Hazrat Ibn Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ) narrates: When the Holy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) came into this world, his umbilical cord was already cut. (The umbilical cord is usually cut by the midwife after a baby is born.) He was also born circumcised. Abdul Muttalib was deeply astonished and overjoyed upon seeing this. He would often say, “This son of mine will have an extraordinary status.” (Al-Bidayah)
Before the Prophet’s birth, the people of Makkah were suffering from drought and famine. However, as the time of his arrival in this world approached, rainfall began, the drought ended, and the trees became lush and laden with fruits. The land turned green, covered with vegetation. At the time of his birth, the Prophet (ﷺ) was seen leaning on his hands with his head raised towards the sky. Another narration describes that he was kneeling, resembling the posture of prostration (sajdah). (Tabaqat)
His fists were clenched, and his index finger was raised, as we raise it during prayer.
The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“When my mother gave birth to me, a light emerged from her that illuminated the palaces of Syria.” (Tabaqat)
His mother, Sayyidah Amina, narrates:
“At the time of Muhammad’s (ﷺ) birth, the light that appeared was so radiant that I could see the necks of the camels in Busra.”
Allama Suhayli (رحمہ اللہ) writes that upon his birth, the Prophet (ﷺ) praised Allah. One narration includes the following words:
“Allahu Akbar Kathiran, Walhamdulillahi Kathiran, Wa Subhanallahi Bukratan Wa Aseela”
“Allah is the Greatest, Allah deserves immense praise, and I declare Allah’s purity morning and evening.”
The Day of His Birth
It is unanimously agreed that the Prophet (ﷺ) was born on a Monday. He arrived in this world at the time of dawn, just as Fajr began.
There are differing opinions about the exact date of his birth. One narration states it was on the 12th of Rabi’ al-Awwal, another says the 8th of Rabi’ al-Awwal, and yet another mentions the 2nd of Rabi’ al-Awwal. Several other dates have also been proposed. Most historians lean towards the opinion that he was born on the 8th of Rabi’ al-Awwal. However, when the date was calculated using astronomical methods, the 9th of Rabi’ al-Awwal was determined.
In conclusion, while the exact date is not definitively known, there is a consensus that the month was Rabi’ al-Awwal and the day was Monday. It is also said that the Prophet (ﷺ) received Prophethood on a Monday, migrated to Madinah on a Monday, and passed away on a Monday.
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was born in the Year of the Elephant, named so because Abraha had launched an attack on Makkah with his army of elephants. His blessed birth took place just a few days after this event.
The Incident of Abraha and the Army of Elephants
Abraha was the Christian ruler of Yemen. During the pilgrimage season, he noticed people traveling to perform Hajj at the Kaaba in Makkah. He asked his people,
“Where are these people going?”
He was told,
“They are going to Makkah to perform Hajj at the Kaaba.”
He then asked,
“What is the Kaaba made of?”
He was informed,
“It is built of stones.”
He inquired further,
“What is it clothed with?”
The reply was,
“It is clothed with the striped cloth that comes from our region.”
Being a Christian, Abraha responded,
“By Christ! I will build for you a house better than that!”
He constructed a building using red, white, yellow, and black stones, adorned it with gold and silver, and installed several doors with gold plating and embedded jewels. A large ruby was also placed within it, curtains were hung, and arrangements were made for burning incense. The walls were perfumed with musk to such an extent that they turned black, and even the embedded jewels became less visible.
After completing the structure, Abraha announced to the people,
“You no longer need to travel to Makkah to perform Hajj at the Kaaba. I have built a Kaaba here for you, so perform your pilgrimage around it.”
For several years, some tribes followed his command, performing Hajj, staying in seclusion, and observing the rituals at this artificial Kaaba.
An Arab’s Defiance of Abraha’s Structure
A man from the Arab tribe of Khuza’a named Nafeel could not tolerate this artificial structure being honored over the original Kaaba. He silently bore this grievance until he resolved to defile Abraha’s building. One night, he secretly entered the structure and filled it with filth.
When Abraha discovered this, he was enraged. He declared,
“This act must have been done by an Arab in defense of their Kaaba! I will demolish their Kaaba, stone by stone.”
Abraha wrote to the king of Abyssinia, informing him of the incident and requesting the deployment of his elephant. This elephant, named Mahmood, was enormous, unlike anything ever seen on the earth. Once the elephant arrived, Abraha set out with his army toward Makkah.
When the army reached the outskirts of Makkah, Abraha commanded his forces to seize the livestock of the locals. Among the seized animals were camels belonging to Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).
Nafeel, who was Abdul Muttalib’s friend, was also part of Abraha’s army at the time.
