Lecture 2

1. Lecture 2

2. Where scholars start Seerah from? • Not from Muhammad’s birth but few thousand years before. • From ancestry Ibrahim (as) Hajer (raa) and Ismail side of the story not Sara and Ishaaq • Traveled to Hijaz [present day Makkah] that was a dead but sacred • Place where the Kaabah was built was sacred since Allah (SWT) created the earth.

3. Who built the Kaabah? • Different opinions: 1) Adam (as); 2) and some say Ibrahim (as). Regardless, the place was holy from day one. . . . cont. • Ibrahim (as), Hajer (raa) and Ismail (as) arrive to the valley of Bakkah [place of well of Zamzam today] • Leaves them, some water and leather bag of dates and turns away and leaves. Hajar knew that he would leave them did not expect an uninhabited desert.

4. Hajer (raa) questions and accepts -Hajr followed Ibrahim and said “Are going to leave us in a place where there is no cultivation and no one living?” -He did not answer back. -She asked again. -No response. -She asked a third time. -No response. -She asked “Did Allah tell you to do so?” -He replied “Yes” -She said “Then Allah will take care of us.” 

5. Ibrahim (as) makes dua! Ibrahim (AS) reached a place where they could no longer see him, and turned around toward the place of the Ka’bah with this dua: “O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivated valley by Your Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may perform prayer, so fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.”[14:37].

6. Maslow’s Hierarch of Needs

7. How did Ibrahim (as) change it? Turned it upside down • Consider the dua: What did he ask for first? Spiritual: “O Allah so that they may establish prayer.”

8. Social: “. . .put their love in hearts people—make people love them.” Physiological : “. . . provide them with fruits” but connected to spiritual: “. . . so that they will be grateful to you.” This is TRUE self-actualization: Oneness with Allah.

9. How does Allah become everything to you? When everything you do is all for the sake of Allah—that is the true tranquility. Only the Prophet and the righteous can attain that. … cont. • Hajer (ra) was breast feeding Ismail (as) but eventually milk dried up—food and drink was gone. • Ismail (as) begins to cry. • Hajer (raa) seeing him agonizing in pain climbs to top of a hill [later called Al Safa] to see to see if she can find food, water, people.

10. On top of that hill she looked and out to the horizon and nothing. So run down, and when she reached the valley would tuck up her clothes and run up another hill called Al Marwa. Did 7 times while Ismail (as) twisting and turning in pain. • At the seventh time when she reached the top of the hill, she heard a sound.

11. Hadith about Safa and Al Marwa “The Prophet Salla Allahu Alayhi Wasallam has said, ‘This is why people walk between them (between Mounts Safa and Marwah, while performing the rituals of Umrah & Hajj).’”

12. Appearance of Zamzam • To her amazement, the sound was coming from beneath the feet of Ismail (as). What happened? • Jibreel (as) had descended and hit the ground with his wing and the earth cracked open and water flowed from beneath Ismail’s feet. • Hajer ran to the source and since it was a desert was afraid the sand would suck up the water. She made a pool to contain it.

13. “The Prophet SallaAllahuAlayhiWasallam said, ‘May Allah bestow His Mercy upon Isma’eel’s mother! If she had left Zamzam - or if she had not cupped her hand - Zamzam would have been a flowing spring.”

14. What were Hajer’s (raa) feelings when she ran up and down the hills? • Her heart must have been broken • Crying • In pain to see her son possibly die in front of her eyes.

15. Allah (SWT)’s gift to Hajer • She was a believing and righteous woman, and Allah tested her but rewarded her immensely. • Naturally as a mother was in extreme pain. • Imagine if resurrected at Hajj season and saw millions of Muslims from 4 corners of the world going b/w Safa and Marwa. SHE WOULD HAVE A BIG SMILE ON FACE!

16. Lesson learned through Hajer? You might be going through difficult times, trials, and tribulations with a certain mindset, but you don’t know what is waiting for you at the end of the tunnel. This was a gift for Hajer for her patience. And this is just in dunya [this life] so imagine the akhira [the hereafter].

17. Remember Musa (as) • On his way to Egypt, but lost in the desert on a cold, windy and dark night and he lost his way. Saw fire in the distance. Told wife he would go to bring light [warmth and guidance i.e. ask people for guidance]. That is all that he wanted. But Allah wanted to meet him. Allah (SWT) tells us the story in Qura’an:

18. “But when he came to the fire, a voice was heard: "O Moses! "I have chosen thee: listen, then, to the inspiration (sent to thee). "Verily, I am Allah: There is no god but I: So serve thou Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise.” (Taha:12-14) Allah spoke to him. Went back with more than just light for that dark night and warmth, but guidance for Egypt [humanity], and not just to Egypt but to Jannah.

19. Back to Hajer (raa) • in desert any source of water immediately attracts forms of life. So, birds hovered over the water. • A tribe of nomads by the name of Jurhum—had moved out from Yemen [birth place of Arab people and language]. There were many mass immigrations that took place at different times—this was one of them.

20. Mass immigration due to? • The Dam of Ma’reb broke. Allah tells us the story in the Qur’an in Surat Sab’a. • The people of Yemen built the first dam in the world and because of that dam they had year round source of water even though rain was scarce [low precipitation in Arabia]. • And they had a massive network of irrigation—that stretched hundreds of miles.

21. So here you have this semi arid area holding a huge population because of the availability of water. • They were living in what was called “Arabia Felix” [meaning Happy Yemen] and scholars say-- and this might be an exaggeration-- but take a woman with a basket on her head, and would come back home with a basket full of fruit. Fruit just dropped from the trees effortlessly.

22. Because of their wealth they did not feel the pain of travelling– as continuous series of colonies. • Felt they wanted to be like the rest of the people of the world and feel the pain of traveling. • Allah accepted dua and made it difficult on them. Plus chose to disbelieve in Allah so dan was destroyed and flooded the area. Agriculture collapsed and so Arabs spread all over Arabia.

23. Where did the tribes settle? • We discussed this in our last class—but this is ow Arabs spread out from their small locale to fill the whole of Arabia. • Jurhum was one of these tribes, and it is speculative if they immigrated from Yemen before the dam or after. But it is certain that they settled in Makkah in the Hijaz ared • So, while they were looking for a place to settle they saw the birds and wondered.

24. So, they sent a couple of people to investigate the matter. • These two people went to the area and came back with the news. They told their clan of a well in that area. So Jurhum go to where Zamzam is located and they ask Hajer (raa) a strange question. In return they got a stranger response.

25. Conversation between Hajer and Jurhum • They asked Hajar a strange question: “Can we settle in this place?” [imagine a tribe of warriors asking this when they could easily have taken over]  • -She replied more strangely :”I have a condition, you can stay but the water belongs to us [me and my son]!” [a women with no strength  bargaining with them] • -They agreed!  This place later become known as Makkah.

26. Descendents of Ismai’l (as) • Ismai’l (as) grew up with these people and adopted their language of Arabic. • He married a women among them (this began the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)) • -Later, his father (Ibrahim) came and they built the Ka’bah • Jurham had the political leadership in Makkah, however religious leadership was with Ismai’l and his descendant’s.

27. After a period of 2000 years: Jurham became tyrannical and Allah replaced them with the tribe of Khuzaa’ [also from Yemen] • They invaded Makkah and kicked Jurham out). • Jurham did two things before leaving: 1)They buried the Well of ZamZam 2)They stole the treasures inside the Ka’bah

28. Formation of Quraysh • Khuza’a now became the new political leader of Makkah under their leader ‘Amr Ibn Luhayy Al Khuza’ee, while Ismai’l’s descendants increased in number and branched out and spread all over Arabia. • One branch remained in Makkah and that was Quraysh. So it was one of the many tribes that descended from Ismai’l (as) [descendents of Adnan].

29. As they grew in number, the head of Quraysh—Qusayy ibn Kilaab– was able to unify Quraysh and to lead arevolt against Khuza’a who were driven out of Makkah completely. • So, now finally a descendent of Ismai’l was able to secure and combine the political and religious leadership of Makkah.

30. Qusayy had absolute power • Now, both the guardianship of the Ka’bah and the responsibility of providing food and water to the pilgrims fell upon the head of Quraysh [a great privilege]. • He was basically the absolute ruler of Makkah. He controlled: 1) Al Hijaabah= Guardianship of the Kaa’bah 2) Siqaya and Rifada= provision of water and food for the pilgrims [no big deal to use but they used to fight over serving the guest of Allah]

31. 3) Also control over the Nadwa=the assembly of Quraysh [their parliament] 4) Al Liwaa=the banner of war. Go to declare war. • When Qusay ibn Kilab died, these aspect of authority were split among his children. Some were with Abdul Manaf and some with his other brothers.

32. About Hashem • The grandson of Qusayy ended up inheriting from his father the provision of the Hujajj [pilgrims]—the Siqaya and Rifada. • ‘Amr’s upgrade: instead of just providing them with soup [ they cooked meat in big containers as it would go a long way] he crushed bread and mixed it in with the soup. Hence nicknamed Haashim (from Ar. word Hasham: the act of crushing something).

33. Hashem married from Al Madinah. Goes to Palestine for business and passes away in Gaza. Is buried there. About his son Shaybah [AbdilMuttalib] • His widow is pregnant and gives birth to son named Shaybah [meaning old man because born with some grey hair]. • Widow stays with parents in Madinah and Shaybah is brought up by his maternal uncles.

34. Al-Muttalib (Haashims brother) came to Al Madinah from Makkah to take the child (his nephew) back in order to learn of the responsibilities of his noble family. • He was just 8 yrs old and mother’s side of the family refused. • Al-Muttalib convinces them, “He is from the noblest family in Quraysh and needs to go back to claim his heritage, and assume responsibilities.” Eventually they agreed.

35. Shaybah arrives in Makkah and get a new name on arrival! • So Al-Muttalib took him to Makkah. No one saw the child before. • Slavery was rampant them– a person goes to market and buys a slave, usually young so as to train them from a early age for their needs. • So assumed Shaybah was a new slave of Al-Muttalib, so they called him Abdul Muttalib meaning the “slave of Al Muttalib.”

36. This was the grandfather of the Messenger of Allah. His real name was Shaybah, but he was nicknamed Abdul Muttalib. 2 incidents important to know regarding Abdul Muttalib !!

37. Re-discovering ZamZam • Remember Jurhum hid all traces of ZamZam. Now not known for 300+ years. Abdul Muttalib sees a dream. قال عبد المطلب : إني لنائم في الحجر إذ أتاني آت فقال : احفر طيبة . قال : قلت : وما طيبة ؟ قال : ثم ذهب عني . فلما كان الغد رجعت إلى مضجعي فنمت فيه ، فجاءني فقال : احفر برة . قال : وما برة ؟ قال : ثم ذهب عني ، فلما كان الغد رجعت إلى مضجعي فنمت فيه ، فجاءني فقال : احفر المضنونة . قال : فقلت : وما المضنونة ؟ قال : ثم ذهب عني . فلما كان الغد رجعت إلى مضجعي فنمت فيه ، فجاءني فقال : احفر زمزم . قال : قلت : وما زمزم ؟ قال : لا تنزف أبدا ولا تذم ، تسقي الحجيج الأعظم ، وهي بين الفرث والدم ، عند نقرة الغراب الأعصم ، عند قرية النمل .

38. he sees a dream and in it he sees someone come to him and say “dig Taybah (Pure)”, in his dream Abdul-Muttalib responds by asking “what is Taybah?” end of the dream. • same dream the following night, this time the same voice says “dig Barrah (Precious),in his dream Abdul-Muttalib responds by asking “what is Barrah?” end of the dream.

39. -the third night, same dream, this time the same voice says “dig ZamZam.” in his dream Abdul-Muttalib responds by asking “what is ZamZam?” • The voice responds, “It will never fail or dry up, it will water the grand pilgrim, It lies between the dung and the blood near the crow with the white leg and the ants nest.

40. Abdul Muttalib Decodes • He realized it’s symbols and he is not able to decode. • The next day when he was going around the Ka’bah, he sees these signs! • Calls his only son at the time (Harith) and they start digging. This brings large crowd of protests. However they continued to dig until the rim of the well of ZamZam is discovered (Allah Akhbar-God is Great).

41. Let’s head to the witch • Now, Abdul-Muttalib claimed ZamZam but others came and said that it belongs to every one. • They were about to go to war on this issue until a person suggested that they consult the witch of Bani Sa’d (who claimed that she had a connection with the spirits/jinn). • -They travelled to the location of the witch and were told that she had relocated to Syria.

42. While on their way to Syria to the witch, they ran out of water. • Abdul-Muttalib said that if they were to die there, then they should at least dig their graves so that if one of them dies, the others can bury him in the grave and in the end only have one person left exposed rather then all of them being left exposed.

43. So, they lay in the their graves, waiting for death… • but Abdul-Muttalib realized that this wasn’t right for men to die like this, so he suggested that they at least try to look for water…and thus they all went separate ways looking for water.

44. ZamZam is Abdul Muttalib’s • After a short while, Abdul Muttalib found water. They came to him and said that if Allah has saved you in this desert and provided you with water and Allah has shown you a dream in which you uncovered the well of ZamZam, this is surely an indication that it is a blessing for you and it belongs to you and thus we give up our claim, it is all yours and let us go back.

45. Abdul Muttalib’s Pledge • When Abdul-Mutallib was defending his claim, he felt weak with only one son with him because in tribal societies it matters how many men are on your side and you can only count on your relatives because thats how life in the desert is. He made a nadr [pleadge]: “O Allah if you bestow on me 10 sons I will sacrifice one for your sake.” 

46. This supplication was accepted, the time came to fullfil the vow. • They cast lots with arrows next to the large idol Hubal (they believed the arrows to be divine - and this way they left it to chance) • The lots were cast and it came upon his son Abdullah. Again the lots were cast and again it came upon Abdullah, a third time –same result

47. So Abdul-Mutallib took his son Abdullah [father of the Prophet (sa)] next to the Ka’bah and was ready to slaughter him.  • AbuTalib (one of the elder sons of Abdul-Mutallib) went to his father and said that we cannot allow you to kill your son,then the maternal relatives of Abdullah came and said the same.

48. Some other people came and said that if you do it, than it will become a trend after you (since he was their leader). • He said, “I made a pledge to Allah…I cannot give it up.”

49. How to solve the dispute? • Lets go to the witch again for “witch’s order” • She said, I will consult the spirits (the jinn) come back tomorrow. • The next day, she asked them, “How much is the blood money [diyaa/retribution] you pay?” 10 camels they said, she said: then put Abdullah on one side and put 10 camels on the other side and then cast lots.

50. If it points towards Abdullah add another 10 camels and continue to do this until the lot points to the camels.  • Thus, they did this and at 100 camels, finally it pointed to the camels…not so fast. . . Abdul Muttalib insisted that they cast 3 more times and it consistently pointed to the camels (thus he was sure).