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The Prophet’s trip to Sham
Among a number of stories, we may refer to a very famous one which has been accepted by almost all historians and biographers of the Prophet. The story of his first trip to Sham alongside his uncle Abu Talib explains how the monk Bahira foretold the coming apostleship of the Prophet. According to Ibn Ishaq the story went like this: "He (Bahira) saw the Apostle of God in the caravan when they approached, with a cloud over-shadowing him among the people. Then they came and stopped in the shadow of a tree near the monk. He looked at the cloud when it over-shadowed the tree, and its branches were bending and drooping over the apostle of God until he was in the shadow beneath it."[78] After Bahira saw this extraordinary event he stared at the Prophet closely "finding traces of his description (in the Christian books)." He asked him many questions, "and what the apostle of God told him coincided with what Bahira knew of his description."2 Here the monk foretold the prophethood of the Prophet and he advised Abu Talib to "guard him carefully against the Jews, for by Allah! if they see him and know about him what I know, they will do him evil; a great future lies before this nephew of yours, so take him home quickly."[79]
Summarizing Comments
1. The dispute surrounding the date of the Prophet's birth is a result of the differences between the hadith and sira sources from both Sunni and Shi'i sects.
2. One should be very cautious and careful about the unusual events narrated and associated with the Prophet's birth. On the whole, the narratives which imply such extraordinary events indicate the possibility that there might have been something unusual about Amina's pregnancy or delivery. They show that like some other prophets' births,[80] the birth of Muhammad also was accompanied by miraculous events. These extraordinary events may have functioned as signs for Muhammad's prophethood. Narratives that correspond to the life of the Prophet before his mission illustrate that his prophecy never occurred accidentally or by chance. Rather, many things had taken place to gradually establish the doctrine of his apostleship from God. One may express the same attitude in the case of the extraordinary events which happened surrounding the birth of the Prophet. In short, they might be regarded as irhas, a kind of foretelling or prophecy. Such stories are related of previous prophets, and need not contradict the supposition that the Prophet's life was human through and through.
3. In regard to the story of the Prophet's nursing, if it is accepted that it was the practice of Makkan aristocracy to ask for nurses for their children, then on what basis do some biographers argue that Muhammad was spurned because of his orphanhood and his poverty? Basically, if Muhammad was offered to foster-mothers, it indicates that he was from Makkan aristocracy. And if this was so, how could he have been refused by any wet-nurse to whom he was offered, especially when it is obvious that his grandfather was well-known among all the tribes for his generosity, honor and mastership of the Quraysh?[81] It is also said that the Prophet's inheritance from his father 'Abdullah was more than enough for having a foster-mother: at least five camels, a flock of sheep, a sword, and some money. Thus, the reason that Muhammad was nursed by Halima Sa'diya was that he did not accept the breasts of any woman to whom he was offered, except those of Halima. When she put him to her bosom to suckle him, the Quraysh infant surprisingly grasped his foster-mother's breasts, and this made his family very cheerful. 'Abd al-Muttalib then asked Halima: "Which tribe do you belong to?" And she answered: "I am from Banu Sa 'd." He asked her name, and she said that her name was Halima. 'Abd al-Muttalib became very happy and said: "Excellent, excellent! Two praised and valuable attributes, salvation (sa'd - sa'ada) and patience (hilm). Good tidings to you Halima for having these excellent characteristics that imply eternal happiness and glory![82]
4. concerning the story of the splitting the Prophet's chest, we realize that the story is untrue and unreasonable, and also destructive to the personality of the Prophet.
5. Regarding the 'sacrilegious war' as an offensive one, we deny the Prophet's participation in it, for this war broke the holiness of the sacred months, the fact that was always observed by the Prophet and his uncle Abu Talib, the master of Quraysh. This is why later on such a pre-Islamic social custom was affirmed by Islam, and Muslims were asked not to fight during the sacred months.
6. Biographers speak of the Prophet's first trip to Sham. They "tell how the monk recognized in Muhammad the signs of prophethood as told in Christian books."[83] The monk informed the Prophet's uncle Abu Talib that his nephew would be an apostle of Allah.[84] Certainly such a prophecy refers to something extraordinary in the life of the Prophet, and is neither denied nor ignored by most biographers. This event assured Abu Talib that Muhammad would be a messenger of God. [85]
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Notes:
[1] Cf. Rasuli, Tarikh, Vol. 1, p. 107.
[2] Ibn Hisham, al-Sira al-Nabawiya, 1st edition, edited by ‘Umar ‘Abd al-Salam Tadmuri (Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-‘Arabi, 1987),Vol. 1, pp. 183-184 ; Ya‘qubi, Tarikh Ya ‘qubi, Farsi translation by Muhammad Ibrahim Ayati (Tehran),Vol. 1, p. 385. There are very few historians who suggest a date other than the Year of the Elephant. They allege that it was a few years before the occurrence of the Elephant. For instance, al-Maqrizi in his book Imta‘ al-Asma ‘, refers to several opinions which concern the year of the birth. He mentions that the ideas differ from fifteen years before to forty years after the Year of the Elephant. al-Maqrizi himself gives preference to what the majority says, that is the Year of the Elephant. See: Rasuli, Tarikh, Vol. 1, footnote, pp. 107-108, from al-Maqrizi, Vol. 1, pp. 3-4.
[3] Haykal, Hayat, p. 108 ; Murtada, Al-Sahih , Vol. 1, p. 78.
[4] As Majlisi indicates, the ‘ulama of the Imami school agree that the birth of the Prophet occurred on Friday, the seventeenth of Rabi‘ al-Awwal. However, most of their fellow Sunnis maintain that it took place on Monday, the twelfth, although some insist on the eighth, and others on the tenth of that month, and yet a few others declare that it happened in the month of Ramadan. Majlisi, The Life and Religion of Muhammad, English Translation of Hayat al-Qolub, Vol. 2, by James L. Merrick (1982), p. 34
[5] al-Kulayni, (d. 939/ 940)a well known Shi‘i tranditionist of the 4th Muslim century, in his al-Kafi, al-Usul wa al-Rawda, Vol. 7, p. 131 (Mawlid al-Nabi), agrees with the Sunni position that the Prophet was born on the 12th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal. However, he mentions that it was on Friday and not on Monday, as Sunni tradition says.
[6] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 78. Majlisi, in his Bihar after differentiating between the two Sunni and Shi‘i traditions, says that among Shi‘a it was al-Kulayni who selected, either intentionally or because of taqiya, what the Sunni tradition advocates. See: Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, (Beirut: al-Wafa’, 1983), Vol. 15, p. 248.
[7] Haykal, Hayat, p. 109.
[8] Haykal, The Life, p. 48.
[9] Ibn Hisham, al-Sira, Vol. 1, p. 183 ; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wal-Nihaya, edited by Ahmad Abu Muslim et al. (Beirut: al-Turath al-‘Arabi, 1980), Vol. 2, pp. 242-243 ; al-Maqrizi, Imta‘ al-Asma‘, edited by Mahmud Muhammad Shakir (Cairo: 1941), Vol. 1, pp. 3-4
[10] Ibid.
[11] al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, al-Usul val-Rawda, edited by Ghaffari (Tehran: al-Maktaba al-Islamiyya, 1962), Vol. 7, p. 131 ; Majlisi, Bihar, Vol. 15, p. 248, etc.
[12] One of the Iraqi Shi‘i biographers in Baghdad who died in 1293. He wrote his book, Kashf al- Ghumma fî Ma‘rifat al-A’imma, on the biography of the Prophet and the Shi‘i Imams.
[13] Murtada, al-Sahiih, Vol. 1, p. 79, citing al-Irbili, Kashf, 2nd edition (Beirut: Dar al-Adwa’, 1985), Vol. 1, p. 14.
[14] Haykal, The Life, pp. 47 and 51.
[15] For details see: Ibn Ishaq, The life of Muhammad, translated by A. Guillaume (London-New York-Tronto: Oxford University Press, 1955), p. 69; Al-Tabari. Tarikh, Vol. 2, p. 156. It is also narrated by Shi‘i scholars. For instance, see: al-Saduq, Ikmal al-Din wa Itmam al-Ni‘ma (Najaf: 1970), pp. 189-190 ; al-Irbili, Kashf, Vol. 1, pp. 20-21.
[16] Ibn Ishaq, The Life, pp. 71-72 ; Haykal, The Life, p. 49 ; Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 81.
[17] Ibn Ishaq, The Life, p. 71.
[18] Ibid., p. 71.
[19] Haykal, The Life, p. 49.
[20] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 81.
[21] al-Irbili, Kashf, Vol. 1, p. 15; Murtada, Al-Sahih, v.1, p. 81. Ya‘qubi in his history says that the death of ‘Abdullah happened two months after the Prophet’s birth. He refutes the suggestion that the former’s death was before the birth of the Prophet. He further argues that consensus is established upon the first opinion that the father died after his son’s birth, to the extent of even one year after the Prophet’s birth, as some historians believe. See: Ya‘qubi, Tarikh, Vol. 2, p. 362.
[22] Majlisi, Bihar, Vol. 15, p. 125 ; Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 81. In short, as Ibn Athir mentions, the date of ‘Abdullah’s death is a controversial subject among the historians. See: Ibn Athir, Usd al-Ghaba, Vol. 1, p. 20
[23] See: Rasuli, Tarikh, Vol. 1, p. 182.
[24] Cf. Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 81 ; Subhani, Furugh Abadiyat, 8th edition (Qum: 1993), Vol. 1, p. 160.
[25] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 81 ; Haykal, The Life, p. 49.
[26] Haykal, The Life, p. 48. See also: Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 81.
[27] Haykal, p. 49 ; Murtada, Vol. 1, p. 88.
[28] Haykal. p. 52 ; Murtada, Vol. 1, pp. 81-82.
[29] Ibn Ishaq, The Life, p. 72 ; Haykal, The Life, p. 52.
[30] Haykal, The Life, pp. 51-52 ; Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 82.
[31] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 82.
[32] Cf. Haykal, Hayat, p. 110 ; Ibn Athir, Usd al-Ghaba, Vol. 1, p. 21. See: al-Tabari, Tarikh, Vol. 2, p, 159 ; Majlisi, Bihar, Vol. 15, p. 401 and Rasuli, Tarikh, Vol. 1, pp. 183-184.
[33] Ibn Ishaq, The Life, p. 72.
[34] Ibn Athir, Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 1, p. 21.
[35] al-Tabari, Tarikh , Vol. 2, p. 159.
[36] Haykal, Hayat, p. 110.
[37] Ibn Ishaq, The Life, pp. 71-72.
[38] Muslim, Sahih, Vol. 1, pp. 165-166, Hadith 261 ; Murtada, Al-Sahih, v.1, pp. 82-83.
[39] Haykal, The Life, pp. 50-51.
[40] Muir, The Life, pp. 6-7 ; Haykal, The Life, p. 51.
[41] The Qur’an, 94 : 1-2.
[42] Haykal, The Life, p. 51. Dermenghem states that "a wholly mystical operation, the opening and cleansing of a heart destined to receive without reserve and transmit faithfully the divine message, thus bearing the heavy burden of its mission." He then continues that "The cleansing of the heart takes a well-known place in mystic symbolism. Dermenghem, The Life, pp. 32-33.
[43] Haykal, The Life, p. 51.
[44] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, pp. 83-84.
[45] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 84, citing al-BuÕi, Fiqh al-Sira, pp. 62-63.
[46] Ibid., citing Haykal Hayat, p. 111.
[47] Ibid., citing Tabataba’i, al-Mizan, Vol. 13, pp. 32-33, citing al-Tabarsi, "Majma ‘ al-Bayan", Vol. 3, p. 395.
[48] Ibid., pp. 84 & 87-88.
[49] Dermenghem, The Life, p. 33.
[50] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, pp. 88-89 ; Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani, al-Aghani, Vol. 4. pp. 132-135.
[51] Ibn Ishaq, The Life, p. 73. See: Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 85.
[52] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 85.
[53] Ibid.
[54] Ibid., pp. 85-86.
[55] Halabi in his Sira maintains that it was only the Prophet of Islam who was operated in this way. By this al-Halabi considers such an operation as an increase in the Prophet’s excellency and honor. See: al-Halabi, al-Sira, Vol. 1, p. 167.
[56] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 86.
[57] The Qur’an, 16 : 99.
[58] Ibid., 17 : 65.
[59] Ibid., 15 : 39-40.
[60] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 87.
[61] Majlisi, Bihar, Vol. 15, pp. 349-357. Rabbani, the commentator of Bihar indicates that there is no need to confirm the excellent character of the Prophet through such an extraordinary and miraculous event. Ibid., Footnote # 2.
[62] Most of the Muslim commentators believe that there are four sacred months and they are as follows: Dhu al-qacda, Dhu al-Hijja, Muharram, and Rajab.
[63] Ibn Ishaq, The Life, p. 822. Also see: haykal, The Life, p. 56 & Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 95.
[64] Haykal, The Life, p. 57. Also see: Ibn hisham, al-Sira, Vol. 1, p. 210.
[65] Ibid., p. 57.
[66] Ibn Hisham, al-Sira, Vol. 1, p. 208.
[67] Ibid., p. 211 ; Ibn Ishaq, The Life, p. 82.
[68] haykal, The Life, p. 57.
[69] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 95.
[70] Since this natural conclusion seems clear to Murtada, he does not mention it at the end of his first argument.
[71] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, pp. 95-96, citing al-Ya ‘qubi, Tarikh, Vol. 2, p. 371.
[72] Ibid., p. 96, citing Ibn Hisham, al-Sira, Vol. 1, p. 210.
[73] Ibid., citing al-Halabi, al-Sira, Vol. 1, p. 207.
[74] Ibid., citing al-Halabi, al-Sira, Vol. 1, p. 208.
[75] Ibid., citing Ibn Hisham, al-Sira, Vol. 1, pp. 208, 211.
[76] Ibid., pp. 96-97.
[77] Ibid., p. 97.
[78] Ibn Ishaq, The Life, p. 80.
[79] Ibid., p. 81.
[80] As it is depicted in the Qur’an, the births of the prophets like ‘Isa Ibn Maryam’, ‘Yahya Ibn Zakariya, etc. were accompanied by some miracles and extraordinary events. See: The Qur’an, 19 : 7-33.
[81] Cf. Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 125.
[82] See: Ibn Athir, Usd al-Ghaba, Vol. 1, p. 21 ; Rasuli, Tarikh, Vol. 1, p. 182 ; Majlisi, Bihar, Vol. 15. p. 125 & 442 ; Sobhani, Furugh , Vol. 1, p. 160 ; Halabi, Sira, Vol. 1, p. 147.
[83] Haykal, The Life, p. 54.
[84] Murtada, Al-Sahih, Vol. 1, p. 91.
[85] "They will ask you about fighting during the hallowed month. Say: ‘Fighting therein is a great (transgression), while obstructing God’s way, disbelief in Him and the Hallowed Mosque’, " The Qur’an, 2: 217.
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