Sunday, March 26, 2006

Milad un Nabi

1. INTRODUCTION

Millions of children are born daily on Earth. Are there any joyous celebrations in the family when the first child is born? Irrespective of whether anybody celebrates the birth of children, one thing is for certain that every mother naturally rejoices at the birth of each child, which they remember with fond memories. There is happiness and joy in any family if a son is born, because he would carry on the name of the family into the future. Such are the natural tendencies irrespective of caste, colour, creed, religion or nationality. This has always been a universal practice.

The birth of the first human child born on earth was Cain (in Arabic : Kabil) to Father Adam and Mother Eve (Ma Howwah) (Peace of God be on them). They celebrated the birth according to the records in the first of the Divine Scriptures. It informs us :

"And Adam knew Eve his wife ; and she conceived, and bare Cain and said (out of joy at the birth of her first child), I have gotten (i.e. have been blessed with) a man (child) from the Lord" (Genesis 4:1).

This is the origin of the celebration of births of children throughout the world. It has been observed from the beginning and is in force even today. Anybody not celebrating the birth of their children would be doing something unnatural.


2. HAS QUR’AN RECOGNIZED BIRTH DATES?

Allah has blessed birthdays in Sura 19 – Mariyum (i.e. Virgin Mary) in two separate verses :

a. 15 – "And peace (of Allah) be on him on the day he was born and the day he will die and the day (of Judgment) on which he will be raised to life."

a. 33 – "And peace (of Allah) be on me on the day I was born and the day I die and the day (of Judgment when) I am raised to life".


3. WHY HAS QUR’AN EQUATED DATE OF BIRTH WITH DEATH?

Why has the Lord equated birth with death in these verses of the Qur'an? Death is commonly regarded with sorrow all over except amongst the Chinese. They celebrate the death of their near and dear ones. Why is there this strange difference with the rest of the world?

To understand the Chinese outlook on life, one has to appreciate that China is a huge land-locked country with practically very little communication facilities from her Eastern Coast into her vast interiors. She has the largest population in the world. The food produced is not sufficient. To save themselves from starvation, the Chinese are forced to eat less as well as anything and everything including insects, worms, rats and many other things which the rest of the world cannot even think of. The result of such starvation diet makes the Chinese typically thin and short in height. To survive they have to be very hard working. That is the reason their daily greeting when they meet one another is unique from our point of view. It is translated here :

"Have you had a bowl (i.e. a small cup) of rice?"

This establishes how very great is the concern of each Chinese that even a small cup of rice consisting of a few mouthfuls is considered a great boon for them. This explains the reason why most of the Chinese always eat in very small bowls even today. Their lives are full of so many unknown miseries and deprivations under such harsh conditions. These circumstances force the Chinese to celebrate :

"Death has at last ended the tortures of life on earth
Through which that person was passing his/her days".

Indeed nevertheless a strange but a perfectly logical practice. Now let us contemplate on why the Qur'an has equated birth with death?

Sura 21 – Al Anbiya : Ayats 34 & 35 answers :

a. 34 – "We (Allah) has not granted immortality to any mortal (i.e. created being) before you (O Muhammad). What ! if you die (on earth), can anybody else be immortal?

a. 35 - "Every (created) being must taste death, and We (Allah) try you with the ordeals (of life on earth to show) what (is the worth of your deeds) evil or good that you do. And unto Us (Allah) you will return (to face Judgment)".

These verses of the Qur'an are equating birth with death when they emphasize :

"Every (created) being must taste death".

This emphatic statement equates every birth with each death. It applies not only to human beings but it is true for the entire universe. Everything now in existence must come to an end. Sura 55 – Ar Rahman : Ayats 26 - 28 insists :

a. 26 – "Everything that is there will fade away (into nothingness).

a. 27 – "And there will remain only the face (Countenance) of your Lord, the Almighty, the Glorious.

a. 28 – "Then which of the favours of your Lord can you deny?"

From the time of the creation of Adam on earth not a single person has been born who will not die. Everything created must also come to an end. That is an undeniable fact facing all.


4. DEATH DATE

Humanity has been created on earth to withstand the tests of life. A successful life comprises of doing good to others, raising the standards of humanity, living in surrender to the will of our Creator, and honouring and worshipping Him. Those who have done their duty will die in peace and contentment. Such will be remembered long after they have departed from the earth.

Here is the finding of the research scholar Dr. Michael H Hart Ph.D. in his book "The 100 – A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History", published by Citadel Press, Secaucus, New Jersey.

In this research he has placed Prophet Muhammad as the No. 1, most influential person in the history of humanity (pages 33-40) whose name is still taken on earth with great respect even now for the past about 1400 years after his departure from earthly life. He will be honoured by billions of people so long as human beings remain alive on this planet.


5. MILAD UN NABI

Milad-un-Nabi stands for celebration of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). At the time of the birth of any child, nobody knows what the baby just born is going to become. Will he became a great person? Or just an ordinary human being who will depart from earth with nobody to remember him – not even his own family after the lapse of a few generations? The latter is most common. There is absolutely no necessity for the household members to make any special arrangements to celebrate the births of children. Yet they do it out of happiness as a matter of routine.

At the beginning of 570 A.D. his father Abdullah son of Abdul Muttaleb left from Makkah with a trading caravan for Syria. On the way back he fell seriously ill. He had to be left behind at his maternal uncle's house in Yathreb. So the caravan returned without Abdullah. Abdul Muttaleb rushed his eldest son Harith to Yathreb. When he arrived, he found his younger brother had already died and was also buried. So he very sorrowfully returned to Makkah without his brother. This news was received just a few days before the birth of Muhammad. As such he was born as a posthumous child. There was weeping going on in the family. Under such circumstances who would be interested to celebrate his birth on earth?


6. DID ANYONE HAVE REASONS TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF THE PROPHET?

In spite of the very gloomy background, in which he was born, many people out of curiosity would like to know if any birth celebrations at all were done in the case of this orphan or not? If any celebrations were done in such sad circumstances, then who were involved in it and why?

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) was born at Makkah in Arabia at dawn on Monday the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal. This corresponds to 20th April 570 A.D. Some say he was born the day after Abraha's army from Yemen led by elephants attacked Makkah to destroy the Kaabah. But they were miraculously destroyed by flying birds called Ababil (Sura 105 – Al Fil : Ayats 1-5). The Kaabah was saved even without a single defender being there to protect it. Others contend that the birth of the Prophet was within a week of this incident. No other child was born at Makkah in this period. Astronomers revealed that the Kaabah was saved by Allah miraculously on account of this child, who would revive the religion of One God from the Kaabah based on the teachings of Ibrahim (Prophet Abraham) and his eldest son Prophet Ismail (peace be on them). Most of the people at Makkah at that time believed in 360 gods. But the Hunafas, however, continued to believe in only one God from the time of Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be on them).


7. THE VISITS OF ANGELS TO MOTHERS OF FOUR PROPHETS

Angels are spirits who are constantly carrying out the orders of Allah. They do not act out of their own accord. They only do what Allah commands them.

Angel Gabriel (Arabic : Jibrail, peace be on him) was one of the four great angels. His duty was to convey God's messages to the Prophets. Under orders of the Almighty, he also conveyed Allah's messages to four women all of whom became mothers of four great prophets viz :

(a) The first woman to receive two visits of Angel Gabriel was Princess Hagar, the daughter of Pharaoh Senusrit the First, ruler of Egypt from 1971 to 1928 B.C. She was married to Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham – Peace be on him) in 1931 B.C. as his second wife. Since then she has been known as Hadrat Bibi Hazra (peace be on her). She was then 18 years old. She became pregnant immediately after marriage. The "Noor-e-Muhammadi" which was shining in the forehead of Ibrahim (Abraham) passed into the forehead of Hadrat Bibi Hazra. It made her look very beautiful and full of grace and dignity.

This led Sarah, the first wife of Ibrahim who was then 75 years old and was without any children, to become jealous of Hazra. To make Hazra look ugly she punctured both her ear-lobes. Princess Hazra took two beautiful flowers and fixed them into the same. This made her look even more beautiful. It is from this incident that Muslim women pierce their earlobes and wear jewelleries on their ears. This filled Sarah with even greater hatred and jealousy for Hazra. As soon as Ibrahim went out of the house for some work, Sarah mercilessly beat Hazra. This made Hazra decide to flee to her father's palace in Egypt to save herself from this unwarranted persecution. As she was about to cross into Egypt, Angel Jibrail appeared before her and said :

"And the Angel of the Lord said unto her (Princess Hagar of Egypt), Behold, thou art with child, and thou shalt bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael (Arabic : Ismail); (This honour of being the first women in creation to receive directly the Divine messenger has been blessed by Allah upon you) because the Lord hath heard thy affliction (which you have patiently borne without any complaint against the unjust persecution of Sarah out of her jealousy at your beauty).

"And the Angel of the Lord said unto her : return (to the house of Ibrahim – in English Abraham, and God will protect you from the unjust persecution of Sarah until child birth) ... "
(Genesis 16:11 & 9).

Princess Hazra had reached the stage of "Fana Fil Allah" or absolute surrender to the will of Allah. The Qur'an briefly refers to the foretelling of the birth of Ismail in Sura 37 – As Saffat : Ayats 100 & 101 as :

a. 100 – "My Lord bless me (Ibrahim, a son out) of the doers of good deeds.

a. 101 – "So We (Allah) blessed him (Ibrahim) with good tidings (through Princess Hazra) of a gentle son (to be named Ismail)".

Sarah had no child of her own She was overjoyed at this good news — the Divine foretelling of the birth of a gentle son to be named Ismail. She became so very happy that she would now have a son to play with in her old age and an heir for Abraham. She decided she would treat this child as her own. Accordingly she stopped further persecution of Hazra until Ismail was born in 1930 B.C. when Ibrahim was 86 years old (Genesis 16:15 & 16).

The Holy Spirit which had entered the forehead of Hazra from the forehead of Ibrahim on the night she conceived Ismail now left the forehead of his mother Princess Hazra and came into the forehead of Ismail upon his birth (p. 213, Vol. I, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

So beautiful was Ismail at birth due to the Holy Spirit shining on his forehead that Sarah took away the babe and played with him all day long. Only at times of breast feeding could Princess Hazra have her child. This state of affairs continued for only a few months (p. 213, Vol. I, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

It so happened one day whilst Princess Hazra was feeding the babe, Ibrahim came into the room. Seeing his younger wife feeding the child he started playing with them out of love. When Sarah realized that Hazra was taking an unusually long time to feed Ismail, she came to investigate. She was shocked to see the love play between Ibrahim, his second younger wife and their child. This again filled Sarah with hatred. She decided to take her revenge upon the innocent Hazra and the few-months-old Ismail. She resolved to get rid of both of them from her life forever (p. 213, Vol. I, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

Sarah therefore waited for her opportunity. When Ibrahim came to her, she asked him to promise in the name of God that he would faithfully carry out whatever favour she was going to ask so as to make her happy. Ibrahim pointed out that he was doing all in his power to please her all the time. But Sarah would have nothing less. So the henpecked Ibrahim faithfully promised in the name of God to carry out whatsoever Sarah would demand. Sarah having thus extracted the "Oath on God" from the helpless Ibrahim immediately demanded that her husband should fulfill his promise in the name of God and act accordingly :-

(1) To take Hazra and the baby Ismail and leave them in some far-off place, from where they could not return to Hebron where Sarah was living happily with Ibrahim.

(2) That her husband must not live as man and wife with Hazra any more in spite of their marriage, which she herself had insisted upon Ibrahim.

So shocked was Ibrahim at these unjust demands into which Sarah had trapped him by his oath that he wept bitterly and prayed to God for guidance and help to save Hazra and Ismail.

The Angel Jibrail appeared and informed Prophet Ibrahim that Allah had heard his prayers of distress for the innocent Princess Hazra and his only child Prince Ismail. For their safety Allah desired that they should be removed to such a far-off place where Sarah would no longer be a source of danger to these innocents. Accordingly Allah had decided to honour them by making them the first caretakers of His house of worship (i.e. Bait-Ullah or Kaabah at Makkah) which the angels had built on earth 2000 years before the creation of Adam. Allah would look after them and protect them from all harm.

Thus assured, Ibrahim carried out Sarah's request by taking his beloved young wife Hazra and his only son Prince Ismail on his camel which he loaded with as much food and water as the camel could carry. He then set off for Makkah. In those days it was known as the wilderness of Paran, according to the Biblical name given in Genesis 21 : 21. Having reached his destination he asked Princess Hazra to get down with his son Ismail, then about 6 months old. He unloaded the food and water and turned to go back. At this Hazra asked her husband in whose care he was leaving her alone in the middle of the desert. Ibrahim replied : "By Allah's orders and in His care". This satisfied Princess Hazra, who was one of those who had surrendered herself to live according to the will of Allah, irrespective of whether it meant trouble for her. This is the second proof that she had reached the stage of "Fana Fil Allah" or lost in the love of Allah.

It was only for this reason that she decided against going back to the palace of her father in Egypt to live in comfort (p. 215, Vol. I, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

After some days, the water left by Ibrahim ran out. The Princess's breast also became dry due to lack of water. As a result she had nothing with which to feed her six month old son. There were two hills nearby — Safa a hundred feet away and Marwah a hundred yards or so away.

As they were steep, it was not possible for her to climb the hills with the baby Ismail in her arms. She was all alone with no habitation nearby. She thought that if she climbed up these hills she might see some animals or birds, and by watching their direction of travel she might come to know where water may be available. Or she might perhaps see some passing caravan and ask for water for her child, who was dying of thirst and was now putting out his tongue for water. So she placed the child under the shade of a shrub and climbed the nearer hill, Safa. Not having found any signs by which she could procure some water, she descended from Safa and ran through the valley between the two hills and climbed up the other hill, Marwah. On seeing nothing which could help her, she descended from Marwah and again climbed up Safa. In this manner, she made seven trips between the hills Safa and Marwah. By the seventh climb, she was completely exhausted in her hungry condition for the past several days. Whereupon she sat down on the top of hill Marwah. She prayed fervently to God for the safety of her child. Her prayers were immediately answered. Angel Jibrail appeared before her for the second time and asked her : "O Princess Hagar of Egypt, how is it that you are alone in this wilderness?" She replied : "I am here by the Will of the Almighty in whom I have complete faith and trust". Then the angel asked her : "What is troubling you that you are crying?" She replied : "My baby Ismail is dying out of thirst". The angel replied :

"Fear not for God has heard your prayers and solved the difficulties of your son. Look at the place where your child is lying and see, wherever he is throwing his little arms and legs, there water is miraculously spouting out of the ground in little streams".

In delight, Hazra ran to her son. She found that this water, which was coming out of the ground where baby Ismail lay, was refreshing like honey and absolutely crystal clear (p. 215, Vol. I, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

This is the most sacred water in the world. Its name "Zam Zam" originated from the joyous gurgling sound made by the little baby Ismail when he was given this water to drink by his mother from a water bottle as he was still too small to drink by himself.

The well of Zam Zam is still in existence today. It originated in 1930 B.C. i.e. 3936 years back. So it is the longest existing miracle on earth.

This miraculous water has three miraculous qualities even till today viz :
(a) Quenches thirst
(b) Satisfies hunger
(c) Acts as a medicine for all sicknesses

For the Muslims it is obligatory to make these seven trips between the hills Safa and Marwah during the Haj Pilgrimage. Wherever Hadrat Bibi Hazra ran, millions of Muslims run and wherever she walked, the pilgrims walk. They drink the holy sacred water of "Zam Zam" just as the second wife of Prophet Ibrahim had done, and pray for the forgiveness of their sins.

(b) The second woman to receive visits of the Angel was the mother of Prophet Samson. The full details of the two visits of the angel to her are recorded in Judges 13:3 – 24. The Angel ordered the pregnant mother that she was not drink wine or strong drinks nor eat any unclean thing (like swine flesh).

(c) The third woman to receive visits of the angel was the Virgin Mary (Arabic : Mariyum), the mother of Prophet Jesus (Arabic : Esa). The Qur'an confirms this in Sura 3 – Al Imran : Ayat 37 :

"So her Lord accepted her (Mariyum) with a good acceptance and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth, and made Zachariah her guardian. When Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she (Mary) was (locked without any food for three consecutive days), he found that she had food. He said : O Mariyum how did this (food) come to you? She answered : It is from Allah (through Angel Jibrail). He (Allah) gives without any limit to whom He pleases".

Mariyum was also foretold by the Angel on his second visit to her of the Birth of Holy Esa (Jesus) without any human contact and before she was married, as established in Sura 3 – Al lmran : Ayats 45-47 :

a. 45 – "And remember when the angel said : O Mariyum! Without doubt Allah gives you glad tidings of a messenger from Him, whose name is Esa Masaiah, son of Mariyum, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near unto Allah.

a. 46 – "He will speak unto humanity from his cradle and during his manhood, and he is of the righteous.

a. 47 – " She said : My Lord! How can I have a son, when no man has touched me? He (Allah) said (through the angel) : So (it will be). Allah creates what He wills. If He decrees a thing, He says unto it only 'Kun’ (i.e. Be!) and it is".

(d) The fourth and last lady to receive direct visits of Angels was Amena, the Mother of the Promised Prophet Muhammad (peace be on all of these blessed women) (pp. 17 & 18, Ahsan ul Muwaiz).

These visits of the Angels were to console Amena at the sad news of the death of her husband Abdullah bin Abdul Muttaleb at Yathreb. Allah by His powers of miracles sent Angels to congratulate and give her the very good news that her child would be Muhammad, the messenger of Allah.

The question before us is – Who was this Power to give such good news? Allah was enjoying Himself by such celebrations at the birth of Muhammad (pp. 17 & 18, Ahsan ul Muwaiz).


8. VISITS OF EARLIER PROPHETS TO AMENA CONGRATULATING BIRTH OF FINAL PROPHET

Numerous prophets by the Will of Allah miraculously got out of their graves and in a flash of a second came to Amena and congratulated her with the good news of the birth of Muhammad, the Promised Prophet through whom the world would be blessed. Amena informed these facts to her family. The household members thought that perhaps some evil spirits might be appearing before Amena. So on the day before the birth of the child, they chained her on the neck, hands, and legs. Because they believed that iron would act as a charm to ward off evil spirits. That night she beheld an aged man come to her. He touched the iron of the chains and they miraculously broke and fell away from her neck, hands and feet. She became free. Out of curiosity at these miraculous events, Amena asked him who he was. The old man replied : "I am Ibrahim Khalil Ullah" i.e. Prophet Abraham, the friend of Allah. He said Allah, by His unlimited power, had raised me from my grave at Hebron in Palestine. Then He conveyed me in a flash of a second to Makkah. So that I could give you the good news to celebrate the birth of your son. The name of the child would be Muhammad. He would be Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen or the blessing for the whole universe. Your child is the direct descendent of my eldest son Ismail. Allah had instructed me to sacrifice Ismail when he was 13 years old. He was then my one and only son. This event took place when I was 99 years old. At that point of time I had no news of any more children or grand-children. I had taken Ismail to sacrifice him on Mount Sabir on the plains of Monah in accordance with Allah's orders. Ismail however was saved miraculously by Allah. In his stead a ram was sent by Allah from Heaven which replaced Ismail in the flash of a second. The descending knife in my hand sacrificed the Heavenly ram. Thus my beloved Ismail was saved. Thereupon I had prayed to the Creator that this child be honoured with the Promised Prophet through whom the world would be blessed. Allah had accepted this prayer of mine, which is going to be fulfilled now. I congratulate you, my great great grand daughter, and celebrate with you the good news of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (pp. 17 & 18, Ahsan ul Muwaiz).


9. SOME IMPORTANT LADIES WHO ATTENDED THE BIRTH OF MUHAMMAD

Amena stated that as soon as the labour pains of child-birth started, an angel miraculously came and asked her to drink from a cup in his hand. This drink had been sent by Allah from Heaven. It was whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. As soon as she drank this heavenly drink, her pangs of child birth disappeared and all fears left her (pp. 43 - 44, Vol. 2, Ajaibul Kassas).

After enjoying this drink sent as a gift from Allah, Amena saw the gates of Heaven open. Then angels descended. They waited for the childbirth. As soon as the child was born, they bowed before him and paid their respects to the new babe. This was done by the angels under orders of Allah. It is called "Kadam Boosi" or kissing the feet out of love and respect. In Arabic it is called Sajdah of respect. The Sajdah of respect had also been ordered by Allah before. Iblis did not bow out of respect before Prophet Adam and kiss his feet. So he became Satan. Those who refuse to do Kadam Boosi at the shrines of Prophets and saints become followers of Iblis.

Three angels from this group went towards the Kaabah. One angel stayed over the Kaabah. One went to the East and the other towards the West. After that, a light spread out which lit up the world. In this miraculous light, Amena stated, she could see distinctly the palaces of Palestine and Syria (pp. 18 – 19, Ahsan ul Muwaiz). Just before the birth of Muhammad, four unknown ladies appeared miraculously before Amena to attend to and take part in the celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (pp. 43 – 44, Vol. 2, Ajaibul Kassas). They were in addition to the other Makkan ladies, who were there to attend to the child birth.

The first lady was very tall. She said I am Ma Howwah i.e. Eve, the mother of humanity. Allah has raised me from my grave at Jeddah. Then Allah in a second brought me here to attend to the child birth of the Final Prophet. So that I could get the honour of taking part in the celebration of the birth of this child, who is the greatest amongst all my descendents. This child is Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen or the blessing for the whole universe. The other ladies of the family heard this conversation. They revealed it to the people of Makkah.

The second lady was Sarah, the mother of Prophet Ishaq (English : Isaac) and grandmother of Prophet Yacoob (English : Jacob), whose children are the Israelites or Jews. Allah had miraculously raised her from her grave in Palestine and in a flash of a second had brought her here to attend to the birth of the Promised Prophet for whom the world had been waiting for several thousands of years. She prayed that by joining in the celebration of this child birth, she would, through the prayers of this prophet, be able to obtain the forgiveness of the Jews if they followed this child.

The third lady was Princess Hazra of Egypt, the mother of Prophet Prince Ismail. Allah raised her up from her grave at the Kaabah. She came, with Otto (a sweet-smelling essence) from Heaven, to express her love for this great grandchild of her son Ismail which fulfilled Allah's promise to her husband Prophet Ibrahim : "The world would be blessed through thy seed" (Genesis 22 : 18).

The fourth lady to be raised miraculously by Allah from the dead was queen Asiya, daughter of Pharaoh Mozahim. She was the wife of the Pharaoh of the time of Moses. This Egyptian ruler was drowned for his disobedience with his entire army in the Gulf of Suez, whilst Moses safely crossed over to the other side with the Jews.

She was that Queen of Egypt who brought up Moses from a little child when he was found floating in the basket on the river Nile (Sura 20 – Ta Ha : Ayats 38-40). She was the first person in the Pharaoh's court who believed in Allah upon seeing how the small miraculous snake made by the staff of Moses ate up the bigger snakes of the Egyptian magicians (Sura 20 – Ta Ha : Ayats 55-76). Whereupon the enraged Pharaoh tortured her severely just as he had tortured the magicians by cutting off their arms and legs on opposite sides and hanging them till death. She preferred martyrdom for her faith in the one and only God. Thus she reached the stage of "Fana Fil Allah" or lost in the love of Allah.

These were just a few of the many thousand miraculous incidents by which Allah revealed that He Himself celebrated the birth of the orphan Muhammad, when all others in the family were weeping upon the news of the death of his father Abdullah at Yathreb.

In the hands of these four special nurses Muhammad was born, with his foreskin already circumcised miraculously, with his navel cord already separated miraculously from his mother's body, and with his body miraculously pure and clean without any kind of blood or filth on it and did not require any bathing (pp. 10-13, Vol. 2, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya). All the other Makkan ladies present were also witnesses to same. They naturally spread the news to the Makkans. These events became the talk of the town.


10. EXPERIENCE OF ABDUL MUTTALEB AT THE TIME OF THE BIRTH OF MUHAMMAD

Abdul Muttaleb, the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), and some other leaders of Qureysh were praying at the Kaabah at this early hour before dawn according to their normal custom.

All of a sudden they were surprised to see the solid walls of the Kaabah become flexible like rubber and bow miraculously by the will of Allah before "Mukam-e-lbrahim" or the glass casket containing the two stones with the foot prints of Prophet Ibrahim on which he stood when he reconstructed the Kaabah aided by his eldest son Prophet Ismail (peace be on them).

At the moment of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, Allah spoke miraculously from the walls of the Kaabah announcing the celebration of the birth His Beloved Prophet as follows –

(Translation from Arabic)
"Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. He is the Sustainer Lord of Muhammad, who will purify the Kaabah from idols and efface idolatry and restore the Bait Ullah (which means the House of Allah) once again to its original honoured position for the worship of Allah, the Alone. Lady Amena has just given birth to this child".

In this announcement Allah personally celebrated the birth of Muhammad and informed those worshippers who were present at Bait Ullah, the House of Allah or Kaabah (p. 14, Vol. 2, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).


11. MIRACULOUSLY IDOLS AT KAABAH PROSTRATE & ANNOUNCE BIRTH OF MUHAMMAD

Immediately after this announcement, the people at the Kaabah were shocked to see all the 360 idols, without any exception and in the same fraction of a second, miraculously fall prostrate on their faces as if in the act of paying their respects. Prominent amongst those present were :

- Warka bin Naufal
- Zaid bin Omar Nafil
- Osman bin Habiras

These three picked up and re-erected the fallen idols into their position. But the idols again fell down on their faces. They propped them up with various kinds of supports but to no avail, the idols were again on their faces in prostration for a third time.

Osman bin Habiras said to his companions that something very serious must have happened, causing all the idols to fall repeatedly. In reply to this question Allah to celebrate the birth of His favourite Prophet miraculously caused the biggest of the idols over there to recite in beautiful Arabic poetry the following –

(Translation from Arabic)
"We idols the world over have fallen down to bow and pay our respects to a child just born. Whose light has lit the universe from East to West. All idols all over the earth have fallen by the will of Allah at the exact time of the birth of the Promised Prophet Muhammad with a view to honour this child. Emperors of the earth have been frightened tonight. The Emperor of Persia is grief stricken and (the Magi) fire has become quenched. Stopped forever is the heavenly information by which the Jinns (genii) used to foretell. O children of Quassa (Quassa was that descendant of Ismail from whom came several of the leading families of Makkah including the parents of the Holy Prophet Muhammad), leave aside idolatry and come towards Islam that you may become owners of the garden of eternal bliss".

All these three were amazed by the poetry miraculously sung by the idol in celebrating the birth of Prophet Muhammad (p. 25, Ahsan ul Muwaiz).

Who in fact was celebrating this birth in such a fantastic manner? Without doubt it was Allah. When the celebrations of the birth of the Prophet were so glowingly performed by Allah Himself, can anyone who does not join in ever be a believer in Allah and His Muhammad?

The Qur'an threatens the so-called believers in several similar verses! One is quoted here from Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 80 which warns :

"Whosoever obeys the Messenger "Fakad" i.e. indeed only obeys Allah. And whoever turns away, We (Allah) have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a "Hafiza" i.e. saviour for them (on the Day of Judgment)".

The millions of idols all over the planet Earth remained prostrate on the floor for a full twenty four hours with their faces towards the ground. No amount of efforts to refit them throughout the world was successful. It was only on the next day that they were refitted again. This was witnessed by many thousands of people, not only at Makkah but also elsewhere as records from various places establish in the coming pages.

These incidents caused a commotion amongst the local people. They humbly went to pay their respects to this child and thus celebrated the birth of Muhammad (p. 13, Vol. 2, Tafrihul Azkil Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).


12. MUHAMMAD UPON BIRTH WORSHIPS ALLAH, WHO SPEAKS TO HIM AS A FRIEND

Immediately upon birth, the child Muhammad surprisingly did prostration to worship Allah. No other child had done such a prostration and worship of Allah immediately on birth. Then, to the amazement of all present, he recited in a loud and clear audible voice with his right hand index finger raised miraculously as if in the act of giving evidence (p. 11, Vol. 2, Tafrihul Azkia fil Ahwal ul Anbiya) :

(a) "Ash-hadu an La ilaaha illallahu Anna Muhammadur Rasul Allah"
(b) "Ya Rabbe habli Ummati"

Translation :

(a) "I give evidence that none is worthy of divine worship except Allah, I am Muhammad, the messenger of Allah".
(b) "O Sustainer Lord (of the Universe) bless me (and) my followers".

At once Allah replied to His beloved as one speaks face to face with his friend. Everyone attending to the birth of the child also clearly heard. The translation from Arabic is as follows :

"I have blessed you, O Muhammad and those who faithfully follow you. O Angels, you be the witnesses ; the fact is that when he has not forgotten his followers upon his birth on earth, then how can he forget them on the Day of Judgment" (p. 44, Vol. 2, Ajaibul Kassas).

Indeed a most fantastic way for Allah to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad by making the Angels and the ladies present as His witnesses of this fact. That is why till this day those who are believers celebrate his birthday by reciting Milad-un-Nabi with full enthusiasm on each and every happy occasion.


13. CELEBRATION OF BIRTH OF MUHAMMAD BY TRIBE OF BANI HASHIM

After the adoration of Allah and giving evidence of His Oneness, the child Muhammad miraculously picked up a handful of earth from the ground in his tiny right fist. All present were shocked at this unique incident. The slave woman of Abu Lahab bin (son of) Abdul Muttaleb upon seeing this unbelievable event rushed with this wonderful news to her master Abu Lahab. Upon hearing this event he spontaneously announced that his nephew is going to be the ruler of this earth. His joy was so great that he celebrated the birth of his orphan nephew by giving freedom to his slave, who had brought such good news (p. 20, Vol. 1, Ahsan ul Muwaiz). This event was followed by Abdul Muttaleb, the grandfather, celebrating on the third day of the birth of Muhammad as the replacement for the death of his beloved son Abdullah at Yathreb. The entire family of Bani Hashim and all their relatives and friends joined together to celebrate the birth of this wondrous orphan, who was going to be the ruler of this earth according to all of them.


14. THE POPULATION OF MAKKAH CELEBRATED THE BIRTH OF MUHAMMAD

The entire population of Makkah and the surrounding areas rushed to celebrate the birth of Muhammad with pride and joy and pay their homage to one who according to their logic was a Makkan who would become the future ruler of the Earth. This was more so because the women who were present at child birth had also heard a voice announcing :

"Ruler of the universe, the whole creation is your slave" (p. 13, Vol. 2, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

The question arises who made the local women attending to the birth of this child hear this statement? It was undoubtedly Allah. So in reality it was Allah Who was celebrating the birth of the Final Prophet. This gave everybody in Makkah the desire also to celebrate this birth of the most unique child in history of human children at birth.


15. WONDERFUL AROMA FROM BIRTH TILL DEPARTURE FROM EARTH

When Amena looked upon the face of her child she found that the same was shining like a full moon due to Noor-e-Muhammadi. The perfume of the finest otto was coming from the body without any scent being put on his body (p. 21, Vol. I, Ahsan ul Muwaiz). By the will of Allah this sweet aroma from the body of the child continued throughout his life. By this miraculous sweet fragrance, people could say that Prophet Muhammad is coining this way or has just passed from here. These were some of the unnatural facts of his life experienced by both the believers as well as the disbelievers. Allah caused such a miracle to occur from the time of the birth of Muhammad and continued the miracle throughout his life on earth as a blessing of Allah not experienced by anyone including the earlier prophets. This is one of the unique examples set by Allah to show how He celebrated the birth of his friend Prophet Muhammed for 63 years i.e. till his departure from earthly life.


16. ANGELS CELEBRATE BIRTH OF MUHAMMAD BY INFORMING CREATION

Then the Angels of Allah took Muhammad in their lap from his mother Amena. They celebrated the birth of the final Prophet. They announced in her presence and in the presence of the ladies of Qureysh who were there to attend to the childbirth :

(Translation from Arabic)
"O animals on the face of the earth, the living creatures in the air, the fishes in the seas, and the trees fixed in the ground, remember the name of this child and recognize him well. Allah has gifted upon him the wonderful and good qualities that were in all the earlier prophets put together that have come on earth from Adam till Esa (Jesus)".

Indeed how varied were the numerous different celebrations relating to the birth of Prophet Muhammad done by Allah in these numerous ways (p. 13, Vol. 2, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).


17. ANNOUNCEMENT FROM WALLS OF KAABAH AT NAMING CEREMONY

As soon as this child was taken to the Kaabah for the naming ceremony as was the custom amongst the people of Qureysh, the four corners of the walls of the Kaabah by the will of Allah miraculously spoke and announced :

(Translation from Arabic)
"There is none worthy of divine worship except Allah and Muhammad is the seal of Prophethood" (p. 47, Vol. 2, Ajaibul Kassas).

Who was doing so many different types of celebrations uptil the naming ceremony of the child like getting even the walls of the Kaabah to announce that the child Muhammad (i.e. the one who is praised by Allah) would be the seal of Prophethood? None can deny that it was without doubt Allah Who had full knowledge and He would announce this even in the Qur'an.


18. BIRTH OF MUHAMMAD BROUGHT IN THE LUCKIEST YEAR FOR MAKKAH

For five consecutive years preceding the birth of Muhammad, there was a great famine in this area. The trading caravans had not brought in any profits. The people had been reduced to poverty. There was general distress all around.

In the year of the birth of the Holy Prophet i.e. in 570 A.D., this gloomy situation was transformed into the most prosperous year the Makkans ever knew. They had rains. The famine was ended. Even their trading caravans brought in unexpectedly rewarding profits. There was great joy and prosperity all around. Hence this year was given a special title of "Sanatul Ibtehaj" or the "Year of Plenty" (p. 14, Vol. 1, Ahsan ul Muwaiz).


19. INCIDENTS IN YEMEN AT THE TIME OF BIRTH OF MUHAMMAD

The miracles performed by Allah to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad were not by any means confined to Makkah. Strange miracles took place all over the earth as informed by the idols speaking at the Kaabah. Here is an example from Southern Arabia.

There lived at Saana in Yemen a man named Amer. He was praying at dawn with his wife and children before an idol at the time of the birth of Muhammad. He saw miraculously a "Noor" spreading light from East to West and from North to South. In this light he saw the gates of Heaven open. Many angels descended, prostrating themselves. In this light he saw the trees and the hills also miraculously prostrating themselves to pay their respects. At that moment the idol in front of him fell on its face upon the ground as if in the act of prostration. As he picked up the idol it miraculously spoke in the local dialect of Yemen and said :

"The Promised Prophet, who was being looked forward to for thousands of years has just been born. The trees and the stones shall miraculously speak with him. For his sake Allah will split the moon into two".

Amer could not believe his ears that an idol could speak to him. To make sure that what he had heard was not a dream, he questioned his wife : "Did you hear what I heard?" She answered : "Yes. But please ask the idol where this child has been born and what is his name?"

The idol replied miraculously by the will of Allah that this child's name was Muhammad Mustafa. He had been born at Makkah. Through him the universe would be blessed.

Amer had a deformed daughter. She at once prayed aloud : "O Allah, in the name of this Muhammad Mustafa, who is just born, I pray that You in his honour cure me".

At once Allah accepted this prayer of the deformed child. Miraculously she was cured instantly. The reason being that she had prayed to Allah giving the Wasilah or intermediary of the Holy Prophet. Everyone in Saana, the Capital of Yemen, was very much surprised by this miracle.

Does the Qur'an support the principle of Wasilah of the Prophet?

The Qur'an in Sura 4 – An Nisa : end of Ayat 64 confirms :

"And had they (the people on earth), when they had wronged themselves come to you (O Prophet Muhammad) and asked forgiveness from Allah and the Messenger had (also) asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful".

The people of Yemen were very impressed by this miracle perfumed by Allah just through the intermediation of the name of this great Prophet. This family became so excited that they journeyed all the way to Makkah to pay their homage to the birth of this holy child (pp. 23 – 34, Ahsan ul Muwaiz).

Who was celebrating the birth of Prophet Muhammad in this miraculous way? Without doubt it was Allah. How can anyone deny it after the repeated challenges made by Allah throughout Sura 55 – Ar Rahman in the Qur'an, which has remained unquestioned for the past 1400 Years?


20. EFFECT UPON THE GREATEST RULER IN THE WORLD – THE ROMAN EMPEROR

The Roman Emperor Justin II was the most powerful ruler of the world. His empire extended over Europe, England, Mediterranean and North Africa and even extended to Asia Minor and the Middle East.

On the morning of the birth of Prophet Muhammad, he found that very strangely the golden idol of Christ had come off its strong foundation. The statue was lying on the floor of the Royal Chapel with its face towards the ground. He rushed and picked it up reverently. As soon as Justin II touched the idol it miraculously spoke to him in Latin and informed him :

(a) A child had been born with his foreskin miraculously circumcised.
(b) This child would be the greatest personage to come on earth.
(c) He would be from amongst the circumcised people.
(d) This baby was not from a Jewish family but from the brethren of the Jews, i.e. a tribe which was related by blood to the Jews.
(e) He would be a destroyer of idols and lay the foundations for the destruction of idolatry.
(f) Those who would not listen to his teachings would be losers on this earth and in the hereafter.
(g) He would bring about the removal of the Dark Ages of Europe. He would be the light of learning which would be the cause of filling the earth with wisdom, knowledge and science, which would result in removing the darkness of ignorance prevalent in Europe.
(h) Those who followed him would be assured of eternal bliss in Heaven.
(i) If the Roman Emperor of that time would not pay heed to his invitation then the Roman Empire would be broken up (p. 12, Vol. 2, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

This incident frightened the Roman Emperor. The question is : Who was celebrating the birth of the Holy Prophet by frightening the Romans with the news of the birth of Promised Comforter who was to come after Jesus, who would complete the religion which the people of the time of Jesus could not bear up with? The answer without any doubt is Allah.


21. FRIGHT STRUCK THE PERSIAN EMPIRE ON BIRTH OF THE PROPHET

The second largest civilization in those days was the Persian Empire. On the date of birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, Allah caused the following miracles to take place in Persia to make them realize the importance of the birth of Prophet Muhammad and the implications it would have in the future of world history of humanity :

(a) The fire in the Magi Temple of Zoroastrians, which had been alight for several thousands of years, became quenched for the first time in history. It had always burned ever since it was lit in the honour of King Nimrod, the builder of the Tower of Babel, who had taught that God is a Trinity in Unity and that he was the only begotten son of god come on earth to save wicked humanity by the sacrifice of his precious life.
(b) Fourteen towers of the Royal palace of Nausherwan, the Emperor of Persia, broke and fell without any reasons whatsoever. There was no earthquake or storm to cause such a disaster.
(c) The famous back stone on which the fabulous throne of Persia was kept cracked by itself, causing great alarm and fear that the Persian Empire would come to an end soon.
(d) The deep and fast flowing river Sawa in the Persian Empire dried up instantly. The Persians could not find any logical reason for it.
(e) The River Samawa in the Persian Empire which had been dry for the past thousand years or more suddenly started flowing at a great speed.
(f) The Tower of the Palace of the Persian Emperor on the River Tigris, which was so strongly built that nothing could damage it for hundreds of years, broke by itself and fell, without any logical reason, to the amazement of the Persians.
(g) Emperor Nausherwan had a dream that very night in which he saw Arabian camels drag away the Persian horses across the River Tigris and fan themselves throughout Persia.

Naturally Nausherwan was very much frightened and grief stricken by all these portents and asked for their interpretation. He was told that a child had been born in Arabia, whose followers would overrun Persia and convert his people to this child's religion during the reign of the fourteenth king of Persia from him (pp. 22-23, Ahsan ul Muwaiz).

This foretelling was fulfilled when the forces of Islam defeated the Romans in Palestine and captured Persia during the period of Hadrat Omar bin Khattab, the second Khulifa-e-Rashideen. Yesjerd was then the fourteenth king from Nausherwan. These historical incidents took place in the year 31 A.H. (p. 12, Vol. 2, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

By these strange incidents Allah not only announced but also celebrated the birth of Muhammad by instilling fear into the hearts of the powerful rulers of that period. These miracles prove that Allah celebrated the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad by countless miracles all over the earth.


22. AL QUR’AN – FIRST WORSHIPPER & MUSLIM

Allah informs in Sura 6 – Al Anam : Ayat 164 :

"He (Allah) has no partner. And this I (Muhammad) am commanded (by Allah) to say : I am (merely) Awwal-ul-Muslimeen i.e. I am the first of those who have surrendered to the will of Allah".

Again in Sura 43 – Az Zukhruf : Ayat 81 : Allah repeats :

"Say (O Muhammad) : the Beneficent has no son. I (Muhammad) am (merely) Awwal-ul-Abideen i.e. the first worshipper (of Allah in the entire universe)".

People naturally asked Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) as to how he could be :

(a) The first "Muslim" or one surrendered to the will of Allah
(b) The first "Abid" or worshipper of Allah in the universe

They pointed out that the Angels had been worshipping Allah from several billions of years before the creation of humanity on earth. Therefore they enquired what was the clarification of these declarations of Allah in the Holy Qur'an that you are the first Muslim and the first worshipper?

Further Adam was the first man on earth who worshipped Allah. Therefore he was also the first Muslim on earth because he had agreed to surrender himself to follow the laws of Allah. Adam was followed by about 124,000 Prophets till Esa (Prophet Jesus son of Virgin Mary — Peace be on all of them). All these prophets as well as their followers were born on earth long before him. As such these Prophets and their believers were "Muslims" i.e. surrendered to the Will of Allah. They were all worshippers of the one God. How then was the Qur'an declaring that Muhammad is the first of those who were Muslims i.e. surrendered to the will of Allah and also was the first worshipper?' What was the secret in these Ayats which Allah was revealing and about which the public had no knowledge? Of course what knowledge Allah has no one else has. The explanations are given under the following headings.


23. AL QUR’AN – ALLAH IS UNIMAGINABLE

The Holy Prophet's replies to these questions were recorded by many. A few aspects are quoted here :

Panjatan-e-Pak Hadrat Moula Ali ibn Abu Taleb, the Khatimul Khulifa-e-Rashideen of the Prophet, has reported that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has answered :

Allah was the "ALONE" – the SINGLE for a very long infinite period. There was none besides Him. He was complete in all respects. Therefore He had no necessity for anything. He remained all by himself. The Alone. The Qur'an has described Him glowingly in Sura 31 – Luqman : Ayat 27 as :

"And if all the trees on earth were pens and (all) the oceans (on the earth) were ink with seven more (sets of the five oceans each as on earth were added) to help it, still all the words of the praises and descriptions of Allah would not be exhausted (when all these pens would have withered away and all the ink provided by the eight sets of five oceans each as on earth would have become exhausted). Without doubt Allah is the Mighty, the Wise".


24. AL QUR’AN – THERE ARE NO OTHER GODS BESIDES ALLAH

The above is supplemented by numerous descriptions in the Qur'an as to what is Allah. Let us consider one set of three Ayats from Sura 59 – Al Hashr : Ayats 22-24 :

a. 22 – "He is Allah, besides Whom there is no other god, the Knower of the invisible and the visible. He is the Most Beneficent, the Ever Merciful.

a. 23 – "This is Allah, other than Him there is no god. He is the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, the Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the Superb. Glorified be Allah from all that they ascribe as partners (to Him).

a. 24 – "He is Allah, the Creator of the Universe, the Shaper out of nothing, the Fashioner. His are the Most Beautiful Names. All that is in the Heavens and the earth hymn (sing) His Praises. He is the Mighty, the Wise".

These reveal very clearly that none can imagine what Allah is! Because we have the capacity of thinking upto a limit i.e. things which have a start and an end. But Allah has been in existence from infinity and will remain till beyond eternity. There is for Him neither beginning nor end. He was neither created nor given birth by anyone. He just existed from always. He will also continue to remain forever. How that is ever possible we cannot even imagine.

The Qur'an brings this out in Chapter 112 – Al Ikhlas : Ayats 1-4 :

a. 1 – "Say (i.e. teach O Prophet) Allah is the Alone (the Unique, the Incomparable)

a. 2 – "Allah is He upon Whom all depend (every second for their sustenance)

a. 3 – "He begets not (any children), nor is He begotten (by any parents or creators)

a. 4 – "And there is none comparable to the Unique (Who Alone is not is need of anything but all have to look to Him continuously for their survival)".


25. ALLAH’S DESIRE TO BE KNOWN, PRAISED, HONOURED

For a very long infinite period Allah had kept Himself in a state of absence of all colours i.e. in perfect darkness, so that He may peacefully contemplate on what He would like to do. Then came to Him the thought that it would be a good enjoyment and pastime for Him if He would reveal His wondrous qualities in the universe. He wanted to be praised and honoured. At that moment there was nothing in existence besides Himself. So He made Himself into a wonderful shining Light. Immediately light started to flow out of Him. Even though such rays did not form any part of the Almighty Shining Allah, yet it displayed the reflections of Allah and His Glories.


26. THE FIRST CREATION OF ALLAH

This ray of light, flowing out of the Shining Noor or light of Allah, cannot by any stretch of imagination be termed as any part of the Majesty of the Creator because it did not form any part of Allah. It was like a mirror which merely reflected the light and glories of the wonders that is Allah. This ray of light became the first creation i.e. Noor-e-Muhammadi. From it Allah created all things. It would be a great sin to call the Holy Prophet Muhammad as a partner of God. Those who indulge in such "Blasphemies" condemn themselves by their disbelief in the Qur'an which has expressed this in Sura 24 – An Noor : Ayat 35 as :

"Allah is the Noor or Light of the heavens and the earth. He sets the example from His Light (by the ray of light shooting out of Him) as a pillar (This powerful ray of light with the reflection of Allah’s Glories became Noor-e-Muhammadi and later on Allah created) from it a lamp (i.e. the soul of Panjatan Pak Hadrat Maula Ali ibn Abu Taleb). This lamp is surrounded as if with a glass (i.e. the soul of Panjatan Pak Hadrat Bibi Fatemah) and it became as a shining star (i.e. the soul of Panjatan Pak Hadrat Hasan) lit from a blessed tree and olive, the oil of which gives out light even though no fire has touched it (this represents the soul of Panjatan Pak Hadrat Hussain, the great martyr of Karbala). It is neither eastern nor western (i.e. universal). (Allah is) Noor-un-ala-Noor i.e. infinite Light upon Light (It did not make the least difference or any shortage in any way in Allah – Who continued to remain His Infinite Limitless Self). Allah guides to His Light whom He pleases. And Allah explains by parables to humanity. And Allah is the Knower of all things".


The Holy Prophet informed there was nothing in existence besides Allah from which to create. That is why He made Himself into "Noor-un-ala-Noor" as read hereabove. This is how He started the creation out of His "Noor", the All Pervading Light. He issued His Command, which comprised of the word "Be" and in the fraction of a second a "Noor" or ray of light was created. This "Being of Light" thus became the "Amr Allah" because it was created by the "Word of Allah" or Command of Allah. This was the first thing that was ever created (p. 26, "Asrar-e-Tasawwuf", Oct 1925 Edition, quoting the Hadis reported by Zarkani from "Shar-as-Sunnah" and p. 9, Part I, "Muwahib Ladunia" published in Egypt, and p. 38 also pp. 52-53 of "Muraqua-e-Rasul" quoting the Hadis reported by Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari, one of the close companions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace of Allah be on him)).

His Holiness Hadrat Khwaja Syedena Moinduddin Hasan Chishty of Ajmer (Peace be on him), the Patron Saint of Hindustan, has described the creation of Noor-e-Muhammadi as follows :

"Just as the Sun does not get reduced because its rays flow out of it to give light, so also the Noor or the ray of light coming out of Allah is not a part of Allah but is merely a reflection of Allah. This reflection of the light of Allah, which is Noor-e-Muhammadi, does not by any stretch of imagination become a part of Allah or a partner of Allah, who still continues to be the Infinite One and Alone. And Noor-e-Muhammadi becomes the first creation out of the reflection of Allah. This light flowing out of Allah does not make any difference whatsoever in the vastness of Allah, Who continues to remain Unchanged, yet this ray lights up the surrounding areas".

In this manner Noor-e-Muhammadi was blessed with the honour of becoming the first creation of Allah. It did not make him into any type of a god besides Allah as repeated in both Sura 6 – Al Anam : Ayat 164 and Sura 43 – Az Zukhruf : Ayat 81 as read earlier as "Allah has no partner" and "Say (O Muhammad) the Beneficent has no son". Noor-e-Muhammadi is merely a reflection and as such the first Muslimeen and first Abideen. But Noor-e-Muhammadi is neither the partner nor the begotten son of God as clarified in the Holy Qur'an. As such any one claiming the Noor-e-Muhammadi to be what it is not, commits blasphemy.

The Sun is the reality, whilst its rays are nothing but mere reflections of its grandeur. The two are incomparably different. There cannot be any comparison between the Sun and the rays of light shining out of it. In spite of this vast difference between the fiery Sun and its rays, yet they cannot be separated. This example vividly brings out that there is no similarity between Allah and Noor-e-Muhammadi. The two are completely different. One is the reality. The other is merely a reflection (p. 26, "Diwan of His Holiness Hadrat Khwaja Syedena Moinuddin Hasan Chisty of Ajmer", the Patron Saint of the Indian Subcontinent).


27. THE FIRST CREATION – ITS SPONTANEOUS PROSTRATION OF WORSHIP

As soon as this "Noor" came into existence by the reflection of the Light of Allah, he tried its best to return back into Allah from which he was flowing out as if to express :

"Oh my Lord, why are You sending me out of the Wondrous You?"

In this action he automatically laid himself down flat before Allah i.e. prostrated himself before his Creator in his efforts to try and flow back into Allah. This is known as Sajdah or worship of Allah. By this act he automatically became the first worshipper of Allah in the entire universe as confirmed in the Holy Qur'an. By this act he also became "Ahmad" or one who praises his Lord. The word Ahmed is derived from the word "Hamd" which means "to praise".


28. THE FIRST RECOGNITION OF ALLAH & HIS PRAISE

Immediately this Noor upon prostration before Allah announced five times :

"Al Hamd Do Lillah"
i.e. "Every praise is due to or belongs to Allah"

Then he said five times :

"Subhana Rabbial Aala"
i.e. "Glory be to the Sustainer Lord the "Aala", i.e. the Supreme or Omnipotent" (p. 39, Muraqua-e-Rasul)

By such declarations Noor-e-Muhammadi became the very first creation to recognize God and to give him the name of Allah and honour Him. At that time there was no other creation.


29. ALLAH SO MUCH THRILLED BY SUCH WONDERFUL ADORATION THAT HE FELL IN LOVE & CELEBRATED THE CREATION OF THIS NOOR FOR AN INFINITE PERIOD

Such worship by this Noor upon its creation brought out some very important facts viz :

(1) There was nobody until this time to call the Master of the universe by any name.
(2) This Noor gave his Creator the name "Allah". This is the first name of the Master of the Universe.
(3) Allah is neither masculine nor feminine nor plural. This name has never been applied to any one other than the unimaginable Supreme Being. Who is the Alone. He has no equals or partners. He is complete in Himself and is not in need of any sustenance. He is from infinity and will remain beyond eternity.
(4) The next aspect is the words "Al Hamd Do" is that every praise is due to Allah.
(5) He is "Rub" i.e. Sustainer Lord, Who sustains everything in the Universe.
(6) He is "Aala" or Supreme or Omnipotent i.e. He can do just what He pleases. There is none to question Him.

Allah was so extremely thrilled by such wonderful descriptions and praises of Himself that He exclaimed out of love and joy to Noor-e-Muhammadi :

"That is the very reason why I have created you"

Spontaneously He grabbed and picked up this Noor and with ecstasy drew him right into Himself to celebrate the birth or creation of this Noor. The Lord thus showed to this Noor all His Beauties and Wonders, which took an infinite period of many trillions of years. In this manner Allah celebrated the first creation of this Noor. As each new or different stage or wonders were shown to this Noor, he naturally out of joy and excitement kept on reciting praises, hymns and attributes of Allah which included all the glorious attributes of Allah to be found in the Qur'an (pp. 17, 20, 39, Vol. I, Ajaibul Kassas; p. 39, Muraqua-e-Rasul; p. 17, Vol. I, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya). It was for this reason that he as Noor-e-Muhammadi in the forehead of Adam was able to reveal all the attributes of Allah, some of which are now in the Qur'an, which the Angels could not reveal and so they were ordered as confirmed in the Qur'an to do "Kadam Boosi" i.e. kiss the foot of their teacher Adam as a mark of respect. The Qur'an has used in Arabic the word "Sajdah". For refusing to do this sajdah of respect to Adam, Iblis fell from the post of Moallimul Malkut or teacher of the Angels in heaven into the disgrace of becoming the Satan (Sura 2 – Al Baqarah : Ayats 30-34 , Sura 7 – Al Araf : Ayats 11-17).

Thus Noor-e-Muhammadi became the first companion or friend of Allah. There was nobody else at that time. Naturally Allah has not shown such love for anybody else. By such acts He made Noor-e-Muhammadi His "Mahboob" i.e. "Beloved". Such an honour and for such a long period of about 13 trillions of years as calculated later was not blessed by Allah upon anybody else.


30. ALLAH NAMES THIS NOOR AS MUHAMMAD & DECIDES TO CREATE EVERYTHING FOR HIM

In view of all the praises recited by this Noor, Allah, with happiness decided to honour him with the title of Muhammad. ‘Muhammad’ means the one whom Allah has praised. Indeed a very great honour. The word ‘Muhammad’ is also derived from "hamd" which in Arabic means "to praise". Allah declared : I shall start the creation of everything out of you. And upon you I shall end the Prophethood by making you the last and final Prophet and the seal of Prophethood. I shall make you the blessing for the universe and forgive through you countless numbers of My creations. I shall forgive all those for whom you plead. Those who honour you, such will I grant great positions like angels, prophets, and saints. You will thus become the zikr or remembance of the universe.


31. AL QUR’AN – EVERYTHING CREATED FOR MUHAMMAD

In order to honour His beloved Noor-e-Muhammadi, Allah decided to create everything out of this Noor. The Holy Qur'an confirms this fact in Sura 2 – Al Baqarah : Ayat 29 :

"He (Allah) it is Who has created for the sake of you (O Muhammad) all that is in the earth. And He fashioned the Heaven as seven Heavens (for the sake of you). And He is the Knower of all things".

The word used in this Ayat is "Samma-aa-a". This word in Arabic generally indicates "then" or "afterwards". But there are examples of its use in which it implies neither sequence nor delay. According to Akh and other authorities, "Samma-aa-a" also has the meaning in Arabic of the word "and" (see Lane's Lexicon). Sura 79 – An Naziat : Ayat 30 brings this out :

"And after that (i.e. after the creation of the universe in the heavens) He spread (or made) the earth".


32. ALLAH CREATES FROM NOOR-E-MUHAMMADI TO HONOUR HIM

One day Jabir bin Abdullah, a close companion, asked :

"Oh Holy Prophet (peace be upon you), who was the first creation and how did Allah create the universe?"

The Holy Prophet replied :

The first thing created by Allah out of his Noor was the "Noor" of your Prophet. This Noor had honoured Allah by doing sajdah to Him and saying five times each of :

"Al Hamd Do Lillah"

and

"Subhana Rabbial Aala"

Allah was so very pleased with this Noor that He showed His beloved Noor all His grandeur for a very long infinite time. Thereafter Allah started the creation of everything as follows from the Noor of His beloved as under :


Noor-e-Muhammadi
(The first thing created by Allah out of the reflection of His Noor)
A small portion is taken out and divided into two parts :

The first part divided into four parts (known as Panjatan Pak) :
(Part – 1) Soul of Ali (the Khatimul Khulifa-e-Rashideen)
(Part – 2) Soul of Fathema
(Part – 3) Soul of Hasan (martyred by poison)
(Part – 4) Soul of Hussain (martyred at Karbala)

The second part is also divided into four parts :
(Part – 5) Soul of Abu Bakr (the First Khulifa-e-eRashideen)
(Part – 6) Soul of Omar (the Second Khulifa-e-eRashideen)
(Part – 7) Soul of Osman (the Third Khulifa-e-eRashideen)

This fourth part is again divided into four parts :
(Part-8) Pen
(Part-9) Lauha-e-Mahfooz (The sacred tablet or slate on which is written all the Orders of the Almighty)
(Part-10) The Arsh or the Highest Heaven

This fourth part is again divided into four parts :
(Part-11) The Soul for the creation of the four big Angels
sup¬porting the Arsh viz Gabriel, Izraiel, Mikaiel and Israfiel
(Part 12) The Throne of Allah
(Part-13) The Soul for the Creation of the other Angels

This fourth part is again divided into four parts :
(Part-14) Wisdom also described as the Noor of the eyes. From this part, Wisdom and Science has Spread in the Universe.
(Part-15) Soul also described as the Noor of the Heart. From this part has come the Immortal Soul of all created things.
(Part-16) Kalma also described as the Noor of the tongue. From this part has come about the preachings of the Prophets and power of Communication.
(Part-17) This is the last or seventeenth part. It is very very small. This is the medium through which the entire mater¬ial Universe was crea¬ted by Allah by order¬ing “Be" and in a fra¬ction of a second the entire Universe came into existence as described by Science in the "Big Bang" theory.


Ariaz bin Saria reported that the Holy Prophet had informed him that at that time prior to the creation of the universe it was written across the heaven in letters shining like the sun that I am "Khatimun Nabieen" (Sura 33 – Al Ahzab : Ayat 40). Those souls who honoured the Noor-e-Muhammadi became angels, prophets and saints.

Recent discoveries by scientists prove that the entire universe was joined together in a single high density lump of the size of a "Neutrino" from which the entire universe has been created in a "Big Bang" as has been told in the Holy Qur'an 1400 years ago in Sura 21 – Al Anbiya : Ayat 30 :

"Do not the unbelievers know that the Heavens and the earth (i.e. the entire universe) were joined as one piece, then We (Allah) burst them asunder (in a Big Bang), and We made everything out of this (super boiling) liquid? Will they then not believe?"

This is supported by Sura 2 – Al Baqarah : Ayat 117 :

"(Allah is) The Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He (Allah) decrees a thing, He merely orders it : 'Be' and (in less than a millionth of a second) it is".


(a) The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be on him) has clarified that everything has been created out of a tiny part of Noor-e-Muhammadi in a very small fraction of a second upon being ordered by God to become the Universe. From its solid frozen condition, within the fraction of the same second, it became a super hot liquid and it burst in a "Big Bang" as shown by science (National Geographic, June 1983).

(b) This fantastically small piece from which the Universe has come about was the 17th part of Noor-e-Muhammadi as read earlier.

(c) Science thus proves that such a small piece of Noor-e-Muhammadi has such fantastic qualities as to create the entire Universe. What then must be the properties in the whole of Noor-e-Muhammadi? Can this ever be fathomed by any one? This brings out that the creation of the universe by Allah was to celebrate the creation of Noor-e-Muhammadi. As long as any part of the vast universe will remain, since it is a creation from Noor-e-Muhammadi, that long Noor-e-Muhammadi is going remain in existence. Thus the celebration of the Noor's creation will continue until the destruction of the entire universe, whenever it may be.


33. SCIENCE CONFIRMS – CREATION OF UNIVERSE – HOW?

(1) The National Geographic of June 1983 has shown that the entire universe has been created out of a single piece which was so small as 10 to the power of minus 28 of a cubic centimeter i.e. 0.0000000000000000000000000001 of a cubic centimeter (page 740).

(2) Allah gave the order "Kun" i.e. "Be" and in Planck time i.e. a tenth of a thousandth of a millionth of a billionth of a trillionth of a second, the high density lump burst in what is known as the "Big Bang" (p. 710) and the entire universe was created out of this very tiny piece (pp. 710 & 740).

(3) This happened about 15 billion years back (p. 710).

(4) If such a tiny speck according to science has so much capacity as to create the entire universe then can anyone visualize what must be the capabilities of Noor-e-Muhammadi?


34. AL QUR’AN – ALLAH MAKES NOOR-E-MUHAMMADI A BLESSING FOR UNIVERSE

Allah celebrated the creation of Noor-e-Muhammadi by making him the Promised Comforter and Blessing for the universe in Sura 21 - Al Anbiya : Ayat 107 :

"And We (Allah) have not sent you (O Muhammad) as anything but as 'Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen' i.e. as a Blessing or Comforter for the universe".

By this declaration in the Qur'an, Allah has made it clear that as long as any part of the huge unfathomable universe will be in existence, so long Noor-e-Muhammadi has to remain because he is a Rahmat or a blessing for the entire universe.


35. AL QUR’AN – RASULANA WILL PRESENT ALL SOULS TO ALLAH UPON DEATH

'Syedena' stand for "Oh my leader" and 'Maulana' is "Oh my Maula or guide". In the same way the word 'Rasulana' in Arabic means "Oh my prophet". This is a respectful manner of addressing the Holy Prophet. Sura 5 – Al Maidah : Ayat 15 brings out :

"O people of the Scriptures, now has come to you Our Rasulana (i.e. Allah's Prophet Muhammad), revealing to you much of what you used to hide in the (earlier) scriptures and he is forgiving much. Now he has come to you as a Noor from Allah (for your guidance) and with an unchangeable clear book (i.e. Al Qur'an)".

In this Ayat Allah has brought out that "Rasulana" is Allah's Prophet Muhammad. He is from the Noor of Allah. Through him a clear book – the Qur'an – has been revealed. Then Allah has also affirmed the honour and power given to Rasulana i.e. Allah's Prophet Muhammad, as a part of his birth celebration as follows in Sura 6 – Al Anam : Ayats 61 and 62 that Rasulana is going to receive the souls of those who die and he will decorate them with their good deeds and present them to Allah as under :

a. 61 – "He (Allah) is Omnipotent over His slaves. He sends guardians (i.e. the spiritual guides to train you how to obtain mastery over your Nafs Ammara or selfish desires and thus save you from sins) until when death comes to you. Then ‘Rasulana’ (i.e. Allah’s Prophet Muhammad as Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen) will receive you and he neglects not (in decorating you with all your good deeds).

a. 62 – "Then they (these souls decorated with their good deeds) are presented (by Rasulana) to Allah, their Lord, the Just. Without doubt His is the judgment. And He is the swiftest in taking account".

Indeed what a great position of honour has been blessed by Allah upon His beloved Rasulana or Prophet Muhammad because he is for the good of all creation in the entire universe. This brings out the importance of what is "Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen" i.e. a blessing for human beings as well as everything in the universe. The importance of this fact is vividly brought out in the scientific researches quoted below.


36. LIFE AFTER DEATH – SCIENTIFIC PROOFS

In today’s scientific world, people want proofs about what happens after death. They are not ready to accept religious teachings blindly. In their arrogance they proudly challenge :

"Give us proof of happenings upon and after death"

They jeer at you, fully confident that they have posed quite an impossible question. They proudly contend that it is quite impossible for anyone to give any convincing evidence of actual experiences of the life after death. They are fully confident that no such evidence can exist.

Luckily a lot of research has been done in America by Scientific Researchers on such difficult pertinent questions. One of them covers :

(a) "Is there any truth of our life continuing after our death in this earthly life?"

(b) "If so, what happens at the time of death and thereafter?"

On these two important subjects, Dr Raymond A Moody Jr M D informs that over a five-year period between 1970 and 1975 he asked all hospitals and nursing homes to report to him any cases of death when thereafter the said patients were revived. He had the good fortune to question more than one hundred such cases of people who have experienced death and were subsequently revived back to life after some time. The remarkable findings of this research is before us under the title of :

"LIFE AFTER LIFE"
(published by Bantam Books Inc., New York, 32nd printing 1979)

Dr Moody has stated on page 21 of "Life After Life" :

"Despite the wide variation in the circumstances surrounding close calls with death and in the types of persons undergoing them, it remains true that there is a striking similarity among the accounts of the experiences themselves. In fact, the similarities among various reports are so great that one can easily pick out fifteen separate elements which recur again and again in the mass of narratives that I have collected".

These basic common features are :

(1) A man is dying. As he reaches this point, he naturally feels the greatest physical distress, because he hears the doctor pronouncing him dead – a thing which no human being wishes to hear, even though it is a fact of life which all must face.

(2) He hears an uncomfortable banging or ringing loud noise.

(3) At the same time he feels he is moving very rapidly through a long dark tunnel.

(4) At the end of tunnel he suddenly finds himself outside his physical body.

(5) He is still in the immediate vicinity of his dead body.

(6) So he sees his own body from a distance, as though he is a spectator.

(7) He watches the various attempts being made to revive him from the dead and the reaction of those relatives around his body upon his being pronounced dead.

(8) Naturally he is in a state of emotional upheaval and confusion.

(9) He notices that even after his death to earthly life he still has a body. But one very different in nature and with very different powers from the physical body he has left behind.

(10) He glimpses the spirits of relatives and friends who have already died.

(11) Immediately as he is out of the dark tunnel or passage, there appears a very powerful "Being of Light". It is a warm and loving soul. It is a comforter who gives immediate solace. It makes all fears and concern to leave you. It fills you with "Peace". All worries about the past or future instantly disappear from you. You are comforted by this Comforter. The Holy Bible in St John has made several references to the Comforter, who is to come after Esa (Jesus). As a ready reference one quotation is given hereunder :

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (St. John 14 : 26).

(12) As soon as anyone is out of the dark tunnel i.e. out of your own body, this "Being of Light" asks you a question non-verbally : "Please evaluate what you have done throughout your life on earth".

To assist you, the "Being of Light" shows you a panoramic playback of all the major events of your earthly life from your very childhood till now i.e. death. This has been referred to by Holy Jesus in the above quotation that the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, will "bring all things to your remembrance". This is shown to you in the flash of a second so that you can evaluate for your own self :

(a) What you have done on earth during your life and what is its value to you in the life after death?
(b) What you should not have done. This creates in you a desire that you would like to make amends for them if you can get an extension of your earthly life.
(c) What you did not do but what you should rightly and properly have done.
(d) None can escape this accountability for what one has done on earth.
(e) These bring out that you have to evaluate what you have done on earth.

(13) These events make one collect oneself and make them more accustomed to the new real life after death.

(14) At some point, the soul finds itself reaching the barrier or limit between earthly life and the next life.

(15) The Comforter or the "Being of Light" explains to the soul that if you love me then you must go back to earth as the time of your death has not yet come. You have still got certain important things to do which you must complete. This would be a golden opportunity for you to undo those wrongs which you have done during your past earthly life. You would never get such an opportunity again. At this point the soul resists because by now it is taken up with its strange experiences in the new life that follows death. Because the life after death is unimaginably superior. So the soul does not want to return back to the earthly life full of evils and sorrows. But it has to. And immediately after that, the dead person gets up from the dead and is, as science calls it, "Revived from the dead".


37. THE BEING OF LIGHT – EXPERIENCE OF THOSE DEAD – IT IS OF UNIMAGINABLE BRILLIANCE

On page 58 of "Life After Life", Dr Moody's recordings show :

"What is perhaps the most incredible common element in the accounts I have studied, and is certainly the element which has the most profound effect upon each and every individual, is the encounter with a very bright light. Typically at its first appearance this light appears to be dim, but it rapidly gets brighter and brighter until it reaches an unearthly brilliance. Yet, even though this light (usually said to be white or "clear") is of an indescribable brilliance. In spite of all its brightness every one has made the specific point that it does not in any way hurt their eyes, or dazzle them, or keep them from seeing other things around them (perhaps because at this point they don't have physical earthly "eyes" which can be dazzled but they are in the spiritual condition with which the human soul is made)".


38. THE BEING OF LIGHT – A GREAT SOLACE TO THE DEAD

"Despite the light's unusual manifestation, however, not one person expressed any doubt whatsoever about the "Being of Light". Not only that, it is a personal being. It has a very definite personality. The love and the warmth which emanates from this being to the dying person are utterly beyond words. He feels completely surrounded by it and taken up in it and he is completely at ease and accepted in the presence of this being. He senses an irresistible magnetic attraction to this light. He is ineluctably drawn to it" (p. 58, "Life After Life").


39. THE BEING OF LIGHT – WHO IS HE?

On page 59 of "Life after Life", one learns :

"Interestingly, while the above description of the Being of Light is utterly invariable … what each was trying to get across to me was that they took this Being to be an emissary (of the Creator), and a guide (to the souls of the dead)".

This fact brings out that the souls of human beings even after their death are living beings, and in the next life are in need of a Spiritual guide. Dr Moody questioned :

"A man who had no religious beliefs or training prior to his experience simply identified what he saw as "a Being of Light".

"The same opinion was given by one lady of the Christian faith, who apparently did not feel any compulsion at all to call the said Being of Light as 'Christ'".

Similar was the reaction of a Jew. He did not consider this Being of Light to be Moses.

From the above Ayats of the Qur'an, it is clear that this Being of Light is none other than "Rasulana or Noor-e-Muhammadi". The Universe has been created for his sake. He is the Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen or Blessing and Comforter for the entire universe. And it is the Rasulana or Allah's Prophet Muhammad, who receives all souls on their death and comforts them as soon as the souls are out of their worldly bodies as shown by the above systematic research carried out in America. It proves that even till today the Almighty is still celebrating the birth or creation of Noor-e-Muhammadi by these fantastic discoveries, which were revealed 1400 years ago in the Holy Qur'an. These researches vividly establish that the soul or very essence of human beings is not dead when the human body dies. They are living forces. Out of the unlimited gifts being continuously blessed upon them by the Almighty, the souls of Prophets and saints are able to do good for the people living on earth when these people go to their shrines as repeatedly confirmed in the Qur'an. Those who do not accept these facts deny Allah, the Qur'an and the Prophet. After that can they claim to be believers?


40. ADAM BECOMES FIRST PROPHET FOR SHOWING RESPECT TO MUHAMMAD

The incidents that took place at the time of the creation of the "First" man on Earth are quoted here from pages 89 & 91, "Gospel of Barnabas" translated from Italian M S in the Imperial Library at Vienna by Lonsdale and Laura Ragg, printed by the Clarendon Press of Oxford University, 1907, England :

"God gave His soul to man. While all the holy angels sang :

"Blessed be Thy holy name O God our Lord"

"Adam having sprung up upon his feet, saw in the air a writing that shone like the sun, which said :

"There is only one God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God"

"Whereupon Adam opened his mouth and said : I thank Thee, O Lord my God that Thou hast deigned to create me, but tell me I pray Thee, what meaneth the message of these words :

"Muhammad is the messenger of God"

"Have there been other men before me?"

"Then said God : 'Be thou welcome, O my servant Adam, I tell you that thou art the first man whom I have created (on earth). And he whom thou hast seen (mentioned) is the son (i.e. from your descendants who will come after many thousands of years), for whom I have created all things. Who shall give LIGHT to the world when he shall come, whose soul was set in celestial splendour sixty thousand years before I made anything'.

"Adam besought God, saying : 'Lord grant me this writing upon the nails of the fingers of my hands'. Then God gave to the first man upon his thumb nails that writing ; upon the thumb nail of the right hand it said 'There is only one God' and on the thumb nail of the left hand it said 'Muhammad is the messenger of God'.

'Then with fatherly affection the first man kissed those words, and rubbed (his thumb nails on) his eyes, and said :

"Blessed be that day when thou shall come to the world".

In this manner Adam showed his respect to "Muhammad the messenger of God" by blessing the day on which he would be born in this world. This is called Milad-un-Nabi. For showing this respect he was blessed by Allah to become the first Prophet of God on this earth. Indeed what a very great honour.


41. ADAM OBTAINS FORGIVENESS BY GIVING REFERENCE TO MUHAMMAD

Adam’s wife Eve (Mother Hawwah) got Adam to commit the forbidden act. This sent them out of the Garden of Eden. Adam cried and prayed for a long time for forgiveness but his prayers were not answered by God. At last he remembered the shining writing in the sky and prayed to Allah for forgiveness in the name of and for the sake of "Muhammad, the messenger of God". Immediately he and Ma Hawwah (Eve) were forgiven by Allah. Accordingly Adam and Ma Hawwah were reunited on the 9th day of Zil Haj at Jabl-e-Rahmat (i.e. Mount of Blessing) on the plains of Arafat about 12 miles from Makkah. Arafat means the place of reunion. This date is observed annually till now by millions of Muslim Pilgrims when they cry and weep the whole day of 9th of Zil Haj to Allah for their forgiveness just as Adam and Ma Hawwah had done. This is the day of Haj or forgiveness of your past sins. This promise goes with your assurance to Allah that you will never commit such sins again in the remaining life after return to your homes from the Pilgrimage Haj.

To show that Allah had forgiven Adam and Ma Hawwah they were blessed with their first son. That is how humanity started on this planet. Hence it is the most important event as far as the human race is concerned.


42. SYSTEM OF OBTAINING FORGIVENESS BY INTERMEDIATION OF PROPHET STARTED FROM FIRST HUMAN ON EARTH

This system of obtaining forgiveness from Allah through the Wasilah or intermediation of Prophet Muhammad started from the time of the first human, Adam. Allah has confirmed this promise in Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 64 which teaches :

"And We (Allah) have not sent any of the (about 124,000) messengers but that they should be obeyed because they have been sent by Allah's orders. And if and when they (the people on earth) had wronged themselves had come to you (O Muhammad or given your reference before your birth on earth as Adam had done or given your reference as done by the deformed daughter of Amer of Saana in Yemen, see Heading 19) and asked forgiveness of Allah, and asked the Messenger (Muhammad) to plead to Allah for their forgiveness, they would have found Allah Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful".

Here is a reference amongst numerous others in the Qur'an during the mid Makkan period from Sura 43 – Az Zukhruf : Ayat 86 :

"And those (idols called as gods were false gods) whom they (the disbelievers of Makkah) called upon instead of Him (Allah) have no power of intercession, except he (the Prophet Muhammad), who bears witness to the Truth (that Allah is the only God) and they (the disbelievers) know (this fact well and yet try to misguide the believers through a new religion created by the spy of the English in 1142 A.D. from Nadj by calling the Qur'anic requests to the Prophet to appeal to Allah for their forgiveness as idolatry)".

Adam taught his children that if they want forgiveness for their sins, they must pray to God asking for forgiveness from Allah. But at the same time they must give the reference of the Wasilah or intermediary of Prophet Muhammad the messenger of God, whose name was written across the sky in letters shining like the sun. This has also been referred to above in the orders of Allah contained in the Qur'an. The present rulers show their disbelief in the Qur'an and Allah by placing barriers and guards to prevent Muslims who have gone for Haj to prevent them from following Allah's orders in the Qur'an for appealing to the Prophet to plead for the forgiveness of their sins from Allah.


43. HOW LONG DID ALLAH KEEP MUHAMMAD IN CELESTIAL BLISS BEFORE CREATING ANYTHING?

Allah had informed Adam, the first man that before He had created anything, He had kept the soul of Muhammad, the messenger of God, in "Celestial Splendour" for 60,000 years by Allah's calculations (p. 91 of Gospel of Barnabas). What period does it cover in terms of our earthly years?

An expert had calculated some centuries earlier that this period during which Allah enjoyed showing Noor-e-Muhammadi all the Glories of Himself before creating anything else was 3,202,009,900,000 (Three trillion, two hundred and two billion, nine million and nine hundred thousand) earthly years (p. 17, Vol. I, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya). This amounts to over three trillion earthly years. Indeed a fantastically long period! It only brings out how very great was the love of Allah for His beloved Mahboob i.e. Noor-e-Muhammadi.

Today is a scientific era. Everyone wants to know the calculations by which such a fantastic figure has been arrived at, before they will become satisfied. To try and satisfy them, an attempt is being made on the basis of scientific data now available to us.

To be able to try and arrive at what could be the length of a year of God, it is useful for people on earth look at the different periods which constitute a year in our solar system. A year is that period of time it takes a planet to go once around its star. In our solar system there are nine well-known planets circling around our star called the Sun. The period that each of them take for one circle about the Sun varies in terms of our earthly days as listed below :

NAME OF PLANETS & LENGTH OF SOLAR YEAR (DAYS TAKEN TO CIRCLE AROUND THE SUN)
Mercury - 88 days
Venus - 224.7 days
Earth - 365.2425 days
Mars - 687 days
Jupiter - 4331.772492 days
Saturn - 10760.03521 days
Uranus - 30683.99722 days
Neptune - 60188.26214 days
Pluto - 90737.11975 days

(By courtesy of Jibrail Munawarali Kassim)

These are the astronomical details available which one can use to arrive at the mean figure as to what is to be taken as the number of days in a year of Allah in terms of the number of days it takes the planets to glide once around the sun. We can choose the middle planet of Jupiter whose year comprises of 4331.772492 earthly days. Alternatively, if we take the total of the days of all the nine planets it totals 198065.12924 days and if we divide it by nine if comes to the fantastic figure of 22007.23647 days which is indeed too great. Let us be satisfied with the figure of Jupiter, which is the middle planet i.e. 4331.772402 days.

Now let us search in the Holy Qur'an what is the maximum length of a day of Allah. Sura 70 – Al Maarij : Ayat 4 provides us the answer :

"The Angels and the 'Ruh' or spirits ascend unto Him (Allah) in a Day, the span of which is the equivalent of fifty thousand (earthly) years".

According to the above quotation from the Qur'an, one day of Allah can be as long as 50,000 years on earth. Then 60,000 years of celestial bliss enjoyed by the soul of Muhammad should be taken at the mean average of 4331.772492 days per year which is that of Jupiter. Therefore to arrive at the period it took Allah to show all His wonders as our Creator to Noor-e-Muhammadi can be arrived at by simply multiplying these three figures :

Noor-e-Muhammadi's celestial bliss 60,000 years
x The mean number of days for one year as 4,331.772492
= Allah's days 259,906,349.52
x Length of one day of Allah is 50,000 years
= In terms of earthly years it comes to 12,995,317,476,000 years

This amounts to twelve trillion, nine hundred and ninety five billion, three hundred and seventeen million, four hundred and seventy six thousand years. Such a fantastic period of time clarifies that because Allah is from infinity so our above huge calculation is nothing but a tiny dot in His boundless time factor.

This brings out for our understanding what indeed was the fantastically long period taken by the Creator to show to Noor-e-Muhammadi all the wonders of Allah.


44. WHAT IS TOTAL PERIOD NOOR-E-MUHAMMADI HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE TILL NOW?

This naturally raises the question as to how long has Noor-e-Muhammadi been in existence?

To arrive at the answer to the above question one has to add :

The period Allah enjoyed Noor-e-Muhammadi before creating anything else = 12,995,317,476,000 years
+ The period of existence of universe = 15,000,000,000 years
= The Total period in earthly years = 13,010,317,476,000 years

i.e. over thirteen trillions of our years. This is over 867 times the period of about 15 billions of years that our universe has been in existence according to science. Indeed an infinite space of time for the people on earth.


45. IS THERE EVIDENCE – HOLY PROPHET WILL BE ALIVE EVEN AFTER DEATH?

When we are faced with the fact that Noor-e-Muhammadi has already been there for 867 times the period that the universe has been in existence, one is naturally tempted to ask is there any evidence to show that Muhammad, the messenger of God is going to be available on this planet even after his earthly death?

Here is a most famous and well known Hadith (teachings) of the Holy Prophet reported by Abdullah ibn Omar which is even to be found in most of the books on "Advices to Pilgrims" going for Haj and Umra. This has been quoted in the books of Hadith by Bahaqi :

"The Holy Prophet (peace be on him) had declared that whosoever makes a pilgrimage to Makkah and also visits my shrine at Madinah even after my departure from earthly life, even then it is like one who has visited me during my lifetime and I will pray to Allah for his forgiveness" (Hadith No. 574, p. 662, Vol. 3, Al Hadis collected by Fazlul Karim, published by The Rook House, 8, Trust Building, Urdu Bazar, Lahore).


46. IS THIS HADITH ACCORDING TO QUR’AN?

The only method by which to check the authenticity of a Hadis is that it must be according to the Qur'an. Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 64 is repeated here for ready confirmation :

"And We (Allah) have not sent any of the (about 124,000) messenger but that they should be obeyed (because they have been sent) by Allah's orders. And if and when they (the people on earth) had wronged themselves and they had come to you (O Muhammad) and they asked for forgiveness from Allah, and the Messenger (Muhammad) had appealed to Allah for their forgiveness, they would surely find Allah Most Forgiving, Ever Merciful".

This Ayat of the Qur'an makes the Holy Prophet available to anyone who believes in him that, whenever they go to the shrine of the Holy Prophet at Madinah, then even long after his earthly death Prophet Muhammad will surely be available to them just as he was during his life on earth. Rather, by this verse of the Holy Qur'an, the Prophet is always available to all humanity. This will continue so long as this planet is in existence. Anybody trying to stop Muslims or others from pleading at the shrine of the Prophet becomes a disbeliever in the Qur'an and the Hadith based upon this Ayat in which the Prophet stated that when one decides to appeal to me to plead with Allah for their forgiveness they should realise that I am hearing them as if I am in earthly life (Hadith no. 574, p. 662, Vol. 1, Al Hadis collected by Fazlul Karim and p. 58, Vol. 4, Hayatus Sahabah).


47. PROOF OF ALLAH GRANTING FORGIVENESS ON PROPHET’S APPEAL AFTER DEPARTURE FROM EARTHLY LIFE

Abu Zueb Hazli, a bedouin, was a companion of the Prophet. Unintentionally some mistake was committed by him. He wanted the Prophet to appeal to Allah to get his sin forgiven. He arrived at Madinah on 15th Rabi-ul-Awwal in 11 AH. He came to know that the Prophet had passed away from earthly life three day earlier. He went crying to the shrine of the Prophet and placing his head on the ground, he pleaded :

"Now after you have passed away from earthly life and have been placed inside a grave as a dead person with no more powers to do anything, now who is there to plead for our forgiveness? The promise of Allah given in Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 64 has to remain valid for always. How will Allah be able to maintain His promise after your departure from earthly life?"

Within a few minutes in the presence of Hadrat Abu Bakr, Omar, Ali and hundreds of Ashab-as-Saffa (who were staying on the verandah of the Prophet's mosque i.e. next to the shrine of the Prophet) everyone of them heard and recognised the voice of the Prophet, which come out of the grave announcing clearly :

"I have heard your appeal to Allah asking me to act as your Wasilah in terms of Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 64. Accordingly I have pleaded with Allah to accept your dua i.e. prayer to Allah for your forgiveness. Now I am pleased to inform you that Allah Subhanatala has very kindly accepted my intervention on your behalf and has forgiven you in terms of the above Ayat of the Qur'an which will remain valid for all times till the destruction of the planet earth. Please note well that even after being laid to rest in my grave I am as alive as I was when I was living on earth as confirmed repeatedly in the Ayats of the Qur'an that those who dedicate their lives "Fi Sabi Lillah" (i.e. in the cause of Allah) are not dead and believers are not permitted to call them dead but they are living and Allah grants them provisions without limit" (p. 58, Vol. 4, Hayatus Sahabah).

There are several Ayats in the Qur'an which bring out that the prophets and the saints i.e. those who have achieved "Fana Fil Allah" i.e. lost in the love of Allah have been blessed with life after their dead bodies have been covered inside their graves. Sura 22 – Al Haj : Ayat 58 educates :

"Those who leave their homes "Fi Sabi Lillah" i.e. for the love and cause of Allah and then they are either slain (for Allah's religion, which is the small jehad) or die a natural death (after a long life of jehad to gain control over their continuous worldly temptations of Nafs Ammara to achieve Fana Fil Allah i.e. everything is done by them out of love for the cause of Allah, which is the big Jehad), Allah without any doubt will provide for them a goodly provision (till the Day of Judgment for both these categories of people i.e. the martyrs and the friends of Allah comprising of the prophets and saints). Without doubt Allah is indeed the Best of all to grant provisions (to them out of which they distribute Allah's forgiveness and gifts to those who are in distress and appeal for blessing and gifts from Allah through the prophets and saints)".

Every day, people are getting benefits from such blessed persons. This is proved by the actual fact of people daily flocking in millions to the shrines of prophets and saints. Such shrines are not idols carved out of stone or wood in human forms by sculptors and called gods, but are the shapeless graves of the beloved of Allah whom Allah has blessed with continued life, and people are prohibited from calling them dead because they are living in the presence of Allah as insisted in Sura 2 – Al Baqarah : Ayat 154 :

"And call not those who dedicated their lives "Fi Sabi Lillah" i.e. out of love in the cause of Allah 'dead'. Without doubt they are living, only you do not have the capability to understand it".

By this declaration Allah has made it very clear that these great souls are alive. This means that they can act just as a living person can if and when they like.

When Angel Jibrail (Gabriel) took the Holy Prophet in Meraj on a Buraq to heaven, he stopped at Masjid-e-Aqsa at Jerusalem where Prophet Muhammad led the prayers as Imam or leader of all the earlier prophets. These earlier Prophets attended as Mukhtadees (followers). If all these numerous prophets were dead in their graves, then how did they attend this important congregational prayer led by the Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen?

Such incidents give evidence that Allah has blessed them with powers which a living person had when they were alive on earth. So Muslims are not allowed to call them dead according to the two Ayats of the Qur'an quoted above.

Thus the Qur'an and Hadis and facts establish that when any appeal is made to these friends of Allah who are living in their graves and to whom Allah grants great amounts of provisions as the Best of Providers, they do not become any relatives of the Creator. Because they do not become the father or mother or husband or wife or brother or sister or son or daughter or any other type of equals or partners of Allah. They continue to be mere creations of Allah but have been blessed by Allah. Allah has power to do all things that he wishes to do. Therefore anybody saying this is "Sheirk" i.e. "Shareik" or equal to Allah will be required to prove on the Day of Judgment that these friends of Allah have been in existence from infinity and will last till eternity and beyond the destruction of the Universe and are the creators of the Universe. Therefore those who claim that this is sheirk themselves have committed blasphemy by making false and unprovable allegations against the friends of Allah by calling it sheirk i.e. equals of Allah for which they get themselves condemned on the Day of Judgment. Because Allah cannot tolerate anyone calling his friends as equals of Allah.

It will not be out of context to refer to the very common practice amongst all Muslims that, when the see a pious person, they ask him to pay to Allah for their forgiveness. This does not make these pious persons into equals of Allah by any stretch of the imagination. Anybody calling any appeal to another human being as sheirk himself commits blasphemy and will be condemned by Allah.

Those who will not accept the Qur'an, and those Hadith which are based upon the Qur'an, and do "Kafaru" i.e. refuse to believe Allah's orders in the Holy Qur'an, and prevent believers from beseeching the Holy Prophet to appeal to Allah for their forgiveness, become disbelievers in Allah and the Qur'an besides becoming disrespectors of Allah and His Rasul (messenger) Muhammad (peace be on him). Such people make themselves liable for the punishment of blasphemy as repeatedly warned in the Qur'an.

This miraculous event of Abu Zueb Hazli, in the presence of so many reliable witnesses, has established for all time to come till the destruction of this planet Earth that by the blessings of Allah, the Prophet is always available to the masses to allow them to appeal to him to make dua i.e. pray to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala on their behalf and obtain for them forgiveness from Allah as he would do when he was alive on earth. The Qur'an has warned those who "kafaru" in Sura 65 – At Talaq : Ayats 11 & 12 as under :

a. 11 – "The Rasul (Messenger Muhammad) who recites to you clear messages of Allah, in order that he may bring forth those who believe and do good deeds from darkness (of the evils in you) into the light (of guidance).

a. 12 – "Allah it is Who has created seven heavens, and the earth, and the like thereof. The commandment (of Allah) has come down amongst them in order that you may know that Allah is able to do all things, and that Allah surrounds all things in His knowledge".

Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 80 warns :

"Whosoever obeys the messenger "faqad" i.e. indeed only obeys Allah and whosoever turns away, We have not sent you (O Prophet) as a Wasila i.e. protector for them".

Sura 2 – Al Baqarah : Ayats 4-9 clarify :

a. 4 – "And those who believe in that which is revealed unto you (O Muhammad)

a. 5 – "These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful.

a. 6 – "As for those who "Kafaru" i.e. refuse to obey, whether you warn them or you do not, they will not believe.

a. 7 – "Allah has sealed their heart and hearing and has placed a covering over their eyes.

a. 8 – "And amongst humanity are some who say we believe in Allah and the Last Day, when in reality they believe not.

a. 9 – "They think to bluff Allah and those who believe, and they deceive none except themselves, but they perceive not".

Indeed the capacity of human intelligence is really too small to be able to understand the ways in which Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala the Glorious works in connection with His beloved Mahboob — Noor-e-Muhammadi. This miracle, without any scope for doubts, has established that the Prophet is still alive in his grave even after his apparent worldly death. He will continue to plead for the forgiveness of all those who approach him till the end of this planet Earth, because he is Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen or a blessing and comforter for the entire universe as confirmed in Sura 21 – Al Anbiya : Ayat 107.

The incident of Abu Zueb Hazli immediately stopped the lamentations of the people of Madinah from the third day after the Prophet's departure from earthly life. In its stead there was great rejoicing throughout the Muslim Empire at this wonderful incident bringing out the full significance of Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 64.

This news spread like wildfire all over. Ever since then, the believers in the Qur'an, Hadith and the miracle of the forgiveness of Abu Zueb Hazli for the past over 1400 years have been flocking to the shrine of the Holy Prophet of Islam, who continues to be a living person even though we cannot see him. As such he is not an idol, carved out of stone or wood, sculptured out of the imagination of the Kafirs of Makkah. Even till today there are no such idols at Makkah. So the question of idolatry of gods carved out of wood or stone sculptured by the imagination of disbelievers does not exist any more at Madinah or anywhere else in the homes of any Muslim the world over.


48. DISBELIEVERS CHALLENGE SPLIT MOON TO SHOW ALLAH HAS BLESSED SUPER POWERS ON MUHAMMAD

The disbelievers always challenged Muhammad to perform those things which were impossible. They only pretended that if he could do this or that miracle, which seems logically quite impossible, then they would believe in Muhammad as the true prophet of Allah and follow him. Their bluff was only to misguide the world. It was the full-moon night i.e. the 14th of the lunar month of Rajjab in the year 617 A.D. On this Friday night (i.e. the period after sunset on Thursday), a group of pagans led by Abu Jahl ibn Hisham along with a group of Jews came to Muhammad and challenged him that if he could split the moon into two then they would believe in him. This had always been their bluff. They were never going to convert to Islam. The time was about 9 pm. They were quite confident that no human being could ever split the moon into two. So there would be no question of anyone converting to Islam. They hoped that they would be able to show to the world that after all Islam is not such a wonderful religion. At best it could have some influence only on things on earth. The moon is a heavenly body. It is about 2160 miles in diameter or more than 1/4th the size of the earth. Further it is minimum 221,460 miles away from the earth. Hence it is totally out of control of anyone on earth even in spite of all our scientific achievements.

The Holy Prophet with the permission of Allah gladly accepted this challenge. He immediately went to the top of a surrounding hill known as Abu Kubais. At a sign of his right hand index finger the moon split into two. The two pieces moved away from each other. So there was no room for any doubt that the moon had not been split into two separate parts. The Muslims witnesses on the spot at this time were :

(1) Ali ibn Abu Taleb
(2) Zubair ibn Mutam Naufil
(3) Anas ibn Malik
(4) Abdullah ibn Abbas
(5) Abdullah ibn Omar Farooq
(6) Huzaifa ibn Yaman

The shocked disbelievers and the Jews ran to inform all their relatives to see if their eyes were playing any tricks with them. Were they under some magical spell cast up on them by Muhammad bin Abdullah on Mount Abu Kubais? But the whole of Makkah, who were not present on Mount Abu Kubais, also saw the split moon. They were well outside the range of the eye sight or the so called 'spell'. They also saw this fantastic occurrence even when they were not in the presence of Prophet Muhammed (peace be on him) but many miles away. So the false suggestion of being under the magical influence of anybody or being influenced by anybody to see an illusion ended there and then. Abdullah ibn Masood was at this moment at Monah about 6 miles away. Upon seeing the moon split he came rushing to Makkah to inform what he saw. He feared that the world was coming to an end so everyone should start continuous praying. To his great surprise he continued to see this miracle all the time on the journey to Makkah, just like all others who were there. Everyone confirmed that this was a wonder performed by the Prophet at the challenge of the pagans and the Jews. It had nothing to do with the coming of the end of the earth. It was a miracle which conclusively proved the truth of Islam. The two pieces of the moon were far apart till they set about 7 hours later.

Abu Jahl still stubbornly refused to be convinced. He immediately dispatched messengers to all the neighbouring towns. He also sent people to Yemen in the South of Arabia, Muscat in the South East, Bahrain in the North East and Syria in the North. The people all these far off places confirmed witnessing the moon split into two on that eventful night even though thousands of miles away. They also confirmed the saw the two parts of the moon setting separately. Naturally they feared the end of the earth was coming (pp. 418-423, Vol. II, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).


49. FORETELLING THAT NEWBORN CHILD MUHAMMAD WOULD SPLIT MOON

Thus the foretelling made by the fallen idol to Amer in Yemen on the day Muhammad was born became true when the Prophet split the moon into two (p. 22, Ahsan Ul Muwaiz). The sighting of the split of the moon was observed at numerous far-off places on earth as is evident from the few examples quoted herein.


50. SPLIT MOON SEEN AT SEVERAL PLACES IN INDIA

Raja Bhoj was the King of Dhar, a town on the Chambal River in Malwa Plateau on the Western side of Central India. He was enjoying a quiet midnight in his palace garden. He saw the moon split into two halves, which moved away from each other. Frightened at this sight, he naturally raised an alarm thinking the destruction of the Earth was at hand. Hundreds of thousands of people of Central India also witnessed with him this disturbing sight. The pundits searched through the various Sanskrit scriptures and pointed out from "Bhavishya Purana" to Raja Bhoj that it had been foretold that a great "acharya" or religious teacher would be born in the hilly sandy areas of Arabia. His name would be "Mahamad". He would influence the world with his teachings even though he would be a "Melech" i.e. none would have taught him to read or write yet he would educate the world with such knowledge that humanity knew not. The splitting of the moon would be one of his miracles (Prati Sarg Parv 3, Kanda 3, Adhyaya 3, Slokas 5-8, Bavishya Purana, published by Venkateshwar Press, Bombay).

These pundits also informed that those who would not follow the teachings of this great Avatar (representative of God sent as a guide to show the right path to humanity) would be losers on this earth and in the next life. Upon learning these facts, Raja Bhoj immediately sent his Prime Minister as his special envoy to Arabia with lots of gifts for this great personage. The Prime Minister found Muhammad at Makkah. He informed that his king Raja Bhoj had decided to became a Muslim. The Prime Minister also accepted the new religion upon learning the wondrous teachings of Islam. The Holy Prophet gave the name "Abdullah" (i.e. slave of Allah) to Raja Bhoj. When his Prime Minister returned, Raja Bhoj gladly became a Muslim and adopted the name Abdullah. The shrine of this Abdullah (alias Raja Bhoj) is still in existence just outside the town of Dhar. An annual celebration on his death day i.e. urs is also held in his remembrance at his grave as the first Indian king to convert to Islam (pp. 10-17, Asrar-e-Tasawwuf, published in Lahore, May 1925 Edition).

There was a merchant traveller named Sahu, son of Jagandir. He lived at a place then known as Tarbandan, somewhere near Delhi. He also saw the moon split in his area on this eventful night. Over here also there was a big uproar. Many thousands of people from Northern India till Cape Kumari on the Southern tip of Hindustan (India) also witnessed this miracle. They also found out from the Sanskrit records that this miracle had been performed by the tenth or final "Avatar" or the final spiritual guide of Bhagwan i.e. of God Almighty. Sahu set out for Makkah with his trading caravan and met Muhammad. The Prophet recognized him as the Indian who had carried him as a small child on his back across a flash flood. He blessed the trader with long life. The trader become famous as Baba Ratan Hindi and lived for 600 years (pp. 84-87, Maujizat-e-Muhammadi, by Mufti Md. Enayatullah, published by Haji Malikuddin & Sons, Lahore 1939).

From these evidences of the sighting of the moon split into two which was visible from India in the East till far beyond Arabia and the Middle East, it can be easily realized that most of the known world saw this strange miracle revealing that Allah had blessed a man known as Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) with the power of breaking the moon which is a minimum of 221,460 miles away from the surface the earth. No means exist even till today, in spite of our scientific advancements, to be able to split the moon into two.


51. SPLITTING OF MOON EVEN CONFIRMED BY UNCHALLENGED DIVINE SCRIPTURE

In the Holy Qur'an there is a chapter named "Al Qamar" i.e. the "Moon". In Sura 54 – Al Qamar, Allah has confirmed the miracle of the splitting of the Moon through the Holy Prophet. Ayats 1 to 8 are quoted below :

a. 1 – "The hour drew nigh and the moon was split into two parts

a. 2 – "And if they (the disbelievers) see a miracle they turn away and say 'Prolonged magic'

a. 3 –"They denied (the Truth) and followed their own lusts. Yet everything will come to a decision (on the Day of Judgment)

a. 4 –"And surely there has come unto them news whereof (The Day of Judgment and punishment that will be inflicted on the wicked) which should deter them

a. 5 – "Effective wisdom but they do not avail of the warnings

a. 6 – "So ignore them (O Muhammad they eventually will come to the reality when they hear the) Summoner summoning (them from their graves) unto a painful doom

a. 7 – "With downcast eyes, they come forth from their graves as if they were locusts spread abroad

a. 8 – "Hastening toward the Summoner, the disbelievers say 'Alas ! This is a hard day'".

The Day of Judgment will indeed be a very hard day for humanity. Especially for these who show disregard for Allah and His Messenger.


52. ORBITER 4 PHOTOGRAPHED MOON SPLIT ON 11TH MAY 1967

Our scientific progress also has re-discovered the evidence of the splitting of the Moon. Thereby shutting out any possibility of doubts or arguments.

The U.S.A. had launched "Orbiter-4" from Cape Kennedy, Florida, on 4th May 1967. This mission was to photograph 95% of the lunar surface. On 11th May 1967 a wide angle picture was taken of the hidden side of the moon from an altitude of about 3,000 kilometers. This photograph numbered 67-1805 shows a straight line crack on the moon's surface which is estimated to be about 240 kilometers long and up to eight kilometers wide in places according to the photos released by NASA and published by the News Media of the world and released to the public by all U.S. News centers in May 1967.

A careful study of this picture shows that this particular, singular, straight line crack has the following features :

(1) It has marked raised rims
(2) It is near the south pole of the moon on the side hidden from view to the earth
(3) The centre of the crack is located at about 65 degrees south and 105 degrees east
(4) This crack on the Moon's surface cuts through several large older craters and is itself cut and partly obliterated by a small younger crater about its centre
(5) Cracks by natural causes always are irregular or in waves, but never in a straight line. This crack very strangely is in a straight line which shows that it must have come about due to something unnatural
(6) If you run your eyes along the straight line of this crack, one very strangely sees numerous newer craters all along the straight line, which have deleted and obliterated the cracked straight line throughout the lunar surface on both sides of this still existing straight linear crack

Thus even our scientific achievements viz "Orbiter-4" has photographed that unnatural straight line of crack from where the moon was split into two by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) in 617 A.D. and that irrefutable evidence has become exposed once again after 1,150 years in 1967 A.D. These show what wonderful powers Allah has blessed upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). They are beyond human understanding and capability.


53. IS THERE ANY VISIBLE EVIDENCE ON EARTH TO SHOW PROPHET IS STILL ALIVE?

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) started his last sermon at Mount Rahmat on the plains of Arafat on 9th Zilhaj of 10 AH with these words :

"O people, listen well to my words, for I do not know whether I shall ever meet you again on such an occasion in the future" (page 486, Life of Muhammad by Muhammad Husayn Haykal).

He reminded the Muslims of their duties and obligations enjoined in the Qur'an. He concluded with the words :

"Ya Allah ! Have I not conveyed your Message?"

From that great multitude, who a few months or years before had all been conscienceless idolaters, the shout went up :

"By Allah ! Yes"

The Prophet exclaimed out of joy :

"Ya Allah ! You be the Witness "

(p. 486, Life of Muhammad by Haykal)

Soon after this speech was over, Sura 110 – An Nasr was revealed at Arafat. This is the last complete chapter of the Qur'an to be revealed. It informed :

a. 1 – "When Allah has blessed you (O Muhammad) and you have achieved the victory (or goal of your life by spreading Islam)

a. 2 – "And you see humanity entering into the religion of Allah in (large) crowds

a. 3 – "Then hymn the praises of the Lord and seek forgiveness from Him. Without doubt He is ever ready to grant mercy".

Those who understood the significance of this farewell speech and the last Sura of the Qur'an got alarmed. They realized that the Holy Prophet would soon depart from earthly life. They approached him for some small mementoes by which to remember him after his departure from earthly life. The Prophet spent the night at Muzdalfah in prayers and the next morning proceeded to Mina. There he completed all the formalities of stoning the Satan and the sacrifice of the animal after which he returned to the Makkah. There he completed the seven circuits in the worship of the Creator around the Kaabah. He then drank Zam Zam water and performed the seven trips between Safa and Marwah. He took off the Ahram to mark the completion of his Haj. Then he ordered Ibne Umaiya Gazzai (a barber) to shave off his hair. He asked Anas bin Malik to distribute the Holy Hair to the multitude of Hajees as mementoes (p. 229, Vol. II, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya). These pieces of holy hair are known by a word of respect as Hadrat Muhae Mubarak.

In this manner over a hundred thousand families of Hajees received as mementoes pieces of the holy hair or Muhae Mabarak during Haj of 10 AH i.e. about 3 months before his apparent departure from worldly life. These pieces of hair have naturally in course of time circulated to many places all over the earth during the past 1400 years. These are shown at least once a year in private house of Muslims on the occasion of "Milad un Nabi" or the birthday of the Holy Prophet, birthday to their relatives and friends. Very few show it to the public. But in the Topkapi Museum at Istanbul and the Juma Mosque at Delhi it is shown daily to all visitors. A piece is shown to foreign tourists at Hadrat Bal Mubarak Mosque at Srinagar and some other places.


54. PROPHET’S HAIRS ARE LIVING PROOFS THAT PROPHET IS ALIVE

Each of these pieces of hair and their branches have the following miraculous qualities which do not exist in any other human hair :-

(1) That these pieces of cut hair would keep on growing longer each year. This denotes that Noor-e-Muhammadi has been blessed with longevity by Allah. That is why he is called "Hayatun Nabi" or the Prophet who is alive on earth even after his departure from earthly life and after being laid to rest in his grave in Masjid-e-Nabavi at Madinah.
(2) Every few years a new branch of hair comes out with the same miraculous qualities as the original piece. This is also the reason why the Holy Prophet is called "Hayatun Nabi". These evidences are indisputable and unchallengeable and are witnessed even by the foreign tourists and people of other faiths. There is not a single example like these hairs of the Holy Prophet which keep on growing longer and multiplying. Such undeniable proofs confirm that not only the Holy Prophet but every part of the Holy Prophet are still living even after being disconnected with the main body of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him).
(3) These pieces of holy hair throw no shadow because the body of the Prophet being made out of pure spirit i.e. "Noor-e-Muhammadi" did not throw any shadow. This is one of the many unique features of the Holy Prophet.
(4) A cloud will appear on the top of the hair if it is taken under a clear blue sky when the sun is up, in the same manner as a piece of cloud used to give shade over the Prophet during his entire life on earth as foretold by Jesus on page 167, The Gospel of Barnabas.

Shah Waliullah Mohaddis Dehelivi has confirmed that his father Shah Abdur Rahim one day saw in a dream the Prophet giving him two pieces of his hair. The next morning he found these two pieces of hair upon his pillow. These two pieces had all the above miraculous qualities. In addition whenever he would recite "Darood Sharif" (i.e. Salutation to the Holy Prophet) the two pieces would disentangle themselves miraculously and become separate. When the recitation was over they would again get entangled miraculously. This is again another evidence that Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) is "Hayatun Nabi" and that every part of his body including his hair is alive by itself even after being disconnected from the main body and does not require any sustenance from the main body of the Holy Prophet, which is a miracle i.e. by the wish of Allah it is kept alive !

One day three educated Brahmins came to their house at Delhi. There was not a speck of cloud in the clear blue summer sky of Delhi. They challenged Shah Abdur Rahim to bring these pieces of Holy Hair out into the bright sunshine to test if a speck of cloud would miraculously appear over the Holy Hair. These three were totally surprised to witness that when it was taken under the clear blue sky a speck of cloud appeared immediately from nowhere. One of them accepted Islam on the spot upon this miracle. This experiment was repeated thrice, at intervals after all traces of the cloud had disappeared from the sky, so as to remove the chances of coincidences. One by one the remaining two learned Brahmins became convinced that Muhammad was the only living prophet on earth in spite of his apparent departure from earthly life and being placed inside a grave. They happily converted to Islam of their own free will even without any invitation (p. 230-231, Vol.2, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal UI Anbiya). In these circumstances anyone not accepting these living features of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) cannot claim themselves to be believers.

Once a year on the occasion of the Prophet's birthday, these Holy Hairs are exhibited at numerous places in many Muslim countries and in houses of Muslims in other countries including India. On one such occasion an unclean person was amongst those who came to see the Holy Hair at the house of Shah Abdur Rahim in Delhi. The lock of the safe in which it was kept would not open. Then Shah Abdur Rahim announced that somebody unclean was present over there. He begged of the congregation that whosoever was unclean should kindly go away. Thereupon one man got up and went away. Instantly the lock opened without any effort (p. 231, Vol. II, Tafrihul Azkia Fil Ahwal Ul Anbiya).

Even today many thousands of pieces of the Holy Hair are held in various countries in Muslim houses all over the earth. All of them have the same miraculous qualities. Such Muslims are generally shy to show the same to the public. They show the same only to their relatives and personal friends, especially after the incident of the English spy spreading false theories from Najd since 1142 AH against the Wasilah of the Prophet.

The author of this study had been presented one piece of the Holy Hair on the very day when he saw the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) and Panjatan Pak Hadrat Maula Ali ibn Abu Taleb. Both of them came to him during his early morning worship. He kissed the hands and feet of the Prophet, who blessed him in the year 1963. The size of the Hair was only a quarter of an inch. It was difficult to see. Over the next four decades, it has multiplied into five large pieces of about one inch or longer. One of these pieces has been transferred into another glass casket during 1990 for the purpose of showing to ladies who come for the Ziarat (i.e. paying their respects to the Holy Prophet at Milad-un-Nabi or celebrating the birth of the Prophet as has been done for the past over 1400 Lunar years).

These glass caskets containing these sacred relics are brought out by the author twice a year :

(1) On the Holy Prophet's birthday from dawn till before sunset

(2) On the night of "Meraj Un Nabi" from 8 pm (i.e. after Isha or night worship) till before dawn

This arrangement gives ample time for all people of goodwill and faith to have a good view of these pieces of the Holy Hair of the Prophet (peace on him).

On these dates, anybody after having a bath and with clean clothes irrespective of caste, colour, creed, religion or nationality can come annually to pay their respects to the Holy Prophet at Khanqah Qadriya Chishtiya at 20, Royd Street, Calcutta 700 016, India and witness for themselves and also see how much each year the pieces are growing longer and also multiplying every few years, and thus make themselves witnesses to the fact that Prophet Muhammad indeed is "Hayatun Nabi" i.e. a living Prophet even long after his body has been placed in his grave at Masjid-e-Nabavi in 11 AH.


55. QUR’AN WARNS ANYONE REFUSES TO BELIEVE FACTS WILL HAVE CURSE OF ALLAH

Sura 17 – Bani Israil : Ayats 36 – 38 warn :

a. 36 – "(O humanity) do not follow (or deny) that about which you do not have (personal) knowledge. Without doubt (Allah has blessed you with powers of) the hearing and the sight and the heart (to come to a correct finding). Each of these will be questioned (by Allah on the Day of Judgment)

a. 37 – "And do not go about in the land in pride (denying the truth out of jealousy because you do not possess such sacred relics or to show your pride and greatness) because you cannot tear apart the earth nor can you stretch yourselves to the top of the mountain

a. 38 – "All the evil of such (acts of) deceits are hateful in the sight of your Lord".

Therefore the people are warned that they are not permitted to say that any truth is a falsehood e.g. the splitting of the moon as a prolonged magic by Abu Jahl and the disbelievers of Makkah even after all proofs were received by them from all over Arabia and they even saw people coming from India to meet the Holy Prophet. When they questioned them why they had come to Muhammad, who was spreading an anti-idolatry religion, they got the reply that they had come all the way from India to meet the great person who had split the moon into two parts.

Similarly, those who do not believe that the hair of the Prophet keeps on growing longer each year and multiplying into new branches every few years, and those who declare those who have been blessed with the custody of these Holy Hairs as false and that also even without caring to come and inspect the same, and those who falsely deny that the Prophet is not a living Prophet after his departure from earthly life and those who prevent Muslims from appealing to the Holy Prophet to plead with Allah for the forgiveness of their sins, thus commit a grievous sin from which they will not be able to escape on the Day of Judgment. That would be a very hard day for them.

Allah has warned repeatedly that those who make a mockery of Allah and His Prophet will be cursed by Allah on earth and in the hereafter as warned in Sura 17 – Bani Israil : Ayats 36-38 as read before.


56. MILAD UN NABI – ACCEPTERS BLESSED WITH PROPHETHOOD

Adam passed on to his children the practice of kissing both thumb nails and rubbing them on their eye balls whenever the name of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, was mentioned in their presence in the same manner as he had done. They were further instructed to send the under mentioned blessing of Milad un Nabi upon Muhammad, the Messenger of God.

"Blessed be that day when you shall be born on earth"

Prophet Esa (i.e Jesus son of Virgin Mary) has taught to his followers as under :

"I (Jesus) therefore say unto you that the messenger of God is a splendour that shall give gladness to nearly all that God hath made, for he is adorned with the spirit of understanding and counsel, the spirit of wisdom and might, the spirit of fear and love, the spirit of prudence and temperance, he is adorned with the spirit of charity and mercy, the spirit of justice and piety, the spirit of goodness and patience, which he received from God three times more than what He (God) hath given to all His creatures (put together).

"O blessed time, when he (Muhammad the messenger of God) shall come to the world. Believe me that I have seen him and done reverence, even as every prophet hath seen him. Seeing that of his spirit God giveth to them prophethood.

"And when I saw him my soul was filled with consolation, saying :

"O Muhammad, God be with thee, and may He make me worthy to untie thy shoelatchet (shoe lace), and for obtaining this I shall be a great prophet and a holy one of God"

And having said this Jesus rendered his thanks to God".

(p. 105, Gospel of Barnabas, edited and translated from the Italian MS in the Imperial Library at Vienna by Lonsdale & Laura Ragg, published by The Clarendon Press, Oxford University, England 1907, copy obtained from the British Museum Photographic Service, London).

This statement of Jesus (Prophet Esa) son of Virgin Mary brings out that everyone who became a prophet of Allah got this honour due to showing respect to "Noor-e-Muhammadi", which was a great living force from before the time of creation of the Universe and will remain so till the destruction of the Universe whenever it takes place after many billions of years because he is Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen or a blessing or comforter for the entire universe and all that is therein.

57. RESPECT – EVEN NON MUSLIMS GET BENEFIT FROM GOD

There was a Jew who lived in the days of Prophet Musa (Moses – peace be on him). He lived his life in disobedience to the laws of God in the Torah. When he died, the Bani Israelites (i.e. Jews) did not bury him in their graveyard but instead threw his body out of disgust into the refuse dump of the city to rot and decay over there.

Allah instructed Prophet Musa (peace be on him) to go lo the town in which this wicked person had died. This town was several days journey. He was ordered to dig out the body of this person from the trash. Then to clean and bathe his body and to cover up the same in a clean new shroud. Thereafter to bury him with due respect after fulfilling all the rites.

When Musa recovered this dead man out of the rubbish dump he found to his great surprise that the body of the dead man was in perfect condition in spite of having been dead for many days. There was no sign of decay on the body. It looked as if he had just died. He carried out the orders of God. The Jews of the place gathered together to make fun of Musa, thinking he had gone mad to do such a ridiculous thing. After the burial Musa reported his unpleasant experiences and the jeering of the Jews before his Lord. He questioned God as to why He had got him to be so badly disgraced in the eyes of his followers the Israelites.

Allah revealed to Musa that whenever this disobedient Jew used to read the Torah he would kiss the name of Muhammad, the messenger of God, and rub his thumbnails on his eyes with great respect. For that reason I (Allah) have forgiven him and will reward him with a high place in Heaven (p. 42, Vol. 4, "Hayatul Auliya" by Abu Nayeem; p. 85, Vol. I, "Siratul Halbiya"; pp. 12 & 13, "Anguthae Chumnae Ka Masail" by Al Haj Maulana Snafiya). These bring out very vividly that Allah will gladly forgive the sins of anyone who pays respect to the Promised Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him).


58. RESPECT – ABU BAKR – KISSED THUMB NAILS & RUBBED ON EYES

It was at Madinah on Friday the 10th of the month of Muharram about six months after the Hijrat or shifting of the residence of Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah. This shifting from Makkah was forced upon the Prophet after his house had been surrounded by forty expert javelin throwers with the intention of killing him. These murderers had been drawn from 40 different tribes or families of Qureysh. The reason for it was that it would be quite impossible for the single tribe of Bani Hashim to take their revenge upon all the tribes of Qureysh at Makkah.

Muharram is the month from which the Islamic Calendar of Al Hijra was started at Madinah. The Holy Prophet (peace be on him) came out of his home on 10th of Muharrum in the year 1 AH and sat down near the pillar of forgiveness in the newly constructed Masjid-e-Nabavi (the Prophet's Mosque at Madinah).

Abu Bakr came and sat down besides him. When the time of Friday Salat (worship) arrived Bilal stood up and recited the Adhan (call for worship). When Bilal recited :

"Ashado An La Illaha Illallah" (twice)

Meaning :

"I give evidence that there is no god except Allah"

On both the these occasions Hadrat Abu Bakr (may Allah bless him) raised the index finger of both his hands as if he was giving evidence in a court of law on the oneness of Allah. On each of the two times he blew on both the index fingers and rubbed them on his eyes.

When Bilal recited :

"Washado Anna Muhammadur Rasul Allah" (twice)

Meaning :

"And I give evidence that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"

Then Abu Bakr kissed the thumbnails of both his hands and rubbed them on his eye balls on each of the two occasions saying :

"As Salato was Salaamo Ya Kurratul Aiyne Muhammadur Rasul Allah"

Meaning :

"Allah's peace and blessings be upon you, the joy of my eyes, O Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah".


59. RESPECT – PROPHET ORDERS BELIEVERS TO KISS THUMB NAILS & RUB ON EYES

After the Adhan or the call for worship, in the presence of all who had gathered for the Friday Salat or worship, the Holy Prophet congratulated Abu Bakr during his "Khutbah" or Friday sermon and informed him that when Adam was created by Allah, he had seen written across the heaven in letters shining like the sun :

"La Illaha lllallah Muhammadur Rasul Allah"

Meaning :

"There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"

So Adam questioned the Creator as to who was :

"Muhammad the messenger of Allah"

God informed Adam that the first thing that Allah had created out of His Noor was Noor-e-Muhammadi or Soul of Muhammad, the messenger of God and He had blessed him with celestial splendour showing all His beauties which took 60,000 years by Allah's reckoning, which by earthly calculation would amount to an infinite period of many trillions of earthly years. God had then created everything out of him for his honour and respect. And everything would be blessed by Allah through him. Muhammad would come several thousands of years later from his descendents. He would be :

"Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen" (Sura 21 – Al Anbiya : Ayat 107)

Meaning :

"A Comforter or Mercy for the entire Universe"

When Adam heard so much praise of the messenger of Allah, he begged Allah to show him the messenger of God. Allah asked Adam to raise both the thumb nails of his hands to the level of his forehead where Noor-e-Muhammadi or the Soul of Muhammad had been placed in his forehead so that its reflection may fall upon his thumb nails and asked Adam to look upon the thumb nails of both the hands. Immediately the picture of the face of Muhammad appeared on both his thumb nails. Upon seeing the wonderful features of Muhammad, the messenger of Allah, Adam with great respect and love kissed both his thumb nails and rubbed them upon his eyes and blessed the day on which the messenger of God would be born on earth. For doing that, Adam became the first prophet of God on earth.


60. RESPECT – BENEFITS TO SIGHT – KISSING THUMB NAILS & RUBBING ON EYES

The Prophet announced that those who hear my name at any time especially when the Adhan is recited and kiss both their thumb nails and rub them on their eyes in the manner of Prophet Adam (peace be on him) and recite as done by Hadrat Abu Bakr viz :

"Allah's peace and blessings be upon you, the joy of my eyes, O Muhammad the Messenger of Allah"

Then they will get the following blessings from Allah :

(1) Their eyes will not get bad (p. 648, Vol. 4, Ruhul Bayan)
(2) Those who will honour the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by kissing their thumb nails and reciting that darud which proclaims that the Prophet is the joy of their eyes during Adhan, according to the example set by Hadrat Abu Bakr, will be forgiven by Allah on the Day of Judgment (pp. 648 – 649, Vol. 4, "Ruhul Bayan"; pp. 3-6, "Anguthae Chummae Ka Masail" by Al Haj Maulana Snafiya) and such will get blessed by Allah as done by Allah in the case of the disobedient Jew
(3) When they will be raised from their graves on the Day of Judgment, they will not get up blind but will be able to see the Wondrous Glories of Allah as stated in Sura 50 – Qaf : Ayats 20 – 22 :

a. 20 – "When the trumpet (to raise all from the dead) is blown. That is the day of reckoning.

a. 21 – "And every soul comes forth (out of its grave). Each will be driven by a force and will be accompanied by its (Nafs Ammara to give) evidence (of one's deeds on earth).

a. 22 – "(They will be reminded on that day) you were heedless about this. Now We (Allah) have removed the veil and clear is your sight this day (and you will clearly see what punishment is in store for the evils and rewards for the doers of good)".

So the system of kissing both thumb - nails and rubbing them on the eye balls has originated amongst Muslims from the start of the Islamic Hijra Calender under orders of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). Those who will not do so will not receive the "Hafiza" of the Prophet as warned in Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 80.


61. THE ZIKR OR REMEMBRANCE OF THE UNIVERSE

Allah had promised at the time of the creation of Noor-e-Muhammadi as read earlier that he would make His first creation into the "Zikr" or remembrance of the universe. Allah's promises never change. The Qur'an confirms this in Sura 14 – Ibrahim : Ayat 47 :

"So think not that Allah will not keep His promise to His Messenger. Without doubt Allah is Mighty".

Sura 68 – Al Qalam : Ayats 51 & 52 bring out :

a. 51 – "And those who disbelieve would try to brow beat you with their eyes when they hear the Reminder (Al Qur'an), and they say 'without doubt he is mad'

a. 52 – "When he is nothing but "Zikr" (i.e. one who is remembered) of the universe".

Upon these verses of the Qur'an many Muslims out of curiosity enquired as to who are doing Zikr of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) in the entire universe? The Qur'an beautifully answers in Sura 33 – Al Ahzab : Ayats 56 – 58 :

a. 56 – "Without doubt Allah and His angels send "Sallu" i.e. respect and peace upon the Prophet. O you who believe also bless "Sallu" upon him and tender "Salaams" in a worthy respectful manner.

a. 57 – "Without doubt those who decline to show respect to Allah and His Messenger, Allah has cursed them in the world and the Hereafter, and He has prepared for them a terrible punishment.

a. 58 – "Without doubt these who malign believing men and believing women undeservedly, they bear the guilt of slander and manifest sin".

The Jewish tribe of Bani Quraizah of Madinah was bound by an agreement with Muslims. They had been true till the "Battle of the Trench". They saw the very powerful strength of Qureysh and their allies, which included the army of Ghatafan, the Najd and other pagan tribes. The tribe of Bani Quraizah decided to betray the Muslims and join the army of the disbelievers, contending idolatry was better than the Muslims' belief in the One and Only Allah, Who is the Creator and Master of the Universe. They for that in the Torah those who took to idolatry of the cow in preference to the One God had all been put to death.

This army of the disbelievers comprised of 10,000 fully armed soldiers from all over Arabia. This betrayal by the Jews was a stab in the back of the Muslims. The intention of the Jews was to destroy Muhammad and eliminate Islam from the face of the earth by allowing the enemies to pass through their areas protected by the Jews into the Muslim parts of Madinah. This brings out : "Man proposes, God disposes".

The army of the disbelievers was stopped by a deep and wide trench. They had never experienced such trench being dug in warfare. They tried repeatedly to jump across but still failed to overcome it. By Allah's Grace a very severe cyclone soon came along. Not a single tent stood erect nor a single fire could be lit. Nobody could cook any food. It lasted continuously for 3 days and nights. This torture and hunger caused fear in the hearts of the powerful army of disbelievers. It made them realise that the curse of Allah had fallen upon them for attacking the Muslims. This fear made them to flee in confusion from Madinah without any real battle taking place. The Bani Quraizah now realized that they were guilty of planning to destroy Islam from the back. They fled from the city into their fortress at Madinah. Naturally siege was laid by the Muslims. No battle took place because the believers could wait patiently and starve them out. After about three weeks Bani Quraizah sent word to the Holy Prophet that they were prepared to abide by whatever was the decision of Sad bin Muaz. He was the chief of the tribe of Aws of Madinah, with whom this Jewish tribe had a long-standing alliance of friendship and cooperation since the Pre-lslamic period. The Holy Prophet sent for Sad. He came riding on a donkey. As Sad drew near, the Holy Prophet himself stood up as a mark of respect to the leader and directed his companions :

"Stand up to show your respect to the chief of the tribe of Aws and greet him with Salaams and assist him to dismount".

This education given by the Holy Prophet Muhammad himself (peace be on him) is very clear. All Muslims must obey this example and stand up out of respect when they recite Salaams, otherwise they are hit by Sura 4 – An Nisa : Ayat 80 :

"He who obeys (Muhammad) the Messenger 'faqad' (i.e. only indeed) obeys Allah. But those who turn away, We (Allah) have not sent you (O Prophet Muhammad) as a 'Hafiza' or saviour for them (on the Day of Judgment)".

In fact this is a common practice amongst educated and civilized people to stand up out of respect to show honour to seniors when they come before them. Ever since this incident 1400 years back, the Muslims always stand up as a mark of respect as ordered in the Qur'an and recite "Milad-un-Nabi" respectfully.

Those who prevent Muslims from showing respect to the Prophet when they kiss the screen around his shrine and send salaams upon him in a respectful manner and appeal to him to get their prayers accepted by Allah are wanting Allah's curse to fall upon them in terms of Sura 33 – Al Ahzab : Ayat 57 :

"Without doubt those who decline to show respect to His Messenger, Allah has cursed them".

After the lapse of 1300 years there was dispute between Muslims and the supporters of the new religion invented around 1142 AH by the spy of the English Government. He had failed to deceive the Muslims at Makkah and Madinah (where Islam originated and spread from respectively). Because his father Abdul Wahab bin Sulaiman publicly denounced that his son Muhammad was teaching a new religion of disrespect to the Holy Prophet and his saints contrary to the Qur'an and the Hadith so as to create disputes amongst Muslims and break up their unity (see "Colonization Ideal : Mr. Humphrey's Memoirs", "The English Spy in Islamic Countries").

The Qur'an confirms in Sura 33 – Al Ahzab : Ayat 40 :

"Muhammed is not the father of any man amongst you, but he is the messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets, and Allah is aware of all things".

In the circumstances there can be no change in the Qur'an and the original teachings of the Prophet. Anybody propagating a change is therefore an enemy of Allah, His Rasul and a disbeliever in the Holy Qur'an. Nobody has any right to change the Qur'an.

This spy of the British had to flee to his native state of Najd. His name was Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab. Here he got the support of the tribal ruler Muhammad ibn Saud of Najd. The followers of these two started the new religion of direct approach to Allah, the Alone, ignoring the Wasilah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be him). Therefore they disbelieved in all Ayats of the Qur'an relating to "Wasilah" or intermediation of the Prophet and the saints to plead with Allah for the forgiveness of sins. They called these Ayats "sheirk" or blasphemy. Before this incident the Muslims were united by the orders of Allah into a single brotherhood as confirmed in Sura 3 – Al Imran : Ayat 103 :

"And hold fast, all of you (Muslims) together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate. And remember Allah's favours unto you (O Muslims) : how you were (bitter) enemies (fighting one another all the time over small incidents before the advent of Islam) and He caused friendship into your hearts so that you became brothers by His grace, and (how) you were upon the brink of an abyss of fire, and He did save you from it. Thus Allah makes clear His revelations unto you, that by chance you may be guided (onto the right path and be saved from the misguidance by the enemies of Islam) ".

The objective of the English Government from the past 300 years was to break the unity of the Muslims so that they can divide them and thus be able to rule more easily their huge empire. It was populated by a majority of Muslims. This empire at one time had spread all over the earth. The English used to boast :

"The sun never sets on the British Empire".

For their role in starting the spy organization led by the English spy Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab from Najd to destroy the unity amongst Muslims and their love and respect for the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) and his descendants and the saints, the mighty English have lost their vast empire over the next 300 years and are now confined to the shores of England. The same disaster also awaits the new religion started by the British spy within a few years after the start of the next century from 2000 A.D.

An example of the dispute caused by the contrary teachings of the English spy took place at a mosque at Daltongunj in Bihar in India. The trouble was over standing up out of respect when reciting the "Salaams" to celebrate the Birthday of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) on 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal i.e. the date on which he was born at Makkah in 570 A.D.

To clarify let us look at whether a Muslim should approach Allah according to the teachings in the Qur'an through a Wasilah or intermediary of the Prophet?

All over the world there are numerous communities who believe in the Oneness of Allah. They also do not worship idols. Neither do they have any idols in their houses nor in their places of worship. They also believe in the theory of one God, Who is a spirit and as such has no form or shape, to Whom they pray just as the Muslims also do but without the system of Wasilah. In India certain Hindus believe in the 3000 years old Sanskrit shloka from the Upanishads :

"EKO BRAHMA DITYA NASTI"

Which means :

"One (Alone) is the Creator of the universe besides Him there is none"

Such groups call themselves Arya Samaj and Brahmo Samaj. They do not worship idols. They do not have any idols in their temples or places of worship, nor in their houses. Besides them there are the African tribes living south of the Zambesi River from time immemorial. They also believe in the Oneness of the Creator of the Universe. These even include the powerful Zulu tribes of South Africa. If you ask them they will explain :

"God is a pure Holy Spirit (i.e. He has no definite shape or form). He was not given birth by any parents. He also did not give birth to any children. As such none are comparable to Him. He is the Creator and Master of the Universe".

There are numerous other similar communities all over the earth, who believe in the absolute oneness of the Creator. None of these call themselves Muslims. Also the believers do not call them Muslim. This new religion of the British spy does not accept many of the teachings contained in the Qur'an. Then do they have any right to call themselves Muslims and do they have any rights to introduce new teachings after about 1142 years claiming that what has been the beliefs of the Muslims was wrong and amounts to blasphemy?

The Ayats of the Qur'an and the explanations given by the Imam of the mosque did not have the desired effect upon the followers of the British spy as warned in Sura 2 – Al Baqarah : Ayats 6 & 7 as follows :

a. 6 – "As for those who Kafaru i.e. disobey, whether you warn them or warn them not it is all the same for them, they will not believe

a. 7 – "(Because) Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearings and has placed a covering over their eyes. Theirs will be an awful doom".

Eventually the situation in the mosque became so tense that a fight was imminent. People rushed to the non-Muslim Officer-in-charge of the local Police station. He left everything he was doing. He jumped into the jeep and rushed to the mosque to quell the trouble. When he arrived, everyone in the mosque stood up out of respect for him. Naturally he scolded all who had gathered there that you have stood up inside your mosque out of respect for me, an ordinary human being, who is not even a Muslim. But you are not prepared to stand up out of respect when the name of your own Prophet is taken to recite Salaams to him! Don't you know that world research scholars have rated your Prophet Muhammad as the first amongst the 100 greatest leaders so far born on earth? Don't you realize what a disgrace you are heaping upon your own religion in the eyes of disbelievers? You should be ashamed of such misconduct. I am standing here in the mosque out of respect to your Prophet Muhammad with folded hands and now I request you to start reciting your salaams to the most respected and honoured Prophet the world has ever witnessed. Everybody stood up to show their respects and sent salaams to celebrate the birth date of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). This ended the dispute.

Insha Allah (i.e. by the will of Allah) this new religion of the British spy and all the restrictions and tortures they are causing to the believers at the Shrine of the Holy Prophet since about 1930 A.D. will soon come to an end in the next few years when Imam Mehdi (peace be on him) will become revealed and will bring all human beings into the one religion of Islam i.e. "I shall love all Mankind" and thus create love among Humanity.


62. AT WHAT TIMES IS A MUSLIM REQUIRED TO REMEMBER THE HOLY PROPHET?

This Police Officer posed the above question out of curiosity to the learned Imam of the mosque, who immediately quoted in Arabic Sura 48 – Al Fath : Ayats 8 & 9 :

a. 8 – "Without doubt We (Allah) have sent you (O Muhammad) as a witness and as a bearer of good news (of Islam) and as a warner (to humanity)

a. 9 – "That you (human beings) may believe in Allah and His Messenger, and may honour them and may revere them and may glorify them from early dawn till the close of day".

The Muslims from morning till night perform five times of compulsory salaat or worship of Allah. During the recitation of "At Taiat" portion in these prayers they recite the Zikr of the Holy Prophet four times in each of their salat and even twice bless his descendants, viz :

(a) "As Salaam-o Alaika Ya Ayyuhan Nabiyyu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu"

Meaning :

"Allah's Salaams be upon you, O Prophet, together with the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings"

(b) "Wash-hado Anna Muhammadan Abdohu wa Rasuluh"

Meaning :

"I give evidence that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger"

(c) "Allahumma Salli ala sayyidina Muhammadin wa ala aali sayyidina Muhammadin kama sallaita ala sayyidina Ibrahima wa ala aali sayyidina Ibrahima innaka Hamidum Majeed.

"Allahumma barik ala sayyidina Muhammadin wa ala aali sayyidina Muhammadin kama barakta ala sayyidina Ibrahima wa ala aali sayyidina Ibrahima innaka Hamidum Majeed".

Meaning :

"O Allah ! You exalt our leader Muhammad and the descendents of our leader Muhammad as You had exalted our leader Ibrahim (Abraham) and the descendents of our leader Ibrahim. Without doubt You are the Praise-worthy, the Glorious.

"O Allah ! You bless our leader Muhammad and the descendents of our leader Muhammad as you had blessed our leader Ibrahim (Abraham) and the descendents of Ibrahim. Without doubt You are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious".

In this manner the Muslims do "Zikr" of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and his Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) from early dawn till the close of day in their daily five times of worship including respects to the descendents of the Prophet.


63. CONCLUSIONS ON CELEBRATING MILAD UN NABI

Sura 2 – Al Baqarah : at the end of Ayat 30 Allah informs :

" ... Without doubt I (Allah) know that which you know not".

This is the essence to be found throughout the Qur'an. Allah indeed is the Knower of all things and we human beings do not have any of His knowledge except to that very small extent that He wishes to impart to humanity.

As an example let us consider Sura 2 – Al Baqarah : Ayat 255 which educates :

"Allah ! There is no god except Him, the Alive, the Eternal (i.e. One who always was and forever will remain). Neither does He slumber (for even a wink) not does He sleep. Unto Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is there to intercede with Him except by his permission? He knows what is in front of them and what is behind them, while they know nothing of His knowledge save and except what (little bit of knowledge) He wishes to impart. His throne includes the heavens and the earth, and He is never tired of preserving them (continuously). He is the Sublime, the Tremendous".

Sura 85 – Al Buruj : Ayats 15 & 16 teach :

a. 15 – "(Allah is) Lord of the Throne of Glory

a. l6 – "Doer of what He wills"

Sura 5 – Al Maidah : Second half of Ayat 17 :

"Allah's is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. He creates what He wills. And He has power to do all things".

Allah has powers to do just what He likes. There is none to question or challenge Him. When the Almighty has Himself celebrated "Milad un Nabi" for many trillions of years before He created anything else, then who are we not to celebrate the Birth Day of the Prophet? Thus those who refuse to celebrate the birth day of the Prophet or consider it blasphemy and pose themselves as greater than Allah commit Sheirk or Blasphemy. Do not such become cursed and condemned to hell as repeatedly warned in the Qur'an, as quoted earlier?

When the Holy Prophet Muhammad was born on earth, Allah in celebration of Milad-un-Nabi caused millions of miracles all over the world. Amongst them were all the idols on this planet breaking loose from their firm bases and falling down with their faces towards the ground in prostration to show their respect for the destroyer of idols and idolatry from Arabia when he was born. These fallen idols when lifted spoke in human language of the local area announcing the good news that the Final Prophet, who was being looked forward to for the past thousands of years, was just born.

Allah also celebrated the birth of Muhammad or Milad-un-Nabi by giving him numerous wonderful titles in the Qur'an, the likes of which He has not given to any of His creation. Some of the most famous ones are :

(a) Khatim un Nabieen (seal of Prophethood)
(b) Rahmat Ul Lil Aalameen (A blessing or saviour for the entire universe)
(c) Zikr Ul Lil Aalameen (the one remembered by the universe including Allah and His Angels plus all Muslims in their Salat from morning till night)
(d) Bil Momina Raufur Rahim (Sura 9 – At Taubah : Ayat 128) i.e. he is Raufur Rahim or blessing and beneficent for the Momins (i.e. doers of good deeds).

It has thus been conclusively established that any one who is a believer in the Creator of the Universe is compulsorily required to celebrate Milad-un-Nabi and thereby show his love for the beloved of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, and thus pay his respect not only to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) but also to his Creator and Master by pleasing Allah.

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