1. His Noble Lineage and Sublime Beginnings
2. The Day of the Messenger of Allāh’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Birth
3. The Year of His (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Birth and His Connection to the Destruction of the Owners of the Elephants
4. The Signs of Prophethood Associated with His (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Birth
5. His Nursing and Upbringing
   

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His Noble Lineage and Sublime Beginnings

Allāh—the Most High—said:

اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ

“Allāh knows best with whom to place His message”
(Al-Anʿām, 6:124)

Al-ʿAllāmah Ṣaliḥ bin Fawzān explains:

Allāh—the Glorified, the High—selected Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) specifically among all other people for the delivery of His message, and “Allāh knows best with whom to place His message” such that He only chooses those who are specifically deserving of being chosen for it. Entrusting the delivery of this message to one who will undoubtedly fulfil the mission with which he was tasked. For this is an extremely trying, monumentally difficult mission, such that Allāh shall never select one who is undeserving of fulfilling its responsibility.¹

All Messengers Descended from Noble Lineage

When Hiraql (of Rome) sought his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) description from Abū Sufyān, he asked him a series of questions. Among them, he asked: “What is the calibre of his lineage amongst your tribes?” Abu Sufyān replied: “He is the descendant of a noble lineage”. So Hiraql replied: “That is the state of all messengers. They always hailed from the noblest of lineages amongst their respective nations.”² That is, they were born into the largest tribes, ascribed to nobility and honour, held in high esteem and regard amongst their people. Thus, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the leader of the Children of Ādam³ and the most honourable among them.

The Names of The Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ)

He is Abū al-Qāsim⁴, Abū Ibrāhīm⁵, Muḥammad, Aḥmad, al-Māḥī (the One who Erases or Wipes Away) because of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) erasure of disbelief, al-ʿĀqib (the Last of a Succession) for there is no prophet subsequent to him, al-Ḥāshir (the One who Gathers and Assembles) for mankind shall be resurrected after him⁶,⁷ al-Muqaffī (the One who follows; that is, follows all other prophets chronologically, or follows their guidance), Nabī al-Raḥmah (the Prophet of Mercy), Nabī al-Tawbah (the Prophet of Repentance),⁸ Nabī al-Mulhamah (the Prophet of War)⁹, Khatim al-Nabiyyīn (the Seal of Prophethood)¹⁰, and ʿAbdullāh (Allāh’s servant).¹¹

Al-Bayhaqi said: In the Qurʾān, Allāh also named him Nabī (Prophet), Rasūl (Messenger), Ummī (Illiterate)¹², Shāhid (Witness)¹³, Mubashshir (Giver of Glad Tidings), Nadhīr (Warner)¹⁴, Dāʿiyan ila-Allāh bi-idhnihi (Caller to Allāh’s Religion By His Leave), Sirājan Munīrā (Lamp Spreading Light [of the Qurʾān and the Sunnah])¹⁵, Raʾūfan Raḥīmā (Kind and Merciful)¹⁶, Mudhakkir (Reminder)¹⁷ and that Allāh made him a Rahmāh (Mercy)¹⁸, Niʿmah (Blessing)¹⁹ and Hadī (Guider).²⁰

The Nobility of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) Lineage

He is the son of ʿAbdullāh, who was the son of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, the son of Hāshim, the son of ʿAbd Manāf, the son of Quṣayy, the son of Kilāb, the son of Murrah, the son of Kaʿb, the son of Luʾayy, the son of Ghālib, the son of Fahr, the son of Mālik, the son of Naḍr, the son of Kinānah, the son of Khuzaymah, the son of Mudrikah, the son of Ilyās, the son of Muḍar, the son of Nizār, the son of Maʿd, who was the son of ʿAdnān. He is undoubtedly among the descendants of Ismāʿil (عليه السلام) although there is a difference of opinion regarding the exact number of forefathers that separate them.

This lineage is one that is unanimously agreed upon by the scholars. In fact, all Arab tribes that originate from the Ḥijāz region can trace their lineage back to these progenitors. For this reason, regarding the saying of the Most High:

قُل لَّا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ

“Say (O Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)): ‘No reward do I ask of you for this except to be kind to me for my kinship with you.’”
(Al-Shūrá, 42:23)

Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) said: “There existed not a single subsidiary off-shoot from the tribes of Quraysh except that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) could connect his lineage to them”.

Al-ʿAllāmah Muḥammad Amīn al-Shanqīṭī explains this āyah:

That is, that you show me kindness in relation to the kinship we share, such that you avoid harming me and protect me from the harm of others, akin to your behaviour with anyone else that shares the likeness of my kinship with you. For there was not a single subsidiary tribe of Quraysh that did not have someone among them that was related to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Therefore, the request in this āyah should not be misconstrued as him seeking payment or compensation for his delivery of Allāh’s message, as he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) delivered this message to everyone regardless of whether they were from the tribe of Quraysh or otherwise. Rather, everyone hopes to be treated with kindness by those who share kinship with them, protected by his family from the harm of outsiders. For example, this protection was shown in the actions of Abū Ṭālib, which was never implemented by him as as a means of compensating the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) for his delivery of the message of Islām.²¹

It was also narrated that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “I was born within the confines of wedlock, not the result of illegal sexual intercourse. This applies to every single one of my forefathers: from Ādam to when my mother and father conceived me. My lineage remains completely unmarred by the lascivious sexual intercourse that characterised the pre-Islamic period of ignorance”.²²

Imām al-Ṣanʿānī comments:

In this ḥadīth, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) informs us about himself and his forefathers, that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the descendant of a pristine lineage, all his forefathers subsisting in untainted wombs. That is, no illegal sexual intercourse occurred at a single point throughout his entire lineage. Rather, his forefathers were all conceived within Islamic marriages. This has been clarified by the scholars, as there were four varieties of marriage that occurred during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, one of which occurred in a manner akin to the methodology of an Islamic marriage.²³

It was also authentically narrated that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “I was born among the best generations that has ever existed amongst the Children of Ādam. Generations passed, one after another, until I was brought forth in my generation”.²⁴

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar comments:

“Generation” here refers to a societal class of people that exist within a single period in time. There are also those that specifically define it as being limited to one-hundred years, while others limit it to seventy. Other durations are mentioned as well, with conflicting opinions ranging from a minimum of ten and a maximum of one-hundred and twenty years. After mentioning these opinions, al-Ḥarbī said: “In my view, a generation is only considered expired when completely destroyed, such that not a single living member of that society remains”.²⁵

Imām al-Ṣanʿānī comments:

“Generations passed, one after another” that is, each generation passed, at varying levels of goodness in accordance with the will of the Most High, until He brought forth the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) from the very best of them.
If a person was to oppose this saying: Were there not leaders of disbelief in existence during his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) generation? We would answer by saying: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) means by this ḥadīth that the best variety of people existed during his time period relative to all others, without specifically referring to each and every single living individual in his era. The greatness of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) generation is attained only through following him, as the Most High said:

كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ

“You [real followers of Prophet Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his Sunnah] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind.”
(Āli-ʿImrān, 3:110)

Or this ḥadīth may be interpreted to mean that within his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) generation are a people who possess the purest, most pristine natures, their minds and intellects well-balanced, naturally inclined towards the truth, whose manners are exemplary, characterised by honourable souls of nobility, and high-mindedness (more so than any other generation before them).²⁶

And Imām Muslim narrated on the authority of Wāthilah ibn al-Asqaʿ (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Indeed, Allāh selected the children of Kinānah from among (Prophet) Ismāʿīl’s progeny. Then, He selected the tribe of Quraysh from among the children of Kinānah. Then, He selected the children of Hishām from among the tribe of Quraysh. Then, He selected me from among Hishām’s children”.²⁷

Imām al-Ṣanʿānī comments:

This ḥadīth is proof that it is permissible for one to inform another regarding the nobility of his lineage, that it is a manifestation of informing others of Allāh’s favours and blessings. As for Allāh’s “selection” of the tribes mentioned here, it is referring to the fact that mankind must now return to the scion of this lineage for [guidance and Islām], and that Allāh has historically made them a people characterised by goodness, honour, generosity and bravery.²⁸

Al-ʿAllāmah Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Ādam al-Ithyūbī comments:

As al-Qurṭubī—may Allāh have mercy on him—said, Allāh chooses whomever He wills from His creation, specifically imbibing them with qualities of perfection that become a foundation in that sphere of completion. This honouring of those He selected is in accordance with His divine, all-encompassing knowledge, His ruling implemented and applied to His selection while not itself incumbent upon Him, nor is He compelled to do so. Rather, the matter is as He said:

وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَخْتَارُ

“And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses”.
(Al-Qaṣaṣ, 28:68)

Just as Allāh has chosen the Children of Ādam among all other living things in the animal kingdom. As the Most High said:

وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِّمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا

“And indeed We have honoured the Children of Ādam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with al-Ṭayyibāt (lawful good things), and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preference.”
(Al-Isrāʾ, 17:70)

Sufficient evidence for the selection of the Children of Ādam over all else may be derived from the mere fact that this entire world was created just for their benefit, as Allāh explicitly stated:

وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنْهُ

“And has subjected to you all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth; it is all as a favour and kindness from Him.”
(Al-Jāthiyah, 45:13)

Following His selection of the Children of Ādam, Allāh selected from among them those that would serve as vessels of prophethood, placeholders for His message to the rest of mankind. The first of them being Ādam (عليه السلام), from whom He selected the noblest drops of semen, that would subsequently be transferred from the noblest loins of men to only the purest of wombs, to give rise to those who would serve as His prophets and messengers. As the Most High said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ‎﴿٣٣﴾‏ ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِن بَعْضٍ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٣٤﴾‏

“Allāh chose Ādam, Nūḥ (Noah), the family of Ibrāhīm (Abraham) and the family of ʿImrān above the ʿālamīn (mankind and jinns) (of their times). Offspring, one of the other, and Allāh is the All-Hearer, All-Knower.”
(Āli-ʿImrān, 3:33-34)

Then, Allāh selected Ismāʿīl and Isḥāq from among the children of Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) as He said:

إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِن بَعْدِهِ ۚ وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ

“Verily, We have inspired you (O Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) as We inspired Nūḥ (Noah) and the Prophets after him; We (also) inspired Ibrāhīm (Abraham), Ismāʿīl (Ishmael), Isḥāq (Isaac)”
(Al-Nisāʾ, 4:163)

Then Allāh selected the children of Kinānah from among Ismāʿīl’s progeny as mentioned by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) here. Then Allāh chose one who would serve as the seal of prophethood, designated as their imām, honoured with a book superior to all that preceded his, the quintessential core of their order, akin to the sun that dazzles with its brightness, the full moon of their night, their crown jewel—Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). He is the last of them chronologically but precedes them in level and standing before Allāh. For He granted the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) the station of intermediary, perfecting the noble assembly of prophets by means of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) perfection, specifically granting him a station of praise and glory (Maqāmā Maḥmūdā) on the witnessed Day (of Judgement). He will intercede on their behalf when asked, he will lead them when the creation seeks an emissary (for respite from the horrors of the Day of Judgment), he is the announcer among them when they gather before him, their leader when the order of prophethood is mentioned. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the recipient of the primest allotment of goodness, possessor of the flag of praise, Ādam (عليه السلام) and the rest of mankind inferior in rank to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم).²⁹

It was also narrated on the authority of al-Abbās who said: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “I am Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib. Indeed, Allāh is the One who originated this creation and He orchestrated my birth among the best of His creation. He divided His creation into two parties and made me from the best of the two. He created tribes and made me to be from the very best tribe. He made homes for them and facilitated me being in the best of these homes. So I hail from the best households and I am the best of you”.³⁰

Imām al-Manāwī said,

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah explains:

There are several possible interpretations with regards to his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying “originated this creation”:

1. The “creation” being referred to here are mankind and jinn (al-Thaqalān).
2. “Creation” here encompasses every living thing on earth, of which the Children of Ādam are the best. If this encompasses even the angels, then this ḥadīth is proof that the Children of Ādam are superior even to them.
3. “Creation” refers only to the Children of Ādam and “my birth among the best of His creation” refers to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) being born among the descendants of Ibrāhīm, the father of all the Arabs.

“Two parties”: It may be interpreted as referring to Arabs and foreigners. Then the Arabs were divided into tribes and Quraysh was made the most superior household among them, and the Children of Hāshim the best of them.

“Two parties” may also be interpreted as referring to the progeny of Ismāʿīl and Isḥāq, or that the Arabs themselves were divided into the descendants of ʿAdnān and Qaḥṭān with the descendants of Ismāʿīl tracing their lineage back to ʿAdnān. Then, the descendants of Ismāʿīl or ʿAdnān were divided into “tribes” and he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was “ …from the very best tribe”, that is, Quraysh. Whichever interpretation is taken, the ḥadīth explicitly indicates the superiority of Arabs over other nations (in terms of lineage due to their relation to Allāh’s Prophets and Messengers).

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then said: “And I”—by Allāh’s blessings which he has bestowed and His kindness whose implementation was predestined, present in His infinite knowledge—“am the best of you” that is, in terms of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) self and soul. For Allāh has made him both a prophet and a messenger, the one who opens the doors of guidance to this ummah and seals the order of prophethood.

“Facilitated me being in the best of these homes”: That is, the best origins. As I am a descendant of perpetually chaste unions, occurring one after another until my father ʿAbdullāh, all out of lawful marriage uncontaminated by illegal sexual intercourse. Note here that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not say  “without pride” as he said in another ḥadīth. This is concordant with the circumstance of those he was speaking to whose hearts were pristinely clear from ascribing that which is inappropriate to him due to their awareness and acquaintance with his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) true state.³¹

And it was authentically confirmed that the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “I am—without pride—the leader of the Children of Ādam on the Day of Resurrection”.³²

Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī narrated from al-Nawawī who explains:

Al-Harawī said: “Leader” is a term used to describe a person whose goodness is superior to all others in his community.’ While others say: ‘It refers to the person with whom refuge is sought in times of hardship, the one they flee to when afflicted with catastrophe. He orders their affairs and demonstrates forbearance when faced with that which is detestable to them, allaying their fears..’

“On the Day of Resurrection”: He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has specifically confined his leadership here to the Day of Resurrection despite his status existing in this life and the hereafter because it is on the Day of Resurrection specifically that his role of leadership shall become unquestionably apparent and completely unopposed. This is contrary to the state of affairs in this world wherein there are disbelieving kings, rulers, or polytheist leaders that oppose his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) position of authority and superiority. This statement is akin to the saying of the Most High:

لِّمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ ۖ لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ

“Whose is the kingdom this Day? (Allāh Himself will reply to His question): ‘It is Allāh’s—the One, the Irresistible!’”
(Ghāfir, 40:16)

Even though Allāh’s ownership over the creation preceded that day. This is a form of exhortation to those in this world who would deign to claim ownership or sovereignty for themselves—whether explicitly or implicitly—such that their claims of dominion are severed, completely disproven in the hereafter.

“Without pride”: that is, not vaingloriously seeking to ascribe greatness to himself. Pride also applies to the one who boasts about that which is external to himself, like one’s wealth or reputation. This statement is interpreted in one of two ways:

1. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) made this statement as a means of implementing Allāh’s command:

   وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ

   “And proclaim the grace of your Lord (i.e. the prophethood and all other graces).”
   (Al-Ḍuḥá, 93:11)

2. It was said as a means of clarification to his ummah—one that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was encouraged to deliver and inform them regarding—such that they may recognise it, believe in it, and act in accordance with it, such that they show him the respect and veneration that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is deserving of. That is, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said this as a means of informing his ummah of the blessings and leadership position that he was honoured with by Allāh. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said it as a way of informing them of Allāh’s grace granted to him, informing his ummah such that they believe in it and treat him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) accordingly. For this reason, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) immediately followed this statement with the caveat of “without pride”, that is, I was only granted this blessing as a favour from Allāh, not from myself, nor did I attain it by my own might and power. Thus, it is most unbefitting of me to be prideful with regards to the status I have been granted.³³

May Allāh praise and commemorate him in the highest assembly always and forever until the Day of Recompense.³⁴

The Day of the Messenger of Allāh’s (ﷺ) Birth

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was born on a Monday as evidenced by the authentic ḥadīth in Imām Muslim’s Ṣaḥīḥ on the authority of Abū Qatādah who narrated that a bedouin once said: “O’ Messenger of Allāh! What is your view on fasting every Monday?” He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “That was the day of my birth and when I received the revelation”.³⁵

Imām Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī said:

As for the specific Monday of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) birth, Ibn Kathīr has mentioned several opinions that relate to it as well as the month, although he has chosen to omit the chains of narrators from them. One may examine and grade them as weak in accordance with the sciences of ḥadīth except for the narration that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was born on the eighth of Rabīʿ al-Awwal. This date is specifically narrated by Imām Mālik and others with an authentic chain of narration on the authority of the honourable Tabiʿī Muḥammad ibn Jubayr ibn Muṭʿīm. I surmise this to be the justification used by historians who postulate the eighth as the definitive day of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) birth. This is also the conclusive opinion adopted by al-Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad ibn Mūsá al-Khawārizmī, and chosen over all other views in the matter by Abū al-Khaṭṭab ibn Diḥyah. Although the majority of scholars believe his birth to have occurred on the twelfth of the month. And Allāh knows best.³⁶

Imām Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn said:

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was asked regarding fasting on Mondays and answered that Monday was the day of his birth, and the day he received his first revelation from Allāh, with which he became a Prophet. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also passed away on a Monday. As for his birth, in this ḥadīth he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) never clarified its month—whether it was Rabīʿ al-Awwal or not—or whether it was the twelfth or other than it. However, his birth occurring on a Monday is certain.³⁷ As for its specific date, it has been said that he was born on the second, the eighth, the ninth, the tenth, the twelfth, the seventeenth, or the twenty second of Rabīʿ al-Awwal.³⁸

The Year of His (ﷺ) Birth and His Connection to the Destruction of the Owners of the Elephants

Imām Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī said:

His (صلى الله عليه وسلم) birth coincided with the Year of the Elephant as narrated by al-Bayhaqī on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه).³⁹ This is a widely agreed upon historical fact.⁴⁰

Imām Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn said:

That is, the year that Allāh destroyed the Owners of the Elephant that had set out to destroy the Kaʿbah, regarding which Allāh revealed the Sūrah:⁴¹

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ ‎﴿١﴾‏ أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِي تَضْلِيلٍ ‎﴿٢﴾‏ وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ ‎﴿٣﴾‏ تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ ‎﴿٤﴾‏ فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍ ‎﴿٥﴾

“Have you (O’ Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) not seen how your Lord dealt with the Owners of the Elephant? Did He not make their plot go astray? And sent against them birds, in flocks, striking them with stones of Sijjīl [hardened clay]. And made them like an empty field of stalks (of which the corn has been eaten up by cattle).”
(Al-Fīl, 105)

In this sūrah, Allāh establishes the series of events that culminated in His ‘dealing with’ the Owners of the Elephants. They were an army that hailed from Yemen that had travelled to Arabia for the express purpose of destroying the Kaʿbah using large elephants. They were commissioned by the King of Abbasinya at the time in relation to the desire of the King of Yemen to prevent people from performing the pilgrimage to the Kaʿbah—the established House of Allāh. He orchestrated the building of a structure that resembled the Kaʿbah in his land and invited people to perform Ḥajj to it instead of the House of Allāh. Upon hearing this, the Arabs were collectively enraged. To the extent that a man from among them travelled to the Yemeni king’s structure and defecated therein, then smeared the filth on its walls before leaving. Upon hearing of this occurrence, the King of Yemen became furious. He subsequently informed the king of Abbasinya of the incident and supplied him with six elephants for his army. So the king of Yemen and his army approached the Kaʿbah, claiming to be the ones to destroy it, but Allāh—the Glorified—protected His house. When the army reached a place called al-Mughammas, the elephants stood obstinate and refused to even face the direction of the Kaʿbah, despite the lashings of the army’s elephant driver, but when faced towards the direction of Yemen, they would rush forth. This is among Allāh’s signs. They remained until Allāh “sent against them birds, in flocks” that is, droves of birds in groups one after another, each of which held in their beak “stones of Sijjīl [hardened clay]” that is, baked clay, the exposure to fire causing a hardening of the stone. These stones were not large but, rather, they were small enough that it would pelt a man from the army, entering through his mouth and leaving his body from his anus—we seek refuge from Allāh’s punishment. Leaving them “like an empty field of stalks (of which the corn has been eaten up by cattle)” that is, their appearance was akin to a field of crops that had been thoroughly decimated by animals, who had trampled over it, resulting in a disordered mangling of piecemeal corpses.

This story is considered an introduction to the rise of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) whose mission involves the establishment of the greatness of Allāh’s house.⁴²

Al-ʿAllāmah al-Qurṭubī comments:

The events that transpired with the Owner of the Elephants occurring before the birth of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is considered among his miracles granted to him by Allāh, despite it occurring before his birth. It may be considered a confirmatory occurrence related to his matter, a pre-emptive indication that precedes the beginning of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) affair. When the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) recited this sūrah of the Qurʾān to his people, there were several Makkans in attendance that had witnessed the occurrence first-hand. For this reason, Allāh said: “Have you (O’ Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) not seen?” because there was not a single Makkan who witnessed what had happened except that they also observed the leader of that army and his elephant driver both afflicted with blindness following their failure, begging the people of Makkah for hand-outs. Abū Ṣālīh also said: I found two cafizes worth of the stones that pelted the army that day kept in the house of Umm Hāniʾ, the daughter of Abū Ṭālib. They were black, lined with red.

Al-Ḥāfiẓ ibn Rajab comments:

The story of the Owners of the Elephant is considered a preamble to the prophethood of Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), a prologue to his subsequent appearance before them and his deployment as a Prophet of Allāh. Thus, Allāh informs us of their story in His book saying “Have you (O’ Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) not seen how your Lord dealt with the Owners of the Elephant?” This is posed as a question, that is, is this story not satisfactorily recognised and well-known among your people? This infers that the incident mentioned here had gained sufficient notoriety amongst the people of Makkah, and that no Arab at the time was ignorant of the events that had transpired. This especially applies to the tribe of Quraysh and the inhabitants of Makkah among whom this incident had become famous, such that they would inform one another regarding it, going so far as to compose verses of poetry immortalising the occurrence. It was also narrated that ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) said: “I saw the leader of the elephant army and his driver in Makkah afterwards. They had become blind, begging the people for food”.

This story may be used to evidence the greatness of Makkah, the respect that it and the house of Allāh therein are both deserving of. The birth of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) after this monumental occurrence is an indication of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prophethood and his status as a messenger from Allāh, as he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was sent to restore the House of Allāh to its former greatness, instating the pilgrimage and the ṣalāh to it both in a manner pleasing to Allāh [contrary to the previous worship of the Makkan pagans therein]. Thus, this specific place was chosen as his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) city and place of birth.

His exile from Makkah was only compelled due to the harmful opposition of his people to his invitation to the religion of Allāh —the Most High. Thereafter, Allāh granted him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) victory over them, facilitating his authoritative entry into Makkah, exerting forceful ownership over the city and its people. Then, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chose to bless them with kindness and compassion, freeing and pardoning them for their past transgressions against him and his people. In his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) conquering of the city of Makkah, him being granted ownership over it, his ummah being given free reign to access it after him, there is an evidence of the soundness of his prophethood. For Allāh protected the city before his arrival from those who wished to destroy it, destroying those assailants before finally granting ownership of the city to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his followers, as he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Certainly, Allāh protected Makkah from the Owners of the elephant, granting ownership of it to His Messenger and the believers”.⁴³

The intent of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his ummah is to instate and promote the greatness of Allāh’s house, to honour and venerate it. For this reason, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) objected to the statement made during the conquest of Makkah: “Today the sanctity of the house is foregone”, saying: “Rather, today the house of Allāh’s greatness is established”. For the people of the pre-Islamic time of ignorance had contaminated the religion of Ibrāhīm and Ismāʿīl with polytheistic rituals and modifications to the rites of the Ḥajj pilgrimage. Then, Allāh granted controlling ownership of the city to His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his ummah who purified it from such practices, restoring the monotheistic religion of Ibrāhīm that inclined away from the polytheistic practices that had previously plagued the city. This was in answer to the invocation of Ibrāhīm and his son when they originally erected the foundations of the Kaʿbah saying:

رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

“‘Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qurʾān) and al-Ḥikmah (Islamic laws or wisdom or Prophethood) and sanctify them. Verily! You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.’”
(Al-Baqarah, 2:129)

Thus did Allāh answer their invocation by sending Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) among the descendants of Ismāʿīl, fulfilling and personifying the description mentioned. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) facilitated the purification of the house of Allāh and its surroundings from polytheism, restoring the monotheistic religion of Ibrāhīm for which the house was originally built, as the Most High said:

إِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْئًا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْقَائِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

“And (remember) when We showed Ibrāhīm (Abraham) the site of the (Sacred) House (the Kaʿbah at Makkah) (saying): ‘Associate not anything (in worship) with Me, and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it, and those who stand up for prayer, and those who bow (submit themselves with humility and obedience to Allāh), and make prostration (in prayer, etc.).’”
(Al-Ḥajj, 22:26)

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also informed us that this house will continue to be a place sought out for pilgrimage—both major and minor forms—even subsequent to the advent of Yaʿjuj and Maʿjūj. Continuing uninterrupted until its eventual destruction by the Abbasinyans who—following their dismantling of it—shall cast its stone into the ocean.⁴⁴ Although this shall occur following Allāh sending a graceful wind that shall remove the souls of every believer such that none are left on the face of the earth. The Qurʾān will be removed from the breasts of men and the pages of their maṣāḥīf such that no Qurʾān nor īmān nor goodness of any kind shall exist on earth. Then the hour shall begin, with only the vilest creation alive at its coronation.⁴⁵

The Signs of Prophethood Associated with His (ﷺ) Birth

It is also widely accepted that his father ʿAbdullāh passed away while his mother was still pregnant with him (صلى الله عليه وسلم). During that time, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “While pregnant, my mother was shown a vision in which light emitted from her, its brightness illuminating the castles of Shām (northern Arabia)”.⁴⁶

Al-ʿAllāmah Al-Ṣanʿānī explains:

“My mother” she was Āminah bint Wahb, noble lady among the women of the Banī Zuhrah tribe.

“Shown a vision” , that is, in a dream.

“Light emitted from her, its brightness illuminating the castles of Shām (northern Arabia)”: The light referenced here represents the guidance that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) brought to the people of this world with which the darkness of polytheism was warded off. Shām is specifically mentioned here because it became the base of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) kingdom, the capital city of his sovereignty and rulership. Thus, in the revelations of the past, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is described as being born in Makkah, migrating to Yathrib, and exerting rulership over Shām.

Imām ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Nāṣir al-Saʿdī said:

In this light, there is a magnanimous reminder of the great blessing attributable to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) being sent, the comprehensivity of his messages, and the encompassing benefit garnered:

قَدْ جَاءَكُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ نُورٌ وَكِتَابٌ مُّبِينٌ

“Indeed, there has come to you from Allāh a light (Prophet Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) and a plain Book (this Qurʾān).”⁴⁷
(Al-Māʾidah, 5:15)

On the authority of Ḥassān ibn Thābit (رضي الله عنه) who said: By Allāh! When I was a prepubescent youth of only seven or eight years old but still able to fully comprehend everything I heard, there was a Jewish man standing on the apex of a castle in Yathrib (al-Madīnah) who began shouting as loud as he could muster: “O’ gathering of Jews!” When they had finally assembled before him, they said: “Woe unto you! What is the matter?” He replied: “Tonight, the star marking the birth of Aḥmad has appeared”.⁴⁸

On the authority of Usāmah ibn Zayd (رضي الله عنه) who said: Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl said: A rabbi among the Northern Arabian rabbis once told me: “A prophet has appeared in your land or is about to appear, for his star is nigh. So return to your land, bear witness to his truthfulness, and follow him”.⁴⁹

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah comments:

Recognition of the fact that the prophets before him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) gave their respective communities glad tidings of his impending prophethood may be appreciated through the following avenues:

1. Explicit mention of him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) in the books currently in the possession of the People of the Book.
2. Those who related to others that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is indeed mentioned therein—whether these speakers have chosen to accept Islām or otherwise. An example of this is the multiple independent narrations from the Anṣār in which their Jewish neighbors in Madīnah would inform them constantly of him (صلى الله عليه وسلم), that he would be raised as a Messenger of Allāh, and that he will soon be with them in Madīnah. In fact, their constant reminders subsequently became the driving force towards the Anṣār’s ultimate belief in the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) when he invited them to Islām, to the extent that they believed in him immediately without threat of punishment or encouragement with reward. For this reason, it was said that Madīnah was a city that was wholly conquered with the Qurʾān without fighting as other cities had necessitated.Another example of this variety is the multiple independent narrations from the Christians which proves that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is mentioned in their books. As narrated from Hiraql of Rome, Maqūqas the king of Egypt and companion of Alexandria, and al-Najāshī the king of Abbasinya, and the multiple times he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was approached by Christians in Makkah.These instances are alluded to in the Qurʾān, as Allāh says regarding the Jews:

   وَكَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ يَسْتَفْتِحُونَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلَمَّا جَاءَهُم مَّا عَرَفُوا كَفَرُوا بِهِ

   “Although aforetime they had invoked Allāh (for coming of Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) in order to gain victory over those who disbelieved, then when there came to them that which they had recognised, they disbelieved in it.”
   (Al-Baqarah, 2:89)

   And Allāh said concerning the Christians:

   وَإِذَا سَمِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ تَرَىٰ أَعْيُنَهُمْ تَفِيضُ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ مِمَّا عَرَفُوا مِنَ الْحَقِّ ۖ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

   “And when they (who call themselves Christians) listen to what has been sent down to the Messenger (Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)), you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognised. They say: “Our Lord! We believe; so write us down among the witnesses.”
   (Al-Māʾidah, 5:83)

   الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِهِ هُم بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ ‎﴿٥٢﴾‏ وَإِذَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّنَا

   “Those to whom We gave the Scripture [the Tawrāh and the Injīl] before it, – they believe in it (the Qurʾān). And when it is recited to them, they say: “We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord”.
   (Al-Qaṣaṣ, 28:52-3)

   On the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) who said: “The Jews used to invoke Allāh for the advent of the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) against the tribes of al-Aws and Khazraj before he was sent. Then, when Allāh finally chose to send him from the Arabs, they disbelieved and denied their previous statements. To the extent that Muʿādh ibn Jabal, Bishr ibn al-Barāʾ and Dāwūd ibn Salamah said: “O’ gathering of Jews! Be dutiful to Allāh and accept Islam! For you used to invoke Allāh in opposition to us for Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to be sent, whilst we were a polytheistic people. You used to inform us of his imminent coming, and even describe him to us.” To this, Salām ibn Mishkam, a member of the Banū al-Naḍīr tribe, replied: “We have not been approached by someone known to us, and he is not the one we used to mention to you.” In reference to this, Allāh revealed: “then when there came to them that which they had recognised, they disbelieved in it”.

3. The āyāt of the Qurʾān that—one after another—explicitly mention the prophets of the past giving glad tidings of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) coming, and referencing this being present in the books of the Jews and the Christians all of which prove to any intellectual person that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is indeed mentioned in their books, well-known to them.⁵⁰Al-ʿAllāmah Rabīʿ ibn Hādi al-Madkhalī said regarding the āyah:

   وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ ۖ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًا ۖ سِيمَاهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِهِم مِّنْ أَثَرِ السُّجُودِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مَثَلُهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ

   “Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the Messenger of Allāh, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking bounty from Allāh and (His) good pleasure. The mark of them (i.e. of their faith) is on their faces (foreheads) from the traces of (their) prostration (during prayers). This is their description in the Tawrāh (Torah).”
   (Fatḥ, 48:29)

   “This is their description in the Tawrāh (Torah)” that is, the characteristics that Allāh has used to describe Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his companions are mentioned in the Tawrāh, and were among the revelations granted to Mūsá (عليه السلام). Allāh makes mention of them in the Tawrāh because of the high rank they possess before Him—the Blessed, the High. There were a great multitude of people from among the Jews and the Christians that were well aware of the attributes of Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his companions. This awareness galvanised some of them to subsequently accept Islam. Others remained stubborn and unresponsive—which is a trait that is present in every group of people of every religion and creed. However, hearts that truly and sincerely covet the truth are also present within every denomination of man, such that when those truly desiring the truth interact with it, they seize it and immediately accept it for what they perceive it to be. As for those whom Allāh wishes only evil [due to their natures being undeserving of goodness], they reject and oppose the truth when it is presented to them. As Allāh said concerning the Jews’ recognition of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم):

   الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ

   “Those to whom We gave the scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)) as they recognise their sons.”
   (Al-Baqarah, 2:146)

   That is, they recognise Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and are fully aware of him indeed being a messenger sent by Allāh. Where does this recognition stem from? It is because the attributes of Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his companions were mentioned in hundreds of places in their Tawrāh. These places are mentioned by Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله). Even today, anyone who studies the miniscule remnants of their book—despite its extensive corruption in meaning, wordings and removal/additions of whole passages—will still find mention of Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his companions in a copious number of places.⁵¹

His Nursing and Upbringing

The Prophet’s (ﷺ) First Wet-Nurse: Thuwaybah

Narrated by al-Bukhārī⁵² and Muslim⁵³ on the authority of Umm Ḥabībah (the wife of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and daughter of Abū Sufyān) who said: O’ Messenger of Allāh! Marry my sister, ʿIzzah the daughter of Abū Sufyān. The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “Would that be to your liking?” She replied: “Yes, I do not wish to keep you to myself without other wives also present, and the most beloved person to share in any goodness I possess would be my sister. So the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “That union is not lawful for me”. She replied: “We were previously discussing your desire to marry the daughter of Abū Salamah (and in another narration) Durrah bint Abī Salamah.” He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “Do you mean the daughter of Umm Salāmah (his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) other wife)?” So I (Umm Ḥabībah) said: “Yes”. He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “If it was not for her being my stepdaughter under my guardianship, my marriage to her would still be impermissible. This is because she is also the daughter of my foster milk-suckling brother, as Thuwaybah nursed both myself and Abū Salamah. So do not present your daughters or sisters to me for marriage.” Al-Bukhārī supplemented this narration with the statement of ʿUrwah: Thuwaybah was the ward of Abu Lahab before being freed. She then nursed the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Al-Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله) explains:

“Would that be to your liking?”

This question is posed in the vein of astonishment and surprise because of the natural jealousy that is inherent in the female disposition.

“The most beloved person to share in any goodness I possess would be my sister”

The word ‘goodness’ used here refers to all goodness. It has also been interpreted as referring specifically to the goodness attributable to keeping the company of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) which necessitates the attainment of happiness in this life and the hereafter. A goodness so magnificent that it completely stunts any feelings of jealousy normally experienced between (potential) co-wives. In another narration, she said: “The most beloved person to partake in your company is my sister” which clearly indicates that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is the ‘goodness’ being referred to here.

“We were discussing your desire to marry the daughter of Abū Salamah”

(Al-Ḥāfiẓ said): I was not able to discover the name of the person who mentioned the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) alleged intent to do so. As such, it may be that such rumours had reached them from the hypocrites as, in consideration of the fundamental impermissibility of the suggested union, it becomes manifest that such rumours were completely baseless.

“The daughter of Umm Salāmah (his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) other wife)?”

So I (Umm Ḥabībah) said: “Yes”: The query posed here by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was for the purpose of ascertainment or to rid himself of any doubt regarding the identity of the woman being referenced. The question may also have been posed (rhetorically) to communicate the objectionable status of such a marriage. This is because if she was the daughter of Abū Salamah born from Umm Salamah (and not another one of Abū Salamah’s wives) then such a union would be doubly impermissible (because she would be both his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stepdaughter and his foster milk-suckling niece at the same time). Otherwise, if she was not the direct daughter of his other wife Umm Salamah, his marriage to her would still be ḥarām, but only for a single purpose (her being his foster milk-suckling niece).

From the conversation, it would also appear as if Umm Ḥabībah was unaware of the impermissibility of such unions either because the āyah detailing its impermissibility had not been revealed at that time,⁵⁴ or it had been revealed but she thought that such marriages were permissible for him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) specifically. This second possibility is more likely in this matter, as the subsequent conversation as related in the ḥadīth clearly proves that the āyah detailing the impermissibility of such marriages had indeed been revealed. Considering this, concerning Umm Ḥabībah’s suggestion that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) marry her sister as well even though such a marriage is unlawful (as in the āyah), it would appear as if she thought that if the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was considering marrying his stepdaughter, it could only be because it was permissible and, as such, him marrying the sister of one of his wives should be even more permissible. This is because marriage to the sister of one’s wife is only temporarily impermissible (as long as the first marriage remains), while marriage to one’s stepdaughter is permanently impermissible (regardless of whether one remains married to her mother). If he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was considering marrying that which is permanently impermissible, then marrying one who is only temporarily impermissible must be more deserving of being allowed. However, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) informed her that such marriages are impermissible, that the rumours that had reached her regarding his intentions were false, and that marriage to the daughter of Abū Salamah is ḥarām for (the following) two reasons.

“If it was not for her being my step-daughter under my guardianship, my marriage to her would still not be permissible”

It is the opinion of al-Qurṭubī that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) justifies the impermissibility of this union for two reasons:

1. The woman being proposed was his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stepdaughter.
2. She was also his milk-suckling niece.

However, he meant by this to clarify that even a single one of these reasons would have been sufficient to prevent him from the suggested marriage, so how impermissible should this be when the reason for prevention is twofold, each of these reasons individually sufficient to grant a ruling of impermissibility. To further illustrate this, in another narration, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Even if I had never married Umm Salamah, my marriage to her daughter would still be impermissible as her father—Abū Salamah—was my milk-suckling brother.”

“Thuwaybah nursed both myself and Abū Salamah”

Thuwaybah was a woman who was a ward of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) uncle, Abū Lahab, who freed her before she began breastfeeding the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) (before he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was sent to the tribe of Banī Saʿd and breastfed by Ḥalīmah al-Saʿdiyyah (رضي الله عنها)).⁵⁵ It is apparent that she was freed prior to breastfeeding him even if some of the books of sīrah (biographies) contradict this alleging that she was freed just before the hijrah, long after the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would have been breastfed by her.

Ibn Mandah mentions that there was a difference of opinion regarding whether she eventually accepted Islām. In fact, Abū Nuʿaym said: “We are not aware of anyone discussing her acceptance of Islām besides him (Abū Mandah).” In the books of sīrah, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was reported as honouring her on several occasions, and that she would enter upon him after his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) marriage to Khadījah (رضي الله عنها). Even after he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) migrated to Madīnah, it was reported that he used to send Thuwaybah presents. She passed away along with her son, Masrūḥ, following the conquest of Khaybar (in the seventh year of hijrah).

“Thuwaybah was the ward of Abū Lahab before being freed. She then nursed the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم)”

ʿUrwah (the narrator of this hadīth) also added: When Abū Lahab died, some of his family were shown a vision in which they saw Abū Lahab in a state of intense poverty and need. So they said to him: “What have you come upon?” to which Abū Lahab responded: “I have not come upon goodness, except that I have been given this much to drink” — and he indicated the small depression between his thumb and the neighboring fingers — ”because I freed Thuwaybah”.

Imām Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (رحمه الله) addresses this part of the narration saying:

This was mentioned by Ibn Kathīr as a supplement to the original narration of this ḥadīth in al-Bukhārī, except that he omitted him indicating the paltry amount of drink provided using his thumb. This came from a different narration which is that of al-Ismāʿīlī as clarified by Ibn Ḥajar.

In my book (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Sīrah), I have completely omitted all mention of this vision because it does not fulfil the prerequisite of authenticity set out in this book. This is because of the following:

1. It was narrated from ʿUrwah which makes the narration mursal (a variety of weak ḥadīth not associated with the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)).
2. Even if such a vision did indeed occur, the identity of the one who actually saw it is unknown (i.e., an unidentified individual among Abū Lahab’s family as aforementioned) As such, it may not be used as a valid form of evidence.
3. It is a vision seen in a dream which is worthless anyway, especially as it relates to a well-established disbeliever like Abū Lahab, whose blameworthy status was revealed in the Qurʾān as Allāh says:

تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ

“Perish the two hands of Abū Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم)), and perish he!”
[Al-Masad, 111:1]

In consideration of this, al-Ḥāfiẓ says: This part of the ḥadīth would appear to indicate that a disbeliever may derive some benefit in the hereafter on account of the acts of righteousness he used to engage in. However, this notion contradicts the apparent meaning of the āyah:

وَقَدِمْنَا إِلَىٰ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنْ عَمَلٍ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ هَبَاءً مَّنثُورًا

“And We shall turn to whatever deeds they (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, etc.) did, and We shall make such deeds as scattered floating particles of dust.”
[Al-Furqān, 25:23]

I answer this by pointing out that the narration mentioning this vision is mursal (weak). It was a statement made by ʿUrwah only, who never mentioned a corroborating narration to support it. Even if it was authentic, it is only a vision which is not a valid form of evidence anyways. Then, those among his family that saw the vision may not have even accepted Islām at the time, so they cannot be used to evidence anything. Finally, even if we were to accept it, it would be considered among the special exceptions granted to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) just as his uncle Abū Ṭālib was granted some respite from his punishment in the hereafter, relegated to a small depression of Fire that shall reach his ankles wearing two sandals of fire that shall cause the boiling of his brain, rather than being completely engulfed in it.⁵⁶

As for al-Shaykh Abū Zuhrah mentioning that Thuwaybah was the first to give Abū Lahab glad tidings of the birth of his nephew, and that he responded to this gracious news by freeing her because of the elation he felt, there are no narrations to support such an occurrence. In fact, this was mentioned by Abū Zuhrah completely devoid of a chain of narrators!⁵⁷

“So do not present your daughters or sisters to me for marriage”: [Ibn Ḥajar explains]: Al-Qurṭubī explains: It is a precautionary warning meant for Umm Ḥabībah and Umm Salamah and anyone besides them from ever suggesting such marriages in the future that are clearly forbidden.⁵⁸ Al-Nawawī explains: “Your daughters” referencing the daughter of Umm Salamah and “sisters” refers to the sister of Umm Habībah (رضي الله عنها).⁵⁹

The Splitting of the Prophet’s (ﷺ) Chest

Narrated by Abū Isḥāq on the authority of a group of companions who once said to the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم): O’ Messenger of Allāh! Tell us about yourself.” He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “Yes, I am the answer to the invocation of Ibrāhīm, the one Īsá delivered glad tidings to his people regarding, and my mother saw a vision when she was pregnant with me that light emitted from her which illuminated the castles of Shām (Northern Arabia).

I was nursed among the tribe of Banī Saʿd ibn Bakr. Whilst I was once in the company of my brethren behind the settlement, shepherding the animals in our possession, two men approached me, the garments covering their upper bodies white, holding a large basin full of ice. They held me and sliced my stomach in two, extricating my heart and splitting it into two parts. They then removed a black clump of coagulated blood from it and cast it away. Then, they washed my heart and my stomach with the ice they brought until it was clean. Then, one of them said to the other: “Weigh him against ten men from his ummah” so they weighed me against them and I was heavier. Then one of them said: “Weigh him against a hundred of his ummah” so they weighed me against them but I was still heavier. Then one of them said: “Weigh him against a thousand of his ummah” so they weighed me against them but I was still heavier. So one of them said: “Abandon this weighing then. For if you were to weigh him against his entire ummah, he would still be heavier.”⁶⁰

Narrated by Aḥmad and Abū Nuʿaym in his book al-Dalāʾil on the authority of ʿUtbah ibn ʿAbd that a man once asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): “Describe your origins to me, O’ Messenger of Allāh?” He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied:

I was brought up among the tribe of Banī Saʿd ibn Bakr. I once left the settlement with some of the tribe’s offspring to shepherd some of the animals in our possession, except that we did not bring rations with us. So I said: “O’ my brother! Return to our mother and bring us some rations.” So he departed and I remained with the animals. Then, two white birds approached, their appearance akin to that of two vultures. One of them said to the other: “Is he the one?” to which the other replied: “Yes.” So they descended upon me suddenly, taking hold of me and throwing me down, the back of my head on the ground. They then split my stomach in two and removed my heart, dividing it into two parts and extricating from it two clumps of black, coagulated blood. Then, one of them said to the other, “Bring me water and ice” which they used to clean my insides. Then one of them said: “Bring me cold water” which they used to clean my heart. Then one of them said: “Bring me sakīnah (immanence of God, calmness or tranquility)” which they scattered within my heart. Then one of them said to the other: “Stitch him” so he stitched me up, placing the seal of the final prophet on my heart. Then one of them said to the other: “Put him on one hand of the scale and a thousand of his ummah on the other.” It was then as if I observed a thousand people above me (due to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) being heavier than all of them), to the extent that I worried that some of them may collapse upon me. He then said: “If his entire ummah was weighed against him, the scale would still incline in his favour.” They then departed, leaving me alone. I then felt a terror so severe that I returned to my mother and told her what had transpired. She worried that I had been possessed by some demon, so she exclaimed: “I seek that Allāh provide you refuge and safety!” She then travelled on a camel, carrying me whilst riding, until she finally delivered me back to my mother. She said to her: “I have fulfilled my covenant and performed my duty.” She then proceeded to inform her of what had transpired with me, but my mother was unalarmed. She answered by saying: “I saw a vision that light emitted from me that illuminated the castles of Shām (Northern Arabia).”⁶¹

Narrated by Muslim on the authority of Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) who said: Jibrīl (عليه السلام) came to the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) whilst he was playing with some youth. He held him down and split his heart. He then removed his heart and extricated from it a black, clump of coagulated blood. He then said: “This is the portion of Shayṭān within you.” He then cleaned his heart in a golden basin containing the water of Zam Zam. He then bandaged him and returned it to its place. The youths had fled to his mother — that is, his wet nurse — saying: “Muḥammad has indeed been murdered.” He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then faced them, his face pale, drained of its colour (out of the severe terror he felt). Anas then said: “I could see the stitches from this incident on his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest”.

“I was nursed among the tribe of Banī Saʿd ibn Bakr”

Al-Manāwī explains:

The most honourable Arab tribes used to send their children to be suckled by the wet nurses of the bedouin tribes, refusing to leave their newborns with their mothers. This was because they wanted their children to spend their formative years among the bedouins, which would facilitate their children speaking a pristinely eloquent Arabic tongue, while exposure to the harsh desert environment allowed the development of superior physical prowess, strength and resilience, making it ever more likely that they would develop the characteristics of a true Arab. To this end, the Arabs would seek wet nurses among the bedouin women. In this vein, ʿAbd al-Malik ibn al-Marwān (Umayyad khalif) used to say: “The love of al-Walīd (his son) ruined us.” This statement was made in reference to al-Walīd’s uneloquent and ungrammatical dialect which he developed as a result of him spending his formative years with his mother, while his brothers grew up in the desert, speaking pristine Arabic and conducting themselves with exemplary manners.⁶²

“Wrestling him down”

Imām Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Ādam al-Ithyūbī (رحمه الله) explains: That is, until he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was completely prone on the ground.

“Splitting his heart”

The part of his chest that lies over his heart.

“This is the portion of Shayṭān within you”

That is, the portion of your heart Shayṭān could have used to whisper evil to you. As al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله) said:

This coagulated clot of blood that was removed was the portion of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heart that would have been accepting of evil satanic whisperings, holding sway over him to answer false desires. Its removal was a means by which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was granted succour from his Shayṭān companion until he was granted complete respite from his influence.

Al-Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ (رحمه الله) said:

It is also possible that this removed portion of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heart was one of its parts afflicted with the infatuation of this worldly life, inclining in the direction of false desires which may then be co-opted by Shayṭān, used to mislead him. Or the portion that was removed was one that would have necessitated mindlessness or forgetfulness, its removal represents Allāh’s — the Most Great, the Most Wise — exemplary disposal of this affair. These are the doors through which Shayṭān is able to enter which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) has had removed from his heart, such that the Shayṭān finds no recourse or path towards misleading him (صلى الله عليه وسلم), just as the desire for women was removed from Yaḥyà (عليه السلام).⁶³ Or the removed portion was the portion of his heart that would have been accepting of Shayṭān’s whisperings, causing him to pursue that which it finds agreeable. Its removal facilitated the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) being granted safety from all such invitations towards the despicable or vile. His heart was washed and rendered completely pristine such that not a single residual iota of such parts remained.

“He then cleaned the heart in a golden basin containing the water of Zam Zam”

A basin is used here because it was the most widely known vessel used for cleaning at the time. The wisdom behind it being composed of gold is that it represents the most prestigious variety of vessel used by the inhabitants of Paradise and the most precious form of wealth (in this worldly life). It was also chosen for its specific attributes that are not shared with other precious metals including that fire cannot consume it when suspended, nor does it decompose when buried in the ground, nor is its purity altered in any way. From it, a parable of supreme cleanliness and pristine nature is coined, as in common idiomatic expressions such as: ‘He is purer than gold, a source of happiness and elation’.⁶⁴

This should not act as evidence to support the use of such gold vessels. This is because the ḥadīth is describing the actions of angels, detailing their use of it. Likewise, those who have erroneously used such narrations to evidence the permissibility of writing the words of the muṣḥaf with gold have missed their mark in this issue. This is because those using such gold implements in this ḥadīth were angels. Thus, confirmation that they were tasked with the same responsibilities as we are in terms of abiding by the sharīʿah is required before such a conclusion may be drawn. Furthermore, the use of such golden utensils would have been considered permissible at that time anyway as this occurred in Makkah, while the impermissibility of gold was only revealed once the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had emigrated to Madīnah.⁶⁵

“He then bandaged him”

That is, folding the skin back in on itself, re-attaching and bandaging it.

“And returned it to its place”

The angel returned the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heart back to its place in his chest.

“The youths had fled to his mother”

Referring to the same youths that he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was playing with before the incident. “Fled” as in, jogged or walked briskly.

“His mother—that is, his wet nurse”

Al-Nawawī (رحمه الله) said:

This clarification is an addition from the narrators of the ḥadīth, although it is unclear to me who exactly they returned to.” His (صلى الله عليه وسلم) wet nurse was Ḥalīmah al-Saʿdiyyah, the daughter of Ibn Dhuʾayb whose name was ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Ḥārith ibn Shijnah ibn Rizām ibn Nādhirah ibn Saʿd ibn Bakr ibn Hawzān. Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr (رحمه الله) said: “She nursed the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and was exposed to evidence (that proved his prophethood), we have omitted mention of it because it is well-known.” It was also narrated on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn Yasār who said: “Ḥalīmah, the daughter of ʿAbdullāh (and suckling mother of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) who used to breastfeed him) approached the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Upon seeing her, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) stood and spread his ridāʿ (garment used to cover his upper body) for her, upon which she sat.

“Muḥammad has indeed been murdered”

This was said as a result of them observing the angels wrestling him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) down to the ground and removing the heart from his chest.

Refuting the Claim That These Narrations are Muḍṭarab⁶⁶

Al-Qurṭubī (رحمه الله) said:

The splitting of the chest mentioned in the ḥadīth of Anas (in Ṣaḥīh Muslim) is an isolated incident that occurred separate from the other splitting mentioned in the ḥadīth of Abū Dharr and Mālik ibn Ṣaʿṣaʿah as evidenced by the two incidents occurring at different times, places and with disparate descriptions. As for the chronology of the two occurrences, the first occurred when he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was very young and the second occurred when he was older. As for location, the first happened in an area close to the settlement around Makkah and the other occurred at his place of residence. As for the descriptions, in one of them, that which would have been considered harmful to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is removed and his heart is cleaned, which acts as an indication of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) infallibility in the delivery of his message. While in the second occurrence his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heart is cleaned and filled with wisdom and īmān as a veritable preparation for him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to be shown that which Allāh wanted to show him (from the signs and proofs of prophethood).

Do not be deceived by those who interpret these aḥadīth claiming that this splitting of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest happened only once, attempting to assign mistakes to some of the narrators of these ḥadīth in order to support their erroneous claim. Rather, it is more appropriate and suitable that such mistakes and flawed assumptions be assigned to these interpreters rather than the narrators of these aḥādīth, who are themselves well-known imams and huffāẓ. Do not, therefore, refer to what they have mentioned in this matter, as there is no opposition or contradiction in what we have mentioned here. Our view on this matter is correct and further bolstered by scholars.

Imām Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (رحمه الله) said:

The ḥadīth of Anas — despite its authenticity and that of other corroborating narrations — is the subject of criticism by al-Shaykh Abū Zuhra who, after mentioning the ḥadīth as narrated by Muslim, said:

“And we have determined that none of the narrations that describe the splitting of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest are completely free of contradiction. Even if we acquiesce these narrations to be authentic, we do not deem them acceptable. Rather, we would have deemed them acceptable had they been authentic. However, the contradictions in these various narrations have caused us to refuse to either accept or reject them.”

We respond: This shaykh has used the likeness of such contradictory philosophical arguments to reject authentic aḥādīth, making a playful mockery of the words of these narrations in order to mislead people in a manner akin to the devil that whispers in the hearts of men inciting them towards the perpetration of evil, who withdraws following their remembrance of Allāh.⁶⁷ The most deficient intellectual, and the least educated of mankind can easily recognise that if these narrations were truly muḍṭarab, this must stipulate them being considered unacceptable. This is because any ḥadīth given the designation of muḍṭarab is considered unacceptable by the scholars. Therefore, if these narrations are truly muḍṭarab, they should all be rejected. How, then, can you say: “the contradictions in these various narrations have caused us to refuse to either accept or reject them”? If you were to present a person with money, and the prospective recipient does not take it, there would be no difference between you saying: “He has not accepted it” and “He rejected it”. The meaning is the same; this is a sentiment that no one finds particularly ambiguous. So how could Imām Abū Zuhrah make such a claim in his book? The reality is that the aḥādīth that describe the splitting of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) honourable chest are all authentic. Only those with a weak, feeble allotment of īmān, or those who are completely devoid of īmān altogether, like the atheists, entertain doubts regarding them. There is absolutely no truth to the alleged muḍṭarab designation given except for an unsubstantiated claim that has been levied so that this imām can reject them.

And in al-Ṣaḥīḥayn (al-Bukhārī and Muslim) in the ḥadith narrated on the authority of Mālik ibn Ṣaʿṣaʿah in which the incident of al-Isrāʾ (the Night Journey) is mentioned, the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest was again opened that night and washed with the water of Zam Zam. There is no inherent discrepancy in these multiple narrations, as it is completely plausible that such an occurrence took place twice over the course of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) life, happening once when he was a youth, and again on the night of al-Isrāʾ, acting as a veritable preparation preceding his foray as ambassador to the highest assembly of angels, that prepared him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) for the private conversation and audience that was held between him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his Lord – the Exalted in Might.⁶⁸

Ibn Ḥajar (رحمه الله) said:

There are scholars that have objected to the splitting of the Prophet’s chest on the night of al-Isrāʾ, claiming that his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest was only split once when he was young, whilst he was still among the tribe of Banī Saʿd. This objection is most unfounded as there are several narrations detailing the splitting of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest also occurring when he was raised as a prophet, as mentioned by Abū Nuʿaym in al-Dalāʾil (and mentioned above). There is wisdom in each of these incidents. As for the narration of Muslim, the addition of ʿAlqamah — the narrator: “This is the portion of Shayṭān within you” occurring when he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was an infant, facilitated him growing up in a state that was uninfluenced by the whispers of Shayṭān. Then, his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest was split a second time when he was raised as a prophet as a means of elevating his honourable status, allowing him to receive the revelation whilst possessing a strong heart in a state of pristine cleanliness. Then, his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest was split for a third time on the night of al-Isrāʿ before al-Miʿrāj (his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) ascension to the heavens) as a means of preparation for his subsequent sojourn to the heavens, preceding the private conversation that he would have with Allāh. The wisdom behind this final splitting could also be that it represents the third time which, in his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) sharīʿāh, represents the most complete number of cleanings (referring to wudūʾ).

In summary, every [authentic] narration that mentions the splitting of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest, the extrication of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heart, or relates any other incident that surpasses the norm must be completely and wholeheartedly accepted, without attempting to interpret them metaphorically, citing the inability of the people at that time to accomplish such feats. None of that which has been mentioned in this regard should, therefore, be perceived as impossible.⁶⁹

Lessons Derived From the Splitting of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) Chest

Imām Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī ibn Ādam al-Ithyūbī (رحمه الله) said:

1. In these aḥadīth, the care and attention of Allāh for His Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) is made abundant in that He facilitates the portion of Shayṭān present in his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heart to be extricated such that it would not have an effect on him. Al-Qurṭubī said: “The splitting of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest and removal of his heart as in these aḥadīth occurred exactly as related and in reality (that is, not interpreted as being in the form of a vision or a metaphorical washing). For there is nothing in the texts of these aḥādīth that would necessitate them intellectually being interpreted in a metaphorical sense. Nor should these occurrences even be perceived as far-fetched in relation to the splitting of one’s chest and subsequent removal of their heart ordinarily resulting in death, for that represents the normal and unexceptional state of affairs. As for the matter of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), most of his circumstances were extraordinary, accomplishing that which far surpasses the norm either in the form of muʿjizah (miracles)⁷⁰ or karāmah (abilities granted by Allāh to his close friends and allies that do not necessarily surpass the norm).”
2. Al-Qāḍī ʿIyāḍ (رحمه الله) said: “This ḥadīth represents the strongest proof, the most plainly evident criterion, and the most sound form of evidence bolstering the madh`hab of the People of Truth who believe that life, death and everything else in existence are all completely Allāh’s — the Most High — creation and the result of His actions. He is not bound by the limitations of normal cause and effect nor the parameters of the natural world, nor is He subject to prerequisites that predicate the occurrence of that which He wills except where He chooses to allow the natural progression of events to take place. Otherwise, He may choose to forego those norms in accordance with His will whenever He chooses to, implementing His power and ability in whatever manner He wills. This belief is contrary to that of the philosophers and those who seek resemblance to them among the Muʿtazilah. As the splitting of one’s chest, the parting of their innards and removal of their heart, then splitting and inspecting it, then cleaning and extracting a portion from it all ordinarily result in the killing of a person, causing their inevitable death. Despite this, all of these actions occurred in this narration to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) but he did not die because Allāh did not desire it, nor did He command it. Rather, these very same actions that would have destroyed another resulted in his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) life, the granting of a greater strength to his soul, rendering his affair more perfect and complete.”
3. Al-Jalāl al-Suyūṭī (رحمه الله) said: “The scholars have differed regarding whether this splitting of the chest as described also occurred for any of the other prophets. Ibn al-Munīr said: “The splitting of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest, and the patience he showed during these incidents is akin to the patience displayed by the one designated for slaughter (i.e., Ismāʿīl (عليه السلام)). In actuality, the patience displayed by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) during these occurrences is even more magnanimous and honourable, as the slaughter of Ismāʾīl occurred as an exposition (i.e., a test to determine his mettle and that of his father Ibrāhīm), while the splitting of the Prophet’s (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chest physically occurred. Moreover, it happened to him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) repeatedly over the course of his life, its earliest occurrence when he was still young enough to be breastfed, an orphan boy that was accosted far away from his family.⁷¹
   

   “The Water of Zam Zam”

4. This is an indication of the great status assigned to the water of Zam Zam. Ibn Abī Jamrah said: “His (صلى الله عليه وسلم) heart was not cleaned with the water of Paradise but instead with the water of Zam Zam because its origin is from Paradise itself, but has settled on earth, which is meant to act as an indication that his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) blessings shall remain on earth.”⁷²

The Prophet’s (ﷺ) Compassionate Treatment of the Tribe of Banī Saʿd on Account of Him Spending His Formative Years Among Them

Imām Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (رحمه الله) said:

The purpose of these narrations is to clarify that the blessings of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) were first experienced by his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) wet nurse Ḥalīmah al-Saʿdiyyah and her family while he was a youth. Then, the entire tribe of Hawāzin were the recipients of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) blessings when he captured their people after they fell (in the Battle of Ḥunayn) following the conquest of Makkah. After their defeat, they implored him (صلى الله عليه وسلم) for their freedom citing his first wet nurse being among them because of which he showed compassion and affection to them, granting them their freedom. As narrated by Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb who narrated from his father who narrated from his grandfather who said: We were with the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) during the Battle of Ḥunayn. Upon capturing the wealth and captives of his opponents, he was approached by ambassadors from the tribe of Hawāzin — hailing from al-Jiʿrānah — who had accepted Islām. They said to him: “O’ Messenger of Allāh! We are family and close relatives to one another. We have been afflicted by circumstances that you are well aware of, so bless us and Allāh will in turn bless you”. Their spokesman — a man named Zuhayr ibn Ṣurad — then stood before him and said: “O’ Messenger of Allāh! The captives currently held in these enclosures are your very own maternal aunts and nurse maids who raised you when you were young. We once ate the salt (Arabic expression referring to seeking patronage from, or forming an alliance with) of Ibn Abī Shamir and al-Nuʿmān ibn al-Mundhir (two of the most formidable Arab kings of the past). If we were afflicted by them with a circumstance akin to that which you now have afflicted us with, we would still remain hopeful for their favour and kindness toward us, for you are the best of patrons. Then he recited the following verses of poetry:

Bless us Messenger of Allāh with munificence
For indeed you are a man upon whom we rely and seek self-preservation
Bless the core of this tribe (the women and children) afflicted with misfortune
Its unity torn asunder by the vicissitudes of fate
Allow this time to be one of celebration following sadness
Afflicting hearts overflowing with sorrow and depression
As long as your blessings spread forth cannot salvage them
O’ possessor of the greatest allotment of forbearance when tested
Bless the women from whom you used to suckle
Remember your mouth filled with her milk as white as pearls
When you were but a small infant who used to suckle from her
Bless the women from whom you used to suckle
Even if you are beguiled by that which you have received and abandoned
Do not make us akin to those whose glory was lost
And spare us for we are a noble people
We show gratitude for our blessings even if others do not
And we shall preserve (a promise of gratitude and loyalty to you) after this day
So don the clothing of pardon for those from whom you used to suckle
For your mothers whose forgiveness is well known
We are hopeful that forgiveness suffuses you
For true humanity is to show forgiveness while victorious
So forgive, Allāh shall pardon that which you are fearful regarding
On the Day of Resurrection when you are guided to victory

The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “As for that which has been captured in my name and that of the tribe of Banī ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib, I leave for Allāh and for yourselves.” Upon hearing this, the Anṣār said: “And our allotment of it is similarly for Allāh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)”.

He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) then freed their families that had been taken captive. Altogether, they were six thousand women and children to whom he gifted a great multitude of cattle and people. This, then, is all representative of his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) great blessings that were expedited to his subjects in this worldly life. That being the case, what should we reasonably presume the outcome will be in the hereafter for those who adhere to his Sunnah?⁷³

Endnotes:

Compiled and translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī