Rabi ul awwal

MONTH OF RABI-UL-AWWAL

 

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE?

 

    Rabi-ul-Awwal is the 1^st month of spring, the word “rabi” itself means spring in Arabic. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) was born in this month. There is some debate among scholars on the exact date i.e. b/w 9, 12 or 21^st of Rabi-ul-Awwal.

The date of death of the dear Prophet(S) is known for sure (relatively) i.e. 12^th of Rabi-ul-Awwal.

  Interestingly enough, nobody knows for sure the d.o.b of ANY of the prophets (if you said Christmas, then you`ve yet to meet an Orthodox Christian; p Google it!) which goes to show the level of importance Allah (S.W.T) attaches with the subject.

Besides the fact when he (Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam) was born, let us see what Allah S.W.T says about him (S.A.W) in Quran.

Surah Al-Ahzab: 45, 46

O Prophet, truly We have sent thee as a Witness, and Bearer of glad tidings, and a Warner,

[33:46] 

[33:47] and as a Summoner unto Allah by His command, and as a Lamp that gives bright light.

 

Being witness includes three kinds of witnesses in it…. Meaning, it could be witness by tongue, by action and in Hereafter. He brought the glad tidings plus he was a Warner. He was like the lamp with bright light, to show the clear path to all the humanity.

Then Allah says:

[33:22] Verily you have in the Prophet of Allah an excellent model, for him who fears Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah much.‌ۖ

[4:81] whoso obeys the Messenger obeys Allah indeed; and whoso turns away, then We have not sent thee as a keeper over them.

 

 

          Dear sisters, Allah want us to follow Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) and obey him because He has sent him as a role model to us.

        If we want to follow him, then we need to do what he has done, if he was the Daee ilal Allah then we are suppose to call people towards Allah. If he was on the highest level of “ikhlaq” so we need to be the best in our attitude, our dealings and behavior, if he was the best father, the best husband, the best friend and best leader at the same time then we should try to copy him. This is the need of the time too, so we can show the humanity how a good Muslim should be.

        

        This is the message of Quran and if we think in this month he was born and Allah has Shown His Mercy to humanity by sending Muhammad’s (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) to this world, then we can thank Allah by following him.

     The patience, long sufferings and forgiveness of the Holy Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) are the highest qualities of his prophet hood.  Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) Suffered a lot in spreading Allah’s message that was given to him, made so many sacrifices just to bring His Message to us. This only make us love him more and TRUE love of the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) is shown and proven by following the guidance that he brought.

 

     “Say (O Muhammad): ‘If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Aal ‘Imraan 3:31)

      Unfortunately our people in their simplicity and lack of knowledge confuse in these matters some time, and they do some things in this month which is not proven by Quran and Sunnah.

It all started SIX HUNDRED years AFTER the Prophet(S) left this world by two men  in Iraq as a “Majlis-e-Malood” to do Zikr. Their intention may have been good but it started a chain of events where all year round Muslims forget the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) and his teachings and his Sunnah and in this month lavish parties and events are thrown where Naats are recited and then on the 13^th everyone is back to the usual state of affairs till next year. What is more alarming is that some of the Naats that are read that confuse the status of the Prophet(S) with that of Allah (S.W.T)!! Imagine! The Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) who taught us the Kalima and the very concept of Tauheed, and we make the VERY SAME man Allah`s partner in our over-zealous devotion with Naats such as:

bhar de jholi meri ya Muhammad

 

   Can we imagine being a human, how can he do anything for us? Still we ask him to fulfill our needs? REAL devotion requires that we follow the Prophet(S)`s teachings the way he taught us, do we not believe him to be the best of men and an example for all mankind? Then what gives us the authority to ASSUME on his behalf?

    There is absolutely nothing in the Quran that tells us to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam). Not one single ayah. 

      There is nothing in the Sunnah of the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) that shows us that the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam) EVER celebrated his birthday or that of his wives, children, or Sahaabah. There is not a single Hadith that tells us that he (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam) thought this day was significant enough to celebrate it.
            The Sahaabah were witnesses to the revelation of the Qur'aan. Yet, when we look at the lives and practice of the Sahaabah, we find that none of them EVER celebrated the birth of their beloved Prophet, whether during his life or even after he passed away. 
Not Abubakr, not Umar, not Uthman, not Ali, nor Aaishah, Ibn Umar, Ibn Masud, Talha, Az-Zubair,  not a single Sahaabi. 
The Sahaabah absolutely loved the Prophet (Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi Wasallam). They gave up their homes, families, lives, everything they had... for his sake, in the blink of an eye. Yet this love did NOT promote them to celebrate his birth. 
This love actually translated into the practical application of his teachings.

   So we need to follow his Sunnah to the best of our ability and shouldn’t fall into innovated forms of worship. It is nothing but a trap of the Shaytaan.

       May Allah Guide us and Grant us the wisdom to follow the Sunnah of the greatest man EVER to walk on the face of the Earth, all year along and the rest of our lives till the last breath, Ameen.

 

 

 

 

    

 

Quiz on Rabi-Ul-Awwal

Quiz on Rabi-Ul-Awwal (Part 1)

 

 

Q. When was the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) born?

Ans. He was born on Monday the 9th Rabi Al-AwwaI, 22nd April, 571 AC.

Q. Where was the Prophet (S.A.W) born?

Ans. In Makkah.

Q. What is the name of the Prophet's (S.A.W) father?

Ans. Abdullah ibn Abdul MuttaIib.

Q. What is the name of the Prophet's (S.A.W) mother?

Ans. Aminah bint Wahab ibn Abd Manaf ibn Zahrah.

Q. When and where did his father die?

Ans. He died in Madinah before Muhammad (S.A.W) was born.

Q. What is the name of the Prophet's (S.A.W) grandfather?

Ans. Abdul Muttalib.

Q. What was his position?

Ans. He was the chief of his clan Bani Hashim.

Q. Give the Prophets (S.A.W) lineage up to his fifth ancestor?

Ans. He is Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn Abdul Manaf ibn Qusai ibn KiIab.

Q. Who nursed the Prophet (S.A.W)?

Ans. First Thuyeba the freed slave girl of his uncle Abdul Uzza known as Abu Lahab, then Haleema bint Abu Dhuaib, best known as Haleema aI-Sa'diyah.

Q. Who named the Prophet (S.A.W) Muhammad?

Ans. Abdul Muttalib.

Q. What did Muhammad's (S.A.W) mother name him?

Ans. Ahmed.

Q. Why did she choose this name?

Ans. Because she saw in a dream an angel calling the new-born baby Ahmad

Q. How old was Muhammad (S.A.W) when his mother died?

Ans. He was six years old.

Q. Where did his mother take him?

Ans. His mother took him to Yathrib (Madinah) to visit her relatives.

Q. Where did she die?

Ans. On her way back to Makkah she died at Abwa and was buried there.

Q. Who brought Muhammad (S.A.W) back to Makkah?

Ans. His father's slave girl, Umm Aiman.

Q. Who took the charge of his care?

Ans. His grandfather Abdul Muttalib.

Q. How long did he take care of him?

Ans. For two years.

Q. How was his behavior with Muhammad (S.A.W)?

Ans. He loved him very much and preferred him to his own sons.

Q. What did Abdul Muttalib foretell about his grandson?

Ans. That he would hold a prestigious position.

Q. Who took care of the Prophet (S.A.W) after the death of Abdul Muttalib?

Ans. His uncle Abu Talib.

Q. How old was Muhammad (S.A.W) when his grandfather Abdul Muttalib died?

Ans. He was about eight years old.

Q. When did Muhammad (S.A.W) travel to Syria and with whom?

Ans. He went to Syria with his uncle Abu Talib when he was twelve years.

Q. Who was Hazrat Khadijah (R.A)?

Ans. She was a wealthy merchant of Makkah.

Q. Why did she want to marry Muhammad (S.A.W)?

Ans. Because of his truthfulness and good conduct.

Q. When did she marry Muhammad (S.A.W)?

Ans. When she was forty.

Q. How old was Muhammad (S.A.W) at the time of the marriage?

Ans. He was twenty five.

Q. What did he give her as mahr (dower)?

Ans. Twenty camels.

Q. How was Muhammad (S.A.W) known in the society'?

Ans. He was known as al-Ameen (Truthful) and al-Sadiq (Trustworthy).

Q. Did he get any sort of education?

Ans. No, he was illiterate.

Q. What should one say when the Prophet's (S.A.W) name is mentioned?

Ans. One should pray: (Sallal lahu alahi wasalam) (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him).

Q. How many times is the name of Muhammad mentioned in the Qur'an?

Ans. Four times.

Q. Give the names of the Prophet's (S.A.W) uncles'?

Ans. They are: Harith, Zubair. Abu Talib, Hamzah (R.A), Abu Lahab, Ghidaq, Maqwam, Safar and Abbas (R.A)

Q. Did his uncle Abu Talib accept Islam?

Ans. No, he died a polytheist.

Q. What is the Ka'bah?

Ans. It is the oldest house of worship on the earth.

Q. Who built it?

Ans. The Prophets Ibrahim (A.S) and his son Ismael (A.S).

Q. How did the Quraish arrange rebuilding of the Ka'bah'?

Ans. They divided the work among various tribes. Each tribe was responsible for rebuilding a part of it.

Q. Where did the Prophet (S.A.W) go into seclusion?

Ans. To the Cave of Hira.

Q. What was the first stage of the revelation?

Ans. True dreams.

Q. When did the first revelation come down to him?

Ans. On Monday 21st Ramadan, at night (August 10th, 61O AC). He was forty then.

Q. Who brought it?

Ans. Hazrat Jibrael (AS).

Q. Who were the first to embrace Islam?

Ans. Four persons: Hazrat Khadijah R.A( his wife) ,Hazrat Zaid ibn Haritha R.A ( his freed slave) ,Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib R.A( his cousin) and Hazrat Abu Bakr R.A (his friend).

Q. Who accepted Islam at the instance of Hazrat Abu Bakr (R.A)?

Ans. Hazrat Uthman ibn Affan (R.A.), Hazrat Zubair ibn Awwarn (R.A.), Hazrat Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (R.A.), Hazrat Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (R.A.), Hazrat Talha ibn Ubaidullah (R.A.)and Hazrat Saeed ibn Zaid (Umar's son-in-law) (R.A.).

Q. Who were the first ladies to accept Islam?

Ans. Hazrat Khadija (R.A.) (Prophets wife), Hazrat Abbas's wife Ummul Fad (R.A.), Hazrat Abu Bakr's wife Asma bint Umais (R.A.), his daughter Hazrat Asma bint Abi Bakr (R.A.) and Hazrat Fatimah bint aI-Khattab (Umar's sister) (R.A).

Q. How was the Da 'wah done in the beginning?

Ans. It was done in secret.

Q. How many people embraced Islam in the early stage?

Ans. About forty.

Q. How many years did the call in secret continue?

Ans. For three years.

Q. During this period where would the Muslims gather secretly?

Ans. They would gather secretly in the house of a Muslim called Arqam to learn about Islam and the revelations sent down to the Prophet (S.A.W)

Q. When did the Prophet (S.A.W), start to preach Islam openly?

Ans. After three years. When he received the revelation to that effect.

Q. What was the impact of his public preaching?

Ans. The people accepted Islam increasingly.

Q. What was the main miracle of the Prophet (S.A.W)?

Ans. The Qur' an.

Q. Did the Prophet (S.A.W) ­perform other miracles?

Ans. Yes, the splitting of the moon was one of them.

Q. Who was Abu Jahl?

Ans. An enemy of Islam and from Quraish tribe.

Q. Who was Abu Lahab?

Ans. One of the Prophet’s (S.A.W) uncles.

Q. Name some of the disbelievers of Makkab who supported the Prophet (S.A.W) but did not embrance Islam until the end.

Ans. Abu Talib, Mutim ibn Adi and Abul Bukhtari.

Q. How long did Abu Talib protect the Prophet (S.A.W)?

Ans. For 42 years - from the Prophet's childhood until he himself died.

Q. Who was Mutim ibn Adi?

Ans. A Makkan chief.

Q. When did he give protection to the Prophet (S.A.W)?

Ans. When the Prophet (S.A.W) ­returned from Taif and wanted to enter Makkah.

Q. When did he die?

Ans. He was killed in the battle of Badr.