Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) has become
parentless from both sides: paternally and maternally, for he
spent five years in the lap of his breast – feeder: Halimah
Al-Sadiyah till a time came to find himself under the care and
protection of his grandfather Abdul-Muttalib who had been
refusing to worship idols but he is convinced in worshipping the
One, Unified God (Glory be to Him) though he has been present and
grown up in a polytheist environment where the people used to
worship idols and that it was not only his grandfather who
refused to worship idols , the whole march of Muhammad's creation
and growth had not been established but in the lofty backs of the
prophets who fought paganism and called for the One unified God
and this is what the historical sources alluded to and confirmed
by the holy Quran " Who sees you O Muhammad! when you stand up
alone at night for establishing prayers." (Al-Shuara:
218).
But as for the state of orphanage
which he has lived through, it has been satisfactory enough to
form, out of him, a personality and make him ready to be highly
qualified to resist the challenges which were about to encounter
him in his personal and religious life that made him express
about this state of aptitude saying:" My Lord has brought me up
in a highly perfect way."
The stages of his education have
witnessed a spectrum of misfortunes and mishaps which developed
in him the makings of a unique and a matchless man since his
early childhood and the care and the protection of the Creator
were not out of reach as to what the Prophet was really passing
through and the extent of what he was suffering from harm and
misconduct of his community and this state of being is confirmed
in the holy Quran: "Did He not find you (O Muhammad) an orphan
and give you a refuge?" (Al-Duha: 6).
Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) with his
grandfather: (Abdul-Muttalib)
Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) has won a
great position in his grandfather's sight (Abdul-Muttalib) which
no one of his sons nor his highly regarded grandsons among
Quraish community have gained such esteem like him. Ibn Katheer
in his book (Al-Seerah Al-Nabawiyah) that Abdul-Muttalib used to
sit in the yard of Al- Kaaba on a rug that stretched for him,
surrounded by Quraishi men of great status and prestige; so, if
his eyes fell on his grandson, Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) he used to
order some to let him get closer to him and seat Muhammad beside
him with due awe and respect on his special carpet. This
initiative has contributed much to the noble character of
Muhammad who was enveloped with a halo of sanctity from his
grandfather since his early childhood, distinguishing him from
his peers and equals.
Muhammad and his uncle Abu - Talib
(P.B.U.H.)
At the age of eight, he lost his
grandfather and care-taker Abdul-Muttalib. Muhammad's sorrow for
the loss of this affectionate and kind grandfather was not less
than his sorrow for the loss of his passionate mother and even he
wept hard while he was proceeding along the coffin of his
grandfather till his last destination.
Before the death of Abdul-Muttalib
he was sent to Abu Talib who had been Abdullah's brother, namely,
Muhammad's father: paternally and maternally and even at the last
moments of his death Muhammad was attending those crucial moments
at his grandfather's death bed Abdul-Muttalib at the hour when he
turned to his uncle Abu Talib who was for the time being in a
state of weeping over him addressing him saying:
"O Abu Talib, take good care of
this only one who didn't smell the odor of his father nor did he
taste the affection of his mother. Look, Abu Talib! Let him
be in the position of your body to your liver because I left all
my children uncared for if compared with him and I recommend him
to you because you are the maternal uncle with regard to him. O
Aba Talib! If you could catch up with his time, know then that I
have been the most brilliant figure among the people and the most
knowledgeable among them as well.
So, if you could follow him, do
it; and safeguard him by your tongue, your hand and your property
because verily, and by Allah I swear that he will be the chief
and the leader among you and that he will possess what no other
of my fathers have got.O Aba Talib! I know not anyone of your
forefathers would have grieved and lamented over the death of his
father nor over the state of his mother than what he did over his
mother; therefore, keep him safe for his loneliness."
In those critical and immensely
difficult times through which Abdul- Muttalib Abdul-Muttalib had
passed made him decide to make a covenant with Abi Talib to care
about Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and said to him: " Did you accept my
recommendation about him at which Abu Talib, in reply, has said:
" Yes, I accept " and I bear witness to Allah that I would keep
my covenant with you." At this, Abdul-Muttalib has said: "He
extended his hand to him and put his hand in his and Abdul-
Muttalib said: "Now death has alleviated and appeased me a
little.
"Although Abu Talib was a poor man
he was one of the noblest men of Quraish and the most benevolent
one because he accepted to hold the responsibility of undertaking
the task of looking after Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) who, in this task
was assisted by his wife who all bore witness for her well-known
sagacity, righteousness and faith who namely is Fatimah bint
Asad.
They both were favoring him with
food and garments and they were ordering their own children not
to start eating before Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) had been present at
the table at lunch time or supper time. They used to tell their
children:
"Wait and be as you are till my
son comes and thus, Muhammad comes then and all eat
together."
Sat -
23 Sha’ban 1446H -
