Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) : Birth and Early Life
Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) is the last Prophet and messenger of Allah Almighty. He was born in Makkah around 570, AD in the month of Rabi ul Awal. Father of Hazrat Muhmmad (PBUH), Hazrat Abdullah died before his birth so his grandfather Abdul Mutlib raised him and after his death , he was raised by his uncle Abu Talib. He was born in a poor but respectable tribe of Quraysh. His family was very much active in the politics and trade of Makkah. He was sent to guide the entire humanity. Allah revealed his Holy book Quran on him. He faced numerous difficulties during his early life. Here we will discuss the early life of our Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).
Birth of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW)
Allah said in his Holy book Quran about the birth of our Holy Prophet Muhammad,
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ “And We have sent you not but as a mercy for the ‘Alameen” (Mankind, Jinn and all that exists). (Quraan: Sura Al-Anbiya Ch 21 Ayat 117)
This incident hike the greatness and blessings of this month as Allah sent his most beloved and last Prophet in this world. Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and his son Hazrat Ismail (AS) also prayed to Allah of sending a Prophet for the guidance of Muslims. Their dua is mentioned in Quran,
Our Lord, send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise’. (Qur’an, 2:129)
Miracles also happened during the birth of Hazrat Muhammad and they were seen by his foster mother Halimah. When the mother of Hazrat Muhmmad, Hazrat Aminah was pregnant, she was conscious of light inside her.
Early Adulthood of Hazrat Muhmmad (PBUH)
When our Holy Prophet was in teenage, he went with his uncle on trading journeys to Syria in order to gain experience as trading was the only profession he could adopt as an orphan. It is said that when Hazrat Muhmmad was either nine or twelve years old, he met a Christian monk or hermit named Bahira while he was going with a carvan to Syria. That monk said to have foreseen the career of Hazrat Muhmmad as a Prophet of God. Due to the magnificent character of Hazrat Muhmmad, he was given a few titles such as al-Amin,” which means faithful and trustworthy and “al-Sadiq,” which means truthful.
First marriage of Hazrat Muhmmad (PBUH)
At the age of 25, Hazrat Muhammad(PBUH) married Hazrat Khadija (RA). Hazrat Khadija was a wealthy and a noble woman. She has a beautiful personality and a kind heart. She was well known of Prophet since he was a child. But when Hazrat Muhammad began to deliver goods for her, means of getting know him better and she was impressed by the loyalty and sincerity of Holy Prophet Muhmmad (PBUH).Many other man in Mecca sent the proposal of marriage to Hazrat Khadija but she rejected all of them because she wasn't interested in marriage but the exceptional qualities of Hazrat Muhammad changed her mind. Hazrat Khadija sent a marriage proposal to Hazrat Muhammad herself. Our Prophet Muhmmad (PBUH) brought this to his uncle Abu Talib. Hazrat Muhammad accepted this and the date of the marriage was decided by Hazrat Khadija herself.
Prophetic initiation of Hazrat Muhammad
Prophetic initiation of our Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) occurred when he was at the age of 40 years. He was told by Allah through Hazrat Gabriel that he's a Prophet of Allah Almighty and he is here to spread the divine message of Allah among his people. The incident happend in the way that one day he was is the cave of Hira and was busy in meditation. Surprisingly, the angle of Allah Almighty Gabriel appeared and told him to recite. He than asked him what to recite? Than Gabriel told him to recite,
Read in the name of thy Lord, who created man from a clot of congealed blood. Read and thy Lord is Most Merciful, He who taught man the use of pen, taught man what he knew not” (Bukhari 4953).
Incident of Miray and Isra
Isra and Miraj are the two parts of the journey in which Allah took his Prophet Muhmmad from the city Makkah to Masjid Al Aqsa. During this spiritual journey Allah met our Holy Prophet in private and this is one of the biggest miracle that are revealed to Muslims by Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). From this beautiful voyage Allah gave three gifts to the Ummah of Muhmmad.
First, offering prayer five times a day were made obligatory in this month. This a beautiful present from Allah Almighty that every Muslims must offer prayer five times in a day. These prayers gave us the opportunity to get closer to Allah Almighty every day and receive his blessings.
Second, the last two Ayat of Surrah Bakara. Our Holy Prophet said about these two Ayats,
‘Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Baqarah in the night, it will suffice him’. [Bukhari]
Third, It's a special gift to the believers of him. Allah said,
Whoever dies believing in Allah and not associating anything with Him, will enter Paradise. [Nasa’i]