Muhammad, The Prophet (1/2)

A call may be there, strong and sound in principle, but lacking the man able to propagate it and carry it through. Such a call will inevitably fail. At the start, the requisite personality for advocating a call is more important than a written programme or a worked-out scheme. To succeed in his mission, the advocate of a new call must be in possession of those rare qualities which are essential elements of success. Now, did the personality of Muhammad, the Prophet, possess such traits?

It may be important in this connection to point out that many Muslim historians attributed to revelation all the wonderful traits of the Prophet. Revelation, it is claimed, guided him in big and little, in the trivial as well as in the momentous, to the entire exclusion of any inborn personality in Muhammad himself. The influence exerted by revelation can in no way be denied, the Qur'an being the main source. But the Messenger, upon whom be peace, could not have properly delivered the divine message without having been endowed with the proper personality for carrying such a tremendous task through. He had to use his initiative in adapting the manner of delivery to the mentality of the various peoples addressed, so widely divergent in class and character.

Had he lacked the necessary intellect, wisdom and foresight, he would not have been able to carry out his mission with such conviction and success. Nor could he have been the man chosen by God and sustained throughout by the Divine Spirit. This point was amply expounded by all biographers who had written about Islam and the life of the Prophet Muhammad.

Muhammad did not see his father who died while his mother was in pregnancy. This may have influenced him only very little on account of the care and patronage extended to him by his fond mother and his large influential family. He grew up in the un-tractable sandy desert which makes one lonely and impressionable, inclined to self-criticism and self-contemplation. This introvert trait would grow stronger the more the child felt his loneliness in the absence of immediate kin who should have sympathised with him. When the Child is brought up among children, his linguistic expression develops, and his vocabulary multiplies, for undoubtedly the child learns more through mixing with children. Moreover, desert life engenders in a child muscular strength, stiffness of bone, and agility.

When back from the desert to the bosom of his mother and the sympathy and affection of his grandfather Abdul-Mottalib, his mother took him on a visit to Yathrib (Medina), the dwelling place of his uncles "The Naggars", and the burial place of his father Abdullah. There he passed one month with his mother and uncles, and on their return home were accompanied by Um-Eiman, his nurse. That was fortunate, for his mother fell ill on the road, and the child, only seven years old, was destined to see a very sad and oppressive sight to see his mother succumbing to her illness and dying in his presence. With his impressionable nature, this would touch him very deeply, and throughout life remain a bitter memory.

Grief seems to have deeply touched his heart and inclined him more to mysticism and contemplation. His now complete orphanage speeded up his experience in life, developing his sense of responsibility, and maturing his judgment. He returned to Mecca to his grandfather Abdul Mottalib, to tell him of the tragedy.

It seems that this old chief, now in his eightieth year, was deeply affected by his grand-son's calamity, since Muhammad was, to him, the dearest of descendants - the son of Abdullah who had been offered as a sacrifice to God, narrowly escaping his doom in much the same way as Isaac of old in one version, or Ismail in another, namely by a timely redemption. On his death bed, Abdul Mottalib earnestly committed Muhammad to the care of his uncle Abu Talib.

What sore trials the boy was destined to meet his father die? before he is born. His mother expires before his eyes. His grandfather, his kind and affection ate guardian, is soon consigned to the grave.      

These tragic events he meets successively without relief. Man is affected most by his childhood's impressions. That may be one reason why Muhammad, the Apostle, appeared sad, his face suggesting a shade of sorrow. In this connection, it is said by Abu Halah that "The Messenger of God was in continual sorrow, continual contemplation, restless and silent, save when the situation pressed for an answer". That also is probably why he was aloof when young, and did not take part in youthful entertainments, though his biographies, reporting the fact, did not give it such a natural explanation.

The guardianship of his uncle was another factor in the development of this aloofness on his part, this tendency to loneliness. His uncle was of strained means, having a big family to support. He had, in one phase to send his sons, including his nephew, to work as shepherds. Muhammad shepherded his flock at the outskirts of Mecca, near the vast desert. This gave him leisure and opportunity to enjoy the company and conversation of some shepherd slaves of diverse experience and some knowledge of border civilizations.

These talks might have done something towards the enlightenment of the boy-shepherd concerning certain already existing peoples and religions, countries and cities, outside his Arabian home. Since, as has been stated above, he was of a contemplative bent of mind, such various bits of information, must have speeded up his intellectual maturity far above that of his mates. It was inevitable that such a boy would not be left behind by his uncle when on his trading journeys to Syria, not only because of the training and experience that would be acquired by the boy through such a journey, but also because of the benefit which would accrue to the uncle through his talented nephew, since on such travels certain services are better done by boys like Muhammad than by men.

He left with his uncle for Syria when he was only twelve years old. He, along with his uncle and the other travellers, met Bahira the monk at his convent where they rested. According to tradition, Bahira discovered in Muhammad the physical marks foreshadowing his prophethood.

This is probably true, though the writer personally thinks that the boy's talents and intellectual maturity did not escape the monk who was so impressed by them as to prophecy for him a brilliant future. In Syria he could see new types of people, and come in contact with religions he had previously heard of but not seen. Perhaps owing to his young age and his overcautious uncle, Muhammad was, at that stage, of limited knowledge, because he seldom mingled with people, could see more than he could hear, and could hear more than he could converse. With his return he, like other boys of his age, got well trained in horsemanship and marksmanship with bow and arrow. His first experience in warfare was gained in the war waged between the Quraish tribes and the tribes of Kais - the second Figar war. He was barely fifteen years when he was first able to participate in the battles which his uncles fought, and although he was assigned the task of supplying the fighting men with bows and arrows on the battlefield, he soon gave vent to his fervour, and took an active part in the fighting. Young though he was, he soon developed into a capable fighter. Indeed, the boy of the desert grew into a courageous warrior, and it is no wonder that Ali, son of Abu Talib, himself a famous warrior, said of Muhammad's courage: "When the battle grew hot and thick, we used to find protection in the Prophet, peace be upon him, than whom no other man was nearer the enemy". Later the Prophet remarked: "Only three kinds of sporting are recommended: training one's how playing with one's folk, and shooting with one's bow and arrow. These are true. To give up shooting willingly after having learnt it is to forego a blessing".

(Continued)