THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME WITH PROPHET MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF ALLAH 006 A New Life in Mecca by Khadeijah A. Stephens Copyright © 1984-2012 by Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com Khadeijah A. Stephens Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem A New Life in Mecca Settling In It wasn't long before the young Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), had settled down very happily to his new lifestyle in the City of Mecca and found he had lots of cousins, an affectionate grandfather named Abd Al Muttalib, as well as many uncles and aunts. Amongst the children Muhammad, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), loved most were Hamza and his young sister Safiah, the children of his grandfather, Abd Al Muttalib. Muhammad and Hamza were practically the same age, however, Muhammad, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), was the elder, although technically speaking, Hamza was his uncle and Safiah his aunt. The Journey to Yathrib One day, Lady Aminah learned that a caravan would soon be leaving Mecca and passing through Yathrib (Medina) on its way north and she very much wanted to take her young son to visit the tomb of his father Abdullah. It was also a wonderful opportunity for Muhammad (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), who was now six, to meet the rest of his cousins and relatives who lived there. Barakah, Lady Aminah's maid, made the necessary preparations for the eleven day journey and they in the company of Abdul Muttalib set out on their long journey together with the young Muhammad. The Holy Family stayed in Yathrib for a month and the young Muhammad met more of his cousins, the children of Adiyy. He enjoyed being with them and went kite flying and sometimes they would take him to their large well where he learned to swim. It was a happy time but the month soon passed and the caravan destined for Mecca was ready to leave, so they made their farewells and departed. The Death of Lady Aminah As the caravan journeyed to Mecca, Lady Aminah was taken seriously ill and never recovered. The angels took away her soul at a village called Al Abwa and it is there that she lies buried. Many years later at the Battle of Uhud, on the march to Uhud, Hind wife of Abu Sufyan called upon the hierarchy of the Koraysh to ravage the tomb of the Prophet’s mother, Lady Aminah. Even though their hatred of the Prophet, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), was great, they thought that such an act would be a despicable thing to do. They knew that the tribes of Arabia would be repulsed by their action, and that the stain of which would never be wiped out, and also it was be a door they did not want to open. (In recent years, the Wahabi sect fell short of the ethics of unbelievers of Mecca. They desecrated the tombs of the Prophet’s mother Lady Aminah, Lady Khadijah and many of the household of the Prophet and Companions in the Baqia by leveling them and rendering them unrecognizable. The graves are now unknown and unmarked. The followers of Abd Al-Wahab and ibn Taymia are also responsible for laying waste many significant Islamic landmarks and neighborhoods such as Hudaybiyah and replacing them with secular names. Modern structures in Mecca and Medina mirror those of New York and the only original structure to remain in Mecca is Ka’bah). Barakah and Abd Al Muttalib did their best to comfort the saddened young Muhammad whose heart was deeply saddened at the loss of his mother and together they made the heartbreaking journey to the house of his grandfather in Mecca. When they reached Mecca Abd Al Muttalib took his grandson into his own household and a very special love bonded them even closer together. The Love of Abd Al Muttalib For many years Abd Al Muttalib had taken to sleeping near the Ka’bah at Hijr Ishmael, the place where he had been told in a vision to dig for the well of Zamzam many years before Abdullah, Muhammad's father was born. At Hijr Ishmael his couch would be spread out for him and more often than not it was there that one would find him. There was an unwritten rule that no one sat on his couch, not even his young son Hamza, however such was the love he had for his grandson Muhammad that he alone was welcome to join him there. One day some of Muhammad's uncles found him sitting on the couch and suggested he should not do so. Immediately, his grandfather told them, "Let my son stay, by Allah, he has a great future." The young Muhammad was a constant source of pleasure to his grandfather and both enjoyed the company of each other. Such was his endearing personality that anyone who met Muhammad loved him. It was noticeable that even at such a tender age, Muhammad, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), showed signs of wisdom far beyond his years and when Abd Al Muttalib attended important tribal meetings in the House of Assembly with other elders of the tribe, he would take his grandson with him. Muhammad's opinion was often sought in earnest despite his age, whereupon, Abd Al Muttalib would proudly comment, "There is a great future ahead for my son!" Abd Al Muttalib always referred with pride to his grandson as being his "son". Even in these early years Abd Al-Muttalib instinctively knew the future role of his grandson and said, “Muhammad is the prophet of this nation.” Later, the Prophet, without pride confirmed Abd Al-Muttalib’s saying and said, “I am the Prophet of this nation, and this is no lie. I am the son of Abd Al-Muttalib.” The Death of Abd Al Muttalib Abd Al Muttalib was now eighty-two years of age and a few months after his grandson's eighth birthday he was taken ill and passed away. Before Abd Al Muttalib died he entrusted the care of his grandson to his son Abu Talib, the blood brother of Muhammad's father Abdullah, so without hesitation Abu Talib gladly became Muhammad's guardian and took him into his own household. As Abd Al Muttalib's bier was carried to a place known as Al Hujun for burial, many walked in his funeral procession and his young grandson shed many tears as he walked with them to the graveside. It was a time of great sorrow. Like his father before him, Abu Talib became a loving guardian to his nephew and his wife, Fatima, daughter of Asad, Hashim's son, and half brother of Abd Al Muttalib, did all she could to compensate for the mother he had lost. Indeed, such was the degree of her care that in later years after her beloved trust had attained prophethood, he told those own children go without. However, the young Muhammad was never greedy and would share whatever he was given. Upon the death of Abd Al Muttalib the ascendancy to the house of Hashim had weakened for his family. All but one of the honorable offices he had held for so long now passed to Harb, the son of Umayyah. The only position left for his household was that of providing for the pilgrims. The Guardianship of Abu Talib When Abd Al Muttalib passed away there was very little left for his heirs to inherit and Abu Talib, although his circumstances were restricted, was rich in heritage, honor, and nobility. Like his father, he loved his nephew dearly and there wasn't anything he would not do for him. Many a night the young Muhammad would be found snuggled up to his uncle in bed, sleeping peacefully until the light of the morning. During the day, Muhammad would go with Abu Talib wherever he might go and when he was old enough Abu Talib taught him the tender care and skill of how to be a master shepherd, and so he was often found tending to his flock. Abu Talib's flock was a vital source of food and income to his family. It was a position of trust and one will no doubt recall that most prophets, peace be upon them, were shepherds at one time or another during their lives. The Drought Drought had stricken Mecca and its neighboring settlements in the valley yet again. It was a hard time for everyone both old and young alike. Abu Talib was highly respected in his tribe and in times of need such as this, they would often turn to him for help and advice. The situation continued to worsen, so in desperation several of the Koraysh went to Abu Talib to ask him to pray for rain. Muhammad, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), was with him and heard their request so together, they made their way to the Ka’bah to supplicate for relief. As they entered the precincts of Ka’bah, the sky was blue and the heat of the sun beat down just as it had done so for many weeks. Abu Talib and the young boy stood by the wall of the Ka’bah and supplicated for rain. Within moments, clouds gathered from all directions and rain started to fall -- the drought was over. Like Halima, Abu Talib was quick to recognize the multiple blessings he and others shared on account of his nephew. The Early Years It was time for the annual trip to Syria. Even though Hashim had secured pacts with tribes along the caravan route many years before, the journey was arduous and not without danger. With this in mind Abu Talib decided to leave his nephew behind thinking it was better for him to remain at home with Fatima and his other children. When the time came for the caravan to depart, Muhammad, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), who was now twelve years old, rushed up to him and threw his arms around him. Abu Talib never had the heart to refuse his nephew anything at all and so it was agreed that he would join him on the long trip north to Syria. Bahira, the Monk After many weeks of arduous travel the caravan reached the vicinity of Howran - which was at that time under the control of the Roman Empire – on the outskirts of Basra and it was there that a hermit monk lived whose given name was George but better known as Bahira. Bahira had lived there for many years and inherited the hermitage from a succession of hermit monks. Over the centuries, important religious documents had been brought to the hermitage and left by his predecessors so Bahira had made it his life's work to study them well and had become very knowledgeable. In the documents were prophecies that told of another prophet to come after Jesus, peace be upon him. The prophecies described in detail the time in which he would be born, his appearance, character, and background and it was Bahira's dearest wish to be blessed to live long enough to see him. One day as Bahira was meditating outside his hermitage he noticed a caravan coming from the direction of Aqabah making its way towards the city. It was a common sight to see caravans making their way there, but as he gazed towards it he noticed that there was something very different about this one. As the caravan passed by the rocks and trees they bowed down and he knew from his learning that this only happened for a prophet. When the caravan reached his village Bahira went out to meet it and invited the caravaners for a meal. As soon as he saw the young twelve-year old boy Muhammad, his heart beat faster as he said, “Young man, by Al-Lat and Al-Uzza, I want to ask you some questions.” The young Muhammad replied, “Do not ask me by Al-Lat and Al-Uzza, by Allah, there is nothing more hateful to me than them.” Then the young Muhammad said politely to Bahira, “Ask me whatever you like.” Whereupon Bahira questioned him about various matters, even his sleep. Then Bahira looked at his eyes and then for the seal between his shoulders. Each of the replies the young Muhammad had given and his physique complied with the description of the last Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, in the Scriptures he had spent his life studying Then Bahira asked Abu Talib about his relationship to the young boy. Abu Talib replied as was common practice for an uncle to refer to his nephew, “He is my son”. Whereupon Bahira said, “He cannot be your son, his father should not be alive”, and Abu Talib told him that he was correct and that Muhammad was not his own son but rather the son of his deceased brother Abdullah. Bahira knew without doubt that this was the young boy destined to become the last Prophet of Allah, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), and took hold of his hand and declared, "This is the master of the worlds. Allah will send him as a mercy to the worlds." The Korayshi merchants were astounded and asked why he had made such a statement. Bahira told them that as they traveled toward the village he had seen a cloud floating above the caravan, following it, and when the caravan changed direction, the cloud also changed direction casting its protective shadow over it. Bahira also reminded them that when they arrived they had all take shelter from the sun under the shade of the tree, but when the young boy arrived there was no place for him to sit except in the sun. He drew their attention telling them that as the young boy sat down in the sun, the branches of the tree moved and cast their shade over him and such occurrences only happened to a prophet. Bahira knew for certain his dearest wish had been fulfilled and that he had been blessed to live long enough to meet the boy destined to be the last Prophet of Allah, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam). However, when Bahira learned of the caravan’s destination he became deeply troubled. He advised Abu Talib not to go any further because they would pass through a Jewish settlement and the Jews would be sure to recognize the signs and attempt to kill him, as they had killed many prophets before, and so Abu Talib and the young boy returned to Mecca. Early Character of Prophet Muhammad Muhammad had grown into a quiet, thoughtful youth preferring to look after his uncle's sheep rather than playing with the other children of Mecca. He loved the peace and tranquility of the valleys and mountainside. While tending his uncle’s flock he would pass his time observing and marveling at the wonders of the creation of Allah. Like all boys of the Koraysh tribe he was taught the art of manhood and how best to defend himself. Muhammad, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), had very keen eyesight and so it wasn't surprising that he became an excellent archer like his ancestor Prophet Ishmael, peace be upon him. All who knew him recognized his reputation for being honest, his trustworthiness and among other fine qualities, his intelligence. He always went out of his way to oblige his companions. He was the most kindhearted of people, chaste and hospitable. When he made a promise, he always kept it and called by those who knew him Al-Ameen meaning trustworthy. The Repairing of the Ka’bah The modesty of the Prophet, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), was protected by Allah, and the story has reached us regarding this protection during repair work on the Ka'bah. It was customary for the Koraysh when building to carry the stones in their robes and more often their body became exposed. Muhammad, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), was about raise his robe like the others, but was prevent by the heaven from doing so, and fell to the ground and did not continue with the raising of his robe. The Wedding There was to be a wedding in the city, so elaborate preparations had already been made and a fine table prepared. When Muhammad's friends learned of the festivities, they were anxious to join in all the fun and rushed to find Muhammad to ask him to go with them. Festivities such as these did not attract him very much but his friends wanted him to go with him and he was not a person to disappoint anyone, so he agreed to accompany them and asked the boy who was herding the sheep with him if he would tend to the sheep in his absence. As they neared the bride's house the sound of music grew louder and louder. Suddenly, Muhammad was overcome by extreme tiredness so he told his friends to go on without him, and shortly thereafter he fell sound asleep and didn't wake up until the following day when the festivities were over. The Age of Ignorance The situation in Arabia had deteriorated to such an extent that murder, lewdness, profanity, gambling, and drunkenness in conjunction with other depravities had become common. The poor and weak were treated very badly and the position of women was quite deplorable. Many women were deprived of all their rights, they could be bought and sold at whim and if they happened to inherit, their wealth was more likely than not, seized by their spouse. To many, the greatest shame for a woman was to give birth to a daughter. She alone was blamed and disgrace fell upon the family. All too often innocent baby girls were buried alive or even strangled at birth. However, this was not the case in the majority of Arab tribes as many respected their wives and abhorred the practice of infanticide. Most tribes knew little or no form of government and each tribe was independent from the other except for the occasional alliance; as a result rivalries and deep rooted jealously often prevailed. Tribal feuds were common and all too often the origin for the feud had faded from memory but that was of no consequence, a feud was a feud, and therefore it was perpetuated without regard, from one generation to the next resulting in the shedding of much blood. As for the Ka'bah, it now housed over 360 idols and fortune-tellers were consulted for both major and trivial decisions. Superstition was now a way of life -- it was a dark age -- an age of ignorance. The Battle of Fijar Muhammad, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), was fifteen years of age when a clash between the tribes of Koraysh and the Banu Kinanah under the command of Harb, Umayyah's son erupted between them and the tribe of Kais Ailan. Since the time of Prophets Abraham and Ishmael, peace be upon them, certain months of the year had been held sacred. During these months, physical hostilities between the tribes had become strictly forbidden. However, the rule was broken when Al Barrad, Kais Al Kinani's son, killed Urwah Al Rahal, Utbah Al Huwazini's son. The battle that ensued became known as the "Battle of Fijar" because it took place during the forbidden months. Abu Talib took part in the fighting which was destined to erupt spasmodically over a period of four years, however Muhammad did not take part, rather he gathered stray arrows for his uncle. The Treaty of Fudul The clashes abated and peace was finally restored. However, the people felt the need to form an alliance which suppressed violence and injustice, and protected the rights of the weak and destitute. As a result a meeting was called for in the house of Abdullah, Judan’s son which resulted in what was to be known as the Treaty of Fudul. Those who took part were from the descendants of Hashim, Muttalib, Asad, Zuhra and Tamin together with the young Muhammad and his uncles. Abu Bakr, who in later years was to become the most sincere brothers in Islam of the Prophet, (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam), and Abu Bakr’s father Abu Kuhafah of Taym were also participants. The spirit of this departure from pre-Islamic tribal pride was indeed a landmark of great significance as injustice was rampant. The impact of the treaty of Fudul was most notably effective when a visiting merchant by the name of Zubaib came to Mecca to sell his merchandise and Al-As Wail As-Sahmy’s son agreed to purchase the consignment. The deal was struck, and Al-As, Wail’s son received his goods, but then refused to pay the agreed price. Although the merchant was far from home and had no fellow tribesmen to support him, he had not been daunted by the weakness of his position. He had climbed to the top of a mountain, and appealed to those present about the unjust transaction but the Koraysh had paid no attention. When the Koraysh chieftains learned of the injustice, they called for a meeting in Abdullah Judan’s son house, and Al-As, Wail’s son was ordered to pay his debt to Zubaid. Such was the importance of this treaty that the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) later told his Companions, "Indeed, I witnessed with my uncles, in the house of Abdullah Judan's son, a treaty which is more beloved to me than a herd of cattle. Now in Islam, if I were to be asked to partake in something similar, I would accept." Trade By now, Muhammad was a young man. The caravan journeys he had made with his uncle had taught him many things, so it was natural that he too should take to trading as a livelihood. There were those in Mecca who gained much wealth through trading. Some of them, for one reason or another, choose not to accompany the caravans on their missions, preferring to entrust their goods and money to a caravaner who would in return be given a share of the profit. However, reliable and trustworthy people had become increasingly difficult to find. Muhammad's word was his bond and his reputation for fairness, honesty, and trustworthiness were known by all in Mecca, so when he started to trade on behalf of others, Meccan businessmen welcomed him as their profit-sharing partner. It was not only with their trade that the Meccans trusted him. They trusted him completely in the knowledge that anything placed in his safekeeping would be returned without decrease. One might have expected that he would have been paid a fee for such service, however he never requested, desired, nor accepted a fee. His inherent sense of fairness dictated that receiving a fee would ultimately detract from the value of the person’s wealth. Such was his impeccable reputation that both businessmen and tribesmen would refer to him as "Al Amin", the trustworthy. It was through Muhammad’s example of fair-trading that in later years, his Companions emulated his practice and became very successful in all aspects of commerce. Those who traded with them, be they Muslim or non-Muslim in Arabia or in other countries, knew that they could rely upon their trading partner and would never be cheated. A New Life in Mecca 006 Back Cover Subtitles Settling In The Journey to Yathrib The Death of Lady Aminah The Love of Abd Al Muttalib The Death of Abd Al Muttalib The Guardianship of Abu Talib The Drought The Early Years Bahira, the Monk Early Character of Prophet Muhammad The Repairing of the Ka’bah The Wedding The Age of Ignorance The Battle of Fijar The Treaty of Fudul Trade