The
Holy prophet (pbuh) was born on 12th Rabi’ul Awwal. His father
was Abdullah son of Abdul-Muttalib and his mother was Amina daughter of Wahab.
It was in the year of Elephant, the year when Abraha an Abyssinian at the head
of an army marched towards Mecca mounted on elephants in order to attack Mecca
and demolish the Ka’aba. The march of elephants frightened the Arabs but Allah
sent down a swarm of flying creatures which threw stones on the Abyssinian army.
This event marked history for Allah after nominating the Muhammad (pbuh) as
prophet, later revealed to him about what occurred to Abraha and his army in
the year of his birth. This Surah is none other than Surah Al-Fil (The
Elephant: Chapter 105). Allah relates therein how He crushed them and their
evil plans.
The
Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) came to change the course of human history. His
birth was like a spring of light which illuminated the Arabian Peninsula and
the whole world.
According
to various Qur’anic verses and prophetic traditions, we see the magnificence of
the Prophet, whether in his physical features, and in his character. His
physical beauty is comparable to the beauty of the fourteenth moon; and much more!
Several of his companions have given details of his physical traits and his
character. The Prophet (pbuh) had a beautiful constitution. He had a white
complexion; a splendid white. His forehead was wide, and the place between his
eyebrows was bright like pure silver and his eyes were beautiful, and the
pupils of his eyes were black. His cilia were abundant. As for his nose, it was
thin, and he had a sweet face. His beard was thick, and his neck was beautiful,
being neither long nor short, to the point that if the sun hit him, it seemed
like a cup of silver mixed with gold. In addition, the space between the
shoulders of the Prophet (pbuh) was wide and his hair, which was neither thin
nor curly, almost touched his shoulders. Aisha, his beloved wife reported that “the blessed hair of the Messenger of God
(pbuh) were longer than those reaching the earlobes and shorter than those that
reach the shoulders.” He was neither tall nor short. (Inset:
The Blessed
Messenger of God reflected exemplary simplicity. He was honest, kind, gentle
and helpful. Even in the face of adversity, he maintained an exemplary calm.
Although he was illiterate and an uneducated man, but it is God Himself who
became his Greatest Teacher.
He even showed himself courteous to his enemies.
At the time of the conquest of Mecca, the Meccans, once bitter enemies of Islam
became the majority of them Muslims. Among these enemies who accepted Islam,
there was the man who had killed his daughter Zainab and the other was Ikrimah,
son of his nemesis, Abu Jahl. In the victory of Mecca, the murderer of his
daughter recognized his abominable crime, and asked for sincere forgiveness from
the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). He recognized the truth of Islam and became a
Muslim. The Prophet (pbuh) was overwhelmed by his regret and commitment to
Islam. He generously forgave him.
At the
end of his mission, the Prophet (pbuh) received the verse confirming the
transcendent unity of the revelations, “This day I have perfected for you your religion and
completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” (5: 4)
The
Holy Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) had therefore, the task of confirming previous
revelations, update them, and supplement them. Islam is the recapitulation of
all the revelations. That is why the Prophet (pbuh) due to his universality,
stands today as the Prophet for all; he is not the property of any race, of any
people, any ethnicity. He completed the revelations of the ancient prophets
(pbut), by opening to man of yesterday, today and tomorrow the ease of living
beyond the many trials that this world imposes. Look at how the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) taught the Muslim Community that the best way to meet its cult
is to respect the cult of the other. By pronouncing the Kalima (or Shahada) – The
first pillar of Islam – one certifies and affirms to the prophecy of all the
prophets without distinction.
Whether in Mauritius or here in the United Kingdom, the difference of
our cultures is fertile ground for humans to be together, to compete with each
other, to give out the best of themselves so as to build a better world. We
have the capacity. God said in the Quran: “Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation
(united in religion), but (He intended) to test you in what He has given you;
so race to (all that is) good…” (5:
49)
All
Praise belongs to God, Master of the Universe. May the Peace and Blessings of
God be upon Prophet Muhammad (sa) and peace be upon all the prophets of God. Ameen.
-Friday Sermon of January 02, 2015 (10 Rabi’ul Awwal 1436 Hijri) delivered by the Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Sahib (atba) of Mauritius at London, United Kingdom.