and most Muslims had emigrated to Madinah. The events of her recall and subsequent protection of her husband should also be considered in this context. At other times, we find the Prophet doing what is dictated by his faith, regardless of its likely effects on him personally. A clear example is seen in the way the Prophet went about publicizing the events of his night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem and subsequent ascension to heaven and then back to Makkah in the same night. Although he was aware of the abuse which was likely to be showered on him for such publicity, he went ahead with making his announcement, simply because he was required to do so.
It is universally accepted that justice requires that no verdict may be made in any case on the basis of partial information. It is necessary to consider every relevant issue before passing judgement. Hence we cannot accept criticism of the Qur’ānic support of actions taken by the Prophet without looking at the other aspects of the Qur’ānic comments on his other actions. We should also consider the Prophet’s attitude in fulfilling the tasks assigned to him, even though it was inevitable that he would be criticized for them.
Finally, I hope that this humble attempt to give an account of the life of the most noble soul that ever walked on the face of this planet shows a glimpse of his character. We should remember here that God has made it clear that in the Prophet we have an example to follow if we truly aim to please God and win the ultimate prize of admission into heaven in the life to come. When we study his character and his life, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) appears to us as a noble, dedicated, human leader who takes good care of his followers. But he is, above all, a model believer to whom we should always turn in order to determine what course to follow and what action to take. We should always remember his last reminder to us: “I have left with you what should provide you with sound guidance and immunity from error if you would only adhere to them: God’s Book and my example.”
| London | Adil Salahi |
| February 1995 |
WHEN EARLY PROPHETS are mentioned, one often thinks of Abraham – not because he was the first Prophet, for according to Islamic tradition he was not, but because God honoured him by placing prophethood in his seed. Yet when Abraham was advanced in years he was still childless and his wife Sarah, whom he loved and cherished, was beyond the age of childbearing. With unshakeable faith that God was always able to do what He willed, Abraham still hoped that one day he would have a child who would give him pleasure and happiness in his old age.
Sarah had a maid called Hagar whom she had brought from Egypt. She gave that bondswoman to Abraham and said: “I am now an old woman, well beyond the age of childbearing. I am giving you my bondswoman, Hagar, and hope that God may give you a child through her.” Before long Hagar was pregnant. She gave birth to a son, who was named Ishmael.
Abraham’s joy was great, and so was Hagar’s. She felt now that her position in the house was no longer that of a bondswoman. She was the mother of the only child of the family. As Sarah watched Hagar looking after her newborn son, her feeling of jealousy grew stronger every day, especially when she noticed that Abraham was now looking after Hagar and Ishmael, showing them great love and tenderness.
Yet Abraham was very eager to keep Sarah happy. After all, she was his wife with whom he had shared his life for many years. He felt that the only way to keep both women happy was to separate them. While pondering how to do that, he received Divine orders which settled matters for him. A perfect model of a believer who was always ready to carry out God’s orders, Abraham travelled with Hagar and Ishmael, along unfamiliar routes and deep inside the Arabian peninsula, until he arrived in the area where Makkah now stands. At that time the place was barren, with no vegetation or water. Nobody lived there. But Abraham was commanded by God to leave his son Ishmael with Hagar in that place. Since Abraham never disobeyed a command from God, he left his son there with his mother, giving them a sack of dates and whatever little water he had with him. He started on his way back to Palestine where he had left Sarah.
Hagar asked him how he could leave them in that barren valley. Abraham did not answer. He could not even look back, for he was so sorry to leave them there. It is easy to imagine that his eyes were full of tears as he moved away and left them alone. Desperate to be reassured, Hagar shouted to him: was he abandoning them there on God’s orders? When he answered in the affirmative, she said: “He who has ordered you to do that will not abandon us.”
Travelling back on his long, lonely journey, Abraham must have experienced all the feelings of an old father abandoning his only child, very young, alone with his young mother in the desert. As a firm believer in God’s wisdom, however, he felt that he could nevertheless entrust them to the care of God. He raised his hands and repeated this heartfelt prayer: “Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a valley where there is no vegetation, close to Your sanctified House, so that, Our Lord, they might devote themselves to prayer. Cause You, therefore, people’s hearts to incline towards them and provide them with all sorts of fruit, so that they may have cause to be grateful.” (14: 37) With the feeling that God would not abandon those two helpless souls who were so dear to Him, Abraham continued his journey with a new sense of relief.
A Lonely Mother with Her Child
Back in the barren valley, Hagar devoted herself to her young child, reassured that God must have a purpose for their arrival in that lifeless desert. She felt no need to despair. For a few days she and her son survived on the dates and water Abraham had left. She praised God for His bounty and prayed Him to be merciful to her and to her son. Soon, however, her supply of dates and water was exhausted. She had nothing to feed herself or her young boy. The two were soon very hungry and thirsty. With the cries of the little boy sharp in her ears, Hagar felt desperate, helpless. She was running here and there, hoping that she would find something to quieten Ishmael. She climbed the nearest hill to try to observe the area around her. That hill was al-Ṣafā. But she could see no one. She came down and climbed the next hill, al-Marwah. Again, there was no sign of life around. She went back to the first hill and kept going to and fro between the two hills. Each time she thought she heard voices from the other direction. When she had run between the two hills seven times, and was on the top of al-Marwah, she heard a voice very close to her, but she could not see anyone. She said: “Whoever you are, help us if you can.” Turning towards her child in the bottom of the valley, she saw him rubbing the earth with his leg. She then heard the angel asking her who she was. She answered: “I am Hagar, the mother of Abraham’s son.” He asked her: “To whom has he entrusted you in this barren place?” She replied: “He entrusted us to the care of God.” The angel rejoined: “He has then trusted you to the All-Merciful, the Compassionate.”
At this point, while the boy was still rubbing his leg against the earth, water gushed forth between his feet. Hagar shouted: “God is Supreme.” She rushed back to her son and began to form a barrier around the new-found spring so that the water would not run into the valley. She filled her water container and the water continued to gush forth. After giving her child enough to drink, she drank herself and prostrated herself in a gesture of thankfulness to God for His grace. She felt that she had been brought into that area in order that a definite purpose of God be accomplished.
The water continued to gush forth and attracted birds. It so happened that an Arabian tribe called the Jurhum was travelling north across the desert when they saw a bird flying nearby. They realized that there must be a spring in the area for birds would only fly across an area where they saw water. Keen to replenish their stock of water, they tried to determine the exact position of the spring. Their emissaries soon came back with the happy news and they moved over to wash and drink. When they saw Hagar, they realized that the spring was hers. She, however, was more than pleased to see them and said that they were welcome to encamp.
The Jurhum liked the place, and Hagar was very happy to have them. They felt that they could settle there without the need to travel any