IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Almighty Allah says in Holy Qur’an, Al-Imran, 3:144, “Muhammad is no more than an Apostle: many were the Apostles that passed away before him. If he died or were slain will ye then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels not the least harm, will he do to God; but God (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.”
Despite the persecution of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in Makkah by the idolaters for preaching Islam, and his exit on holy flight of Hijrah on Friday, September 24, 622 A. D. (13th of Rabiul-Awwal,1) to Madinah to escape extinction, his birth served as the arrival of one who had a right to invite all men to repentance and forgiveness of sins. But he did this, not of his own authority, but by the permission and authority given to him by God. This is said lest people may deify the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as they did other prophets before him (Qur’an 3:144).
Though the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) lived an exemplary life as a political leader, religious leader, imam, apprentice, trader, judge, warrior, commander-in-chief, family man, administrator and peacemaker, and died at the age of 63, his birth actually heralded the light (siraj) to illuminate the whole world. As the sun is the mother of all light, whenever his light appears, all lesser lights pale before his light (Qur’an 21:16; 65:11). And the message of Islam that is universal is the religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to illuminate everywhere (Qur’an 34:28).
At least, the light of Islam is the biggest bounty possible and if you truly understand it, you should glory in it. The Holy Qur’an, Nur, 24:35-38 says, “God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light Is as if there were a Niche And within it a Lamp: The Lamp enclosed in Glass: The glass as it were A brilliant star: Lit from a blessed Tree, An Olive, neither of the East nor of the West, Whose Oil is well-nigh Luminous, though fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light! God doth guide Whom He will To His Light: God doth set forth Parables For men: and God Doth know all things. (Lit is such a Light) In houses, which God Hath permitted to be raised To honour ; for the celebration, In them, of His name : In them is He glorified In the mornings and In the evenings, (again and again),— By men whom neither Traffic nor merchandise Can divert from the Remembrance Of God, nor from regular Prayer, Nor from the practice Of regular Charity: Their (only) fear is For the Day when Hearts and eyes Will be transformed (In a world wholly new),— That God may reward them According to the best Of their deeds, and add Even more for them Out of His Grace: For God doth provide For those whom He will, Without measure.”
Besides, Almighty Allah declares in Holy Qur’an, Al-Imran 3:85-86, “If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to God) never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good). How shall God guide those who reject faith after they accepted it and bore witness that the Apostle was true and that clear signs had come unto them? But God guides not a people unjust.”
The birth of the Holy Prophet was in fulfillment of the prayer of Prophet Ibrahim (AS), the father of faith, and his eldest son, Isma’il, that Allah send amongst their progeny an apostle that would rehearse Allah’s signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom and sanctify them for Allah is the Light and Wise (Qur’an 2:129).
Almighty Allah affirms in Holy Qur’an, Baqarah 2:126-130, “And remember Abraham said: ‘My Lord make this a City of Peace and feed its people with fruits such of them as believe in God and the Last Day’. He said: ‘(Yea) and such as reject faith for a while will I grant them their pleasure but will soon drive them to the torment of fire an evil destination (indeed)!’ And remember Abraham and Isma’il raised the foundations of the House (with this prayer): ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us for thou art the All-Hearing the All-Knowing. Our Lord! Make of us Muslims bowing to Thy (Will) and of our progeny a people Muslim bowing to Thy (Will) and show us our places for the celebration of (due) rites; and turn unto us (in mercy); for Thou art the Oft-Returning Most-Merciful. Our Lord! Send amongst them an Apostle of their own who shall rehearse Thy Signs to them and instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom and sanctify them; for Thou art the Exalted in Might the Wise’. And who turns away from the religion of Abraham but such as debase their souls with folly? Him We chose and rendered pure in this world: and he will be in the Hereafter in the ranks of the righteous.”
The birth of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), which we are celebrating, is in fulfillment of the prophecies of Prophet Musa in the Holy Book of Taurat (Torah) and Prophet Isa as contained in the Holy Book of Injil (Bible) (Qur’an 7:157, 46:10-12). As accepted by the Jews, Moses said. “The Lord, they will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren, like unto me” (Deut. 18:15). Actually, the only prophet who brought a Shari’at (law) like that of Moses was Muhammad and he came of the house of Isma’il, the brother of Isaac, the father of Israel. And in the reflex of the Gospel, as now accepted by the Christians, Christ promised another Comforter (John 14:16).
The Holy Qur’an, A’qaf 46: 29-34, says, “Behold, We turned Towards thee a company Of Jinns (quietly) listening To the Qur’an: when they Stood in the presence Thereof, they said, ‘Listen In silence!’ When the (reading) Was finished, they returned To their people, to warn (Them of their sins). They said, ‘O our people! We have heard a Book Revealed after Moses, Confirming what came Before it: it guides (men) To the Truth and To a Straight Path. O our people, hearken To the one who invites (You) to God, and believe In him: He will forgive You your faults, And deliver you from A Penalty Grievous. If any does not hearken To the one who invites (Us) to God, he cannot Frustrate (God’s Plan) on earth, And no protectors can he have Besides God: such men (Wander) in manifest error’. See they not that God, Who created the heavens And the earth, and never Wearied with their creation, Is able to give life To the dead? Yea, verily He has power over all things. And on the Day that The Unbelievers will be Placed before the Fire, (They will be asked,) ‘Is this not the Truth?’ They will say, ‘Yea, By our Lord!’ (One will say:) ‘Then taste ye The Penalty, for that ye Were wont to deny (Truth)!’”
The Holy Qur’an, A’raf, 7:157, says, “Those who follow the apostle the unlettered prophet whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures); in the law and the Gospel; for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil: he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So, it is those who believe in him honor him help him and follow the light which is sent down with him it is they who will prosper.”
The Greek word ‘Paraclete’ which the Christians interpret as referring to the ‘Holy Spirit’ is taken to be ‘Periclyte’, which would be the Greek form of Ahmad. Prophet Isa (AS), the son of Mariam, actually said: “O Children of Israel! I am the Apostle of God (Matt 5:17) sent to you confirming the law which came before me, and giving glad tidings of an Apostle whose name shall be Ahmad.”
The Holy Qur’an, Saff, 61:6-9 confirms, “And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the apostle of God (Sent) to you, confirming The Law (which came) Before me, and giving Glad Tidings of an Apostle To come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad’. But when he came to them With Clear Signs, they said, ‘This is Evident sorcery!’ Who doth greater wrong Than one who invents Falsehood against God, even as he is being invited to Islam? And God Guides not those Who do wrong. Their intention is to extinguish God’s Light (By blowing) with their mouths: But God will complete (The revelation of) His Light, even though the Unbelievers May detest (it). It is He Who has sent His Apostle with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, that he may proclaim it Over all religion, even though the Pagans May detest (it).”
Hence, the celebration of Maolud Nabiyyi is very pertinent, to rehearse the clear signs of Allah brought by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), which are perceived as evident sorcery by the detractors.
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