Muhammad was a simple and kindhearted
man who was so gentle, well-mannered, truthful, and trustworthy. His self and heart were like a white page
that is free of evil, sins, animosities, arrogance, selfishness, hatred, and
the rest of the self and heart sicknesses which contaminate the hearts of most
people and give it different shades of black colors that hurt those affected
and all others in the society and humanity.
Such a
kind and soft heart and such a gentle and humble purified self is always attracted
to its creator and tries to get to know Him.
It tries to come closer to Him and be devoted to Him. This phenomenon is usually observed in our
human life all throughout the years. A
more kind and pure heart and a more "white" and truthful self will typically
be more attracted and inclined towards his creator. So the proportion here is direct.
Man is created from two parts that
are mixed and intermingled with each other, but they are totally
different from each other and never dissolve with each other. They are like a mixture of oil and water or a
mixture of sand and cement. The first
part which man is created from is a "light, spiritual and divine"
part that is represented by God's blow of life (nafkhatullah) as He
(SWT) said in the holy verse, “So when I have made him complete and breathed into him of My
spirit, fall down making obeisance to him [15:29].”
So the blow of life (nafkha)
here is that light, spiritual, and divine part in man, without which he is not
a human being. Rather, he is only a body
made of clay and dust that is just like the other lifeless bodies. This part of man is what elevates him to
higher horizons and raises him over the rest of the earthly lifeless creatures. It is the reason why man has compassion,
love, affection, sincerity, truthfulness, purity, kindness, humbleness, wisdom,
contemplation, feelings, morals, and good manners. Since that part of man is the blow of life
(nafkha), spirit, and light from Allah (SWT), it is the reason behind every
good thing in man, and it is behind every virtue and nobility in him. It is the energy, strength and capability
that motivate him, without which man is without energy, capability, might or
strength and so, he would be dead. That
part of man supplies him life, viability, or let us say, this part is
the life itself since it is derived from Allah (SWT) who is the Permanent and
Alive one, the origin of life and its creator and provider and He (SWT) is the
Eternal life. The more this component
grows and flourishes in man, the more purified his self becomes and his heart
softens, and his conscious becomes clear, and there is increase in his
affection, kindness, emotions, and wisdom, and the more well-behaved he
his. So in summary, we can say that his
humanity is raised over all other creatures.
Being that this component of man is divine and luminary, it is a tie
that connects him with his God and creator.
So, if this spiritual component in man grew, it is logical that this
person will naturally be attracted to its creator under the effect of this
tie. So, man's tendency to carry a kind
heart, good manners, clear conscious whose luminary and divine part has grown
and developed towards his Lord and creator and the source of his light, is then
natural, logical, expected, and understood.
As for
the second component from which man has been created, it is made from earthly,
materialistic, and dusty clay. It is the
part which Allah (SWT) refers to in the Quran, "So when I have made him complete
[15:29].” And also the
verse saying, “Surely
I am going to create a man from clay [38:71].” This part was
created first before the blow of life as the holy verse depicts, "There surely came over man a period
of time when he was a thing not worth mentioning [76:1].” One of the interpretations of this
verse is that it refers to that period of time which came after the creation of
man from dust and clay, but it was before the blow of life from Allah
(SWT). During that time, man,
represented in Prophet Adam (AS) was just a dead and lifeless body and was
nothing compared to the world of the living.
This earthly and dusty materialistic component in man is the tie which
connects man all the time with earth and everything on it. So, it pulls him down always to earth and the
life of this world and its elements and everything created from it. This component of man is the one responsible
and the reason behind lower desires, (eating, drinking, shelter, clothing,
mating, entertainment, etc) and the love of money because money is the tool by
which you fulfill all these lower desires.
Hence, this earthly part in man is also indirectly responsible for the
conflict, struggles, and fights resulting from the love of man to money and his
lower desires. This conflict and
struggle is the basis and source of all evil, sins, defects, and bad deeds
which taint humanity. Mankind needs
these evil sins and misbehavior to improve its ability to fight. These evils and negative aspects of man are
like the canines, claws, and muscles of beasts.
Without them, man cannot struggle, fight, or win this earthly
competition.
This
earthly component in man is also the cause of his connection with earth and his
love of gaining more of its bounties and its fruits. It is the reason behind his involvement in
discovering, inventing, flourishing, and escalating in it. This part is also the reason behind man
looking at himself and his love and admiration to himself. This of course leads to attributes like
arrogance, selfishness, self interest, vanity, pride, and that in itself is a
reason behind the struggles and conflicts.
This part is also behind the concern of man with his appearance, beauty,
health, long life, and entertainment in every way and all means. This materialistic component in man is the
one which remains after his death. It
returns back to Earth to dissolve in it, for it is the source of that
component. So this part of man is the
tie between himself and Earth and its elements.
Therefore, the more this component grows in the human being and
flourishes, the more his love for lowers desires increases in all its
forms. And the more his love for money
increases as well as his struggle for money and power. Consequently, his claws and canines,
represented in evil and sins will increase.
And his selfishness, arrogance, and pride will increase. His concern about his health and longevity
will increase. This of course will cause
him to be pulled more and more towards the earth.
In summary, this earthly and dusty
component in man is the dark side in him and it is the entrance for the
devil. The more the darkened part of man
becomes strong and well-developed, the more his divine, spiritual and lightened
part will diminish and decrease. And the
more he will be distant from his Lord, God, and creator. Thus, he comes out from light and goes into
darkness. The tendency of such person to
fulfill his lower desires, selfishness, and consequently, his evils and
illnesses of his heart, and corruption of his self, and consequently, his distance
from knowing his Creator, is logical, expected, and understood.
And the opposite is also true. The creation of man from these two
contradicting parts is the reason behind the conflict inside him and is the
reason behind his worry and misery as depicted in the Quranic verse, “Certainly We have created man to be
in distress
[90:4].” Every person is created by
Allah (SWT) from both parts in equal amounts, out of His Justice and
Grace. So, no person has a blow of life
more than another, and no person is created from more clay than another. Everyone is equal and that is clearly
observed in the innocent child who has the same amount of the two parts; the
earthly dark component and the divine, enlightened component, regardless
of the appearance, color, gender, or type of parents of this child. All of the children of this world are similar
in this aspect and that is clearly observed in front of our eyes without a
doubt.
Here, the following important
question rises: Why and how can the
earthly and dark component in man can grow and dominate him? And why and how can the enlightened,
spiritual divine component in man can grow and dominate him? What are the factors that control that? Animals too are created from two parts. One part is earthly, materialistic, and made
from clay, and the other part is spiritual, without which the animal would be
dead. So what is the difference between
humans and animals?
The difference is in one thing only
but it is substantial. The difference is
that Allah (SWT) the Creator, Glory be to Him, gifted man with a mind and made
that mind a judge between the two parts who can rule and give a verdict. Allah (SWT) then gave this mind the executive
power represented in the will. So the
mind thinks, judges, rules, chooses, and carries out. This mind has become a complete government
with its three branches; the legislative, judicial, and executive. This mind has not been given to animals;
rather, Allah (SWT) gave animals a simple brain which can perform simple life
functions to enable them to survive. But
this brain can not judge, rule, or choose between the two components. Since man was gifted with the mind, he became
responsible in front of Allah (SWT), and has the freedom of choice, and will be
held accountable.
So the mind is the one who chooses
for the human being and he is the one who determines which side he will
take. Will he lean towards the luminary,
spiritual and divine side of the self, or to the earthly, dusty, and dark side
in him? The man also owns the will to
carry out and execute after that. So if
man chooses with his mind and thinking to follow the earthly dark side in him,
that part of him will grow and increase and will dominate him. It will misguide that person to darkness,
away from his creator and lord. The
opposite will take place if the mind chose to follow the luminary divine side
of him. This side will also grow and
dominate him such that his heart becomes purified, behavior improves, spirit
elevates. By that, man will come out of
the earthly darkness and live in peace with himself and his surroundings. He will automatically, naturally, and
logically become closer towards his Lord, as the butterfly is attracted towards
the source of light. So, the human being
is the one who makes the choice because he has a mind, and therefore, he is
responsible of his choices.
However, there are two other factors
which control the life of man and cannot be ignored. The first factor is that Allah (SWT) by His
compassion, helps man and his mind to make the right choice and make the matter
very clear in front of him. Allah (SWT)
sent to him the prophets, messengers and guides to explain, instruct, enlighten
his way, teach him, and educate him.
The second factor is invisible and
guaranteed by Allah (SWT). It is a very
important factor and that is the guidance and misguidance from Allah
(SWT). So whoever chooses with his mind
and will his dusty earthly dark side once, twice, and thrice, then Allah (SWT)
will misguide him more and more, and will facilitate that way for him and make
it look good (because he chose it by his own free will in the first
place). This will keep on happening
except if this man wakes up and recognizes his mistake and bad choice he
made. Only if decided by his own will to
refrain from that way and return to the source of light within himself, and if
he repented to his creator.
As for he who chooses by his own mind
and free will the luminary part of himself and chooses to develop and enlarge
the divine, spiritual part within himself, then Allah (SWT) will bless that in
him and guide him more and more, and facilitate this way to him and make him
pleased with his choices. Allah (SWT) will double his steps for him in this
way, unless the human being chooses by his own will to turn back on his heels
and return to his earthly and darkened side, then Allah (SWT) will abandon
him. And if he goes deeper in that way,
Allah (SWT) will misguide him more and more, and so on and so forth. This is very clear in Surat Maryam, “Say: As for him who remains in error,
the Beneficent Allah will surely prolong his length of days [19:75].” Furthermore,
the procession of man's life is also controlled by Allah (SWT). So if man chose his earthliness, darkness,
and materialism, Allah (SWT) will make the events of his life and its
personalities pull him more to his choice and let him get deeper into
misguidance and darkness. But if he
chooses his enlightened, spiritualism, divine side by his own free will, Allah
(SWT) will make the procession of his life, its events and personalities take
him more and more towards the way of his God and take him out of darkness to
light. Except if Allah (SWT) wants to
test and examine his faith through certain events and characters or grants to
test his persistence in choosing the way of his Lord and assess his determination
to go through that way. If he passes the
test, Allah (SWT) will reward him by elevating him to higher levels and will
bless his steps in that way more and more.
As a result, the luminary and divine part in him will grow and
enlarge. So, darkness leads to more
darkness, and light leads to more enlightenment. As the verse in Surat Hud indicates, “And whoever seeks the life of
this world and its glitter, Allah (SWT) will increase in his wealth and
sustenance and he will not have a share in the Hereafter, and Allah (SWT) will
increase him in his deeds such that he sees it as good [11:15].” Allah (SWT) has said in Surat Al Kahf, “Then whosoever will, let him believe,
and whosoever will, let him disbelieve [18:29]. He (SWT)
also says in Surat Al Aaraf, “Whomsoever Allah guides, he is the one who follows the right
way; whomsoever He causes to err, these are indeed the losers [7:178].”
So the choice comes first from man and
his mind. Guidance or misguidance from Allah
(SWT) then follows that choice and is based on it. Hence, it will affect the procession of man's
life after that. Here, some people may
ask: Why did Allah (SWT) create man from
these two components: the spiritual, divine, luminary part and the earthly
dusty, darkened side, and make the mind the judge between both of them so long
as He (SWT) wants man to become spiritual, pure, and enlightened? Why didn't He (SWT) create him from one part
only?
After all, the wisdom and will of
Allah (SWT) is above everything and before everything. As Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al Anbiya,
"He cannot be
questioned concerning what He does but they will be questioned [21:23].” It is impossible to
encompass the wisdom of Allah (SWT).
However, there is no harm in using our minds and thoughts. When Allah (SWT) created man, He (SWT) did
want to create an angel. The angel is a
creature created from only the divine, spiritual, and enlightened part. If Allah (SWT) created man like that, then
man would be an angel. But by His
capability, He (SWT) willed to combine both parts together in one integrated
mixture…the live spirit and the dead body together. The light and darkness together…the good and
evil together. The elevated lordship and
the low earthliness together…in one place, in one creature and the mind with
them acting as a judge. Just like
joining two wrestlers or boxers together inside one ring and along with them a
referee to rule and make decisions and determine the winner. But what is the wisdom behind that?
I say and Allah (SWT) is most knowledgeable,
that gathering opposites together in the same place definitely shows the
contrast and the distinguished between them.
So if you want something to be known and identified, then bring its
opposite along with it so that the distinction takes place. For example, light can not be identified and
distinguished except if darkness exists.
The living can not be known and identified except if the dead
exists. A positive charge can not be
known and identified except if negative energy is present. North cannot be identified except if we know
where the south is. The salty can not be recognized without knowing what the
sweet tastes like. Good can not be shown
and identified except if evil has been known and identified. This is what we
call "contrast" or "resolution". Through that contrast and resolution, it is
possible to identify things and draw a picture.
Without that, the picture is vague and unclear and cannot be recognized
at all. That's why we see that in the
life around us, everything Allah (SWT) provided its opposite so that one is
distinguished over the other. That is
from the necessities of life and the requirement of learning…white and black,
tall and short, big and small, fat and thin, beautiful and ugly, good and bad,
and so on and so forth. So if Allah
(SWT) desires the light to be known and identified, and if He (SWT) wants the
right and the good to be known and identified, and if He (SWT) wants life and
spirit to be known and identified, then He (SWT) must then gather them with
their opposites in the same place and in the same creature. Thus, the creation of man was for the purpose
of achieving this goal and wisdom.
So, who will be the one to recognize,
identify, and judge? It is the
mind! Thus, Allah (SWT) gave it to man
so that he may recognize with it and known and identify and rule and achieve
the great goal and wisdom of the creation.
And that is, the recognition and identification of the light, the good,
the correct, life, spirit and the capability of Allah (SWT) through all of
that, because He (SWT) has created and originated everything from nothing. This will then lead to knowing Allah (SWT)
and thanking and praising Him, with complete surrender and admitting His
capabilities, power, perfection, beauty, kingship, and hence, submitting to Him
through worshipping and prostration. All
of that leads man to love and obey his Creator.
Through knowledge, admittance, surrender, submission, love and
obedience, the utmost goal and wisdom behind man's creation will be
accomplished.
Gathering opposites together in the
same creature and in the same place is a very difficult task and may almost
seem impossible in our world as it requires great power. Combining opposites in man with the presence
of a judge between them is a proof and indication to the capability of Allah
(SWT) and a manifestation to His Greatness and Power.
Allah
(SWT) desires for the light to overcome darkness and change it to light. He (SWT) wishes for the good and virtue to
defeat the evil and bad and change them to good and virtue also. He (SWT) wants the soul to transform the
dusty and dead clay into life, viability, and livelihood. He (SWT) desires for elevation and highness
to pull up the dust and lowliness and raise it along with it. He (SWT) desires for spiritualism and
lordship to overcome and defeat materialism, animalism, and lower desires and
change them to a more clean and purified form.
Allah (SWT) wants man with his two parts, but after his darkness
changed into light, and his inferiority changed into highness and superiority,
and after transforming his lifeless dusty clay into a purified and elevated
life. He (SWT) wants man with his two
parts, but after purifying his lower desires, and turning his evil into
good.
We now return to Muhammad (SA), the
man with the noble manners, kind heart, simple, humble, soft, and gentle man
who lives in peace with himself and with others. With these noble manners and attributes,
Muhammad (SA) have grown and developed his luminary and divine component within
himself. He chose the side of his
luminary self by his own free will, and so this divine part dominated him. Hence, it purified and cleansed more of his
attributes, and Allah (SWT) have blessed him as we demonstrated earlier. So it
was natural and logical that Muhammad would be attracted that to his Creator
and the source of his light and enlightenment.
It is natural that he tries to know more about His Creator and get
closer to Him, and to occupy his thoughts and mind in this matter and for it to
be the focus and axis of his life and his main concern.
So, we find Muhammad right away
abandoning the worship of idols and doe not do what his people and ancestors
used to do. He never prostrated to an
idol or sacrificed for it. Rather, his
enlightened heart and self that is attached to its true Lord and Creator
yearned for the religion of his great-grandfather, Abraham (SA), which is the
upright and true faith. This religion
was distorted and disfigured by idol and statue worshiping to the point that
the sacred House of Allah (SWT) which Abraham and Ishmael (AS) built by the
command of Allah (SWT) so that people can perform pilgrimage and worship in
it. This house in
The enlightened and purified heart of
Muhammad (SA) guided him to the fact that his true Lord is really the Lord of
his grandfathers Abraham and Ishmael (AS) and that He (SWT) is the true Lord of
this House, the Lord of Moses and Jesus (AS), the Lord of the Jews and
Christians, and the Lord of the prophets and messengers who called for oneness
and worship of God, by His command.
However, Muhammad (AS) sees the religion of Abraham (AS) abandoned and
forgotten, while the religion of Moses and Jesus (AS) has been distorted and
changed, and the worship of idols have prevailed once again. He (SWT) saw ignorance, misguidance,
fabricated stories, fantasies, and darkness have become widespread. There is no guider to guide the people, no
instructor to seek the true knowledge from him, and no source of light in the
midst of this darkness and misguidance.
The true believers were waiting and expecting the appearance of a
prophet whom Allah (SWT) will send to lead the people from darkness to light,
and to guide them to the true way of Allah (SWT).
Muhammad (SWT) was one of those devout believers who
loves his Lord and seeks
His worship and pleasure. But Muhammad is different
from most or all of them, as he follows the way of his grandfather Abraham (AS)
who said before, "I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me [37:99]!” and who also
said “Unless my Lord
guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray [6:77]." He resorts to Allah (SWT) Himself
directly like Abraham (AS), who was the first one to accept Islam and the first
to surrender to Allah (SWT) directly seeking His guidance. So, Allah (SWT) made Abraham a prophet and
friend and honored and elevated him, and gave prophecy to his progeny and gave
him the best and most noble attributes.
Similarly, Muhammad did so. He resorted directly to his Lord asking for
guidance and light and he headed towards it alone, submitting his affair to
Him, and seeking His help to take him out darkness and bring Him closer to Him
and get to know Him better. He did all
that with a surrendering, intact, and humble heart and an anxious soul to its
Lord. This is why Muhammad (SWT) used to
go out to the mountain alone from time to time to be away from the people and
stay inside a cave to worship his God alone sincerely and seek his guidance and
light. He used to leave his beloved wife
and household, his friends and his loved ones, and leave his home and place of
comfort…to go out in the darkness of night in the midst of the desert and rocks
and mountains…exposing himself to great dangers, beasts, scorpions, snakes, and
thieves…to climb the mountain and enter a small dark cave. All of that was for the sake of his Lord and
out of love for Him. This amazing scene
repeats itself time after time while Muhammad has all the perseverance to do it
for years without being bored or desperate, and with all certainty that Allah
(SWT) will guide and respond to him, just as he responded to his father Abraham
(AS). Allah (SWT) witnesses all that
from him day after day, and He (SWT) knows the clarity and sincerity of his
heart and his intentions.
Dear Reader, you can imagine the
amount of love, sincerity, and attraction to the one creator which drove
Muhammad, who lived in the midst of idol worshippers, and in the midst of a
materialistic, petrified, and luxurious society. There is no place for God or His
worship. Everyone is busy and occupied
by his trade, business trips, journeys, livestock, pleasure, entertainment,
social gatherings, battles, poems, and idols, and that is all the lifestyle of
the community, and nothing else. So why
in the midst of all that atmosphere do we find Muhammad attracted to the
worship of his Lord and Creator in such a way such that he leaves his family,
friends, business, and daily comfort to go out in the desert and dangerous
mountains alone, seeking the worship of his true Lord, and desiring to learn
more about Him and get closer to Him, and seeking His help and guidance. I don't think anyone on the face of earth
during that time or even before or after did such an act in such a community
and in such circumstances. I wonder why
the historians, writers, and Orientals, whether Muslim or non-Muslims, did not
pay attention to this unique phenomena.
Why didn't they give it the required attention and focus the spotlights
on it and research and study this matter carefully? Everyone pass this by truth quickly
without paying much attention, whether intentionally or unintentionally, or out
of ignorance. As a result, this unique
phenomenon stayed hidden and ignored in the darkness of history. You can barely see or know its value,
although it is an important and logical introduction to faith and belief in the
prophecy of Muhammad and the divine selection for him to be the seal of
prophets and messengers. After all, if
this phenomenon had been studied and presented well, it would've had a great
effect in convincing the non-Muslims everywhere that Muhammad was indeed a
prophet sent by God, because the prophecy of Muhammad and the divine selection
to him did not come from nothing.
The heart of Muhammad had been
totally occupied with the love and worship of Allah (WT) almost all his life
even before his prophecy. He used to sit
down to glorify Him with His Praise, contemplate, remember, pray and worship
while his heart is very attached to that Great Creator whom the people became
misguided from His worshipping. The
heart and mind of Muhammad was totally occupied and attached to his Lord to the
point that we don't find him entertaining and enjoying like the other youth
used to do. We didn't find him having
any personal ambitions in life. He did
not seek to be wealthy or have fame or power or have leadership or authority,
despite the fact that he had all the capabilities which would enable him to
achieve that. Unlike his people and
generation at that time, we do not find him having concerns with money or women
or poetry or travel, or social gathering, or meetings, or hunting, or any of
these things which had the concern of his people at that time. Why?
Muhammad was not a merchant but he
did trade. Nor was Muhammad a Shepard,
but he herd the sheep. Muhammad did not
take on a profession or occupation to give it all his time and concern, even
though he had lots of talent. Why? The answers to these questions lay in one
thing only. It is the heart and mind of
Muhammad which was totally occupied by his relationship in getting to know his
God and Creator. This matter dominated
his whole being and left no place for any other occupation or concern. It was a secret between him and his
Lord, and that is what pushed him to go out secretly at night to a dark cave
inside a mountain, in the midst of a tough and endless desert and between
imminent dangers. He was alone without
any announcement or propaganda. He was there
to freely practice his only hobby which is the love and worship of his creator
and seeking help and guidance from Him alone, on the path of his father Abraham
(AS). When Muhammad went out to the cave, he was like a
lover who would go out to a special date with a dear and beloved one who owned
his heart, mind and conscience and preoccupied his self and spirit. It was as if there was a very special secret
between him and his Lord, so he goes out to softly talk to Him without the
people knowing that. That is because
Muhammad didn’t want anyone to know the secret of his life which took over his
heart. Exactly like any loved one does
with his lover. He kept his love and
relationship with his lover a secret between himself and his loved one in order
to protect his love and very special relationship with his loved one.
Muhammad didn't have any hobby,
interests, or ambitions in this life except to pray, worship, supplicate, and
love His Lord. All of that was before
his prophecy! Because to that, the luminary
and divine part in Muhammad grew and completely dominated him, so it escalated
him to a very high rank. Thus, his
feelings softened, his manners became perfected, and his self purified. Among his people, he was the truthful and
trustworthy one who did commit lies, foolishness, envy, or arrogance. He was clement, wise, smart, and
intelligent. He used to keep contact
with his kin and was very hospitable to his guests. He came to the rescue of any one facing tough
time. He was very kind and compassionate
with the poor, the weak, the children, orphans, servants and slaves. He was loyal to his companions, strong in
righteousness, and he had dignity and respect.
Everything good in him was reflected first in his household. So he was the best of husbands, the best of
fathers, the best of kin, the best of sons, the best of friends, the best of
merchants, and the best of companions.
He was fair and gave everything its due right. He was easygoing as if he was water flowing
freely from a purified spring. This was
how Muhammad (AS) was before his prophecy.
Such was also the case with the
prophets and messengers before Muhammad (Peace be upon him). They were men whose hearts were attached to
their creator, so it preoccupied them and kept them busy from giving attention
to anything or anyone else. Hence, their
hearts were cleansed and purified, so Allah (SWT) chose them to deliver His
Message. He (SWT) honored them by
permitting them to speak on His Behalf and in His Name. Muhammad (SWT) was not a secular man and he
was not created for the life of this world.
Rather, he was a divine man who was concerned with the Hereafter and
worked for it. He enslaved all his life
for the service of the Hereafter.
Muhammad (SA) lived in this life with his body only. But his heart, mind, souls, interests, and
concerns were all with his lord, creator, and his beloved one. If these were the feelings of Muhammad and
what he presented towards his Lord before his inauguration as prophet, was that
love and giving from one side only? Or
was it reciprocal between Muhammad and his Lord? Without a doubt, it was reciprocal! And how couldn't it be when Allah (SWT) says
in His sacred tradition, {Whoever comes closer to me one hand length, I will
come closer to him one arm length. And
whoever comes closer to me one arm length, I will come closer to him a
mile. And whoever comes to me walking, I
will come to him rushing}!
So what were the bounties of the Lord
of Muhammad to Muhammad? Muhammad
was an orphan, so Allah (SWT) took care of him and sent his grandfather Abdul
Mutely, then his uncle Abu Taleb to him, and they were the best and chiefs of
the tribe to take care of him and raise him in the best and most perfect
way. He (SWT) sent to him the
kind-hearted Haleema to be his nursing mother and caretaker. Allah (SWT) guided him to know him more and
made him feel more comfortable in the way of his Lord. He (SWT) protected him during his dangerous
trips to that dark cave in that lonely mountain, so no scorpion, snake, beast,
or thief dare attack him. Allah (SWT)
made the feeling of loneliness easy on him to the extent that he didn't feel
it. Allah (SWT) kept him away from
entertainment, nonsense, the pleasures of life, and He (SWT) did not preoccupy
him from His worship. He (SWT) sent to
him Khadeeja with her money, love, compassion, affection, honor, nobility in
family, and her prosperous trade. He
married her and worked in her commercial caravans. Allah (SWT) showered them with his blessings
and sustenance. So Muhammad (SA) came
out from poverty and tough life to a better and easier life. Allah (SWT) then gifted him with his beloved
daughter Fatima to please him and introduce happiness to him. He (SWT) gave him Ali as a brother, cousin,
adopted son, beloved companion, and the source of happiness and pleasure to his
own self and soul. He (SWT) gave him
Zaid as a sincere servant and obedient son to assist him in the matters of
life. Allah (SWT) instilled Muhammad's
love in the hearts of the people, so he had sincere and close companions and
relatives who loved him dearly. Muhammad
belonged to a respected and noble tribe and held an honorable position among
the people. These were some of the
bounties of Allah (SWT) to Muhammad (SA).
All of them were blessed, unique, and noble. As Allah (SWT) said to Muhammad in the Quran,
“Did He not find you
an orphan and give you shelter [93:6]?” The love
was reciprocal, the relationship was continuous, and the bounties were ongoing
until the great bounty, virtue, and honor which had no similarity or
resemblance from the Lord of the Worlds!
It took place in that fateful night in Cave Hira!
That's why the selection of Allah
(SWT) to Muhammad did not come from nothing.
Muhammad submitted to God before he received the divine revelation, and
he rushed towards Allah (SWT) before he was inaugurated as prophet. Muhammad was attracted to light at a time
when only darkness was known. He
willingly headed to his true Lord at a time when people did not accept anything
but idols, lies, personal interests, nonsense, and fantasies. He filled himself with divine light at a time
when man knew only materialism. With all
that, Muhammad was qualified for the divine selection and bounty, as Allah
(SWT) is the absolute Justice, and there is no way that He (SWT) would choose
for His prophecy except the best of the qualified persons. This was the personality, heart, conscience
and spirit of Muhammad by which he deserved the selection of Allah (SWT). This character with all its content is the
one we will see later showing itself clearly after the inauguration of prophecy
and while conveying the final divine message.
By that, it indicates the reality of its attachment to its lord even
before the inauguration of prophecy.
This is the personality which will suffer a lot when facing the
rejection of the nonbelievers to his call for Islam and the worship of Allah
(SWT) alone. “…And
if their turning away is hard on you [6:35].” The same
personality which will agonize itself because of the disbelief of the people
and their lack of faith. “Perhaps you will kill yourself with grief because they do not believe [26:3].” It is the same personality that will give
sighs of pain on those who go astray and do not obey their God, as depicted in
the Quran, “So
let not your soul waste away in grief for them [35:8].” It is the same personality which will
exhaust itself in conveying the message and urging the people to accept faith
and Islam, to the extent that the Creator Himself who is the sender of the
message and the one who ordered to convey it, intervenes to limit the
overwhelming and extreme efforts of Muhammad in conveying the message which
became beyond his ability. So we find
Allah (SWT) revealing verses like the following:
“Remind them, for you are only a reminder.
You are not a watcher over them [88:21-22]!”
“As for him who considers himself independent, To him do you address yourself
[80:5-6].”
“Surely
you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases [28:56].”
“Do
not move your tongue with it to make haste with it [75:16].”
"And do not make haste with the Quran before its revelation is
made complete to you
[20:114].”
And He (SWT) says, “Will you then force men till they
become believers
[10:99].”
And countless other verses which all
show and indicate that Muhammad was not just a messenger who has been assigned to
convey a message and so he carried out a mission which he was assigned to
do. No, and a thousand times
no! Muhammad was assigned to convey a
message which he himself loves, adores, and is fond of it. He lives it with all his soul, being, and
conscience, even before he knew about it and was assigned to convey it. That is because faith was mixed with his
flesh, blood, and bones. It was as if it
became a non-detachable part of him even before the divine inspiration to
him. After all, we may be assigned with
a task or mission in our lives and we may perform it well. But there is a big difference if we are
assigned a task which we ourselves love and enjoy and have total faith in the
mission and its importance. Surely, that
will reflect on our performance of that task.
Consequently, our performance of that mission or task will stand as a
proof and witness to the extent of our love, conviction, and sincerity of that
mission.
As history narrates and as the Holy
Quran depicts, the performance of Muhammad (SA) as a prophet stands as the
greatest witness and proof which indicate the love and sincerity of Muhammad to
the Message and its sender. The fact of
the matter is that Allah (SWT) has chosen the best, most loved, and most
sincere person to Him to convey His Message.
And He the Almighty knows best what's in the hearts. As He (SWT) says in the Quran, “Allah chooses for Himself whom
He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him) [42:13]. He (SWT) also says, “Allah best knows where He places His
message [6:124].” After all, if
Allah (SWT) knew of anyone who was more sincere, loving, devoted and fearful of
Him than Muhammad, He (SWT) would've surely chosen him. But, Muhammad deserved the divine selection
due to his love to his Lord and his attachment to Him and his deep sincerity to
Him.
As for those people who envied
Muhammad and felt it was too much for him to be chosen by Allah (SWT), out of
their jealousy, and they said, “Why was not this Quran revealed to a man of importance in the two
towns [43:31]?” Who of them
loved Allah (SWT) and came to Him like Muhammad did? Who of them knew Allah (SWT) and was sincere
to Him like Muhammad was? Who of them
abandoned life and its ambitions and ornaments, and instead made his God and
Creator be the center of his life, like Muhammad did? Who of them abandoned idol worshipping
voluntarily and willingly went to worship Allah (SWT) alone, on the way of
Abraham (AS), like Muhammad did? Who of
them left his home, family, friends, servants, and comfort to go out in the
dark nights alone to the rocky ways of
It was a secret between
two. The fact of the matter is that
there was a special secret between Muhammad and His God. A secret which no one knows except both of
them before the Divine Revelation!
A very special and unique relationship! Muhammad was very careful to keep it a
hidden secret throughout the years until he turned forty years old and received
the divine revelation. This secret and
this relationship is what made Allah (SWT) choose him to convey His Final
Message. It was not a temporary or
limited relationship; rather, it started a long while ago when Muhammad was
still a very young lad opening his eyes to life. This pure, sincere, and unique divine
relationship between Muhammad and His Lord is what poured upon him rivers of
light and respect from Allah (SWT). It
is what made the cloud shadow him wherever he went. It is what made the priests from the Jews and
Christians recognize him when they saw him accompany his uncle (Abu Taleb) and
they warned him to protect Muhammad from the conspiracies and envy of those who
will hate him. It is what made the love
and respect include him, such that no one saw him without loving and respecting
him. This special and unique
relationship which was kept a secret and will continue to be a secret which no
one knows or understands, or truly appreciate except very few people! And if history narrates to us more about the
life of Prophet Muhammad before the revelation of the Message, we will find
thousands of proofs that would indicate the presence of this special and unique
relationship between Muhammad and his Lord.
Here, we see Muhammad in his commercial travels trips to the north and
south as he enjoys meeting the priests and worshippers and those who dedicate their
lives for God (like himself). He is
happy to meet them out of his love to his Creator, as if he is happy to
remember his loved one with them. These
honorable meetings in the love and worship of Allah (SWT) which Muhammad was
later accused unjustly that he came to know the stories of past religions from
them, while these meetings was short, transitory, and were for those who tread
the path of Allah (SWT) and yearn for His worship. Is there any wonder after that if we see
Muhammad (after the Revelation of the Message) prolonging his prayer and
supplication to his Lord at night, such that his feet swell and he sleeps very
little? Shall we then wonder if we see
him turning his face on the ground from long prostration out of love and
humbleness to Allah (SWT), such that his wife Ayesha thought that he died
because of his long prostration? Shall
we then wonder when we see him crying out of fear of Allah (SWT) and laughing
and speaking very little? Shall we then
wonder when we listen to him saying that the comfort of his eyes is in
prayer? Shall we then wonder if his last
words when he departed this life was "to the highest companion"
while his eyes are fixed to the heavens and his heart gives its last heartbeat,
a heart that beats in the love of his Creator, which it never beat except by
Him and for Him. He didn't know or love
anyone other than Allah (SWT), such that life became worthless to Him. Or let’s say that the whole life
itself and those in it was nothing to Him but a heartbeat of love and tune of
adoration to Allah (SWT)!
So who from us is more loving to
Allah (SWT) than Muhammad? Who from all
the hearts of humanity loved Allah (SWT) and was devoted to Him as Muhammad'
heart loved and was devoted to Allah (SWT)?
Muhammad's divine selection to become the Seal of Prophets and Messengers
and the best of His creation and the Master of His living beings did not come
from nothing. The sincere love from
Muhammad towards his Lord was present before the Divine Revelation and
continued to exist and grow even more after the Revelation. But it was one connected chain and rope which
will never be cut between him and his creator.
It is a relationship between him and his God and Creator that has no
limit. For that reason, Allah (SWT)
willed that the divine inspiration begin while Muhammad was at the peak and
climax of this worshipping state inside the cave inside a mountain at midnight
to cherish that condition for Muhammad and to let the people understand that
Allah (SWT) did not choose him from nothing, but He (SWT) chose him because
Muhammad (SA) chose Allah (SWT) at a time when no one did that. He sold himself to Allah (SWT) at a time when
it was not heard of. However, did the
people realize that from this divine hint?
After all, if the divine revelation descended for the first time on Muhammad
while he was in his home among his family, or while he was in one of his
commercial trips, maybe we wouldn't have come to know that Muhammad used to go
out to Cave Hiram in the darkness of night to worship his Lord. This fact would've definitely been kept a
secret between Muhammad and his Lord without anyone knowing about it. History would've intentionally or
unintentionally, or out of ingratitude, ignored this unique worship by Muhammad
before the Revelation and it wouldn't have reached to us today. So praise be to Allah (SWT) that He (SWT)
commenced the divine revelations on the master of worshippers Muhammad (SA), on
this fateful night in Cave Hiram in Mecca in the climax of this worshipping
state, between Muhammad and his Lord…to cherish this unique condition and honor
that sacred secret which brought Muhammad and his Lord together…between the
worshipper and the one who is being worshipped…between the lover and the loved
one…and between the heart and who it loves and desires..
The relationship of Muhammad with his
Lord was established based on complete faith and absolute sincerity, true love,
obedience, submission, and surrender to Him (SWT). If we want to summarize and describe this
relationship between Muhammad and his Lord in one word, we will not find a
better word than the word "Islam". Yes, this relationship was complete and total
Islam (surrender) to Allah (SWT)! This
is the type of relationship which Allah (SWT) desires between Him and His
worshippers. Muhammad embodied this
relationship even before the Revelation.
Allah (SWT) desired that this example widespread to all people, so He
(SWT) sent Muhammad with it to become a religion. Religion, by definition is nothing but a set
of guidelines that define the relationship between God and His servants. He (SWT) named this religion Islam, to
summarize that type of relationship which was started by Abraham (AS) who was
praised in the Quran in the following verse, “Abraham was indeed a model, devoutly obedient to
Allah, (and) true in Faith, and he was not of the polytheists [16:20]. The prophets after him tread that path,
and then it was completed, perfected, and lived by Muhammad (AS) in the best,
purified, and complete form. It is as if
Allah (SWT) wants to tell His servants that whoever of you wants to have a
religion with me (meaning to have a relationship with me), this relationship
should be complete surrender (Islam), as Abraham (AS) the Friend began and was
concluded by Muhammad by the Chosen one, on the same basis and foundations.
As for those who seek different ways
of relationship with Allah (SWT), it will not be accepted from him. Allah (SWT)
says in the Quran, “ÇSurely the (true) religion with Allah
is Islam [3:19].” He (SWT) also says, “If anyone
desires a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in
the hereafter he shall be one of the losers [3:85].” So the
relationship of Muhammad with his Lord before Islam was in essence Islam
(submission). Allah (SWT) loves it, so
He (SWT) chose Muhammad (SWT) to spread this Message and make it a path and
religion for all of mankind. Allah (SWT)
designated Muhammad as the messenger and prophet of Islam; he would invite the
people to it because he already practiced it, mastered it, and was sincere in
it. So he is most worthy of being
assigned this job, after Allah (SWT) has completed and perfected the message
with the rules, verses, jurisprudence, obligations, restrictions, and the Holy
Book. There is no prophet who didn’t call
for Islam as a way for the relationship between the Creator and His creation,
and to become a religion by which they worship Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) will be pleased of those who
worship Him through this way and this approach.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
And now, let us take a quick look at the condition and
picture which prevailed, minutes before that decisive moment which was about to
take place to change the history of mankind, and all of creation and
universe...
The earth was filled with injustice,
unfairness, violence, corruption, bloodshed, wars, and struggles between the
humans. Life has become like hell that
is unbearable, after materialism dominated it and brought man down as he put
his lower desires and ambitions in control.
There is no room or place for morals, principles, values, manners, and
compassion among the people and life has become a jungle. Man have given in to his lower desires
without limit or control and have become arrogant and oppressor. The strong eats the weak, and the king steps
on the heads of those ruled and oppressed.
Justice is lost and injustice became widespread. The wealthy and affluent compose a very small
corrupted minority, while the poor and deprived are the majority but they are
paralyzed. Chaos has become widespread
and the religions all lean towards polytheism, idol and self worshipping. Human desires, fantasies, deviation,
fabrication, and misguidance took over and distorted the religions.
The Jews have distorted their
religion, and their priests have concealed the truth for their own best
interest. The Jews are divided on Earth
and most of them are corrupt, envious, and materialistic. But at the same time, they claim that they
are the "chosen people by Allah” and that they are the "loved ones of
Allah". They believe that there is
no true religion except theirs and they have disfigured their religion and
killed their prophets and distorted their purified history. They await the appearance of a prophet whom
they know that he is about to appear and they find him written in their books. They think that he will achieve for them
final victory from God and they will
gain control over the world under his leadership. But of course they anticipate him to be from
among them [Bani Israel (sons of Ya'qoob)].
At the same time, they hate the Christians and are proud that they have
killed their alleged prophet Jesus. On
the other hand, the Christians went astray and have become misguided. They worshipped Jesus, their Prophet instead
of God and they said the grave utterance and falsely claimed that Allah (SWT)
has a son. They deviated from the rules
of their religion and distorted their Book and followed their priests and
displeased their God. They thought that
they were on the right path while the others are misguided and they bear
animosity towards the Jews. Their
scholars also knew that a prophet was about to appear, who was written in their
books. As for the Zoroastrians, they
also distorted the religion of Abraham (Peace be upon him) and they worshipped
the Fire. The Arabs have distorted the
religion of Ishmael and worshipped the idols.
Disbelief and polytheism have become widespread all its different types
and forms. Everyone practices his
ignorance, deviation, and disbelief with all sincerity, fanaticism, and
involvement.
The true believers were a very small
minority and Muhammad was one them. You
can almost count them on the fingers of one hand as they are distributed here
and there. They were a minority who were
wandering and didn't know where to go as they searched for the truth in the
midst of darkness and sought the help of their Lord. They requested Him to send a messenger to
guide them and show them the truth from falsehood, and lead them out of
darkness to the light. They too were
waiting and expecting the appearance of this prophet sent from Allah (SWT) so
that they can believe in Him and march under his banner and leadership.
Allah (SWT) sees, hears, watches, and
observes everything. He (SWT) sees the
nonbelievers, polytheists, and those who are displeased with from the Jews and
the misguided from the Christians, and the idol worshippers who associate
another God with Allah (SWT). He (SWT)
hears the prayers of the oppressed people, the weak, the deprived, and the
believers. With His compassion, He (SWT)
watches and observes all those people who have been deceived by the life of
this world and tempted by the ample time that Allah (SWT) gave them, till they
thought that He (SWT) is oblivious of them, or that He (SWT) is absent from
them or does not see them. He (SWT) also
sees those who believe in Him and are never desperate from His mercy and
compassion. Those who never give up hope
that one day He (SWT) will answer their prayers, as they have very deep faith
and trust in Him. And Muhammad was surely one of them!
This condition reminds us of the same
situation which was present before Allah (SWT) spoke with Prophet Moses (May
Allah be pleased with him). The sons of
Suddenly, the mercy of Allah (SWT)
poured down at a fateful moment…and also in the middle of a bare desert…and
also in the middle of the darkness of night…and also on top of a mountain. Moses sees the fire and goes towards it to
get a light. But instead, Allah (SWT)
speaks directly to him and informs him that He (SWT) is the God of Abraham and
Jacob and that He (SWT) listens and sees the condition of the sons of
The tradition of Allah (SWT) is the
same and you will not find change or replacement in the way of Allah
(SWT). Once again and under similar
circumstances, and after hundreds of years, the same situation repeats itself
exactly and the similarity is clear to any person. Once again, the mercy of Allah (SWT) poured
on the believers, the weak and deprived, and the oppressed. And His anger
descended on those nonbelievers, polytheists, counterfeiters, distorters,
misguides, hypocrites, arrogant, those whom Allah (SWT) is displeased with, the
luxurious, and the unjust…those who want to achieved highness on earth and be
worshipped besides Allah (SWT).
Suddenly, the light came and dawn rose to override darkness and fill the
earth with knowledge, and light the way and enjoin the truth and forbid the
evil. But how did it come and from
where? It came from where no one
expected and this also is the tradition of Allah (SWT). Who would've expected that Moses, the
fugitive and the chased, one would become the prophet and deliverer chosen by
Allah (SWT) to liberate the sons of
This time, Allah (SWT) has chosen His
sincere, truthful believer and servant, Muhammad, who carries an intact heart,
who was worshipping Him inside this cave in the heart of the mountain, in the
middle of the night. He (SWT) chose him
to be the awaited prophet and messenger who will lead all of humanity out
darkness to light, and who will demolish the foundations of polytheism,
disbelief, injustice, arrogance, corruption, and hypocrisy. Muhammad was chosen to become the deliverer of
the final divine Message from the Great Creator to all people in every time and
place, such that no prophet or messenger will come after him till the Day of
Judgment. There are no more prophets to
anticipate. The only thing left to
anticipate is the reappearance of the Self-Guided (Al Mahdi) Imam from the
descendent of the holy household of Muhammad (Peace be upon him), to be the
proof of Allah (SWT) and the sustainer of His religion. By the will of Allah (SWT), he will return
back justice and fairness to earth, and will revive and revitalize the message
of his grandfather, the Seal of prophets and messengers.
Allah (SWT) has chosen Muhammad
(Peace be upon him) for His Message from the entire minority of believers who
were distributed here and there. Now we
know why. Allah (SWT) chooses and
selects whomever He (SWT) wants and does as He (SWT) please. Without a doubt, it is the special and unique
relationship between Muhammad and his Lord which we previously discussed.
Allah (SWT) wills, by His Grace and
Mercy, that on this particular moment, the doors of heavens open suddenly, and
the angels led by the trustable Gabriel descend for the first time since the
elevation of Prophet Jesus (AS)…while Muhammad is busy in the worship and
supplication to his Lord and he is not aware of anything. He does not know the great honor that Allah
(SWT) is about to give him by choosing and selecting him over all mankind to
become his Seal of Prophets and Messengers.
He doesn’t know the huge responsibility and great message which is about
to fall on his shoulders. He doesn't
know of the great struggle and big honor which await him and which he's about
to meet. May the peace, prayers, and
blessing of Allah (SWT) be upon Muhammad, His Noble Messenger and the Seal of
the Prophets and his blessed and purified holy household!