Rabi-Ul-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar occurring after the sacred month of Muharram and Safar is upon us. This month holds an immense significance & importance as humanity has been blessed in this month by the birth of the holy Prophet (SAW); the last prophet and messenger of Allah the Almighty. There remain differing opinions on the exact birth date of the Prophet (SAW).Some narrations suggest that He (SAW) was born on the 9th Rabi-Ul-Awwal while others suggest on the 12th Rabi-Ul-Awwal. Nevertheless, He (SAW) was definitely born in Rabi Ul-Awwal on Monday, when the Prophet (SAW) was asked about fasting on Mondays. He said “that is the day on which I was born”(Riyad as-Salihin: 1255).His father’s name was Abdullah, who died before his son was born. After that, at the age of six, Prophet (SAW) lost his mother Amina too. So his grandfather Abdul Muttalib brought him up, and when he died his uncle Abu Tallib took the responsibility of his upbringing. Holy Quran-the permanent miracle of the Prophet (SAW), revealed to him at the age of 40[when He(SAW) announced his Prophet-hood] describes him as;”And we have not sent you but as mercy for all the worlds” (21:107). The birth of our beloved Prophet (SAW) is thus a greatest blessing and favour to the worlds.It is evident from the large number of biographies (seerah) written about the Prophet (SAW),how merciful the Prophet(SAW) was, right from his infancy. In the night in which He(SAW) was born, it is reported by Ibn Saad that Muhammad’s mother said:”when he was born, there was a light(Noor) that issued out of my pudendum that lit the places of Syria”(Mukhtasar seerat-ur-Rasool;P,12).Indeed the Prophet(SAW) is the light that illuminated the murky and ignorance, prevailing in Arab at that time.It was the primary sign of Prophet(SAW) being the merciful to the worlds. Another primary example of Prophet (SAW) being the merciful can be viewed through the instance of how Bibi Haleema and the whole of her household were favoured by successive strokes of good fortune after she became the foster mother of baby Muhammad (SAW). Halima, the foster mother of the Prophet (SAW) narrated, “It was a year of drought and famine and we had nothing to eat. We also had with us an old she-camel. By Allah we could not get even a drop of milk. We could not have a wink of sleep during the night for the child kept crying on account of hunger. There was not enough milk in my breast and even the she-camel had nothing to feed him”. But as long as the Prophet (SAW) stayed with her they found the scales of fortune like her milk flowed abundantly, the old she-camel suddenly became fit and their land became green & the livestock grazed to their fill, also producing abundant milk etc turned in their way.
The whole life of Prophet(SAW),right from his birth till his departure from this fleeting world was full of mercy, kindness, compassion and benevolence. It is not possible to sum up it in a single page or two rather it will take lot of time and space to cover the same.
Likewise, the Prophet (SAW) later never failed to display his mercy during the whole life. The Arabs before the Islamic period were trapped in the depth of darkness, ignorance, gambling, adultery, interlaced in avidness for wealth & involvement in futile wars, leading them to live an animal-like life. But the advent of the Prophet(SAW) proved to be a favour & mercy conferred on them by Allah the Almight.The Quran says;” And Allah has surely conferred favour on the believers when he raised in their midst a messenger from among themselves who recites to them his verses & makes them pure & teaches them the book & the wisdom, while earlier, they were in open error”(3:164).Therefore his having graced this world and his being born generous is a great favour shown to not only Arabs rather to the universal kingdom of human beings. For this reason Leo Tolstoy, a famous Russian writer said, “Undoubtedly Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is one of the greatest reformers who rendered extensive services to the human community. He guided an entire nation to the light of truth & made it inclined to serenity & peace. Such a man, indeed, is highly respectable & estimable”. History tells us that in Arab before the arrival of the Holy Prophet (SAW), women were treated as a marketable commodity & regarded as a piece of inanimate property & slaves & even in some tribes newly-born girls were buried alive. They were devoid of any kind of status & rights in society. But the advent of Rehmat-Al-Lil-Aalameen (Mercy for all the worlds, SAW) pulled the plug on all the cruelties & atrocities done to the women in that society. He (SAW) preached kindness to them, gave them honour, dignity and their rights. In this way, the status of women raised like never before. The Prophet (SAW) said:”whoever takes care of two girls, he & I will enter paradise like these two”& he gestured with his two fingers (Tirmidhi: 1944). At other occasion He (SAW) said;”The best of you are those who are best to your women” (Tirmidhi: 1162). The Prophet (SAW) treated relatives nicely, financially helped the poor and needy, helped people in difficulties, showed compassion towards children, helped the widows and treated orphans with utmost kindness. He (SAW) married Khadijah(Ra) even though she was a widow & much older than him. He(SAW) said:”The best house is house in which an orphan is well treated & vice versa”(Ibn majah). He (SAW) further stated that:”Feed the hungry, visit the sick & free the captive” (Bukhari).The Prophet’s mercy was such vast & inclusive that even plants and animals could find refuge in his kindness. He (SAW) was a man who practiced what he preached. His life is a perfect model for his followers.
Conclusion: At last, the whole life of Prophet (SAW),right from his birth till his departure from this fleeting world was full of mercy, kindness, compassion and benevolence. It is not possible to sum up it in a single page or two rather it will take lot of time and space to cover the same. The above lines are only a few glimpses of his character and preaching that shows how he(SAW)was a beacon of mercy for all existence, from the ‘All merciful’-Allah the Almighty
(The author a resident of Nagbal Shopian, is pursuing Masters in Economics at Kashmir University. . The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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