Bismihi Ta`ala

The beloved Prophet Muhammad Swalallahou Alaihi Wasallam. 

 The birth of a prophet is an important event in heaven and on earth. About this, the Quran says: ”Peace be upon him on the day he (Yahya as) was born, and on the day he dies and so on the day he is resurrected.” (19:15 ) At the birth of the prophet Muhammad SAW, an earthquake shook the palaces of Kisra (King Persia) from which 14 stones fell, the fire that prayed the Iranians died out and Lake Sawa (Iraq) became dry. (Dalailulun Nubuwah-Baihaqi)

 There has been no such glorious event as the birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW. Allah Ta`ala says: ‘And We only sent you as a mercy to the universe.’ (21:107) The first breeze of blessing blown away a fire  that Iranians were worshiping for centuries. Indicating to them that their time has gone. To tell them, the fire that had been kindling for centuries was extinguished to indicate to them the coming of the torch of truth from the religion of Monotheism of Muhammad SAW.

The Childhood and Youth of Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Hazrat Muhammad SAW was an obedient and kind child. His childhood friends remained faithful to him as they were ready to give everything for him. Famously during his childhood and before the Mi`raj the angels performed heart operations on the Prophet Muhammad SAW. (Mustadrak) Then he made history with the miracle proving his prophecy by splitting the moon into two with his fingers. (Quran 54:1 and Bukhari).

The footsteps of Muhammad SAW:

Allah Ta`ala announced in the Qur’an that His satisfaction and Grace is found with the practices of the Prophet Muhammad Swallallahou `Alaihi Wasallam: ” (O Muhammad) Say: “If you really love Allah, follow me, Allah will love you then and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (3:31) With the decors of the sunnah, one attracts the love of Allah and thus His forgiveness. So in the era we live in, we have to be very meticulous in discerning what is the sunnah and what are innovations.

Rasouloullah Swallallahou `Alaihi Wasallam said: “Stay away from innovations since they are the way astray. He who finds an innovation, while he rather takes my sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly guided Khalifs. Hold on to these sunnahs as tightly as you would with the molar teeth.” (Tirmizi)

Speaking of the divisions in the Ummah, the Prophet advised us very strongly to follow Him and follow his Sahabahs. (Tabrani) So our landmark should be the Prophet and the life of the Sahabahs.

The prophet said: ‘The best of men are in my time. Then the generation that follows them. And then the third generation. Then will come people that their testimonies will not be valid.” (Bukhari)

Birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW:

Prophet Muhammad SAW was born on a Monday (Sahih Muslim), during the month of Rabi`ul Awal and the year of the elephant. (Sifatus Safwah/Maqalat Kawsari). On this, the historians and writers of Seerah are unanimous. And note well that it was on a Monday, the 12th Rabi`ul Awal that the prophet SAW arrived in Madinah Munawarah for the Hijrah (Ibn Hibbaan / Mustadrak Hakim). And the first revelation of Iqra was revealed on a Monday (Muslim), most likely on the 27th night of Ramadhaan (Qurtubi).

Nevertheless, the date of birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW which is the most famous is the 12th Rabi`ul Awal. For centuries Mecca has recognized this date as the birth day of the Prophet Muhammad Swallallahou `Alaihi Wasallam. There is a riwayah which however is not authentic on this from Muhammad Ibn Ishaq (a mudallis) says: “The prophet SAW was born on a Monday, the 12th Rabi`ul Awal in the year of the elephant.” (Mustadrak Hakim)

But note that according to the most authentic riwayahs and according to exact astronomical calculations on the day Monday, the precise date of birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW is the 9th Rabi`ul Awal. Ibn Abdil Bar writes that the date of birth is the 9th Rabi`ul Awal…(Bidayah/Nihayah) Humaidi, `Uquail, Ibn Abdillah, Ibn Hazm, Ibn Qayim, Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn Katheer and Ibn Katheer and `Aini are all of opinion that it was the 9th Rabi`ul Awal that the Prophet was born. Muslim astronomers like Muhammad ibn Musa and Mahmood Pasha wrote thesis on the subject of the birth of the Prophet and they have concluded that 9 Rabi`ul Awal is the most probable date. They based themselves on the eclipse of the sun in the 10th Hijri year and also the most appropriate Monday in  the rabi’ul awal of the year of the elephant.

Birth time:

In the books of seerah, it is clear that the prophet was born at the time of sehri on a Monday. According to the date of the solar calendar, it was Monday, April 20, year 571 at exactly 4:40 am in Mecca in the place where Banu Hashim lived.

Birthplace of Mustapha Swallallahou `Alaihi Wasallam

According to Zurqani the house where Prophet SAW was born is the house that people often visit for barkah. At this place the authorities have built a bookstore. It is located at the place at the back of Safa Marwa where a closed bookstore used to be…

To walk in the footsteps of Muhammad Swallallahou `Alaihi Wasallam is an ibaadah. Simply because Ibn Umar ra and other Sahabahs were doing this. But given that no one among the stars of the Sahabahs has celebrated the birth of the prophet SAW, then it is neither sunnah nor ibaadah. It was after six centuries that Abu Sa`eed Muzafaruddeen (d. 630 hijri) started the practice of milad. Hafiz Ibn Hajar ra described Abu Sa`eed as a liar, a proud man and does not respect the Ulama ancestors. (Lisanul Mizaan)

The saddest Monday in history.

According to the majority of opinions, it was on a Monday, the 12th Rabi`ul Awal, 11th Hijri year, that the prophet Swallallahou` Alaihi Wasallam left this world around 9:30 am (Chaast time). (Asadul Ghabah of Aisha ra) But It is also reported from Mustadrak Hakim under the authority of Abu `Ubeida that it was Monday 2nd Rabi`ul Awal. Hazrat Ibn Abaas said that after the verse “Today I have perfected your religion…” revealed in Arafah, the prophet SAW lived 81 days. From this calculation, it is the 2nd Rabi`ul Awal that the prophet SAW left this world. (Baihaqi)

Like birth, there are diverged opinions on the date of the last breath. But the authentic hadiths of Muslim and Bukhari are unanimous that it was on a Monday that the Prophet was born, it was a Monday that the Prophet obtained the first revelation, it was a Monday that the Prophet arrived in Madinah and it is on a Monday that the prophet left this world. This is why he fasted on Mondays. (Sahih Muslim) So let us fast on Mondays and Thursdays following the sunnah of the prophet SAW (Nassai).

The Mission of Prophet SAW

Reported from Bukhari that after confirming Prophet SAW’s last breath, Abu Bakr ra climbed the mimbar to read this verse in the esplanade agony of Sahabahs’: ‘Muhammad is only a messenger – messengers before him have passed -. If he died, then, or if he was killed, then would you go back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his heels will in no way harm Allah; and Allah will soon reward the grateful.’ (3:144) And then he said: ‘Whoever used to pray Muhammad, well he is dead. And whoever used to pray Allah Ta`ala, then He is alive and will never die.” Relaying to the ummah that the effort of Prophet Muhammad SAW continues even after his death.

Mufti Mackoojee