Chapter 6 : The Prophet's Parents Flashcards
Regarding the marriage of Abdullah and Aminah
- Regarding the marriage of Abdullah and Aminah, Ya’qubi writes :-
” The marriage of Abdullah to Aminah took place about 10 years after the excavation of Zamzam and 1 year after Abdul Muttalib ransomed his son ( For 100 Camels ) “
- Tarikh Al-Ya’qubi, Volume 2, Page 9
- Having fulfilled his oath, Abdul Muttalib was determined to get his son married to Aminah Bint Wahab from the Quraysh Clan of Zuhrah
- Amina’s father had passed away and she was under the guardianship of her uncle Wuhayb
- Abdul Muttalib approached Wuhayb and asked for the hand of his niece
- Not only did Wuhayb agree to the union, he also consented to the marriage of his own daughter Halah to Abdul Muttalib on the same day
- Thus, Abdul Muttalib married his son to Aminah and married Aminah’s first cousin, Halah the very same day
- The Prophet was born to Aminah while Hamza and Safiyyah were born to Halah
- Thus, Hamza was the Prophet’s uncle through Abdul Muttalib and a second cousin through Halah
Regarding the noble status of Aminah
- Ibn Hisham writes :-
” Abdul Muttalib set out with his son Abdullah to meet Wahab Bin Abdul Manaf who was the leader of the clan of Zuhrah in terms of lineage and nobility. He wedded Aminah Bint Wahab ( To Abdullah ) and she was the best of all of the women of the Quraysh in lineage and nobility “
Regarding the conception and birth of the Prophet
- Of the Prophet’s birth, Shaykh Al-Kulani in Al-Kafi writes :-
” The Prophet was born on the 12th Rabi Al-Awwal, in the Year of The Elephant ( 570 - 571 ) on a Friday near the time of Zenith ( At the time of Zuhr ) ( It has also been transmitted that it was at the time of dawn ) before he was appointed as a Prophet by 40 years. His mother conceived him during Ayyam Al-Tashriq near Al-Jamarah Al-Wusta in the house ( Or Tent ) of Abdullah “
- However, the majority of shia scholars and historians believe that the Prophet was born on the 17th Rabi Al-Awwal ( Same as Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq ) in the Year of The Elephant but we should not discount or disregard other Shia scholars and opinions
- Al-Kafi, Volume 1, Page 439
- Al-Kulayni and Al-Saduq and those prior to them claim that he was born on the 12th Rabi Al-Awwal based on a tradition
- Shaykh Al-Mufid and Shaykh Al-Tusi and most Shia scholars after them claim that the Prophet was born on the 17th Rabi Al-Awwal based on 2 traditions
- Allamah Majlisi writes :-
” Know that the consensus among Twelver Shia scholars is that his birth ( The Prophet ) was on the 17th Rabi Al-Awwal. The Majority of Non Shias assert that he was born on the 12th of the month and this is the view of Al-Kulayni “
- Bihar Al-Anwar, Volume 15, Page 248
- Allamah Majlisi also states :-
” The scholars who we met based their actions on the fact that his luminous birth was on Friday, the 17th Rabi Al-Awwal in the Year of The Elephant at dawn. And the reward of fasting on that day is equal to fasting an entire year “
- Bihar Al-Anwar, Volume 95, Page 358
- We know that the days of Ayyam Al-Tashreeq is on the 11th, 12th and 13th Dhu Al-Hijjah ( The 12th Month )
- If he was born in Rabi Al-Awwal ( 3rd Month ) that means he was born after a gestation of 3 or 15 months
- How do we resolve this problem ?
- In Preislamic Arabia, based on the practice of nasl ( Delay or Put Off Something ), they used to rotate Hajj throughout the year commemorating it in Dhu Al-Hijjah for 2 years then in Muharram for 2 years and so on
- This continued until 9 AH
- In 10 AH, at the Prophet’s last Hajj, he stopped the practice as referenced in the Quran and in his Farewell Sermon :-
” Indeed postponement ( nasl ) is an increase in unfaith whereby the faithless are led astray. They declare it permissible in one year and forbid it another year so as to fit in with the number which Allah has made inviolable thus permitting what Allah has forbidden. Their evil deeds have been made to appear to them as decorous and Allah does not guide the faithless lot “
- Al-Quran 9:37
- Thus, in the year he was conceived, Hajj was in Jumada Al-Awwal ( The 5th Month ) making his gestation 10 months
- Imam Al-Kadhim narrates :-
” Aminah Bint Wahab saw a dream where she was told ‘ Verily in your womb is a leader. When you give birth to him, name him Muhammad ‘. Then Imam Ali said ‘ God derived a name for him from His Names. For verily God is the praise worthy and he ( Muhammad ) is the praised ‘. “
- Ibn Hisham narrates in his seerah :-
” A group of the companions asked the Prophet ‘ O Messenger of God, inform us about yourself ‘. He replied ‘ I am the fulfillment of forefather Abraham’s prayer. I am the glad tidings of Jesus. When my mother was pregnant with me, she saw light emanating from her that illuminated the palaces of Damascus ‘. “
- Shaykh Al-Kulayni reports the following narration about the Prophet’s birth :-
” When Aminah’s labour began, Fatima Bint Asad, the wife of Abu Talib came to her aid and remained with her until she gave birth. One ask the other, ‘ Do you see what i see ? ‘ The other asked ‘ And what do you see ? ‘ The first replied ‘ There is a light illuminating the east and the west ‘… When Abu Talib saw Fatima, she informed him about the light she had seen. Abu Talib told her ‘ You will eventually give birth to one who will be the successor to this newborn ‘. “
- Al-Kafi, Volume 8, page 302
Regarding the death of Abdullah
- Allamah Majlisi writes :-
” Abdullah dies during Aminah’s pregnancy. He travelled to Syria with a trade expedition. When the expedition was complete, they headed back. He fell sick in Medina so he stayed behind with his mother’s relatives, the Banu Najjar … The caravan of traders arrived in Makkah. Abdul Muttalib asked where his son was. He was informed that he was ill and remained behind with his mother’s relative ( In Yathrib ). Abdul Muttalib sent his eldest son Al-Harith to retrieve him only to find that he had died “
- Bihar Al-Anwar, Volume 15, Page 124 - 125
