant and gave birth to `Abdullah. He had nine children and all of them were scholars.

He supplicated for the mother of Aba Hurayrah (radhi Allahu `anhu) that she be guided and Aba Hurayrah left to find her performing the ritual bath because she had accepted Islam. He supplicated for Umm Qays bint Muhsin, the sister of `Ukkasha, that she live a long life and we do not know of another woman who lived as long as she did. This was reported by an-Nasa’i the chapter concerning washing the deceased.

On the Day of Hunain he threw a handful of dirt at the disbelievers and said, “May the faces be disfigured”, and Allah, the Exalted, vanquished them, filling their eyes with dirt. He once went out to one hundred of the Quraysh who were waiting to do something horrible to him and he put dirt on their head and went on his way without their seeing him.

Refer also to Khayru-d-Din Wanili, Mu`jazat al-Mustapha [3rd ed., Maktabah as-Sawadi, Jeddah]. Consult this for the evidences for what is mentioned in this chapter.

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Only Human Ever Killed by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) With His Own Hands

Many people accuse the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) of killing many people with his own hands, however, the reality is that it is not reported anywhere that he ever killed anyone with his own hands except what follows in the incident below in self defense during the battle of Uhud.

Ibn Ishaq related that: “When the Messenger of Allah [pbuh] was going up the hillock, he was followed by Ubai bin Khalaf who was saying: ‘Where is Muhammad [pbuh]? Either I kill him or I will be killed.’ The Companions of Muhammad [pbuh] said: ‘O Messenger of Allâh, do you mind if one of us combats with him?’ But the Messenger of Allah [pbuh] said: ‘Leave him!’ So when he drew nearer, the Messenger of Allâh [pbuh] took the spear from Al-Harith bin As-Simma. He shivered violently in such a way that made all of them scatter in all directions violently and impulsively. Then he faced him, observed his clavicle through a gap between the wide opening of the armour and the part of his neck enclosed by. He speared him in that spot. The effect of the stroke was so strong that it made him roll off his horse over and over. When he returned to Quraish, they found that he had only had a small scratch in his neck. So when blood became congested he said: ‘By Allah, Muhammad has killed me.’ Hearing him say so, they said: ‘By Allâh you are afraid of death. By Allâh, you are possessed by a devil.’ He replied: ‘He had already told me when we were in Makkah: ‘I will kill you.’ By Allâh, had he spat on me, he would have killed me.’ Eventually, the enemy of Allah breathed his last at a place called Sarif, while they were taking him back to Makkah.” [Ibn Hisham 2/84; Za’d Al-Ma’ad 2/97]

In a version by Abul-Aswad, on the authority of ‘Urwa: He was lowing like a bull and saying: “By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if (the pain) I am suffering from now were distributed among the people of Al-Majaz, it would cause them to die.” [Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.250]

Source: The Sealed Nectar by Safi ur Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri

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Wives of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

The wives of the Prophet (r) in this life will be his wives in the next life and they are known respectfully as “the Mothers of the Believers”. They deserve honor and admiration befitting wives of the Seal of the Prophets (r). They are from his household, pure and purfied, good and made good, innocent and made innocent of all evil accusations that dishonor them. Allaah was pleased with all of them:

1. Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid was the mother of all of the Prophet’s children, except for Ibraaheem. She proposed marriage to the Prophet (r) after the death of her two previous husbands, ‘Ateeq ibn ‘Aabid and Aboo Haalah at-Tameemee. She was 15 years older than the Prophet (r) who was only 25 at the time of their marriage. The Prophet (r) did not marry anyone else until she died in the 10th year of his prophethood prior to his ascencion into the heavens (al-Mi‘raaj.)

2. ‘Aa’ishah bint Abee Bakr as-Siddeeq. She was shown to the Prophet (r) in a dream two or three times and he was told: “This is your woman.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, vol. 7, p. 42, no. 57 and Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, pp. 1298-9, no. 5977.) He married her in Makkah when she was six years old and consummated the marriage in Madeenah when she had reached puberty at the age of nine. She was the only virgin whom he married. ‘Aa’ishah was the fourth most prolific narrator of hadeeths (2,210 narrations) among the Prophet’s Companions. The Prophet (r) died as he lay his head on her lap (Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, p. 1301, no. 5986) and she died in the year 58AH (676 CE) at the age of 65.

3. Sawdah bint Zum‘ah al-‘Aamiriyyah. He married her after her Muslim husband, as-Sakraan ibn ‘Amr, died. She died at the end of ‘Umar’s caliphate or in the year 54AH.

4. Hafsah bint ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab. He married her after her Muslim husband, al-Khunays ibn Huthaafah, was killed in the Battle of Uhud. She died in the year 41AH.

5. Zaynab bint Khuzaymah al-Hilaaliyyah, known as Umm al-Masaakeen. He married her after her husband, ‘Abdullaah ibn Jahsh, was martyred in the Battle of Uhud. She died in the year 4AH, after being married for only a short while.

6. Umm Salamah, Hind bint Abee Umayyah al-Makhzoomiyyah. He married her after the death of her husband, Aboo Salamah ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdil-Asad, from wounds inflicted during the Battle of Uhud. Umm Salamah was the first female migrant to al-Madeenah. She was among the top fifteen hadeeth narrators among the Companions (she had 378 narrations), and the second most prolific of the female narrators. Umm Salamah was the last of the Mothers of the Believers to die. She died in 61AH (679 CE) during the reign of Yazeed ibn Mu‘aawiyah.

7. Zaynab bint Jahsh al-Asadiyyah, a cousin of the Prophet (r). He married her after her divorce from his former adopted son and freed slave, Zayd ibn al-Haarithah, in 5AH, and she died in 20AH.

8. Juwayriyyah bint al-Haarith al-Khuzaa‘iyyah. He married her after her husband, Musaafi‘ ibn Safwaan or Maalik ibn Safwaan in 6AH and died in 56AH.

9. Umm Habeebah, Ramlah bint Abee Sufyaan. He married her after her husband, ‘Ubaydullaah ibn Jahsh, accepted Islaam then converted to Christianity. She died in Madeenah in the year 44AH during the caliphate of her brother, Mu‘aawiyah.

10. Safiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhtab from the Nadeer Clan. The Prophet (r) freed her and made her freedom her mahr, after two husbands, Sallaam ibn Mashkam and Kinaanah ibn al-Haqeeq, after the conquest of Khaybar in the year 6AH. She died in the year 50AH.

11. Maymoonah bint al-Haarith al-Hilaaliyyah. He married her in 7AH during the Make-up ‘Umrah, after two husbands, Ibn ‘Abd Yaaleel and Aboo Haram ibn ‘Abdil-‘Uzzaa. She died in the year 51AH.

These are the wives who were separated from him by his death. Two of them died before him; Khadeejah and Zaynab bint Khuzaymah, and the remaining nine were separated from him by his death. There remain two wives whom he married and divorced without consummating their marriages. Consequently, the rules and merits of the others do not apply to them.

12. Asmaa bint an-Nu‘maan al-Kindiyyah. He divorced her because of a patch of white skin on her back about which he was not informed, according to Ibn Is’haaq. She was later married to al-Muhaajir ibn Abee Umayyah.

13. Umayyah bint an-Nu‘maan ibn Sharaaheel al-Juwayniyyah. He divorced her because she was tricked into saying “I seek refuge in Allaah from you,” by the other wives. (Sharh Lum‘atul-I‘tiqaad, pp. 152-4.)

Source: Taken from Bilal Phillips’s footnotes on the “Radiance of Faith” book by Ibn Qudaama al-Maqdisee P. 125-126.

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Examples of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards Non-Muslims

Example 1

‘Aisha narrated:

That she asked the Prophet (s) , ‘Have you encountered a day harder than the day of the battle) of Uhud?” The Prophet (s) replied, “Your tribes have troubled me a lot, and the worse trouble was the trouble on the day of ‘Aqaba when I presented myself to Ibn `Abd-Yalail bin `Abd-Kulal and he did not respond to my demand. So I departed, overwhelmed with excessive sorrow, and proceeded on, and could not relax till I found myself at Qarnath-Tha-alib where I lifted my head towards the sky to see a cloud shading me unexpectedly. I looked up and saw Gabriel in it. He called me saying, ‘Allah has heard your people’s saying to you, and what they have replied back to you, Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you so that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people.’ The Angel of the Mountains called and greeted me, and then said, “O Muhammad! Order what you wish. If you like, I will let Al-Akh-Shabain (i.e. two mountains) fall on them.” The Prophet (s) said, “No but I hope that Allah will let them beget children who will worship Allah Alone, and will worship None besides Him.” (Bukhari)

Example 2

Abdullah bin ‘Umar narrated:

A woman was found killed in one of the battles fought by the Messenger of Allah (s).  So he forbade the killing of women and children. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Example 3

Anas narrated:

A young Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet (s) and he became sick. So the Prophet (s) went to visit him. He sat near his head and asked him to embrace Islam. The boy looked at his father, who was sitting there; the latter told him to obey Abul-Qasim (Muhammad) and the boy embraced Islam. The Prophet (s) came out saying: “Praises be to Allah Who saved the boy from the Hell-fire.” (Bukhari)

Example 4

Abdullah bin ‘Amr narrated:

The Prophet (s) said, “Whoever killed a Mu’ahid (non-Muslim living under Muslim protection) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise though its fragrance can be smelt at a distance of forty years (of traveling). (Bukhari)

Example 5

Abu Hurairah narrated:

The Prophet (s) sent some cavalry towards Najd and they brought a man from the tribe of Banu Hanifa who was called Thumama bin Uthal. They fastened him to one of the pillars of the Mosque. The Prophet went to him and said, “What have you got, O Thumama?” He replied, “I have got a good thought, O Muhammad! If you should kill me, you would kill a person who has already killed somebody, and if you should set me free, you would do a favor to one who is grateful, and if you want property, then ask me whatever wealth you want.” He was left till the next day when the Prophet (s) said to him, “What have you got, Thumama?” He said, “What I told you, i.e. if you set me free, you would do a favor to one who is grateful.” The Prophet (s) left him till the day after, when he said, “What have you got, O Thumama?” He said, “I have got what I told you. “On that the Prophet (s) said, “Release Thumama.”

So he (i.e. Thumama) went to a garden of date-palm trees near to the Mosque, took a bath and then entered the Mosque and said, “I testify that None has the right to be worshiped except Allah, and also testify that Muhammad is His Apostle! By Allah, O Muhammad! There was no face on the surface of the earth most disliked by me than yours, but now your face has become the most beloved face to me. By Allah, there was no religion most disliked by me than yours, but now it is the most beloved religion to me. By Allah, there was no town most disliked by me than your town, but now it is the most beloved town to me. Your cavalry arrested me (at the time) when I was intending to perform the `Umra.  And now what do you think?” The Prophet (s) gave him good tidings (congratulated him) and ordered him to perform the `Umra. So when he came to Mecca, someone said to him, “You have become a Sabian?” Thumama replied, “No! By Allah, I have embraced Islam with Muhammad, Apostle of Allah. (Bukhari)

Example 6

Abu Hurairah narrated:

It was said to Allah’s Messenger (s): Invoke curse upon the polytheists, whereupon he said: “I have not been sent as the invoker of curse, but I have been sent as mercy.” (Muslim)

Example 7

Abu Hurairah narrated:

I invited my mother, who was a polytlieist, to Islam. I invited her one day and she said to me something about Allah’s Messenger (s) which I hated. I came to Allah’s Messenger (s) weeping and said: Allah’s Messenger, I invited my mother to Islam but she did not accept (my invitation). I invited her today but she said to me something which I did not like. (Kindly) supplicate Allah that He may set the mother of Abu Huraira right. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (s) said: “O Allah, set the mother of Abu Huraira on the right path.”

I came out quite pleased with the supplication of Allah’s Apostle (s) and when I came near the door it was closed from within. My mother heard the noise of my footsteps and she said: Abu Huraira, just wait, and I heard the noiee of falling of water. She took a bath and put on the shirt and quickly covered her head with a headdress and opened the door and then said: Abu Huraira, I bear witness to the fact that there is no god but Allah and Mubammad is His bondsman and His Messenger. He (Abu Huraira) said: I went back to Allah’s Messenger (s) and (this time) I was shedding the tears of joy. I said: Allah’s Messenger, be happy, for Allah has responded to your supplication and He has set on the right path the mother of Abu Huraira. He (the Prophet) praised Allah, and extolled Him and uttered good words.

I said: Allah’s Messenger, supplicate to Allah so that He may instil love of mine and that of my mother too in the believing servants and let our hearts be filled with their love, whereupon Allah’s Messenger (s) said: “O Allah, let there be love of these servants of yours, i. e. Abu Huraira and his mother, in the hearts of the believing servants and let their hearts be filled with the love of the believing servants.” (Abu Huraira said: This prayer) was so well granted by Allah that no believer was ever born who heard of me and who saw me but did not love me. (Muslim)

Example 8

Abu Hurairah narrated:

At-Tufail bin `Amr came to Allah’s Messenger (s) and said, “O Allah’s Messenger (s)! The tribe of Daus has disobeyed (Allah and His Apostle) and refused (to embrace Islam), therefore, invoke Allah’s wrath for them.” The people thought that the Prophet (s) would invoke Allah’s wrath for them, but he said, “O Allah! Guide the tribe Of Daus and let them come to us.” (Bukhari)

 

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Animal Rights in Islam: Examples of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) Mercy Towards Animals

Example 1

Following three narrations are all on the same topic.

1)  Ibn ‘Abbas reported Allah’s Messenger (s) having said: “Do not make anything having a soul as a target.” (Muslim)

2) Ibn ‘Umar happened to pass by some young men of the (tribe of) Quraish who had tied a bird (and made it a target) at which they had been shooting arrows.  Every arrow that they missed came into the possession of the owner of the bird.  No sooner did they see Ibn ‘Umar, they went away. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Umar said: “Who has done this? Allah has cursed him who does this. The Messenger of Allah cursed those who take anything that has a soul as a shooting target.” (Muslim)

3)  Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:

He entered upon Yahya bin Sa`id while one of Yahya’s sons was aiming at a hen after tying it.  Ibn `Umar walked to it and untied it. Then he brought it and said. “Prevent your boys from tying the birds for the sake of killing them, as I have heard the Prophet (s) forbidding the killing of an animal or other living thing after tying them.” (Bukhari)

Note: This prophetic prohibition is for those who do so out of jest and play and does not apply to hunting animals or slaughtering them, according to Islamic guidelines, for food. Islam does not ignore the human need for food for a healthy way of life, however, it does not allow unnecessarily killing animals.  Similarly, it does not allow harming, torturing or overburdening them with workload as further reading below will show.

Example 2

Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas’ud:

We were with the Messenger of Allah (s) during a journey. He went to relieve himself. We saw a bird with her two young ones and we captured her young ones. The bird came and began to spread its wings. The Messenger of Allah (s) came and said: “Who grieved this for its young ones? Return its young ones to it.” He also saw an ant village that we had burnt. He asked: “Who has burnt this?” We replied: “We.” He said: “It is not fitting that anyone but the lord of the fire should punish with fire.” (Abu Dawud; Al-Albani graded it sahih)

Example 3

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say, “May Allah curse the one who disfigures/mutilates an animal.” (an-Nasa’i)

Example 4

Narrated Jabir:

There happened to pass before Allah’s Prophet (s) a donkey, the face of which had been cauterized, whereupon he (the Prophet) said: “Allah has cursed the one who has cauterized it.” (Muslim)

Example 5

Following two narrations are on the same topic:

1) Narrated Abu Hurairah:

The Prophet (s) said, “A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way, there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst and came out.  He saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, ‘This dog is suffering from thirst just as I did.’ So, he went down the well again and filled his shoe with water and gave water to it. Allah thanked him for that deed and forgave him.”

The people said, “O Allah’s Messenger (s)! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?” He replied: “Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate (living being).” (Bukhari)

2) Narrated Abu Hurairah:

The Prophet (s) said, “While a dog was going round a well and was about to die of thirst, an Israeli prostitute saw it and took off her shoe and gave it water. So Allah forgave her [sins] because of that good deed.” (Bukhari)

Example 6

Narrated Abu Hurairah:

Allah’s Messenger (s) said: “A woman was put into Hell Fire because of a cat which she had tied, thus, it could not eat.  And she did not let it free so that it could devour the vermin of the earth until it died [of starvation].” (Muslim)

Example 7

Narrated ‘Abd Allaah bin Jafar:

He (the Prophet (s)) entered the garden of a man from the Ansar (Helpers). All of a sudden when a camel saw the Prophet (s) it wept tenderly producing yearning sound and it eyes flowed. The Prophet (s) came to it and rubbed the temple of its head [and] then it kept silent. He [the Prophet] then said “Who is the master of this camel? Whose camel is this?” A young man from the Ansar came and said “This is mine, Apostle of Allah (s).” He said “Don’t you fear Allah about this beast which Allah has given in your possession? It has complained to me that you keep it hungry and load it heavily [causing it to] fatigue” (Abu Dawud; Al-Albaani graded it sahih)

Example 8

Narrated Shaddid bin Aus:

Two are the things which I remember Allah’s Messenger (s) having said: “Verily Allah has enjoined goodness to everything; so when you kill, kill in a good way and when you slaughter, slaughter in a good way. So every one of you should sharpen his knife, and let the slaughtered animal die comfortably [and quick].” (Muslim)

Example 9

Narrated Mu’awiya ibn Qurra from his father:

A man said, “Messenger of Allah, I was going to slaughter a sheep and then I felt sorry for it (or ‘sorry for the sheep I was going to slaughter’).” He (the Prophet) said twice [in return], “Since you showed mercy to the sheep, Allah will show mercy to you.” (Adab Al-Murad; Al-Albaani graded it sahih)

Example 10

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbas:

A man threw a goat on its side [to slaughter it] and then started sharpening his knife. When the Prophet (s) saw him he said: “Do you want to kill it twice? Why did you not sharpen the knife before throwing it on the ground?” (Al-Haakim)

Example 11

Narrated Abu ‘Umamah:

Messenger of Allah (s) said, “Anyone who shows mercy, even to an animal meant for slaughtering, Allah will have mercy on him on the Day of Rising.” (Adab Al-Mufrad; Al-Albaani graded it hasan)

Example 12

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-‘As:

The Prophet (s) said: “The Most Compassionate (Ar-Rahmaan) has mercy on those who are merciful.  Show mercy to those who are on earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you.” (Abu Dawud; Al-Albaani graded it sahih)

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Inside of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) House and His Belongings (3D Replica)

This following images and video is a beautiful replica of the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) House shown in 3D. This exhibition was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is built based on the narrations (hadiths). This model is very important for us to understand the modesty of the Prophet (pbuh).

In addition to the video below, you can view some more images here.

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Controversy Over Maria the Copt, the Concubine of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

In this video, Shaykh Dr. Yasir Qadhi covers the 8-10th year of Hijrah and the death of his son Ibrahim. Also covered are the topics of:

-Maria the Coptic (Maria al-Qibtiyya) who was gifted to the Prophet (pbuh) by Juraih ibn Meena (Cyrus of Alexandria), the Patriarch from Egypt, as a custom of that time

-Death of Ibrahim, the son of Prophet (pbuh)

-Traditions and customs of previous generations such as slavery and multiple wives (ie, Multiple wives of Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon in the bible)

-Concept of prisoners of war (POW) in Islam

It is imperative and necessary to discuss these topics in today’s information age and the Internet era within an Islamic framework.

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Was ‘Tahneek’ Specific to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?

[Translator’s Note: Tahneek is the practice of rubbing a piece of softened date on the roof of the mouth of a newborn. It is a noble practice from Islam with which the newborn is greeted upon entering into the first moments of this life, before any other type of food enters his/her stomach.]

Aisha reported that newborn infants used to be brought to Allah’s Messenger (pbuh). He would bless them and rub their palates with dates [tahneek] (Bukhari and Muslim).

In general, the people of knowledge recommend doing tahneek after a child is given birth. Imam Nawawi even narrated a consensus over it. However, some of the people of knowledge viewed the practice as something specific to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Shaykh Al-Uthyameen said in Fatawa Noor ‘alaa Al-Darb (6/228):

“Tahneek is the first thing that a child tastes after birth but is the practice legislated for anyone other than the Prophet (pbuh)? There is a difference of opinion over it.

There are those scholars who say that tahneek was something specific to the Messenger (pbuh) due to the blessing in his saliva and to make it the first thing that enters into the child’s stomach mixed with a date, therefore, this is not legislated for anyone other than him.

There are also those scholars who say that it is allowed for anyone and not just the Prophet (pbuh) because the purpose is to have the child’s first taste be that of dates. In other words, whoever does tahneek after a child’s birth, then there is no harm and whoever didn’t do it, then that is ok as well.”

This practice not being specific to the Prophet (pbuh) is what is generally followed by the scholars. The practice is reported from among the salaf [early generations]. There is evidence to show that the practice was well known among the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Imam Ahmad reported in his Musnad from Anas (11617):

“Umm Sulaim gave birth a to a boy one night. She disliked to do tahneek on him until the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had done so. So I carried him early morning with ajwah dates [to the Prophet (pbuh)] and found the Prophet (pbuh) rubbing tar on his camels or marking them. So I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, Umm Sulaim gave birth last night and she dislikes to do tahneek until you have done so.’ So he replied, ‘Do you have something with you?’ I said, ‘I have ajwah dates.’ So he took some of them and chewed them and then he gathered his saliva and poured it in the child’s mouth. Then the child began to lick it. Thereupon, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Love of the Ansar is dates.”

Anas’s statement in the hadith, ” She disliked to do tahneek on him until the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had done so”, shows that the practice of tahneek was well known to them.

Ibn Kathir said in Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah (9/303):

“Al-Hasan Al-Basri was born during the caliphate of Umar bin Al-Khattab. He was brought to Umar and he supplicated for him and did tahneek on him.”

People of knowledge recommend that if someone cannot find dried dates, then he should use ripe dates, otherwise, anything that is sweet.

Imam Nawawi said in Sharh Sahih Muslim (14/122-123):

“The scholars have agreed on the recommendation of doing tahneek on a newborn with dates. If this is not possible, then whatever is closest to it in sweetness and meaning. The one who does the tahneek chews the dates until they become liquid [enough] to be swallowed [by the child]. Then he opens the child’s mouth and places the liquid in it so that it enters into the child’s abdomen.”

Source: هل تحنيك الصبي خاص بالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم؟

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How to Write Darood/Salah in Arabic on Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Microsoft Word, Google Chrome, Android, and iphone

Microsoft Word

There is a very helpful feature built into Microsoft Word as explained in a video by Sh. Mikaeel Ahmed Smith. This can especially be helpful if you write Islamic articles, essays, research papers, etc. in Microsoft Word. The basic steps are as follows:

  1. Open Microsoft Word
  2. Type fdfa where you want to put the darood
  3. Hold down the ALT key and then press down on the X key
  4. Now fdfa should automatically switch to ﷺ

Google Chrome

I found a really neat Google chrome extension called Text Blaze that lets me send salah on the Prophet ﷺ automatically by simply typing in the command “/saw”. Whenever I type that command in Chrome, it automatically converts it to ﷺ. You can make the command words whatever you like. You can download the instructions for it here. The instructions given on the site are not related to this topic but you can follow the same directions and just change the shortcut to the salah/darood.

Android and iPhone

Follow the commands below to send darood/salah on the Prophet (ﷺ) on your smart phone! Copy this first: ﷺ

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Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): Life Before the Revelation

Early Childhood

He was born as Muhammad ibn Abdullah (pbuh) in the year 570 CE in Mecca. He was a direct descendant of Ismaeel through Ibrahim. His father’s name was Abdullah and his mother’s name was Amina. His father died a few months before his birth on a business trip.

After he was born, he was sent by his mother to live with a Bedouin family for a few years in the desert and be nursed, as desert life was customarily considered healthier for infants. There Muhammad (pbuh) stayed with his foster-mother, Halimah bint Abi Dhuayb, and her husband until he was two years old. An incident occurred with him when he was living with his foster-mother in the desert as a young boy as related by his companion Anas:

The angel Jibril came to the Messenger of Allah while he was playing with some boys. He took hold of him and laid him down. He split open his chest and took out a portion of clotted blood and said, “This is the portion of Satan in you.” After washing it [meaning his heart] in a gold vessel with the water of Zamzam, he mended it, and returned it to its place. The other children ran to his foster-mother, and cried that Muhammad been killed When they reached him, they found that he had changed color. Anas said [after relating the incident], “I used to observe the mark left by the stitches on his chest.” 

This incident frightened the foster family so they took him back to his mother.

After his return from the desert, he stayed with his mother until the age of six when she also died during a trip. She had taken him to Yathrib (which later became known as Medina) to meet his extended family and introduce him to the city. They ended up spending one month in Yathrib. However, after having traveled only 23 miles from Yathrib back towards Mecca accompanied by her slave Umm Ayman, Aminah fell ill and eventually died. She was buried in the village of Abwa’.

After the death of his mother, the custody of Muhammad (pbuh) moved to his paternal grandfather Abdul Muttalib. His grandfather was a highly respectable figure in Arabia at that time and was the leader of his clan called the Banu Hashim. In fact, it was Abdul Muttalib who had rediscovered the well of Zamzam after it had been lost for a long time. For the next two years, he remained under his grandfather’s care but he too died when Muhammad (pbuh) was eight years old.

After his grandfather’s death, Muhammad’s (pbuh) uncle Abu Talib took over and cared for him until his adulthood. His uncle was now also the chief of the clan after Abdul Muttalib’s death. In his teens, Muhammad (pbuh) accompanied his uncle on Syrian trading journeys to gain experience in commercial trade, a common profession among his people. When he was either nine or twelve while accompanying his uncle in one of these trips, he met a Christian monk named Bahira who is said to have foreseen Muhammad’s (pbuh) career as a prophet of God. He warned his uncle to take him away from the city because if others recognized him as he had, they would try to kill him. It is also recorded that he used to herd sheep as a child as well.

Early Adulthood

In adulthood, he became a successful trader. His reputation for honesty in business led a wealthy widow named Khadijah to hire him. She sent him to one of her business trips with her servant Maysarah. Muhammad (pbuh) returned with double the profit and her servant highly praised him. She was impressed by Muhammad’s (pbuh) manners, honesty, kindness, and character.

After consultation, she decided to send a proposal for marriage to him. She had already numerous proposals from wealthy men but had refused them all. When Muhammad (pbuh) received the proposal, he consulted with his uncle Abu Talib, who agreed to the marriage. Then he accompanied his uncle to make a formal proposal to Khadijah’s uncle, who also accepted, and then they were married. Muhammad (pbuh) was 25 years old at the time but Khadijah was 40 although some scholars differ and say she was only a few years older. Regardless, it is accepted that she was older.

They both had six children together (four girls and two boys). Some sources state they had seven children. Muhammad (pbuh) sons died while still infants and only the daughters survived into adulthood. In fact, all of his children died in his lifetime except Fatima, who lived up to six months after his death. The order of his children during this time is as follows: his son Qasim (died at two years of age), daughters Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatima, and finally his son Abdullah (died in infancy). His son Abdullah was also known as at-Tayyib (“the Good”) and at-Tahir (“the Pure”) because he was born after the divine revelation.

Two other children also lived in Khadijah’s household: Ali ibn Abi Talib, the son of Muhammad’s (pbuh) uncle Abu Talib; and Zayd ibn Harithah, a boy from the Udhra tribe who had been kidnapped and sold into slavery. Zayd was a slave in Khadijah’s household for several years, until his father came to Mecca to bring him home. Muhammad (pbuh) insisted that Zayd be given a choice about where he lived. Zayd decided to remain with Khadijah and Muhammad, after which Muhammad legally adopted Zayd as his own son.

Muhammad (pbuh) was very loyal and loving towards Khadijah and never took a co-wife during her lifetime even though it was customary. They remained happily married for about 25 years until her death.

Even as a young adult, Muhammad (pbuh) was well respected among his people and very much liked. They used to give him their most valuable possessions to keep safe for them. They also used to involve him in important decisions because of his wisdom and maturity despite his young age. He had acquired the nickname Al-Amin (the trustworthy one) due to his honesty and upright character. There is a particular story that happened during this time in his life that is often cited and is worthy of mention because it shows how much he was valued by his people:

The Black Stone was removed during renovations to the Kaaba. The Meccan leaders could not agree which clan should have the honor of returning the Black Stone to its place. In fact, they were about to go to war over it. They decided to ask the next man who comes through the gate to make that decision; that man happened to be the 35-year-old Muhammad (pbuh). They were all happy and glad that it was him and shouted, “It’s Al-Amin!”

Muhammad (pbuh) asked for a cloth and laid the Black Stone in its center. The clan leaders held the corners of the cloth and together carried the Black Stone to its rightful spot, then Muhammad (pbuh) laid the stone in its place with his own hands, satisfying the honor of all.

Further, he was very active in his community even as a young man and didn’t stand on the side idly complaining without doing anything to change the situation. Perhaps the most well known incident in this regard before his prophetic mission began is the story of Hilf Al-Fudul, a pact among Meccan respectable individuals and leaders. The alliance stressed commercial justice in Mecca after an incident that caused a man to unjustly lose his property. Muhammad (pbuh) was also present when it was established and was very fond of it stating later in life even after being forced to leave Mecca, due to his prophetic mission, that he still supports it.

Muhammad (pbuh) was also known to be very open and kind towards orphans having experienced it first hand.

The Divine Revelation Begins

Despite all of the above, Muhammad (pbuh) was very spiritual and was not satisfied with his people’s ways of worship. He would not participate in their festivals or religious ceremonies. Instead, he used to seclude himself every few months for weeks on end in a cave called Hira on top of a mountain outside of Mecca to meditate and reflect over the creation. His wife Khadijah used to bring him or send him food. A bit before he started secluding himself, he had begun having dreams that would become true.

At the age of 40, it was during one of these meditation trips to the cave of Hira in the month of Ramadan during the night of power (Laylah tul Qadr) that the Angel Jibraeel visited him. The angel grabbed him and squeezed him very tightly to the point that he could not breathe and asked him to recite. However, since the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) could not read nor write, he told him that he was not a reader. Jibraeel repeated the same procedure again and the prophet again told him that he couldn’t read. After the third attempt, the angel recited the following verses after squeezing him tightly and releasing him: Read in the name of your Lord, who has created (all that exists), created man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous [Qur’an 96:1-3]. These three Qur’anic verses were the first to be revealed to Muhammad (pbuh).

This incident terrified the prophet so much that he ran down the mountain and back to his house and requested Khadijah to cover him. He was shivering with fright. After his fear settled, he explained to her all that had happened on top of the mountain and that he feared something bad may happen to him. However, his wife comforted him with the following words: “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones.”

She then took him to her cousin Waraqa bin Naufal, who had converted to Christianity and was very learned. He was quite old now in age and had lost his eyesight. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) explained the whole incident to him. After listening to him, Waraqa said, “This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Jibraeel) whom Allah had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out.” Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) asked, “Will they drive me out?” Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said, “Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly.” But after a few days Waraqa died.

Here’s a video version of this article we put together

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