The Legality of Celebrating the Birth of the Prophet (s.a.w.) IV

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is extracted from “The Legality of Celebrating the Birth of the Prophet (s.a.w.)”, by Shaykh Nur ad-Din Abu ‘Ubadah ‘Ali ibn Juma’ah. 

Uhud was one of the mountains, which the Prophet (s.a.w.) bore witness to its love for him and the believers.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “This is a mountain who loves us, and we love it.”  This is recorded in both Swahih al-Bukhari and Swahih Muslim. 

In fact, this very mountain answered with humility and obedience to the command of the Prophet (s.a.w.), who struck it with his blessed foot because Uhud shook when the Prophet (s.a.w.) and his companions were upon it.  It is authentically related, from Sayyidina Anas ibn Malik (r.a.), that the Prophet (s.a.w.) ascended Uhud with Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (r.a.), Sayyidina Abu Hafsw ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab (r.a.), and Sayyidina Abu ‘Amr ‘Utsman ibn ‘Affan (r.a.).  It shook with them upon it.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) struck it with his foot, and said, “Be firm Uhud, for there is no one upon you, but a prophet, a swiddiq, and two martyrs.”  Uhud answered immediately with love and in obedience to its master, the Prophet (s.a.w.).  This is also recorded in both Swahih al-Bukhari and Swahih Muslim. 

The pebbles love the Prophet (s.a.w.) and are joyous over him, glorifying Allah (s.w.t.) in his noble hand.  They continued to glorify Allah (s.w.t.) in joy and love for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) even when the pebbles reached the hand of Sayyidina ‘Utsman (r.a.).  It is related from Abu Dzar Jundab ibn Junadah al-Ghifari (r.a.) who said, “I witnessed that the Prophet (s.a.w.) was in a circle of people and in his hand were pebbles.  They glorified Allah (s.w.t.) in his hand.  Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Utsman, and ‘Ali were with us and all those in the circle heard its glorification.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) then passed the pebbles to Abu Bakr, and they glorified in his hands, all of those in the circle heard their glorification.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) then passed it to ‘Umar, and they glorified in his hands, all of those in the circle heard their glorification.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) then passed it to ‘Utsman, and they glorified in his hands, all of those in the circle heard their glorification.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) then passed it to us, and they did not glorify in the hands of any of us.”  This was recorded by Imam Abu Nu’aym Ahmad ibn ‘Abdullah al-Aswbahani (r.a.). 

The trunk of the date palm tree also loved him, clung to him and yearned for closeness to him, crying severely in yearning for the Prophet (s.a.w.).  This narration was transmitted by so many companions that certainty in it has become absolute.  The majority of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) related that when the Prophet (s.a.w.) was giving a khuthbah, he would stand and lean upon the trunk of a date palm tree.  If he stood for a length of time, he would place his blessed hand upon that trunk.  Eventually the number of people who would pray increased and so the companions made, for the Prophet (s.a.w.), a minbar. 

One day, when the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) came out of his blessed room on the Day of Jumu’ah, he headed towards the minbar and passed by the trunk of the tree which he used to give sermons from.  Suddenly, the tree began wailing severely and began to yearn painfully until the masjid shook and the tree split.  It did not calm down until the Prophet (s.a.w.) descended from the minbar and came to the trunk, placing his blessed hand upon it and stroked it.  He then embraced the tree to his noble chest until it became calm.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) then gave it a choice - and the tree was inanimate and dead - to be a tree in Paradise where its roots would drink from the rivers of Paradise or to return as a fruitful tree in the world.  The tree trunk chose to be a tree in Paradise and so the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said, ‘I will do it, insha’Allah; I will do it, insha’Allah; I will do it, insha’Allah.’ 

The tree became quiet. The Prophet (s.a.w.) then said, ‘By the One Who Holds my soul in His Hand; if I had not embraced it, it would have cried and ached until the Final Hour yearning for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).’” 

This is similar to another tree which also yearned to greet the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) and so it sought permission from its Lord.  It is related from Sayyidina Ya’la ibn Murrah ats-Tsaqafi (r.a.) who said, “Once, we were travelling with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) when we stopped at a place to rest.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) slept when a tree came, splitting the earth until it covered him.  It then returned to its place. 

When the Prophet (s.a.w.) woke up, I mentioned what had happened to him, and he said, ‘The tree blossomed.  It sought Permission from its Lord to greet me, and so it was Granted Permission.’”   This is recorded by Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.), Imam Abu al-Qasim Sulayman ibn Ayyub ath-Thabarani (r.a.), Imam Abu Nu’aym (r.a.), and Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi (r.a.). 

Stones and trees which the Prophet (s.a.w.) would pass by would prostrate to him.  An example was when he was on the journey to Sham with Abu Thalib (r.a.).  This prostration was a prostration of greeting, and this was allowed before the announcement of prophethood.  It is related from Abu Musa ‘Abdullah ibn Qays al-Ash’ari (r.a.), who said Sayyidina Abu Thalib ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib (r.a.) left for Sham with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), and some of the leaders of Quraysh.  When they came across a monk’s place of worship, they decided to stop.  The monk came out to them, whereas before, he would let the caravans pass by, and would not bother with them.  They were tying their animals, and the monk began inspecting them until he came and took the hand of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).  He then said, “This is the master of all the worlds, this is the Messenger of Allah, the Lord of the worlds.  He is the one whom Allah will Send as a Mercy to Creation.” 

The leaders of Quraysh then asked, “How do you know this?” 

He replied, “When you came over the hill, there was not a single tree or stone except that it was prostrating, and they never prostrate to anyone except to a prophet.”  This was recorded by Imam Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Shaybah (r.a.).