Muhammad: Difference between revisions

In the spring of 628 CE, guided by a vision, Muhammad led a huge group of Muslims on the 270-mile journey from Medina to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage ceremonies. They camped at al-Hudaybiyah on the edge of the ''haram'', the sacred territory that surrounds Mecca. There Muhammad negotiated a treaty in which he agreed not to press his claim to complete the pilgrimage ceremonies that season, while the Meccan leaders promised to open the city to the Muslims the following year. They also agreed to a ten-year truce during which neither side would attack the other. In the spring of 629 CE, Muhammad led the first Muslim pilgrimage, an ''ʿumrah'' or “lesser pilgrimage” to Mecca. Later that year, a clan allied to the Meccans attacked a clan allied to Muhammad, thus breaking the treaty. Abu Sufyan and other Meccan leaders rushed to Medina to dissuade Muhammad from attacking their city, and they apparently agreed to surrender Mecca to him peacefully. Late in 629 CE Muhammad and his forces set out for Mecca, and early in 630 CE his native city surrendered to him without a fight.

The following year, 631 CE, is called the “Year of Deputations.” Envoys from tribes all over Arabia traveled to Muhammad 's headquarters in Medina and surrendered to him. Some tribes may have seen these treaties as normal Arabian tribal alliances, but Muhammad regarded them as including acceptance of Islam. The year 632 CE began on a sad note for Muhammad with the death of his young son Ibrahim. Later that spring the Prophet led to Mecca the largest number of Muslim pilgrims ever assembled during his lifetime on what came to be called his “Farewell Pilgrimage.” On the return trip to Medina, Muhammad contracted a fatal illness and knew his days were numbered.

1: Ibn Saad (an eighth century historian) narrates from Ash-Shabi that Imam Ali while on his way to Siffin passed through the desert of Karbala. He stopped and wept bitterly. When asked regarding the cause of his weeping, he commented that one day he visited the Holy Prophet and found him weeping. When he asked the cause, the Apostle of Allah replied, " O' Ali, Jibrael has just been with me and informed me that my son Hussain would be martyred in [[Karbala]], a place near the bank of the river Euphrates. This moved me so much that I could not help weeping."

“I looked at you all and was happy and contented to an extent as I was never ever so much pleased before. Then Jibra’eel descended and reported to me that you all will be martyred, and your graves will be far away from one another. Hence I thanked Allah for what will befall (you all) and asked goodness for you.”

4: Through the successive chain of authorities reaching [[Shaikh Mufid]], who in his Irshad relates from Awza’ee, from Abdullah bin Shaddad, from Ummul Fazl bint Haris, who says that, one day I went to the presence of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and said, “O Prophet of Allah! Tonight I saw a very bad dream.” The Prophet inquired as to what it was. I said that it was very hard upon me, to which he again asked me to relate it to him. I said, “I saw that a piece of your body cut off and fell in my lap.” The Prophet replied,

“Jibra’eel came to me and reported that the people from among my nation (ummah) will kill this son of mine, and he has brought red colored sand (from the earth of the place of his martyrdom).”

“Yes my dear son! A group of people from among my community will come to visit your graves seeking my pleasure. Then on the day of Qiyamah, near the station of accounting, I will go to them and catching hold of their hands will save them from it’s terrors and sorrows.”

*One day, when the Holy Prophet was in prostaration (sajda) during a prayer, Imam Hussain then climbed on his back. The Holy Prophet remained in prostration untill Imam Hussain came down himself.