PHP and you welcome to another episode of Islam and focus. I’m your host for today’s program, Ahmed Rashid. I have joining me as my guest on the program, Dr. Jamal Badawi of St. Mary’s University of the Jamal Assalamu alaikum. Today we have our 35th program in our series dealing with Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him the last messenger of a lot. More specifically, in today’s program, we’ll be touching on the second segment dealing with the birth in early childhood. Brother jamala. wonder if I could have you at the beginning of today’s program just very quickly, for the benefit of our viewers summarize the main points that we touched on in last week’s program. Sure, we continued last
time to describe some of the unusual events that took place before or at the time of the birth of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, and also discuss the approach and how such reports could be evaluated. Secondly, we touched briefly on the lineage of the Prophet. And we said, it’s certain to go back to Ishmael, the son of Prophet Abraham, and that it was from another family. And that the nobility of lineage in Stan is immaterial, really, because Islam looks at humans as equal. But of course, it was a good and helping factors in removing other excuses that these people could launch against him and against his mission.
We also indicated that despite of the inability of the lineage of the Prophet, he seemed to be identified with those who suffer from the very beginning as his father died while he was still even born, in the womb of his mother, that he was born in the year 571, in the coming year, or the year of the elephant. And we also mentioned how the name Muhammad was given to him.
And we also indicated that there is one report that there were only three people known to have had the name before him,
when their parents knew that there is a prophet to come with that name. And finally, we concluded that as chifa Campbell has sent another week suggests that this report must be verified, technically, because anyone who heard the name Mohamad really found it rather unusual and strange. So that report itself even is not certain as to whether anyone even was getting that means the phone to pick up on that point about the possibility that there may have been people who had had the name from Muhammad before Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon, even if we accept this report is as being valid, would it have any bearing on the identity of the way the prophet in your view? No, I don’t
think so. Because all it means if the report is correct, is that the name was very rare. But even that report itself says that the very reason that those people are those parents give me the name Muhammad to their children. And the fact that they heard that there is a profit to come in that name. So that does not negate actually, it actually proves more, that there was a profit in that name was supposed to come. And for these three persons even were given the name Muhammad, as you know, there should be no confusion because none of them had have had any impact on history. And none of the eating claimed to be that profit. Yes. So obviously, the right handed is quite easily
discernible and identified. On the other hand, also we should realize that Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him also had other names, one of which is met. And we don’t know if any person will have had that name before him. And both Mohammed and hushmat come from the from the same route, according to Buhari, which is the main source of saying of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him under a section that says what was mentioned about the names of the Prophet. It quotes the Prophet himself as saying, I have five names. He says, I am Muhammad.
And he says I am and Mahi Mahi means basically the Eradicator in a sense that God will eradicate this belief through my mission. The first one, he says I am and hash hashes. The neat the closest thing I could think of English would be the assembler.
And he explained assembler in the sense that he will be resurrected first and people will be resurrecting after him after him or following him. So in that sense, he is called an hashish, the fifth and arkad and a lot of also mean the closest meaning would be successor. successor means the one who came after all prophets and that no other prophet is going to come after him.
But in any case,
the name is obviously an important one.
No other person is ever reported to have had the name also, which is another name for the past. like have you comment on the significance of that? What do you what is the significance of the NY in a mock matters is significant. Okay to begin with, it’s logically speaking terms of the lexical meaning and the origin of the word the root. Both Muhammad and Ahmed can be translated, the Praiseworthy is one who’s deserving of praise. And actually the both of them come from the Arabic Root Mean, condemn equivalent in English and sound, at least to etch MD. Yes, HMT, Atma hermetic and both can come from it.
The basic difference really, even though it boasts means they both mean praise, that one, as some interpreted praised on Earth, Mohammed Yes, as mud means praised in heavens is another interpret that also within the rules of the Arabic language, that is what they call as the superlative form. Yes, most praised, you might say, but both of them really have basically the same meaning. But the other point of interest here is that in the Quran, in Surah, number 61, passage number six, it quotes Prophet Jesus peace be upon him as saying that I came to give glad news of a prophet who is yet to come after me, his name being met. And that’s an interesting match. You know, the names in
some previous programs also, we discussed the gospel that has been, of course, not accepted as one of the canonized one, the Gospel of Barnabas, in which again, there are clear quotations referring to the coming of Muhammad, maybe the translators took praise, to mean that covenant of Mohammed, which is the same as Ahmed anyway. And the point, again, to emphasize here that nobody else have had that name before and nobody ever had the combination of being called both Muhammad, and Muhammad. So in that sense, it’s quite significant in the prophecies about the weighted price.
Some people have argued or suggested that Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him, change his name to Muhammad,
in order to do to make the claim that he was the one that was foretold in the in the Bible.
How would you respond to somebody who made that that argument? I know it has been moved by some orientalist to begin with, there’s not the slightest evidence
that
indicate that Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him has ever chosen that name for him. Old, consistent and authentic reports is that this name was given to him at the time of his birth. Nor is there any evidence that he had had another name. And then 40 years down the line when he became a prophet, after 40 years, started adopting a name he was named none. And you did the static analysis, always referring to Mohammed even before he became a prophet.
His
nickname as it was known also as me in the trustworthy for the honest, which brings to mind as we indicated in that previous program, the term spirit of tourists about whom Jesus speaks, that the spirit of source is coming after me to guide you there have been different interpretation. But it’s interesting because the spirit is through us is the closest to I mean, the best way, because he’s so truthful and honest that he is the spirit of choice. Yes.
We mentioned also that the name that was given to the Prophet, according to all reports, was getting by his grandfather.
And whether his grandfather’s was hoping that this child would be the Prophet expected or not, it doesn’t really affect it at all, because nobody has any doubt Now, as far as their employment, and many have had that impact on history, another hand. Also, there are numerous additional science that we discussed in previous programs in detail, which shows again, that this indeed is the one that was expected. So it’s not an isolated thing that he was called by that name. But they see brother hammock the most interesting part about those who raise this argument that they say, Alright, the prophet adopted that name, in order to prove to the people who expected from the scriptures like the
Christian and Jewish scripture, that there is a prophet yet to come by the name of Mohammed, does that mean then that they believe or accept that there were at least some manuscripts available of the Jewish or Christian scriptures, which spoke about the coming of Mohammed by name? And if they admit that, as its implicitly implies, from the point they raise, could they tell us then who is the real Muhammad is that the Bible speaks about who can you claim to be a prophet
claim to receive divine revelation and indeed change the whole
face of history and really had a great deal of positive impact on humanity. This is the interesting part. I mean, the premise doesn’t seem to be carried to the logical conclusion. But I must say, however, that the consistency between the name of Muhammad Ahmed, and the names and the descriptions in the profile that we have discussed in great detail in previous programs, in all word scriptures, not only into their Christian scriptures, seem to make it quite clear that Prophet Muhammad, indeed, was the long awaited prophet foretold by nonprofits in the past.
shift our discussion into another area now if I could, and that is some examination of the early childhood of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. I’m sure there must be information that’s available on this early period of his life as well. Yes, indeed, in fact, as just to build on what we have mentioned in a previous program, we mentioned previously that his father died while he was still in the womb of his mother, and how his grandfather took him after Burson make
circumambulation around the cabin and then brought him to his mother so we can catch up from there. Shortly after the birth of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, as was the custom was some of the noble families in
the tribe of the Prophet. He was sent with a woman and nursing mothers, not the biological mother, the nursing mothers are settling whether by the name of Halima vinters, is a Saudia
in order to be settled by harsh in their particular bedwin settlement. The choice of that woman in particular was quite interesting. According to Anwar Petit, who is one of the most important biographers and historians, he said that 10 women 10 women from that tribe, then
came to Mecca in order to pick some infants to second in.
And since Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him at that time, of course, was orphaned because his father died already.
All other mothers, this nursing mothers rejected Him, they did not want to take an orphan really, and finally
Halima, that lady was left without any infant to take back with her. So after consulting with her husband,
they decided that, all right, instead of going back empty handed, let me take that force, orphan child with me.
That actually reminds me, by the way,
from the Old Testament and New Testament statements about the stone that was rejected by the builders becoming the cornerstone, yes. And it happens, it might have happened with Jesus thing that happened with Mohammed happened with Ishmael. Yes, but sometimes the one who was rejected Allah comes to be the one who’s very crucial and world history. But in any case, the reports really seem to indicate that that child that initially rejected child turns out to be the most precious child, indeed, two questions that I want to raise on this practice of suckling by outsiders. First, of course, the question of rejection, why did the ladies reject the infant Mohammed to the end? And
secondly, does that relate to the fact that or how does that relate to the fact that he was an orphan, okay, to begin with, you know, these nursing mothers, or suckling mothers, were not really receptive to the idea of being hired as such, for a few years to finish the child. Actually, they used to have a proverb, tomato tomahto letter couldn’t be said he had a difficult to translate but the closest meaning that say, a free woman would rather die than live on her breasts, which means use her breasts to feed the children and get money out. The breast should not be used as a source of universal commercial source of income or something that
you might say, of course, like legitimately, but what motivate them to take the shovel and come and take the essence and nourish them know the benefits of that, but not in direct fees. First of all, while they did not accept any fields, they did accept gifts from us when it was expected that the parents of the child would give gifts as a result of looking after his his infant. It’s unspecified, but it’s usually something that’s consistent with the wealth and ability and generosity of course of the of the parents. The second benefit that they get also, is that to take infants from mobile families like this,
strengthen the bond of family relationships. So those simple bedwin people would be proud that they have contacts with such and such big families they have already second the family
Sent? Yes. In fact, if they have children, then their children and the children of the crocheted family, the novel families become like brothers in cycling. Yes. So they become like mothers in cycling for them. So that is good socially, in general. So how does that then relate to the fact that Prophet Muhammad was an orphan? Well, from the standpoint of those suckling mothers, an orphan was not particularly attractive, because after all, they would not expect as much gifts, or valuable gifts as when the father of the child is living, and somebody else was getting them. And secondly, again, even though he comes from another family is still a noble family with the father of the child
is still alive, is a much more attractive proposition than an orphan. You know, it’s like the the Prophet. So that’s basically the first question what you said you have a second one on the industry. Another question, and I guess most people will ask, Well, why shouldn’t the biological mother of the child cycle him? Why did he discuss them of having something mother’s can exist at all? Okay, I must say to begin with that this was not something unique in the case of the prophet or those 10 infants, for example, at the time, but this was the practice of the inability
in Mecca itself. As to what the reasons are, some people have given some weaker reasons as a partial partial reasons. In my humble opinion, they are not very strong. Some, for example, it’s speculated that this could be to free the mother for her husband, so that you can devote time with the child being, you know, with some other suckling mothers to look after someone related that to the mother of the Prophet, Muhammad peace be upon him, Amina his biological mother, because they say because of her grief, her husband died when she was pregnant, that perhaps she probably would not have had sufficient milk to look after the child. But I think the more the stronger reasons, I’ve been able
to discern from reading the various references and that is that the herbs believed that raising a child in the desert,
of course, Mecca was part of the desert, but this was a urban urban area, it was a very important trade center. And as such, the purity of the
the cow it was, of course, much more. I mean, the COVID was much more the purity was less as compared with the open desert. In the desert, you have pure air, you have sunshine, and they believe that this is very good for the early upbringing of the child in terms of health and strength.
On the other hand, also they believe that the quiet and open environment in less than less crowded areas, is quite good psychologically, because it sharpens the child’s talents and abilities becomes more eloquent,
linguistically, and in many respects, get used to living under
difficult circumstances which is good for the for the child, especially a boy of course, yes. And all of this would enhance this the purity of innate nature. And in fact, this were very effective. In the case of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him to be in good physical health to be eloquent to
inculcates those qualities of straightforwardness and openness that doesn’t seem to to provide which was very helpful in his position as a prophet. So we have the the profit, especially, despite the fact that he’s an orphan taken off by Halima for cycling. How long did the Prophet stay with the one for the first time he stayed according to evolution, the first famous biographer of the Prophet for about two years, until he was weaned. And after that, Halima went back to his mother and tried to convince her to persuade her that she should leave him with her for a longer period is the open reason she gets to her is that she said, Amina the mother of the Prophet. I am afraid, you know, if
I bring Mohammed to you, that he might be affected by the Epidemics that sometimes come into Makkah because you know, as I said, center people traveling back and forth,
and that the the fresh clean air in the desert is better for him and so on. So she kept persuading his mother, of course, his mother wanted him but she kept persuading her, she allowed her to keep him for some more time. That was the declared reason. But in fact, Halima had
a number of other good reasons why she wanted to keep Muhammad peace be upon him for a longer pay. First of all, according to a nation, it seems that even the first time when Halima came with the other women to pick infants for suckling
she
edited that in the night, you know when they were camping and waiting in the night before that her own natural sun Halina sun or Mohammed’s brother suckling, was crying a lot because Halima did not have sufficient, you know, milk for him, they were in a difficult situation financially.
The donkey that she came riding on, was reported to be a very weak, you know, one. And she had also a camel, she came in with her. And, you know, the ABS used to drink also the candy coming back. And she kind of did not have almost like, very little, but she was still hoping somehow that some relief may be forthcoming.
Now, as soon as she took the infant hammered with her on a piece of paper and him as an infant,
all of a sudden, she noted that
the, as soon as she started, suckling him, her breasts with awful with milk. But the amazing thing that this happened even before she started drinking herself, or tasting food, which of course can be explained by logically, but that’s that was not the case immediately, as soon as he started cycling, there was lots of milk, that was good enough for him and for his brother and second hit on biological son, and that Amistad. And then they noted again, that the chemists, the others of their chicken, was all of a sudden full of milk. Juice, he said, that was the happiest night that they had for a long time, there was enough milk for her to drink Halima for her husband. And there was plenty
of milk also to second, both the children and then when they started going back to their
residential area in the desert.
All of a sudden, people also noted that the s or the donkey, that animal was writing was really moving very strong and almost getting ahead of all of the other elements. And they start to generate for us Halima, which for us. Isn’t that the same? A donkey that you You came on before? She said yes, should you There must be something strange about it. But that did not even stop on what happened on their way back. When she went back. At that time, there was a very big challenge.
And people who have things like sheep or Kamins, chicken with a song had very little milk that they could you know, get from from these goats or cannons. But again, all of a sudden, she noted that hair particular goats or camels are full
of
men that is a full of men to the point that some other people around her kept telling their children take your your goats to where the gods of Halima grace, because there must be something there. But she definitely had that distinction over all of them with that plenty. So she felt there’s something peculiar something strange about that particular infant from moment one that she took him. There was a great deal of blessing unusual that she noted. So maybe that was perhaps the reason why she wanted to keep that source of blessing with her for a longer period of time.
I understand that. There was a an incident that that scared Helene is, well, could you tell us something about the circumstances of that? Yes, indeed. That’s a very good observation. And in fact, that was the reason why, even though
Amina someone’s mother allowed, you know, had to take him back. Shortly after that she had to bring him back. This is known as the incident of shampoo Southern Arabic, which actually literally English means something like splitting of the chest, or opening of the chest. Now to begin with, I make a reference to the most important reference to that the definition is volume on the biography of the Prophet, the oldest, most trustworthy.
He says narrating from what Halima herself said that one time, doesn’t have a peace be upon him as a small child. Over two, there have been differences of opinion whether it was two or close to four. But definitely it was more than two, but probably maximum for as a small child. He was playing in the back yard of their residence or where they were living along with his brothers and suckling, the son of Halima.
And all of a sudden, there’s biological son
came rushing to her to Halima scared
and he said, let us
That crocheted brother of mine.
The there are two men with white claws who came and they led him on the ground. They split up in his abdomen, and they are moving him,
apparently so that he was killed. Yes, you know.
Halima said that she rushed with her husband out very quickly
to see what’s happening. And then she found infant or little child, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon standing there, with his face quite pale.
And she said, then I rushed to him.
And I hugged him. My husband also hugged him and say, son, what, what’s,
what happened? What’s wrong?
He answered the Prophet. He says, I don’t know, he said, but there are two people who came who are wearing quite garments, they put me on the ground, they split up in my abdomen, and as if they took something from inside and throw it, and say, This is the share of Satan in you,
you know, that means he symbolically will be purified from any influence of Satan. This is the shadow of Satan from you. And then they returned as it was.
At that time, Halima went back home, to discuss the matter with her husband, and her husband said Halima,
you better take the child back to his family. I am afraid that there’s something wrong with him. He might have been touched by something we don’t know. Yes. So before this, things appear. He should take him back to his marriage.
And they returned
back to his mother, when they return the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him at all. His biological mother, did they make any mention of this the circumstances or tell Muhammad’s mother? What about what had happened? Yes, according to many historical references that yes, it happened. Some of those references include a copy of Nicosia and others, but not initially, and the conversation went like this. Now Halima is coming with a little child that had bad luck with her.
And as soon as his mother Amina saw them coming, she told her, what brought you back, you can nursing mothers recycling mother’s
nursing mother, even though you were telling me sometimes back that you should you want to keep him longer. You were very interested in getting what what brought you back. And Halima said, Well, you know, he’s grown up now.
I have already fulfilled my responsibility. And I was afraid I was, you know, worried that something may happen to him, so I thought I should bring vegan back to you, as you like.
Amina, was quite suspicious, didn’t believe that. She’s no, no, no, no. That’s not your case. That’s not what’s happened. Tell me the truth. What happened? And she said, Honey, I said that. Mohammed’s mother kept insisting on her to tell her what happened. And finally, Halima gave up and started, she told her what happened to him. So Amina looked at him and said, What are you really afraid on him from Satan?
Halima said yes. Because of course, that was unrealistic. Because I’d be Satan said yes, I was afraid. So I mean, I said no.
by the name of God, Satan has nothing to do or have no prominence or control over this person. That son of mine son in cycling, would have a very great future. Maybe can stop it.
After a time, we’ll come back next week. Perhaps we’ll continue our discussion on the early childhood. We want to thank you for being our guest today and invite you back next week. Assalamu alaikum peace be unto you.
