| by Rfiai Naleemi.
( October 8, 2012, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Muslim and Non-Muslim historians are puzzled
at the rapid expansion of Muslim empire at the hands of Prophet Muhammad and
his followers since 7 century. How did this
illiterate prophet get power and influence to mobilise his followers so rapidly
and so speedily from that the scorching desert of Arabia.
He succeeded in this great human
revolution with very little human and material resources in a short span of
time. No human revolution is equal to this revolution in human history. La
martin- A famous French philosopher and poet notes that Prophet Muhammad was
one of the greatest successful personalities of this world: He argues that
three dimensions of prophetic mission illustrate its success: namely greatness
of purpose in mission, smallest of means in his mission and yet outstanding
result at the end.
He says that “if we take three aspects into
consideration, none other can equal Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W): his lack of
equipment, his speed in success, and the greatness in his aim. A man emerges
and presents an invitation, while equipped with the least power and support,
not even from his close friends and family who in fact turn against him as his enemies.
He emerges alone, without a companion or colleague, and begins his mission from
self, until others gradually come to accept the message. They joined him while
bearing difficult prosecutions and troubles”.
Let us now
examine these three aspects. Let us examine the material means of this prophet
who accomplish this great revolution. What was the economic background of this Great
Prophet? What was the family background of this prophet? Prophet Muhammad was born as an orphan. While
his natural mother Amina was around two month of her pregnancy his father
Abdulla died. While he was just 6 years
old his mother died. It was Grandfather Abul Mutalib who cared for the child
and looked after him. Prophet Muhammad was breast fed by a lady called Halima. It was reported that the child
stayed with Halima’s fostering care until he became 6 years old. This was done
in accordance with Arab traditions and customs. What was the wisdom with such traditions?
The main reason for such fostering practice was to provide the children with
healthy physical and intellectual development during the early childhood
period. It is believed that Bedouin fostering
bring many health benefits for the children and protect them from lethal
diseases.
Whatever wisdom behind this practice, it
was recorded in Islamic history that Prophet Muhammad had a privilege of having
healthy childhood in a foster care under Halima. The rearing of this child not
only graces the Hamila and her family but the entire BANI SA’D valley was
blessed and graced with the arrival of this child. It was reported that barren
lands became fertile lands because of this child’s presence at this valley.
Divine grace and blessing abundantly descended on this part of Arabian Peninsula with the presence of this child among
this tribe.
For some divine wisdom that
Almighty Allah knows, Allah made Prophet Muhammad as an orphan in his
childhood. He is described as a “Matchless Orphan Pearl” in humanity by some
historians. This fact has been very clearly demonstrated
in the Holy Quran:
(Your Load shall give you,
and you shall be satisfied. Did He not find you an orphan and shelter you? Did
He not find you needy and suffice you? As for the orphan, do not oppress him,
and as for the beggar, scold him not) (93: 5-6, 8-10)
Why prophet was not born into a big family of Arabia or was not
hailed from a rich and affluent family of Arabia? Why not he comes from ruling elites of Arabia at that time? So that he could have accomplished
his mission with support and help of his people with power vested on him. Yet,
prophet was born as an orphan. What is the wisdom and philosophy behind this
orphan hood of this child? Why Almighty made him an orphan and what is the
logic and rationale behind such divine plan?
Some scholars have shed light on the orphanage-hood o f beloved
prophet. Some argue that this was not an accidental incident rather that Allah
made him orphan for some divine wisdom. They argue that Prophet Muhammad was
brought up with a special divine care. A Turkish Islamic scholar M. Fethullah
Gulen argues that it is divine wisdom that Allah wanted to firmly implant seeds
of unshakable faith in the heart of Prophet Muhammad in his childhood and for
that he made him an orphan. For that matter from his childhood he would be
solely reliant on Almighty Allah for every thing in his life.
Gulen says that “ His
father ‘Abd Allah died before he was born, which meant that he had to put all
his trust in God and submit completely to Him. He visited his father’s tomb in Medina years later, cried
his heart out, and on his return said: “ I wept for my father and entreated God
to forgive him”. With the death of his father, God deprived him of all human
support and directed him to the realization that there is no deity but God, who
has no partners. His grandfather and uncle protected him to some extent, but he
came to perceive that his real guardian was God. Behind every phenomenon and
every cause and effect, he could discern the hands of the Single Creator of the
universe and of causes. The Oneness of God would be manifested to him in the
light of Divine Unity. That is, he would be tested in this world of wisdom,
where material causes and means have a part in every attainment, and so would
have to use necessary material causes and means and take all necessary measures
to attain anything. He would have to depend wholly on his Lord and ask Him for
any help, thereby demonstrating that only God creates the result and give
success.” (M. F. Gulen: P.6) However, some other scholars such as sheikh M.
al-Ghazali and S.R.Al-Buyooti note that it was divine wisdom that Prophet
Muhammad was made an orphan. That divine wisdom might be that this “matchless
orphan pearl” should not have any parental influence in his prophet hood and
mission. Had his father been alive he
would have influenced his son’s thought and attitudes with his materialistic
ambitions. Moreover, his grandfather Abdul Muttalib hailed from a respected
tribe. He had a prominent status in his
society. He was entrusted with the
custodianship of the scared places in Mecca.
These worldly influences should not permeate the personality and mission of the
prophet and for that reason he may have been an orphan. Allah made him an orphan so that no parental
or tribal influence permeates Prophet Muhammad at any stage of his life from
his childhood. It was divine care and guardianship that protected him from any
materialistic, political or leadership ambition otherwise people may have
claimed that Prophet had these materialistic ambitions in his claim to be
prophet hood. Thus, So that sacredness
and purity of prophet hood could be preserved and sealed from any twist with
some of these worldly ambitions: Rather
it is Almighty Allah choose whoever he wants for the sacred position of prophet
hood. It was a divine choice that Almighty Allah made him the seal of prophet
hood and sent him as Mercy to Humanity and nothing else elevated this orphan
into this most sacred and high position
on earth. (M.Ghazali. P.62, S.R.al-Buyooti. PP 61-62)
He was
a matchless orphan Pearl that changed the
density of humanity in the 6 century in this scorching sand of Arabia. The birth of this matchless orphan pearl changed
the destination and direction of humanity from being most barbaric and
uncivilized community into most pious and most God fearing people. He did this
not through mighty military power of F15 military jets or by the support of a
huge army rather by the help of divine guidance with little bit of human
resources in that barren land
of Arabia.
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