Episode 2: A Spotlight on His Youth صلى الله عليه وسلم

Various Scholars

  • Categories: Biography of the Prophet -

Episode 2: A Spotlight on His Youth صلى الله عليه وسلم

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon said: The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has lived his youth like any other young man in Mecca. He didn't stand out from them in the least; for he was the little child who has grown up as an orphan; May my father and my mother shed their lives for him  and peace be upon him.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: In the ensuing years, Young Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم became a shepherd, looking after flocks for men in Mecca. Such profession prepared him for the Prophecy and bearing the message of Islam.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: and it had been the grace and mercy of Allah upon the prophet to become a herdsman; as it taught him how to rule and tend to people.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: The prophet said about himself: Allaah did not send any prophet but he shepherded sheep." [Al-Bukhaari]

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: and it's explicitly clear that being a herdsman gave him an invaluable opportunity to acquire such superior human characteristics; that would benefit him صلى الله عليه وسلم in leading the Ummah later on, as grazing cattle demand one's generosity, good temper, tolerance and continuous moving from one place to another. Such indispensible qualities of a Prophet who's attending to the whole Ummah and bearing the Islam message was to be his sole responsibility.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: Grazing Cattle taught the prophet forbearance, calmness, kindness, humility and solemnity, so that to face unrestrained obstinate people later on, whom may curse him, beat him and even choke him صلى الله عليه وسلم

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: Perhaps, it was because this line of work that involves dealing with animals imbued the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with tolerance (and indeed he was so tolerant), self confidence, patience and some of the most needed qualities to carry out his mission among the people later on.

(Faithfulness is such a rare treasure, a quality with which Allah has distinguished his prophet by it since early childhood, to become his trustworthy messenger)

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: The people wished to deal with him and dearly loved him, for he صلى الله عليه وسلم was known for his uttermost kindness; acquiring the infamous title "Muhammad, the truthful and Trustworthy"

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: and then he became involved in trading with Al-Saad ibn Abi Al-Saad, contributing to the trade with a capital of his own; and what an excellent partner he was صلى الله عليه وسلم, never to urge or dispute over money.

Sheikh: He would go with Al-Saad on business trips to Ash-Shaam (now known as all Syria, Jordan Lebanon and Palestine), and even after the prophecy the prophet never forgot about him; as it's proved so after Mecca conquest, for he greeted him then with "Welcome my old brother and good partner".

Sheikh Ali Paqees: Just when he reached 25 years old, his renowned reputation reached Khadija bent Khowayled.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon:  Khadija bent Khowayled was a business noblewoman in Mecca, excessively rich, sending business trips and caravans to Ash-Shaam.  Not only did she hire the most proficient of men but also the most trustworthy and honest among them. When she heard about the incomparable honesty of the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم she offered him to be her employee and commercial operations' manager.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: She offered him a share in her trade, and sent him to As-Shaam with her slave whom name was Maysara. The later was inseparable from the prophet, watching him closely; admiring his very good manners and wise decisions.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: Those good manners and matchless wisdom was not feigned, for those were indeed the prophet's natural manners and superb qualities.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: While the prophet and Maysarah on their way back from Syria to Mecca; the prophet slept in the shade of a tree. A Syrian monk came afterwards asking "who is that young man who slept beneath that tree?", he was told that he's Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, just then he swore by Allah that "None other than a Prophet is sitting beneath that tree".

Sheikh Ali Paqees:  Khadijah’s trade yielded large profits and Maysarah told her what he had witnessed of the prophet's noble manners. Also he told her about the magnificent incidents he saw, the cloud that shaded the prophet as well as his many other virtues manifested during this journey

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas:  Maysarah also mentioned to her the excessive nobility and trustworthiness of the prophet, how he kindly treat and deal with others, how thrifty was his ways to preserve her money so it won't go to no avail or dissipate, he attested that he was indeed like no other man. Those qualities and dear praising convinced Khadija that the prophet was the right man to run her trade.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: Khadija the excessively rich noblewoman of pedigree

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: A well mannered, beautiful, admirable and sedate composed woman

Sheikh Ali Paqees:  Ever since Khadijah had become a widow, the prominent men in Mecca asked for her hand, but she kept refusing one after the other. But, Khadijah (May Allah be pleased with her) found in the prophet the qualities of her ideal husband, at last she had homed at her target, even though at that time she was forty years old and he was a young man of twenty five.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: Khadijah shared those thoughts with Nafisah, who was her close friend and whom she always trusted with her secrets

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: She told her about her wish to marry Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and asked her to approach and ask him if he was interested in marriage. Not sooner than she asked, had Nafisah gone to break that good news to the prophet and ask if he was interested.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: and the prophet accepted صلى الله عليه وسلم

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: He requested his uncles, Abu Talib and Hamza to go to Khadijah’s uncle and ask for her hand in marriage. Consequently they got married. The Prophet who was known as 'Muhammad, the Trustworthy' married Khadijah who was known as 'The Pure One', a marriage which its fruit was a virtuous distinguished offspring.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: Khadija was the one woman, the one wife, whom the prophet never forgot throughout his life. Khadija bent Khuwayled, the woman whom he cherished and loved, the woman who sacrificed so much and was faithful till the very end.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: She wasn't only the prophet's wife but also his close friend and confidante, the dearest to his heart. The prophet didn't marry another till her death; she bore him all his children except for Ibrahim. She bore him Al-Qasim his first child whom he was called after.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy:  and Ruqayyah

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: Umm Kulthum

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: and Abdullah

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: Zainab

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: and Fatima

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: and it was said that there were more children than those.

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: All of the Prophet’s sons and daughters lived and died before him صلى الله عليه وسلم except his daughter Fatima who died six months after his death صلى الله عليه وسلم

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: among Khadija's plentiful merits was that on one occasion, when Khadija was still alive, Jibril came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said, "O Messenger of Allah, Khadija is just coming with a bowl of food for you. When she comes to you, give her greetings of peace from her Lord and from me, and give her the glad tidings of a palace of jewels (Qasab) in Paradise, where there will be neither any noise nor any fatigue."

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) was an ideal wife, She remained at the prophet's side and supported him throughout his mission to spread Islam all her lifetime. and the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم never stopped loving Khadija, never forgot about her even long after her death (may Allah be pleased with her)

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: Khadija still occupied the prophet's mind till the last day of his life صلى الله عليه وسلم. He صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say: Her love had been nurtured in my heart by Allah Himself.

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: The prophet never stopped mentioning Khadija (May Allah be pleased with her) even after he married 'Aisha; Sometimes 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) would say bitterly to the prophet 'Allah has given you somebody better than her?' to that the prophet responded  “Indeed Allah did not grant me better than her: she accepted me when people rejected me, she believed in me when people doubted me, she shared her wealth with me when people withheld theirs from me, and Allah granted me children only through her'.

[Faithfulness and sincere companionship, a couple of pearls Khadija, the Pure and Sincere Pearl was distinguished by them, both was her distinct qualities even before her marriage to the prophet; and she shall be rewarded in the day of the brightest bliss]

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: Even before Prophethood, The prophet was a known quantity, distinguished by superior intellect, mighty mind, kindness, truthfulness, generosity and a high status that most men's necks would snap to.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: He was known for his wisdom, pureness and neatness.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: He صلى الله عليه وسلم helped the poor and the destitute, served his guests generously and assisted the deserving calamity-afflicted ones.

Sheikh Ali Paqees:  he was صلى الله عليه وسلم virtuous and modest.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: He was known صلى الله عليه وسلم for his sincere companionship

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: He was known for his hospitality

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: and sincerity of speech and agreeable logic.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: and he never failed someone's request or disappointed a mendicant

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: Allaah the Almighty protected the Prophet all his lifetime; in every action, in all conditions.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: The prophet avoided participating in all vices that the people of Mecca before the Islamic era indulged themselves in.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: He never worshipped an idol

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: he never offered a slaughtered sacrifice of animal to none but Allah.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: he never went around the House (Ka'bah) naked as the people at that era used to do.

 Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: He never drank alcohol

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: He never committed adultery

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: never came near an idol

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: he never associated partners with Allaah the Almighty

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: never prayed for none but Allah

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy:  The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم detached himself from all abominable or evil practices.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: he never stained his pure soul with sinful or evil actions.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: he never used the arrows seeking luck or decision.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: never did anybody observe any immoral action springing from him.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: He never believed soothsayers, fortune-tellers or charlatans.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: So the prophet was following the right path even before the prophet hood

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: and those may be indications and signs of the destined role that the prophet was to be charged to carry later on; thus he wouldn't be stained by a vice, or disgraced by an evil before his prophet hood.

(Whims of youth, and juvenility delusions; a couple of arrows hit lots of youngsters and lead them astray, But Allah the mighty protected him against these all. refined by Allah as Allah the Maker of the breeze out of naught- had kept his apostle aloof from all whims)

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: The prophet was a human being having every human characteristic, a young man as other young men; But Allah protected him against the Satan's traps of adorning the path of evil to the mankind.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: one among the many forms in which Allah has safeguarded his messenger from all vices was that of an incident that occurred before the prophet hood, the prophet was a shepherd accompanying a young man from Quraysh who was pasturing sheep for his people too, he then heard about a wedding ceremony held in Mecca; So he desired to approach it and entertain himself.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: He said to his fellow shepherd ‘Take care of my sheep on my behalf such that I may entertain myself tonight in Mecca like the other young men do".

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: So when the prophet neared that home where the wedding is held and as their traditions then, they used musical instruments, pipes and tambourines, and indulged in evil, unchaste acts. But the prophet as soon as he entered, he صلى الله عليه وسلم fell asleep and nothing but the heat of the sun awakened him.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: On the next night the prophet wanted to go again and entertain himself, yet when he went to Mecca the same happened to him again exactly as the other night. Allah has safeguarded his ears, eyes and limbs from indulging in such ill tendencies.

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: Allah the mighty protected his prophet against the evil of what the people of the pre-Islamic days used to indulge themselves in, as those tendencies do not befit the reverence of the prophet hood.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: What a great care and protecting that Allah bestowed on his apostle! and all of this was to safeguard him from the evils and vices of what was accepted among the people of the pre-Islamic days, even in the re-building and repairing of the Ka'bah (house of Allah) he participated in transferring the bricks, carrying them on his shoulders صلى الله عليه وسلم

Sheikh Ali Paqees: Both the Prophet and his uncle Al-‘Abbas were transferring the bricks, Al-‘Abbas said to the Prophet “[Take off and] put your loincloth over your neck.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: The prophet said 'and so I did, But as soon as i had taken off my waist sheet, i fell unconscious to the ground' with both his eyes towards the sky, when he returned to his senses, he said: “My loincloth! My loincloth!” then they covered him with his waist sheet, and ever since that day his private parts were never seen again.

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: All of that was an indication to what was the prophet chosen for. Allah had chosen him for his own service; he the Mighty favoured him with every good attribute and characteristic ever since his early youth so that the polytheists couldn't find any faults in his past which they may use as their excuse to vituperate, defame or dispraise him or even reject the message of Islam.

(You were prepared for a role if you're aware of

Hence raise yourself above the rabble)

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: When the Messenger of Allah [pbuh] was thirty five, two great incidents happened to the Ka'bah (House of Allah); first of them was a great flood in Mecca that swept towards Al-Ka‘bah and almost demolished it, and a fire ate the cloth covered the Ka'bah as a woman started it to destroy Al-Ka'bah.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: therefore Quraish decided to rebuild the Ka'bah.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: So that it won't be destroyed and subverted.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: but they were terrified at the prospect, to demolish Al-Ka'bah which Allah sent birds in flights hurling stones on Abraha and his men as they sought destroying it.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: Al-Waleed bin Al-Mugheerah started the work saying ' we only wish to build it anew'.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: He started with himself, he picked his pickaxe and started to knock down one of the Ka'bah walls till he reached its base' stones, the pillars.

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: When the people found out nothing happened to him, they raced to participate in demolishing Al-Ka'bah.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: The demolishing work was divided among the tribes of Quraish.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: and they all agreed on a condition that the rebuilding should be financed only by lawful money

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: They put a condition that the building should not be financed by any other money that had been obtained from adultery, Riba (usury, interest) or taken unfairly from people. Consider carefully how even the polytheists' Quraish were devoted not to finance a House of Allah by illicit money.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: But Quraysh ran short of lawful money, they could not complete the building of Al-Ka'bah . Hence, they left Al-Hijr (an area of the original Ka’bah) outside the Ka’bah as a mark that what's left was part from the Ka'bah original building.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: and So All tribes took part in reconstructing the holy old House of Allah (Al-Ka'bah)

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: When they reached the black stone, the tribes fall apart, each arguing to be favoured with the honour of raising it to its place.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: they kept arguing for 3 days, till a violent dispute arose among the tribes and they almost fought one another inside the Ka'bah.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: When the argument reached its peak and daggers were on the point of being drawn and great bloodshed seemed imminent, just then Abu Umayya Al-Makhzumi made a proposal that the one who enters the Sanctuary first of all, decide on the point of argument.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: It was then Allah’s Will that the Messenger of Allah [pbuh] should be the first to enter, on seeing him they were much delighted saying "Al-Ameen (the trustworthy) has come" and they all agreed to abide by his decision without the least argue صلى الله عليه وسلم

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: So He asked for a mantle صلى الله عليه وسلم

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: he spread it and placed the sacred black stone on it

Sheikh Ali Paqees:  then he صلى الله عليه وسلم asked the chiefs of the tribes to lift the mantle all together. When it had reached the proper place, the prophet [pbuh] laid it in the proper position with his own hands. The honor that the tribes were fighting for were destined to the prophet to achieve.

(Quraish called the prophet Al-Ameen for his honesty and trustworthy)

Sheikh Ali Paqees: The prophet participated in great incidents that took place in Mecca, another one among them was the sacrilegious' War (Fijar war).

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: This war broke out between the Quraish and their allies from Kenanah Clan, against the tribe of Hawazin.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: The cause of this war was a caravan of An-Nu‘man, king of Al-Haira, strife aroused because of it and consequently a war broke too between the two sides which continued for four long years.

Sheikh Ali Paqees: they fought many rounds, the victory in the first was to Qais clan and the second was to Kenanah. Afterwards, some men of Kenanah stepped in, making a proposal. They proposed to stop the war and count their loss of men, whichever tribe sacrificed more of its men would be paid a blood-wit for them and so lives were saved. But the war was a sacrilegious one, broke during the prohibited months in 'Ukkath Market, the prophet was then very young, his efforts were confined only to gather arrows for his uncles.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: Also Al-Fudool alliance, the infamous alliance that the prophet participated in.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: Oh the Al-Fudool Alliance and What do you think the Al-Fudool alliance is?

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: The alliance was formed for suppressing violence and injustice, and vindicating the rights of the weak and the destitute.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: What led to that Alliance was that a man from Zubaid clan brought some merchandise to Mecca to sell.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: Al-‘Aas bin Waa’il a stouthearted man, bought it from him

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: yet, Al-'Aas refused to pay him its price

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: The man therefore sought help against Al-'Aas from the chiefs of Quraish and wept for his unpaid commodities, but they did not help him.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: He then resorted to a mountain top after dawn and began, at the top of his lungs, to complain about the injustices he sustained, asking all the tribes to succor him to get his rights.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: So Az-Zubair ben ‘Abdul-Muttalib heard him and his pleas.

Sheikh Khaled al-Khalawy: He then said "that's a sound of a man in ordeal"

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: and so he asked for Quraish tribes to be gathered

Sheikh Ali Paqees: and they gathered in ‘Abdullah ben Jada‘an's house.

Sheikh Zaid al-Qoroon: They then made an oath to forever support the wronged in Mecca against the wrongdoer until the former would get back his rights.

Sheikh Abdullateaf Al-Ghamdi: Truly that's what brings glory to a nation, or How would Allah sanctify and glorify a nation that wouldn't succor the weak and the oppressed against the valiant.

Sheikh Tareq Al-hawas: supporting the oppressed is agreed upon by the humanitarian, hence listen attentively to what the prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said after prophet hood about it " Even now in the period of Islam I would respond positively to attending such a meeting if I were invited again". Indeed Islam is greatest religion, the most of them that concerned about protecting one's rights against all violations and supporting the wronged whoever he is and whichever status he held. and so the prophet was introduced to such scenes during his youth to assure that his mission was to bring justice to the world and to stop all sorts of tyranny.

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