Salaam and heartiest congratulations to you all on a very auspicious day, which in fact could be called a glorious Eid of Islam, since it was on the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal when the Messenger with the universal mission, foretold by all prophets of the past in different eras and different areas of the world, was born in Mecca exactly 1490 lunar years ago. Please stay with us for a special feature on the birth anniversary of Seal of Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny).
“O People of the Book! Certainly Our Prophet has come to you, clarifying for you much of what you used to hide of the Book, and excusing many [an offense of yours]. Certainly there has come to you a light from Allah, and a Manifest Book.”
What you heard was ayah 15 of Surah al-Ma’edah of the holy Qur’an that gives tidings of the Last and Greatest Messenger of God with the universal mission of Islam, regarding whom God says in ayah 107 of Surah al-Anbiya:
“We did not send you, but as Mercy unto the [entire] creation”
The skeptics, both among the followers of other creeds and those who claim to be Muslims, might raise eyebrows or might object to our use of the word “Eid of Islam” for the Prophet’s auspicious birthday, because their hearts have yet to be enlightened by the Celestial Light of which the Prophet of Islam was created. They try to belittle the significance of this blessed day because their minds have no idea of the greatness of the Prophet of Islam, his monotheist descent from Adam, and the fact that he is the very first created being. The Prophet himself says in a famous hadith: “The first thing God created was my Light.”
Those still in doubt are advised to refer to the authentic books of hadith and history, which testify that on his birth, a dazzling light appeared on the horizon of Mecca, and the idols installed by the pagan Arabs in Abraham’s monotheistic edifice, the Holy Ka’ba, fell head long. This is something logical and among the divine portents accompanying the birth of the chosen onesof God who do not come unannounced as ordinary mortals. All those following any of the Abrahamic creeds, will vouch that the birth of Prophet Abraham (AS) was something awaited and expected, whether by the virtuous Mesopotamians, who looked for salvation or whether by the vicious like Nimrod, who out of fear tried in vain to prevent his birth. The same are the circumstances leading to the birth of Prophet Moses (AS), whose mission was foretold, both by the Israelites looking forward to deliverance, and by the soothsayers of the terrified tyrant Pharaoh, who launched a massacre of the newborns in a bid to avert the inevitable.
No Islamic scholar will deny these facts, and neither the divine signs that accompanied the birth of Prophet Jesus (AS).Regarding the birth of the Virgin-born Messiah, the Gospels of the Christians say that a bright star appeared on the horizon, and was followed by a group of wise men from the east (that is, Persia or modern day Iran), who followed it to Palestine to pay homage to the brilliant baby – the same infant in the cradle, who according to the holy Qur’an stupefied the doubting Israelites by saying in clear words, as mentioned by God in Ayah 30 of Surah 19:
“Indeed I am the servant of Allah! He has given me the Book and made me a prophet.”
Anyone denying these miraculous words of the Son of Mary, is undoubtedly a disbeliever, and outside the pale of Islam, as all denominations of Islam unanimously opine. So how come, some of these same denominations think that the Seal of all Divine Messengers, the Excellent Exemplar to mankind, the Most Perfect Ever Person created by God, and the only Prophet invited to the highest point in the ethereal heavens,was born in obscurity, without any heavenly signs accompanying his birth? How could the celebration of his birthday as an Islamic Eid be considered “haraam” and “bad’a” or harmful innovation?
On closer scrutiny we see that these are nothing but the plots of the enemies of Islam, and in fact the residue of the polytheist Arabs who although they became Muslims reluctantly later in life, had spared no efforts to extinguish the light of the Prophet of Islam and to murder him. Fie on such faithless persons. This is ample proof of their lack of true faith. It means they know little about the Prophet and nothing about the dynamism of Islam, because whatever they claim to know about religion is not from the authentic sources. Instead of trying to disrupt the atmosphere of peace and harmony between the Sunni and Shi’a Muslims regarding the annual birth anniversary celebrations of the Prophet, they should rather learn about his pure and pristine Sunnah and Seerah, that is behaviour or practice. It means that the Islam they claim to follow is akin to Christianity, which is the creed of Paul the Hellenized Jews, and not the purely monotheistic message of Jesus the Prophet of God. Violence, terrorism, abuse of women, massacre of children, destruction of the cultural heritage of mankind, and burning of libraries, is not part of the legacy of Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). He came to guide all mankind towards prosperity and healthy way of life and salvation in afterlife. He was sent by God to build bridges of harmony among nations and not to destroy it, as the Takfiris and the so-called Jihadis are doing, with the support of certain reactionary Arab regimes that are in cohorts with the archenemies of Islam, that is, the US and the illegal Zionist entity.
Thus, in order to ensure that the message of the Last and Greatest of His Messengers will be everlasting, God commanded the spotlessly pure Prophet to bequeath Islam and his immortal legacy to the Ahl al-Bayt, or his unsullied progeny. Perhaps that is the reason God decreed that the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal, the day of the Prophet of Islam’s birth, should also be the day of the birthday of his 6th Infallible Successor, exactly 136 lunar years later. No wonder, Imam Ja’far as-Sadeq (AS), so thoroughly revived the Shari’ah of his ancestor in those days of the false Omayyad and Abbasid caliphs that till this day the genuine Fiqh or jurisprudence of the Prophet is known as “Fiqh al-Ja’faria”.
Thus, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) remains the finest example of a perfect man in every sense of the term. He was a paragon of virtue and is the Best Exemplar for the human race. The Almighty distinguished him from all and sundry by instilling in his sublime personality such fine qualities as modesty, truthfulness, kindness, patience, loyalty, honesty, courage, bravery, generosity, magnanimity, wisdom and the like. By studying his lofty character and the amazingly simple life he led with his household, companions, wives and others, we are apt to learn valuable lessons from his conduct and accordingly mould our own lifestyle.
Our society could never be an Islamic one unless we sincerely tread the footsteps of Allah's final Messenger to mankind, heed his sayings, observe his glorious actions and attitudes, and most important of all follow them, as the faithful among his companions did.In short, Allah the most Glorious enjoins upon us to take the Prophet's behaviour as an example, because he guides us to virtue and righteousness, as mentioned in ayah 21 of Surah Ahzaab:
“Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the latter day and remembers Allah much.”
The Prophet of Islam was punctual, active and energetic, and led an orderly life in the strict sense of the word. His day was divided into four periods:
1. A time for worship.2. A time for his household, during which he behaved like any ordinary family-man giving the finest example of social behaviour.3. A time for rest and contemplation.4. A time for public affairs such as receiving Muslims, looking into their needs and requirements, answering their questions, teaching them the tenets of Islam and expounding to them the glorious ayahs of the Holy Qur'an.
Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) was the supreme example of a family man. He was a loving husband, an affectionate father and a doting grandfather. As long as the faithful Khadija was alive, he never took another wife for 25 years of marital bliss. Even later on in life, when he had married several women, he used to cherish the loving memory of the faithful Khadija.His marriages were not for pleasure, but were a humanitarian means to further the cause of Islam, as is evident from the women he married.In the case of Sawda, Umm Salama and Zainab bint Khuzaima, it was to take care of poor and helpless widows well in their middle-ages, while the marriage to Juwairiyah was to grant her freedom from captivity.Still others such as those to Umm Habiba, Safiya, Ayeisha, Hafsa and Maimoona were meant for uniting some prominent Arab tribes, who were often at loggerheads with each other, and also to safeguard the internal political status of the new-found Islamic State. In short, the philosophy behind his marriages was entirely revolutionary and ushered in positive changes in ignorant Arabia.
The Prophet was an affectionate father and his only surviving child, daughter Fatemah (peace upon her), was dearer to him than life. His famous Hadith: “Fatemah is a part of me, and whoever annoys her (in fact) annoys me,” stands as a firm testimony to this fact. History is a witness that he used to stand up to greet his daughter. Many prominent and wealthy Arabs had approached him for Fatimah's hand, but he politely refused them, and according to divine commandment married her to his faithful cousin, Imam Ali (AS).Hence Hazrath Fatemah and Imam Ali (peace upon them) were the parents of his two grandsons Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace upon them); through whom the continuity of the Prophet's noble progeny has been ensured. They were the apple of his eyes and he affectionately doted on them. They used to play with him and accompany him to the mosque. Once when the two grandsons were seated on his shoulders, a companion remarked: “What an excellent mount.” to which the Prophet retorted: “What excellent riders too.”
Thus, the Prophet’s behaviour with his illustrious Ahlul Bayt (household) is a lesson for us. It was not blind love of a doting father or grandfather as some may misinterpret but was something divinely ordained as is clear from several verses of the Holy Qur'an. Therefore, it is obligatory for all Muslims to love and respect his chosen family, and adhere to their radiant path, which is the only way to save the Ummah from pitfalls.
Here are some of his sayings’
“Blessed be my people for their early rising up.”
“Too much sleep does away with both religion and the world.”
“O People, you have certain (special) characteristics, so get to (emphasise) them and you have an end, so get to (be prepared for) it..., a servant of Allah should take (make provisions) for himself from his self: from his world (life) for his hereafter, during his youth before his old age, and in life before death. By the One in whose hand is Muhammad's soul, after death there will be no blaming and after this world there is nothing except Paradise or Hell.”
Here we present you a tribute in verse to the Prophet by Iran’s English language poet, Dr. Hassan Najafi”
In a long deep slumber was the universe
Vice clouded virtue, blessing overshadowed curse.
Ignorance blanketed the world casting darkness,
Arabian Peninsula too wasn’t exempted of this darkness.
Such an environment demanded a change
North orsouth, east to west, to be its range,
Arabia, Persia, Rome, Indiaand China were all dens of slaves,
Where the rich exploited the poor and went to dishonourable graves,
Rough, poor,envious, rancorous, ungovernable
The sons of desert burnt in its fire inextinguishable.
View them from the window of history how they appear
A strange land, even gods are bartered here.
War in each breast, rancour on each brow
How unlike are the Sons of deserts, Lo!
Desert in oasis wept, blowing sands confest
In that despair no hope flourished in any breast.
The civilized nations were also nothing but decoy
The hearts kept asking:Where is the real joy?
Only in Muhammad the answer was found
Ahmad of the Heavenly Scriptures to plough the flinty ground,
His birth made idols fall headlong,
Extinguished the Fire of the Zoroastrians, kindled so long,
The world of nature celebrated this joyous Eid,
Spring gushed in Iraq’s Samawah, the land to feed,
Crack appeared in the arch of the palace of the king of kings,
Anushirvan bewildered, soothsayers at a loss to predict things,
When Islam in a deluge burst with majestic sway
Their arrogance, their fire, their idols, their trinity rolled away.
To all you became dear, congenial to each heart
A native charm, to wonder at the Divine Art,
Vain transitory splendours could not all
Hold the tottering mansion of idols from fall.
With many a dexterous effortless stroke
The idols, trinity, and fire, into thousand fragments you broke.
You when in streets rolling clouds above you spread
Eternal sunshine settled on your head.
So hard a labour you underwent with its strains
Your holier Name with God’s alone remains.
Among prophets none other than you journeyed beyond the skies
God invited you to see the unseen by your own eyes.
Nearer than two arches you stood by the Celestial Throne
Even angels not allowed here, and would definitely drown.
A beauteous union appears at length
Of Muhammad’s candour, and Ali’s strength,
He your vicegerent by Divine Command
In Ghadeer you proclaimed God’s Demand
Your glowing thought still warms the human mind
Eyes behold you as Chief of Prophets so kind
See how we feel when in fancy emerges his form,
The Mercy unto the creation is Muhammad’s charm.
