IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE PROPHET (SAWS)

When our Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, saw his people entrenched in every form of polytheism, he fled from their midst to the Arab desert, seeking retreat in a secluded area at the Cave of Hira, where he sought purity and quiet contemplation. But his seclusion was then interrupted by angel Jibril, peace be upon him, requesting the silent worshiper to break his silence by commanding him to “Recite” (Al-Alaq 96:1).

However the tongue of the incapacitated human uttered, “I am not one who can recite”. All the while the state of the Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, curiously speaks for itself, saying, yesterday, I was just a child in the lap of Halima, and following the death of my father I was signed to the guardianship of my uncle Abu Talib. This encounter made him suffer from a fever, so he asked his wife Khadija, RadhiAllahu Anha, to be covered and wrapped in a blanket. But then the eerie apparition returned, addressing the one laid down, calling him by appellation, “O you who wraps himself [in clothing].” (Al Muzzammil 73:1)

Verily, you are the from among all kinds of fruits, so get up from your bed; O you who carries on his back the burden to forth and say [the word of truth]; O you upon whom the gift of “arise and warn” (al-Mudathir 74:2) has been bestowed; O you for whom non-sentient creatures and non-living objects moved; the trunk of a tree yearned for him, and the wolf spoke to him, the stones in his hand glorified Allah and the mountains shook with agitation when he stood on it; all of these creations expressed their longing for him, each in its very own language.

His people (i.e. the disbelievers of Quraysh) were struck with astonishment of the high honor that had been bestowed upon him, and so with resentful tongues they uttered, “Why has this Qur’an not been sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities?” (Zukhruf 43:31)

Destiny in return responded, why do you show surprise and raise objection to a palm-tree raised high in the sky, which originated from nothing more than a seed?! “Did he not create you from a liquid disdained?” (al-Mursalat 77:20)

Thenceforth, the severity of the disease of enviousness (in their hearts) caused their hearts to be sick so they perceived him [the Prophet, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, with a jaundiced eye that distorted to them his noble reality, saying, he is a madman!

O Muhammad, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, the encompassing of beauty, what they falsely attribute to you is not the colour of your countenance, but rather the impression of their jaundice; for you are, ultimately beautiful and entirely perfect, as significant as the centerpiece in a necklace, and the adornment of time. Your greatness over the other Prophets is like the greatness of the sun compared to the moon, and the ocean compared to raindrops, and as heaven compared to earth. You are their leader and light, and their message revolves around you. You are the axis their orbit, the center of their dune, the centerpiece of their necklace, the inscription on their gemstone, the main verse of their poem, the sun of their moon, the crescent of their night, the pearl of their castles, and the solidity of their endeavors. the creation is mere images, the Prophets are their hearts, and our Prophet, Muhammad, SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam, is the mystic of these hearts.

When he was taken on the Night Journey, he was carried to the Masjid of Al-Aqsa where the worshipers amongst Prophets came out of their cloisters, and he led them in prayer, for he is indeed the peerless hermit. He was sent with the merciful and gracious religion that made the legislation ordained upon previous Prophets look as (difficult as) fasting the month of Ramadan, in comparison to which his revealed religion is like the ease and joy of celebrating the day of ‘Id. Paradise and hell were shown to him, and so he realized the cure before preparing the medicine. When the sword of, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood.” (Baqarah 2:30) broke the dawn of the night of Ascension (al-Miraj), the Angels had thought that Allah’s signs were exclusive to the inhabitants of Heaven, but they had not to wait long until they witnessed the Sign of the earth having risen. Indeed, there is no wonderment when Angels rise and ascend for they are winged creatures, but the surprise and wonder is when a wingless body whose very nature necessitates its attachment to earth rises and ascend. On that night, Angel Jibreel was the guide of the prophet to success but when he arrived at a place to which even he had no access to, he realized that truthfulness was gracious so he said [addressing the Prophet]; I leave you here with your Lord.

He found that he was by himself in close proximity to his Lord; thereupon, the awe of veneration and glorification which left the corporal tongue of his nature at a loss for words caused him to utter, “I cannot count the praises that are due to You” (Recorded in Muslim)

The overawing magnificence of the Lord would have burnt him had not the coolness of the water sprays of “Peace be upon you” saved him. On the Day of Judgement, Musa, is his companion, Isa is his guardian and Ibrahim is the commander in chief of his soldiers, while the state of Adam will tacitly say, you are the son of my image and the father of my meaning, peace and blessings be upon them all.