Today Friday 7th April 2006,On this Momentus Day,9th Rabi Al-Awwal 610CE,Our
beloved Holy Prophet was commissioned with Prophethood.On Monday, the 10th
April,2006,corresponding to 12th Rabi Al-Awwal is  Miladun Nabi(the birthday
of our beloved Prophet).To commemorate the event,I will be looking at the
life of this noble man from different perspectives.Throughout the Muslim
World,Muslims will be commemorating the event by Prayers,reading of the Holy
Quran,Poems written specifically to mark the day.The only group who will not
be celebrating the Life of Prophet Muhammed are the Wahhabis,or those who
subscribe to their  brand of Islam.The Wahhabis consider the commemoration a
bida(or Innovation).

Turning point in history

The year 610 C.E. was a turning point in the life of Muhammad (peace be upon
him) for it was in this year that he was commissioned as a prophet of God to
communicate the message of Islam to mankind.This was a turning point in the
history of Islam. In fact it was a turning point in the history of mankind.
It marked the end of the age of ignorance, and the dawn of a new era of
enlightenment.

The call to Prophethood

Just as the clouds appear before the rain, thus Muhammad (peace be upon him)
had some indications before hand of the things to come. He had frequent
dreams, in some dreams he saw himself flying to the heavens in the great
void of space. In some dreams he saw the stars bow to him. In some dreams he
heard the trees, the rocks and the ether inanimate objects calling to him.
In some dreams he saw himself standing at the summit of a mountain, and
calling to the people assembled below in the valley. These dreams
foretelling of some great things to come motivated Muhammad (peace be on
him) to contemplate and meditate. To seek enlightenment through
contemplation and meditation, Muhammad (peace be on him) sought the solitude
of a cave in Mount Hira, some distance away from the city of Makkah.
Muhammad (peace be on him) spent long hours in the cave absorbed in thought
and meditation. When the stay in the cave extended to a long time Ali
brought food for Muhammad in the cave. Ali kept watch on the cave and
patrolled the neighborhood. One day in the year 610, the angel Gabriel
appeared in the cave, and gave Muhammad (peace be on him) the tidings that
God had commissioned him as a prophet and charged him to communicate the
message of God to the people. The visitation of the angel, an unusual
occurrence was a novel experience which upset Muhammad (peace be on him) and
made him highly nervous.

Converts to Islam

When the Holy Prophet returned home he was highly agitated and most nervous.
He told of the occurrence in the cave to his wife Khadija. She consulted her
cousin Waraqa b Naufal who was versed in religious lore. Waraqa said that
the angel who had appeared before Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the same
angel who had appeared before Abraham, Moses and other prophets. Waraqa
added that the visiting of the angel was a great event, and she should
rejoice that her husband had been chosen by the Almighty God as His
Messenger. When Khadija told Muhammad (peace be on him) what Waraqa had
said, Muhammad (peace be on him) said that the burden of prophethood would
be too heavy for him to bear, and he did not know who would accept
conversion to the new faith at his hand. Khadija consoled him and said that
the Almighty who had chosen him as His Messenger would Himself guide him in
fulfilling His mission of prophethood. Khadija offered herself as the first
person to owe allegiance to Muhammad (peace be on him) as the prophet of
God. When Ali came to know of the conversion of Khadija he hastened to offer
his allegiance to the Holy Prophet. Ali was the first among the youth to be
converted to Islam. In some books it is written that when Muhammad (peace be
upon him) invited Ali to the new faith, he showed some hesitation and said
that he would consult Abu Talib in the first instance. This version of what
happened is far from the truth. There was no hesitation on the part of Ali
in accepting the truth. Ali had indeed been longing for the day when the
call from the Almighty would come and when the call came he was so much
overwhelmed with joy that there could be no question of any hesitation. The
acceptance of the new faith on the part of Ali was spontaneous and without
any hesitation, for Ali had the firm conviction that Muhammad (peace be upon
him) was the true prophet of God.

Early years of Islam

During the first three years, Islam remained a private affair and no attempt
was made to proclaim Islam publicly. The message of Islam was during this
period conveyed privately to his friends by the Holy Prophet. Among the
persons outside the family of the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr was the first to be
converted to Islam. Abu Bakr in turn brought some of his friends to the fold
of Islam. Those who accepted Islam persuaded their friends to accept Islam.
In this way the chain came to be extended, and the progress of Islam though
not spectacular was quite satisfactory. The early Muslims prayed in secluded
glens, or other solitary places. On one occasion Abu Talib happened to see
the Muslims praying behind the Holy Prophet in a glen out side Makkah. Ali
was one of the congregation. Abu Talib asked Ali as to whom they were
praying, and what was the religion they had adopted. Ali told his father
that they were praying to Allah, the Lord of the world and the universe.
There was no god but Allah and Muhammad (peace be upon him) was His prophet.
Abu Talib pondered for a while and said, "If Muhammad has become the
prophet, hold fast to him for he cannot but be right. I know that his
elevation to prophethood was expected many years ago". When the Holy Prophet
and Ali visited the house of Abu Talib, they had a more detailed discussion
about the new faith. Abu Talib was sympathetic, but as he was one of the
tribal chiefs he could not abandon the faith of his forefathers. He warned
the Holy Prophet that he would have to face the opposition of the Quraish.
He promised that though he would not accept the new faith, he would stand by
him through thin and thick, and he would enjoy his full support. Fatima the
wife of Abu Talib was more sympathetic. She said that she had mothered
Muhammad, and Muhammad (peace be on him) was not the man to make a false
claim. She observed that it was yet too early for her to make a decision
whether she was going to accept Islam or not. Jafar, a brother of Ali put a
few questions to the Holy Prophet, who answered them satisfactorily. Jafar
wanted some more time to consider over the matter.

Invitation to Banu Hashim

After three years of the call to prophethood, the Holy Prophet received the
command of God that he should publicly proclaim the message of Islam, and
that he could make a beginning with his relatives, belonging to the house of
Banu Hashim. The Holy Prophet invited the Hashimites, about forty men, to a
feast. After the feast the Holy Prophet gave an account as to how he had
been visited by the angel Gabriel who had conveyed to him the orders of
Allah commissioning him as His prophet. He said that there was no god but
Allah, and that he was His Messenger commissioned to call the people to the
faith. He added that the members of the house of Hashim should feel proud
that this honor had come to one of them. Waxing eloquent the Holy Prophet
said that in the task of promoting the new faith he needed their support. He
posed the question, "Who out of you would support me in this task? A silence
fell on the guests and no one uttered a word. Young Ali thereupon rose to
say, "Holy Prophet, I will be your support"? The Holy Prophet looked
approvingly at young Ali, and thanked him for his support. The Holy Prophet
posed the same question for the second and third time but, no one out of the
guests promised any support. Each time the young Ali rose to offer his
support in unequivocal terms. Abu Talib had already assured the Holy Prophet
of his protection and he did not consider it advisable to make a public
declaration of his support or protection at that stage. He, however, felt
happy at the courage shown by the young Ali. He felt that there was
something extraordinary in the new faith, which had motivated young Ali to
the demonstration of such courage in public. Abu Lahab a step uncle of the
Holy Prophet took a hostile attitude. He ridiculed the new faith, and felt
sorry that his nephew had lost his sense, and was suffering from some
hallucination. He wanted the guests to disperse. The Holy Prophet felt very
unhappy at his failure to win the support of the Banu Hashim. Though
disappointed the Holy Prophet was not daunted. He knew that the course of
the Truth could not be anything but rough and that in order to fulfil his
mission he should prepare himself to face difficulties. After his
disappointment with the Banu Hashim the Holy Prophet decided to make a
public declaration of his faith. One day he mounted the hillock, Mt Safa,
and called the people to come and listen to him. Ali was by the side of the
Holy Prophet. In response to the call a large crowd gathered at the foot of
the hill to listen to the Holy Prophet. Addressing the people, the Holy
Prophet said: "O people, if I tell you that on the other side of this hill
there were the forces of an enemy coming to attack you, would you believe
me"? They said, "Yes, we would believe in you, for you are known to be
truthful. " Thereupon the Holy Prophet said, "if I tell you that there is no
god but Allah, and I am His prophet, would you believe me. " The people made
no reply and the crowd dispersed. The people steeped deep in ignorance were
not yet in the mood to know the Truth. As the Holy Prophet and Ali came down
from the hill they felt that they would have to carry a great struggle in
the cause of their mission before any results could be achieved. 


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