Leo, welcome to another episode of Islam and focus. I’m your host hombre Rashid. Today we have our 37th programming our series being Muhammad, the last messenger of Allah. Today we’ll have our four segments dealing with the birth and early childhood of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon them. Very happy to have joining me on the program is usual. Dr. Jamal Badawi of St. Mary’s University, brother Jamal, have some electronics. To update our viewers, could I have you very quickly perhaps summarize the main points that we touched on last week, yes, surely must be renewed with the segments on the early childhood and birth. And our main focus actually was on the event known as the
splitting of the chest, which happened for the first time when the Prophet peace be upon him was a little over two years old when he was with his second mother.
And he also indicated that this incident was repeated also, in other times in his life in different occasions, have indicated that, because the event appears to be rather unusual, or miraculous, if some people want to call it this way that some people try to dismiss it as a possible exaggeration. We’ll discuss some of those reasons for objections, and we did not find them to be really well grounded, that the report was authentic was reported in many very authentic references. And it was also repeated is not just an isolated event. Next to that, we move to what happened to the Prophet after he was returned to his mother’s natural mother’s Amina, and he said basically, that he lived
with her until about five years old. But during that period, apparently, he was taken once in a while, by his cycling mother, probably intermittently, at the age of six, his mother died. And then his, his grandfather
took custody of the child. But again, within two years, he died, and the custody moved on to the uncle of the Prophet about time.
Going back to the period that Muhammad was under the custody of his grandfather, could you give us an idea of how long of a period it was and what was the nature of their relationship, when the custody with his with his grandfather’s lasted for about two years, that’s from the age of six after the death of his mother, to the age of eight, as well as the relationship it was excellent was very good. In fact, there is some indication that Muhammad’s grandfather’s
somehow felt that this child is different from others, that there’s some signs of a child who has a great deal in store for the future.
And one indication that some historians refer to is that his grandfather
used to have a special place where he sits near the camera might say, a matter of special place for him. And one of his children could sit in that spot. And that’s fine. However, when Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him as a child, wanted to sit there and the other children tried to keep him away. His grandfather said, No, no, no, leave him, Leave him.
Leave my son, in his grandson, with my son, for there’s something great in store for him. And he let him sit by him compassionately. Pat on his on his back, and watch with great joy and happiness. You’re what the prophet as a small child, of course, is doing. And in fact, at the time when
I will totally say I’m part of the grandfather of the Prophet was dying, he made a very strong key to the servant
of his deceased mother, the mother of Prophet Muhammad, known as a moment, he says, Look after him. And he says that the people of the book are claiming that this one will be the profit for this nation that was reported in advocacy is also reported in a recent reference by Abu Zubaydah. So this was the kind of relationship and the kind of anticipation that his grandfather had about his future.
Now, I think he mentioned that after his grandfather died, that I think was his uncle into custody of Muhammad. How was it determined that the uncle should be the one who would have cost him one, while the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him had several Jenkins?
There seem to be two probably reasons why ibotenic in particular, was the one who was chosen.
First of all, both Abu Talib and Abdullah the father of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
We’re both full brothers knives from the same mother and father. Yes. So that could possibly be one reason the closeness.
The second possible reason is that the anchor of the Prophet, this particular anchor, about Thailand, was very much respected by his people. And somehow he seemed to be like the logical successor
of his father, maybe that’s his own father, as the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
But in any case, the appears to be some divine plan, that the Prophet would grow in the custody of that particular anchor, because that uncle loved him so much. And when the profit started his mission, he was very instrumental in trying to protect him and defend him against assault of the of the pagans. Even though that uncontrived as an unbeliever, that’s the, you know, the dilemma and the matter.
It is quite possible that his feelings and love of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him as a child,
might have been prompted by what he observed
in the childhood of that
child, when you say might have been influenced by what he observed, what can you explain a little bit what you meant about what you mean. But what he observed is,
like the grandfather of Mohammed Abu Salah, also his uncle noted that his behavior was quite different from what you would expect from children in his age, his behavior that seems to show dignity and self denial. one instance that we find, for example, in historical references is that
I’ve had so many children. And when the food was served, you’d expect of course, when hungry children, everybody project executive, wouldn’t just try to start eating. And he noted that Prophet Muhammad used to shy away from just racing for food. And many times he would not have much to eat even. Because he doesn’t want just to join the other children in this rush for food, to the point that his uncle sometimes used to have pity on him, and try to separate some food for him to make sure that he’s got enough to eat. So this seemed to have enforced the idea in the mind of his uncle that this will behavior on the part of a child and that age seemed to indicate that he’s not like
any other child.
There was also a story of a man who once came to Mecca. And this man was famous of his ability to predict the future of children by just examining them closely. So they brought Prophet Muhammad is they wanted him to him, he looked at him, and then he got busy with something that meant
after he finished, he started saying, return that child, to me return that choice to me, it affects the Prophet. And his uncon noted that this man was very, very interested in him, and he was afraid, you know, so he, he hit him.
So this man kept saying, return the child, because in the name of God, there is something great in store for that child. So this is actually more than one indication
might have prompted his uncle, to feel that this child is really quite different.
I think it’s obvious to all of our viewers that have been following the program to this point that the Early life of the Prophet was a life of suffering, he learned the loss of both of his parents, and then of course, the loss of his grandfather.
Is there any significance in your view to that? In my humble understanding, then there are there have been some scholars also who had the same view that this might have been possibly a part of a divine plan to prepare him for his mission. Of course, nobody can claim that he or she knows what the divine wisdom behind any particular action or upbringing that the Prophet was exposed to. But for example, from Adam, as early in his book about Sara says that after all, Prophethood is a gift.
And that gifts after all, is not contingent on the presence or absence of parents.
In fact, we can examine the stories of previous prophets prior to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him find some similarity. Prophet, Moses, for example, he was deprived from living in the midst of his family. Exactly, and his people actually was raised in the house of his enemy, the Pharaoh. But then still, he came as a prominent prophet. Prophet Joseph, also was taken away from his family as you know the famous story known in the readers of the Bible and is taken away. He was deprived from his father, mother brothers.
But still, he came back as a prophet. So it was not his father who made him a prophet, or taught him to be a prophet. It was a divine gift given to the to this children of these prophets.
Sheikh Mohammed Abu Salah also adds or emphasize more, that this kind of upbringing of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him without the benefit of learning from his father or even his grandfather, because his grandfather, even though he was wise men and women, he died only two years after the Prophet came under his custody. And this kind of upbringing is sufficient to remove any doubt that his prophethood was something which was taught either by his by his father or grandfather. Dr. Khalid also suggests that a person who is confronted in his early life with the loss of his parents, is placed in a situation where he has to grow up as an independent person,
he would be stronger in facing the realities and difficulties of life, he would have more for parents in dealing with the problem that he might encounter later in his life. And all of these qualities, or qualities which are very much relevant and needed, for a person who was chosen by God to guide the rest of humanity. There isn’t one race there. Many people say what you’ve said, There seems to be quite reasonable. However, some might wonder about the negative effect psychologically, that is of the loss of a parent so early in a child’s life. How would you How would you respond to that so of course, you cannot make a very broad generalization because it’s quite true, like you
said that, in some cases, it could be a negative influence psychologically on the child. But for sure, this was not the case of the Prophet, there was no negative influence from that, to begin with, the prophets and messengers of God are specially prepared by God Himself to carry this role, or to carry that responsibility. And God is able, of course, to protect them from any negative aspect that might influence their personality in a way that would be inconsistent with their role.
We mentioned for example, the case of Prophet Moses, the case of Prophet Joseph, all of the negative elements in their early lives did not affect their personality, and still, they were both prominent.
In the case of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, we find that
there were also compensating forces that prevented this negative aspect, or difficulties in his life from affecting him. It is true that he lost his parents early. However, he was always raised among those who loved him so dearly.
Beginning with even before the death of his mother, with his suckling, mother’s Halina, both had him and her husband loved him so dearly,
partly because of his qualities and character, and partly because of the blessing that his presence with them, brought to them, we discuss that in a previous program. But even after his mother died, he was returned back by Baraka. An ad from Ethiopian has a man who was a servant for his mother. And that lady also loved him so dearly. And she tried somehow to console him and give him the love and affection that he needed because of the loss of his mother. In fact, we can say, as Shabbos reflects, that this might have been even a positive thing that shows how the prophet in early childhood, relate it to all kinds of people. He had a mother who was a city dweller, his natural
mother. And then he had a mother who was a bedwin, haleema, the suckling mother, he had what you might call a white mother’s eminence. And then he had also a black mother’s, the Ethiopian Baraka.
So in one sense, he was raised to relate to all these kind of people or kind of backgrounds, in a way that would be very much relevant to his role as a universal prophet for all mankind. Dr. Hammer the defendant also adds that we can take a lesson also from this, for anyone who’s an orphan, that you should not
reduce in failure to anyone else. Here is a man or a child who was raised as an orphan, yet he became the greatest prophet in human history. So if that could happen to an orphan, then anyone who was in that position should never feel despair in failure, or that he should always he or she should strive. Because after all, we know that not every person, have his parents with him until he grows up and there are lots of people who have this tragic loss of one or both parents in the early childhood and they
should know that Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him.
grew up in a relatively modest, non influenced situation, even though his family, of course, was one of the novel families of the time. Is there any particular significance to this, in your view, one has any comment on this, and he says that if a person is raised in too much affluence, and prosperity, there is a likelihood or at least the possibility that the person may be spoiled, and unable to carry responsibility. Like they say he’s born with a golden spoon in his mouth.
But even if the person is not spoiled, it is very difficult for a person who was raised in affluence to really get the feeling or to have the empathy or sympathy of the feeling of those who are poor and needy. A person may have mercy in his heart or your heart. But unless one really suffers and goes through hunger and difficulties, who would not appreciate that? And that just reminded me with the famous story of Marie Antoinette, yes. And when she noted that there were lots of people demonstrating outside demanding something. So she’s asking, what are those people asking for? And she was told, they said, they want bread, they can find bread. She’s alright, if they can find
bread, let them eat cakes.
Well, of course, she’s a very me central mark, but she could not perceive that somebody so hungry, that he can find bread and water conservatives in take you.
On the other hand, a person who experienced the suffering and pains of people,
by his nature would be more sensitive, please to expect it to would be a person who hastens to soothe, and help those who are injured or oppressed. And the Quran, in fact, refers to that in Surah, number 93, especially in verse six, addressing Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, God says in the Quran, and let me educate him and for our did he not that God, did he not find you an orphan, and give you shelters. And we find that sensitivity is reflected also, in the words of the Prophet, Muhammad peace be upon him as a prophet, one of his saying, he said,
me, and anyone who sponsors or supports an orphan, are like that. And he pointed with his fingers, that he would be so close to me, like these two fingers are to each other in Paradise, he first opposer also noted that this kind of modest upbringing, in the material sense,
went also hand in hand with, like you said earlier, the nobility of the family of the Prophet. So on one hand, the prophet had this identification with those who are poor, and needy, but without also the kind of feeling of hatred towards those who are rich, because many of the numbers have so many words, which is, so that you have this balance. And that also is a reminder to us, that nobility is not totally contingent on wealth, a person could be poor could be simple in terms of financial means, but it is the inability of characters and originality
that really counts not the wealth itself as the only way to,
to classify people,
this kind of analysis seem to have some historical support. And we find that the Prophet peace be upon him was very sensitive to those who are, you know, poor, the weak and the vulnerable, in particular.
This In addition, that’s in addition to this kind of humble upbringing,
seen also to an extreme finish, or what we call today, the work ethics.
Because if a person is raised in a family, which is not very rich, you would have to support himself, he would have to develop an attitude of independence and seeking some kind of provision and earning a living. And that’s a virtue in itself.
For example, you’ll notice that the in the early days even as a young person, the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him noted that his uncle Abu Talib was not a very well to do, as we said before, and he had many children who were his dependent. And out of that sensitivity, the prophet SAW that he should help. And from his early days, he started even to engage in modest trade, and also as a shepherd,
which is a very interesting function, a type of work which combines between earning a living and inculcating in him the qualities which are quite relevant to his function and mission, as a prophet and messenger of God. Want to pick up on that last point in asking
why this type of working
Have you noticed being a shepherd? How it’s related to the property? Well, I must observe at the beginning that many prophets not only Prophet Mohammed, many prophets actually had something common in their life, that in one stage or the other, they worked as shepherds,
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him as narrated both in Buhari and in the history of eminence.
He says that there is no prophet except that he acted or worked as a shepherd. So he was asked, and even new messenger of God, that’s referring to Prophet Muhammad, he said, Even me, there have been reports actually, that even in the early days of the life of the Prophet, even as a small child, with his suckling mother Halima, that he also
acted as a shepherd. That seems to indicate, as we indicated earlier, that probably after he was returned to his mother, when he was a little over two years, he must have gone intermittently with Halina because you can’t imagine a child who was less than three years old, you know, think much of it as a shepherd. So probably that was in the intermittent visits.
But this kind of, of job, as a shepherd is very relevant, I believe, to the history of the Prophets, and the mission. And that’s why you might notice that in the religious language or religious sense, sometimes a prophet is referred to as a shepherd. Yes. Because they seem to be some analogy between being a shepherd shepherd and the, the prostitute. Can I have you perhaps, develop that point or comment a little bit, a little greater detail on that point? What What is the nature of that analogy? One to begin with, let us examine what does the shepherd do what what qualities you know, he must possess.
To begin with a shepherd is someone who should feel a deep sense of responsibility and concern for all the herd that’s under his, his supervision, to provide for their nourishment, to defend them against wolves, the hall robbers or other dangerous
the shepherd also is someone who is particularly kind, to the weak and vulnerable, you have this typical picture of a shepherd carrying the very small, you know, sheep, or lambs. He’s particularly sensitive to the the weaker parts of the herd, or the pregnant, you know.
Furthermore, a shepherd also is someone who needs to combine between some degree of firmness, so that the herd does not go away and scatter and get into some danger. But also he has to depend on motivation and love, to keep the sheep not with cruelty and threat. Now, if we were to compare this with the
analogy with the position of a prophet to find some beautiful similarities there, to begin with, the prophet must also have a deep sense of concern, a deep sense of responsibility towards his hurt his head here, with the either the people of that profit or in the case of Prophet Muhammad, being the universal must profit for all a sense of responsibility for the whole of humanity and concern for the whole humanity. Secondly, we talked about safeguarding and helping the the hurt, yes.
So is the role of the prophet to protect mankind from the human woods, if you were to call it this way. The robbers, robbers not only material it could also be Robert spiritually, will try to confuse people in the spiritual matter in the matter of creed. And as such, he safeguard these people, the humanity from big, getting lost in the matters of creed, and bring them to the purity of monotheism and the worship of the one true God of all.
Thirdly, we mentioned also about the shepherd being responsible for nourishment of is heard. In the case of a prophet, at least we can speak about the spiritual nourishment that mankind needs to be given. He might call the real life, spiritual life, not just the material. But also,
as we said before, he has to have the feeling of compassion, especially for the weak and vulnerable. That’s the case of the shepherd. And that also applies as well to the Prophet for his job is not only to provide the spiritual nourishment, but even the physical nourishment. He is responsible to try his best as a prophet to establish social justice right here on Earth, not just in the hereafter right here. On Earth, he is responsible for that. He is responsible for the minimizing if not removal of human suffering.
Not just to preach, and let the tyrants run the show, and call all the shots.
Also, we find that the case of some prophets, like David, Solomon, Moses, and Mohammed, peace be upon them all, we find that they combined in their cage, between the JT of being a prophet, and also a statesman, to meet the people. And that, again requires the ability to lead people, the ability to be firm, but without resorting to unnecessary threat, punishment, or violence, to motivate the people. And on that particular point, I found that very nice deflection by Dr. Raja cozy in his book on Sierra, when he says that a politician, not in the negative sense for some time, the term for politicians tend to be negative, but leaders in the political sense, good leaders must know how to
deal with the strong and the weak, with the strong by dealing with them in fairness, so that they don’t exploit others, but without unnecessary violence, and dealing with the weak, with patients with love with kindness, but again, without getting too far so as to lose track of the orders in society.
A politician or a good politician, who also is someone who is able to relate to people not just to be living in some ivory tower, and the function of a shipper, which requires the person to go out of town, in the open the desert, and that gives him an opportunity to intermingle with a class of people, or poor people, the shepherds are not necessarily the legislators, so as to know their problems, their concerns and really relate to them very closely, doctor, and both he and Dr. subra also added one point by saying that a shepherd as a job also teaches the person to be independent, and to try to earn his living. And this is a good lesson for anyone who is in the process of helping
or communicating this the Word of God inviting people to the path of God, that it is that much better, if possible at all, that he should not depend upon people’s charities or payments for his living, if it’s possible for the person to earn his living, but in the meantime, become a religious scholars to do his job and his duty free of charge only for the sake of pleasing God, it is much better and much more preferable. This are just a few humble reflections that I gathered and tries to amplify a little bit about the relationship between the job of a shepherd and Prophethood and why many prophets eveland Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them all, were shepherds. At one point in the
light, it’s this kind of qualities that seemed to to be inculcated through the job of a shepherd, various employees. Furthermore, I want to thank you for a very interesting program and unfortunately our time for today is gone. I want to thank you for watching and invite you back next week and we’ll continue our series dealing with Prophet Mohammed Assalamu alaikum peace be unto you
