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Posted by msk2000 on 11/16/07 21:31
Muhammad (pbuh) was very happy, because he greatly respected Khadijah.
He went with his uncles, Abu Talib and Hamzah, to Khadijah's uncle,
and asked his permission to marry her. The uncle gave his permission
and soon after, Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadijah were married.
Their marriage was a joyful one and Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadijah were
well suited. Their life together, however, was not without some
sadness. They were blessed with six children, two sons and four
daughters. Sadly their first born, a son called Qasim, died shortly
before his second birthday, and their last child, also a son, only
lived for a short time. Happily, their four daughters-Zaynab,
Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah-all survived.
For a few years Muhammad (pbuh) lived a calm and quiet life as a
merchant in Mecca. His wisdom benefited many people. One such time was
when Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka'bah. It was a difficult
decision for them because they had to knock it down before rebuilding
it and the people were afraid that Allah might be angry with them for
knocking down His sanctuary.
At last one of the wise old men of Quraysh decided to begin, then
everybody followed him. They worked until they reached down to the
first foundation that Abraham had built. As soon as they began to
remove the stones of this foundation, however, the whole of Mecca
began to shake.
They were so afraid that they decided to leave these stones where they
were and build on top of them. Each tribe brought stones and they
built the Ka'bah up until they reached the place where the black stone
was to be set. They then began to argue about who should have the
honor of carrying the black stone and lifting it to its place in one
of the corners of the Ka'bah.
They almost came to blows but fortunately one of the men offered a
solution. He suggested that they should be guided by the first person
to enter the place of worship. They all agreed and as Muhammad (pbuh)
was the first to enter everyone was pleased, because they all trusted
him.
They told him the cause of the argument and he asked them to bring a
large cloak. They did as he asked, and after spreading the cloak on
the ground he placed the black stone in the centre of it. Then he
asked a man from each tribe to hold one edge of the cloak and together
to raise it to the height where the stone should be set. When this was
done, he took the stone off the cloak and put it into place himself.
This story shows how all Quraysh respected and trusted Muhammad (pbuh)
and how, by his wisdom and good sense, he was able to keep the peace.
The Coming of The Archangel Gabriel
Muhammad (pbuh) believed that there was only one Allah, Creator of the
sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, and of all living things, and that
all people should worship only Him. Muhammad (pbuh) would often leave
the crowded city and go to the cave in Mount Hira'. He liked to be
alone there, away from all thoughts of the world and daily life,
eating and drinking little. In his fortieth year, Muhammad (pbuh) left
Mecca to spend Ramadan
, the traditional month of retreat, in the cave. In the second half of
Ramadan, Allah began to reveal His message for mankind through
Muhammad (pbuh). This first Revelation occurred as follows. The
Archangel Gabriel came to Muhammad (pbuh) in the cave and commanded
him to 'Read'. Muhammad (pbuh) replied 'I cannot read.' At this the
Archangel took Muhammad (pbuh) in his arms and pressed him to him
until it was almost too much to bear. He then released him and said
again 'Read.' 'I cannot', replied Muhammad (pbuh), at which the
Archangel embraced him again. For the third time the Archangel
commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to read, but still he said he could not and
was again embraced. On releasing him this time, however, the Archangel
Gabriel said:
"Read: In the Name of thy Lord who createth, Createth man from a clot.
Read: And thy Lord is the Most Generous Who teacheth by the pen,
Teacheth man that which he knew not. (Koran xcvi.1-5) Muhammad (pbuh)
repeated these verses, just as the Archangel had said them.
When the Archangel was sure Muhammad (pbuh) knew them by heart, he
went away. Now that he was alone Muhammad (pbuh) could not understand
what had happened to him. He was terribly afraid and rushed out of the
cave. Perhaps the cave was haunted? Perhaps the devil had taken a hold
of his mind? But he was stopped by a voice from heaven which said; '0
Muhammad (pbuh) you are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Gabriel.' He
looked up at the sky and wherever he turned he saw the Archangel
Gabriel.
In a state of confusion he returned home to Khadijah. When his wife
saw him she became very worried as he began to shiver, as though in a
fever. He asked her to wrap him in blankets, which she did. After a
while he recovered sufficiently to tell her what had happened at
Hira'. Khadijah believed all that he told her and with great respect
said: 'Be happy, 0 son of my uncle and be confident. Truly I swear by
Allah who has my soul in His hands, that you will be our people's
Prophet.' Muhammad (pbuh),
the Messenger of Allah, was eased by her faith in him, but after all
that had happened he was exhausted and felt fast asleep.
Khadijah left the Prophet (pbuh) sleeping and went to see her cousin,
Waraqah Ibn Nawfal, to ask him what he thought about all that had
happened. Waraqah was a very wise man who had read many books and had
become a Christian after studying the Bible. He told Khadijah that
Muhammad (pbuh) had been chosen by Allah to be His Messenger. Just as
the Archangel Gabriel had come to Moses before and had ordered him to
guide his people, so, too, would Muhammad (pbuh) be the Prophet of his
people. But Waraqah warned that all the people would not listen to the
Prophet and some would mistreat his followers. He must, however, be
patient because he had a great message for all the world. From that
day on, the Archangel Gabriel came often to the Prophet (pbuh) and the
verses he taught him, the message from Allah to man, were later
written down, and are known to us as the Holy Koran
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