Neutralise the Messenger and his Message

Then the Quraysh plotted amongst themselves about the companions of the Messenger of Allah who had entered Islam with him from amongst the tribes. Each tribe pounced upon any of its own who were Muslims by tormenting them and forcing them from their religion. Abu Talib protected the Messenger of Allah, and seeing what the Quraysh were doing to the sons of Hashim and Abdul-Muttalib, he called for them to protect the Messenger of Allah just as he was protecting him. So they gathered with him and stood up with him, except for Abu Talib's brother Abu Lahab and his sons who had assisted the Quraysh against the Prophet.

Then the Quraysh openly decided to kill the Messenger of Allah. When this news reached Abu Talib he gathered the sons of Hashim and Abdul-Muttalib and took the Messenger of Allah to his quarter and protected him from those who sought to kill him.

The Quraysh imposes total and complete embargo against the Prophet and his followers in all its forms; social, economic, political, etc.  No citizen of Mecca is allowed to buy from or sell to them, no one is allowed to marry anyone of them, or even befriend or socialise with them, not even help them.  Nor should a peace settlement be accepted from them ever, nor should they be shown mercy until they hand over the Messenger of Allah to be killed.

The Quraysh agreed to draw up a document to this effect, and one of them wrote this document in his own hand, which subsequently was afflicted by paralysis, and then they hung the document inside the Ka‘bah.

The Prophet and many of his followers, and members of the Hashim clan withdrew to Abu Talib and entered the Abu Talib Quarter known as She'b Abu Talib, which had become their virtual open-top prison.  Their condition deteriorated as time went by, and although some friends of sympathisers managed to smuggle in some help to the Muslims, but this was few and far between.  There they remained in the quarter for three years until they were exhausted.  The voices of the children could be heard from the quarter crying of hunger. They also increased the pressure on those who had entered Islam but had not entered the quarter. The trials became grave and the Muslims were severely shaken.  It is reported that Ali son of Abu Talib used to secretly leave the quarter in disguise and fetch foodstuff to the besieged, carrying it on his back, into the quarter.

On one of the divine revelations made to him, the Messenger of Allah informed his uncle Abu Talib that Allah had sent woodworms to their document that had eaten every word except the name of Allah.  Having heard this Abu Talib said: ‘No by the falling stars, you have not lied to me.'

Abu Talib set out with a group of the clan of Abdul-Muttalib until he reached the vicinity of the Ka‘bah, which was full of the people of Quraysh. He spoke and said to them: ‘Something has occurred which may be a cause for a settlement between you and us so bring out your document. 

They said: ‘The time has come for you to accept and recant. Only one man has caused the split between us and you, and you have put your people in jeopardy because of him.'

Abu Talib said: ‘I propose a matter for you in which there is fairness. My nephew has told me and he has not lied to me, that Allah distances Himself from this document and has erased all your treachery and enmity and all that remains written is His name. If it is as he has said then by Allah, we will never hand him over to you until the last of us dies. If what he has said is false then we will hand him over to you so that you may kill him or spare him as you wish.'

They said: ‘We agree.'  Then they opened the document and found it as they had been told but some of them clung to their falsehood and obstinacy and said: ‘This is sorcery from your companion.'

Then some of those who had made the pact spoke and tore up the document.

Reference :http://www.imamshirazi.com/prophet-biography.html#_Toc93317151

Resonance of His Call

The followers of the new religion start to grow, and so does the concern of the Quraysh towards them.  The elders of Quraysh send Abu Talib, the trusted uncle of the Prophet to him, asking him to stop his call for this new religion, and in return they would give him whatever he would want. “If you want wealth, we will give you as much as you want, if you want women we will marry you the most beautiful women of Arabia, and if you want position and status we will make you the owner-king over us.”  When Abu Talib conveys the message of the elders of Quraysh to his nephew-prophet, the Messenger of Allah replies, “I swear by the Almighty that if they put the Sun in my right hand and the Moon in my left on condition that I desist from this affair I would not leave it until Allah causes it to prevail or I die in the process.” Then the Messenger of Allah began to weep and rose and made to leave, but Abu Talib called him and said: ‘Come back my nephew. Say what you like my nephew, for by Allah I will never hand you over to them ever.'

The Quraysh realised that it is dealing with a true and determined prophet.  From then on, open hostility towards this new religion, its prophet, and its followers started to increase.  Lady Khadijah dedicates all her wealth and resources for the cause of her prophet-husband's mission.  The extent of this hostility reaches blatant persecution of the followers of the new religion and its prophet.

Reference : http://www.imamshirazi.com/prophet-biography.html#_Toc93317151

Mission Of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W

The Prophet Muhammad used to spend much time in prayer and worship of the one God.  This he used to do in a cave, known as Hira, in the al-Noor mountain near the city of Mecca .

In 610CE, at the age of forty, Muhammad received the first of the divine revelations when he was engaged in devotion and prayer inside the cave of Hira :

In the name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate;

Read in the name of thy Lord who created,

Created man from a clot,

Read and thy lord is the most noble,

Who taught by pen,

Taught man what he knew not . 

The Prophet Muhammad conveyed the news and the Message to Ali and Lady Khadijah.  Ali and Lady Khadijah both embraced the new revelation instantly and without any hesitation.

Khadijah was thus the first woman to believe in the Messenger of Allah and the first woman to pray with him. She supported him wholeheartedly and spent all her wealth in the way of Allah. She was the first woman that the Prophet married and he married no other during her lifetime. She was immensely loyal to the Prophet. The Angel Gabriel ordered him to convey a special greeting and a blessing from God as well as ordering that he give the land of Fadak to Fatimah as an appreciation for what her mother had spent in the way of Allah.

The Prophet Muhammad begins to invite individuals to the new revelation but in secret.  There were very few supporters and believers.  When the Prophet used to perform a congregational prayer, those who were with him were Lady Khadijah and Ali.  This low-key approach continued for three years.

Afterwards, on instructions from the Almighty, the Prophet's invitation to Islam started to became more and more public.  The Almighty instructs His messenger to begin with his clan, And warn your nearest kinsmen.  For this purpose the Prophet Muhammad prepared a banquet and invited the elders and chiefs of the Bani-Hashim, who totalled forty.  After they were served with a good feast, the Prophet invited them to Islam, called upon them to support him in his mission, and promised them that whoever does so would be appointed as his successor, but none took up the offer dismissing the Prophet and his mission as nonsense, with the sole exception of Ali.  Ridiculing the whole thing, they turned to Abu Talib saying, “Your son will be your commander, you should obey him!”  Nevertheless the mission continues unabated albeit with very few supporters.
Reference:http://www.imamshirazi.com/prophet-biography.html#_Toc93317151

Adulthood Of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W

Muhammad grew up to become a fine young man.  He became known for his excellent manners, and because of the honesty in his conduct and dealings he was referred to as al-Saadiq (The Truthful One) and al-Amin (The Trustworthy One).

As a youngster Muhammad used to accompany his uncle on his business trips to Syria .  When the Messenger of Allah reached the age of twelve he journeyed with his uncle Abu Talib as far as Busra. There he was seen by a Christian monk named Georges who recognised him by his description. He took his hand and said: ‘This is the chief of the Worlds, God will send him as a mercy to the Worlds.' Abu Talib said: ‘How do you know this?' He said: ‘We find mention of him in our books.' He asked Abu Talib to take him back fearing for his safety.

As an adult, Muhammad worked as a trader between the cities of Mecca and Damascus , and earned a great reputation in the process.  Having heard of the reputation of Muhammad, Lady Khadijah, one of the noblest of the Quraysh, on one occasion commissioned him to take charge of some of her trading business between the two cities.  Lady Khadijah sent one of her servants, Maysarah, along with him to keep an eye on him and report back to her.  Having seen his performance in the business, and the returns he had produced as well as his honesty, Lady Khadijah put Muhammad in charge of her business.  Although she had many proposals of marriage from various dignitaries of the Quraysh, Lady Khadijah declined them all. It is reported that it was Lady Khadijah who, albeit indirectly and discreetly, made the marriage proposal to Muhammad. Some historians have reported that when they married in 595CE they were both 25.

Lady Khadijah gave birth to three children. All of the Prophet's children were from Khadijah except Ibrahim who was from Mary the Copt, who was born in Medina and lived for a year and ten months. The male children who were all born in Mecca were; al-Qasim which is where Muhammad's epithet (Abul-Qasim; meaning Qasim's father) comes from, and Abdullah.   The boys all died young during the lifetime of the Prophet.  His only daughter was Fatimah, who married Imam Ali son of Abu Talib, and bore him Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn, Zaynab and Omm Kolthuom, and another son who was named Mohassen by the Prophet before his birth. Fatimah was the only one of the siblings to survive the Messenger of Allah.  The Prophet Muhammad used to say Hasan and Husayn are two Imams (leaders) whether they rise up (against tyranny) or not.

Ali was born to Abu Talib and his wife Fatimah bint Assad in 600CE.  Ali's birth was associated with a particularly significant phenomenon.  When Fatimah bint Assad was in labour she came to the Ka‘bah pleading to God for help with her labour.  It is reported by various narrators and recorded by many chroniclers that as she was engaged in her prayers by the southern wall of the Ka‘bah, the wall split open and she entered the House, whereby the wall returned to its normal state.  Having observed this extraordinary phenomenon, people who were present tried to follow her into the House through the opening but did not succeed.  They then tried to go inside the House through its door but could not unlock the door.  Reports indicate that she was inside the House for three days, and when she left the House with her newborn she did so in the same manner as she entered the House.

The Prophet Muhammad took particular interest in baby Ali, and he played a major role in Ali's upbringing and education.  Ali would be the most ardent supporter of the Prophet throughout the difficult years of the Prophet Muhammad's mission to convey the divine message and the teachings of Islam to the masses.

Reference : 

Childhood of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W

The Prophet Muhammad was the son of Abdullah, who was the son of Abdul-Muttalib, who was the son of Hashim; whose ancestry reaches the Prophet Ismael son of the Prophet Abraham, peace be upon them.

Muhammad was born in the city of Mecca , in Arabia , on a Friday, the 17^th day of the lunar month of Rabi‘-I, in the year 570CE into a noble family whose fathers and ancestors were amongst the chiefs of the Quraysh tribe, and the Bani-Hashim clan.

His Prophetic mission began in the year 610CE on the 27^th day of the month of Rajab, when he first received the divine revelation.  Then the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet progressively according to the circumstances of the time over a period of 23 years.

The Prophet Muhammad was killed by poisoning on the 28^th day of the month of Safar in the 11^th year of the Hijrah[1], 630CE.

Childhood of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W

Muhammad's father Abdullah son of Abdul-Muttalib was the best and most pious among the sons of Abdul-Muttalib and his most beloved. Abdullah died while Muhammad was still in his mother's womb. All that he left behind were five camels and a servant girl named Barakah, also known as Omm Ayman, who was Muhammad's nanny. Abdullah was a true believer and a monotheist.

After Abdullah's death, Muhammad's grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib, became his guardian. Abdul-Muttalib was one of the chieftains of the tribe of Quraysh, and a believer in Allah [in the way of Prophet Abraham], as was Abu Talib, a brother of Abdullah. Abdul-Muttalib always respected and honoured treaties and adopted the finest of morals. He loved the poor and helped pilgrims. He would even feed the wild beasts and the birds of the mountaintops. He would feed people in times of famine and would restrain wrongdoers.

Muhammad's mother was Aamenah daughter of Wahab son of Abd Manaf son of Kilab. She was also a believer in Allah.

When Muhammad was born his mother said: ‘As soon as I put my child on the ground he leaned with his hands on the ground, raised his head to the skies and looked at the horizons all the while speaking in phrases of monotheism. Then a voice called out to me saying: ‘The best of mankind has been born so name him Muhammad.'

Then Aamenah sent for Abdul-Muttalib. He came to her and she said: ‘A wondrous boy has been born to you.' Then she brought baby Muhammad to him. Abdul-Muttalib looked at him then took him and entered the Ka‘bah[2] and prayed to Allah. Then he left the Ka‘bah and returned him to his mother and named him Muhammad.

Muhammad was not yet seven years old when his mother died. After his mother's death, his grandfather Abdul-Muttalib assumed guardianship of him. Because of his knowledge of the status of the child and his faith in him he treated Muhammad with more care and attention than his other children. A group of the Medlaj Clan came to Mecca and when they saw Muhammad they said to his grandfather: ‘Take good care of him for we have never seen another of his station.'

Abdul-Muttalib said to Abu Talib in his will to heed what they say and take care of him.  Muhammad was eight when his grandfather died, and he was taken into the care of his uncle Abu Talib.

Abu Talib, chief of the Bani-Hashim clan within the Quraysh[3], then became the guardian of Muhammad from his eighth year. Abu Talib went on to protect and serve the Messenger of Allah, defending him and honouring him throughout the testing times of his Prophethood, until the last breath of his life.

Refrence : http://www.imamshirazi.com/prophet-biography.html#_Toc93317151