MECCA is a fire pit and it has a scanty
rainfall and Niggard of vegetation.
EID-al-Fitr was organized by the Islamic Prophet
Muhammad [Peace be upon Him (P)] who was a paragon of
eternal virtues an embodiment of magnanimity, generosity,
humility and humanity rose from abject poverty and
fogginess/uncertainty gave the message of the fatherhood of
one great, merciful and compassionate Allah (GOD) and
launched a lifelong crusade to eradicate the period of
ignorance as the Arabian Society had steeped into
(polytheism)/worship of many gods.
Arabia was divided into three parts:
1- Arabia pelraca (the rocky).
2- Arabia deserta which was made of deserts.
3- Arabia Felix (the happy) the rest of the peninsula which was independent.
Before the time of Muhammad (P), most Arabs were nomads. They lived in tribal groups
with their herds and flocks and wonder from well to well and oasis to oasis. They have no
written law but follow traditional rules transmitted by word of mouth from generation to
generation. These rules were called “The SUNNAH”. MECCA is a fire pit and it has a scanty
rainfall and Niggard of vegetation. MECCA is located in the center of a circular valley in the
middle of which stands in a cube-shaped shrine the Ka-bah. It is 40 feet long, 33 feet wide, and 50 feet high and covered with black brocade on which verses from the holy QURAN
have been written. Around it runs a track along which pilgrims who visit MECCA make
a sevenfold circuit of the sanctuary. There were 360 divine beings who were worshiped in the
form of stink ad statues. The most important deity was Hubal.
The haj must be performed in zhilhajja, the last month of the Muhammadan Calendar.
“Arafat” called Haj-ul-Akbar the great pilgrimage “QMRA” called haj-ul-hasghar or lesser
pilgrimage. Muhammad (P) has to flee from MECCA to MEDINA on 22 September 622
from this date, the HAJRA era of the Muslims began. Friday is a very special day for Muslims to
perform prayer. MECCA got its name as the birthplace of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (P) and MEDINA as the place of residence of the prophet came after his flight from MECCA. The distance
between MECCA and MEDINA is about 250 miles. The first mosque was built at MEDINA where BILAL (Means Beloved) an Abyssinian Slavecalled the Ayaan (called for prayer) BILAL had a melodious voice and the Prophet loved.him as his own Son. The great mosque containing the Kaaba is the Parent Mosque, the model of the world of Islam.EID celebrated after 30 days of Ramadan by looking at the moon. EID means to celebrate the happiness and greeted with a hug from each other to promote brotherhood and prays for Barkat. According to the holy Qur’an, Allah (GOD) bestows and rewards his captives on this day after the fasting of Ramzan in the Pak Month. On Eid, there is a special amount called Zakatwhich is removed for the poor and the needy from annual hard income @ 2.5% of the total
income in a year. Before the Namaz, all the people in the family are given a fitra, in which 2
kg of such a thing is given to be kept daily.
According to certain traditions (two) festivals were initiated in MADINAH after the
migration of Muhammad (P) from MECCA. When the Prophet arrived in MADINAH, he
found people celebrating two special days in which they use to entertain themselves with
recreation and merriment. He asked them about the nature of these festivities at which they
replied that these days were occasions of fun and recreation. At this, the Prophet remarked
that the Almighty has fixed two days (of festivals) instead of these for you which are better
than these Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha. Prophet Mohammad (P) the originator of these festivals possessed all humanity, docility, and simplicity to forgive his hostile enemies for their sinful offenses and wring done to him out of sheer ignorance. When Prophet Mohammad (P) was seen going to his mosque for prayer in the early morning, an old woman used to throw filth on him to defile him. One day she became ill and
did not come out to impurify her victim. Prophet Mohammad (P) waited for her and then
went to her house to know her whereabouts of health, she became ashamed of her silly
behavior.
It was the Farman transmitted by this great man that all food should be distributed among the
poor after his evening meal and no gain should be left in the house. His consort, HazratA’isha questioned him, how could they manage in the morning? Prophet solaced and silenced
her feeling that Allah (GOD) is there to provide food to all.
One-night Prophet was upset and restless and could not feel sleep, he asked his wife A’isha if
she has done something against his wish and will. She admitted that she has saved some
money for his treatment as he was sick. He admonished her and asked her to give it to some
poor beggar. It was midnight at 2 a.m. she opened the door and found a beggar who was
dying of starvation and hunger. Meanwhile, an angel came and told Prophet that his time in
the mortal world was over and Allah abodes in heaven, one for himself, one for his
beloved daughter Fatima, one for her husband Hazrat-Ali, and two for his grandsons Hassan
and Hussain.\
The chief object to idolize/veneration in Kaaba is black stone a meteorite that fell in the desert
several thousand years ago. It was pure white in the beginning but it got defied due to the touch of
human hands.
Qosayy, the grandfather of Hashim decent from Fihr or Qosayy was the sketch of MECCA.
The five privileges of the custodian of MECCA were in Qosayy.1- Hayaba.
2- The siqaqa and the rifada
3- Qiayada.
4- Right of affixing the banner to the staff and presenting it to the standard-bearer.
5- The dar-ul-nadwa.
Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of Prophet, blessed with ten sons and his last son was
ABDULLA, the father of the Prophet who died in the prime of his youth.
The holy baba was born on Friday at the dawn of morning- 29th August 570 A.D. From her
AMINAH gave birth to his holy baba was born on Friday at the dawn of morning- 29th
August 570 A.D. An angel directed to AMINAH to name the baba Ahmad (Praised) or Mohammad (P) when born Prophet was the posthumous child of ABDULLA, who had died at MEDINA three
months before the birth of his son.
AMINAH deeply shocked by the death of ABDULLA and his grief was a mortal shock to her
health. The child was nursed by a slave girl in Abu Muttalib’s family. The baba was put into
the care of Fatima a Bedouin woman of the tribal of Banu’s add as per customs of
Tannahiviya Arabs.AMINAH died in A.D. 575 at ABWA, midway between MECCA and MEDINA, and was
buried there. After the death of grandfather in A.D. 578 his difficulties compounded
enormously. After the death of his grandfather, he was entrusted to Abu-Talib, a genial kind, and helpful brother of ABDULLA by the same mother.
Muhammad (P) found his country rent with internal wars, fratricidal conflicts, and tribal
jealousies. His nation was steeped in ignorance and superstition. Muhammad (P) was active
in the economic life of the community and often travel with caravans to Syria.
Prophet served Khadijah, a wealthy woman as a commercial agent and his honesty endeared
her and she proposed for marriage. Muhammad (P) asked her to distribute her wealth among
the poor, Khadijah was an ideal woman and was a widow of 40 years, fifteen years senior to
her life partner who was a young man of 25 years. She was a lady elisting-wished by birth as
well as fortune and daughter of Khowaited, as a son of Asad.
She had already been twice married and had born issues and now she was widow. Khadijah
reciprocated the love gratefully and got married in A.D. 595 and four daughters, Zanab,
Rugayya, Ummikhatton, Fatima and two sons Qwam and Abdulla were born but both died in
their infancy. Fatima was wedded to Muhammad’s German cousin Muhammad Ali-ibn Abi
Talib and blessed with two son’s Hussain and Hussan.
During the 14th year of his life in A.D. 610 Angel Gabriel gave him the first revelation.
Khadijha was the first to convert to the new faith. Muhammad’s cousin Ali and Abu-Bakr
followed her. But Muhammad’s first uncle and one-time guardian Abu Talib was disagreed
with his faith, and not changed his mind.At this age of 14th the first revelation came to Muhammad (P)on the night of power.
Muhammad’s reception of word of GOD was spontaneous and unsolicited. In A.D. 613, he
received a divine command to proclaim a message to his people.
The path of those whom thou hast blessed not of those against whom thou art wrathful nor of
those who art astray. The Quraysh ridiculed Muhammad’s religious claims by declaring him
an imposter. When verbal assaults failed, they tried drastic measures.
Some of his followers were forced to leave MECCA and seek refuge in Ethiopia. Muhammad
(P) made remained at MECCA and Abu-Talib defended him in his isolated period. According
to legend, Muhammad (P) made a miraculous night journey.
The year 619 was a turning point for him as his wife and his uncle Abu-Talib died.
Muhammad (P) began a series of raids against the MECCAN traders. When Muhammad
was holly chased by his enemies, his companions lost their lives, only Ali was there.
In 627, the MECCANS and their lives advanced on MEDINA with a large force.
By 628, Muhammad’s authority was consolidated in MEDINA. The Jews community, who
implacably opposed Islamic movement were destroyed or expelled. Muhammad (P) asked
the Jews to educate the Muslims to dispel their ignorance to bring them out of the cocoon of
darkness as Jews were educated and intelligent. In 630, the agreement broke down and
Muhammad (P) was able to capture MECCA without much resistance.
In 632, Muhammad (P) led the great pilgrimage to MECCA, tradition is called farewell
pilgrimage, because three months after this Muhammad (P) became ill.
The day of 8 June A.D. 632 proved extremely saddest as Prophet Muhammad (P) left this
the mortal world and entered the heavenly adobe.
Muhammad was a leader of the community of worship, its supreme judge and highest
political leader to express, protect, and extend the faith of GOD’s will.
Scripture is the speech of GOD preserved in writings as Torah of Moses, the psalms of David
and the Gospel of Jesus, and QURAN of Prophet Muhammad (P). The Koran reports the
words of GOD received by Muhammad (P) through the Angel Gabriel.
Besides the QURAN, the life of a Muslim is guided by the SUNNA. The words in the
QURAN was spoken over a period of more than 20 years (23 years) and divided into
114 surahs and contains 6666 verses and it is the final word of truth.
According to Islamic tradition, the first Muezzin was a former Elhopian slave BILAL, who
sang forth the call to the prayer from the roof of a Prophet’s house in MEDINA. The purpose
of the prayer in fasts is to burn the undesirable propensities to purify the mind and remain in
meditation from dawn to dusk.
Ramadan is followed by one of the greatest feasts of the Muslim year. I’d ul fitr- the festival of
breaking the fast. Money is given to the needy and small children and it is called I’di.
Prayers are five in numbers:
1- Fajr (Before Sunrise)
2- Zuhr (At Sunset)
3- Asr (Afternoon)
4- Magrib (Evening)
5- Nisha (After Sunset)
On Friday prayer, Angel Gabriel himself writes the names of the believes who attended it in
the person in their respective mosque.
Eid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) Hazrat Ibrahim was ordered by Allah in his dream to scarify his dearest
thing. To him, his son was the dearest thing, blindfolded he sacrificed a Ram and Allah saved
his son. Eid-ul-Zaha falls 2 months and 9 days after- ul- Fitr.
Eid-ul-Nabi- the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad (P).
MUHARRAM: The second son of the Fatimah and Hazrat Ali Hazrat Imam Hussain was
murdered brutally along with his whole family by the wicked evil-minded and evil souled
Yazid at Karbala in Mecca in 681. He had small sick and thirsty child in his arms. His
appeal for mercy was unheeded.
HAJJ: A devout Muslim ought to go on Hajjat at least once in his life provided he is
economically well off and is free from his domestic liabilities
According to tradition the black stone was delivered to Abraham by Gabriel the Angel of
revelation. Originally it had been pure white but got blackened by the sins of humanity.
The culmination of Hajj takes place at Arafat situated 14 miles from Mecca.
The first four caliphs ruled from 632 to 661.
1
st caliph was Abu Bakar (632 to 634)
2
nd Umar-ibn-al-Khattab (634 to 644)
3
rd Uthman (644 to 656)
4
th Ali (654 to 661)
The 4 caliphs were the first four leaders of Islam who succeeded the Prophet Mohammad (P).
They are sometimes called the “Rightly Guided” caliphs because each of them learned about
Islam directly from Muhammad (P).
Ali remarked “who controls his tongue in anger and gives alms in poverty, deserves an abode
in heaven”.
Insha’Allah- means “if GOD’s wills or GOD is willing.
Al Rehman, meaning most merciful and compassionate.
The first three caliphs lived at MEDINA but after the murder of Ali, the caliphate was shifted
to Cairo.
Muawiya ibn-abi satyan was Umayyad Governor of Syria and his followers came to be
called SUNNI and followers of Ali were known as SHIAS.
The twelfth imam was born in 868 in Samaria in Iraq. He was the son of 11th Imam, Imam al
Hasan, Al-Askari and Byzantine slave girl. Al Hasan al askari who died in 74 and his son
disappeared mysteriously and it is predicted by his followers that he would emerge as the
Mehdi to unite human perfection. While you are looking up to self, you can’t see GOD but
when you are not looking up to self all that you see is GOD.
6
THE LAW is the word of the Prophet, the doctrine is the example of the Prophet. GOD wrote
the destinies of the creature fifty thousand years before He created the heaven and the
earth. In the name of the Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful the Allah is he who
created seven orbits and the earth’s similar numbers.
Allah has power over all things and Allah comprehends all things in knowledge. Allah is
all knower of what is hidden and of what is open. Allah is free of all needs, worthy of
all praise, all aware of all that you do, provide for all needs.
To worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true to establish regular prayer
and to practice charity and that is the religious right and straight
Those who have faith and righteous deeds. They are the best of creations.
Their reward is with Allah, gardens of eternity, beneath which rivers flow, they will live
in there forever, Allah well pleases with them and they with him.
The Sufis made a mid-course between the Pantheism of Hinduism and the deism of QURAN.
Existence was made for man, and man for the knowledge of GOD. There is not a single
atom of existent things with which GOD is not and which GOD does not comprise.
The fellowship of the wise is the only thing that can conduct the traveler safely to the
GOD.
A single hour in the company of wise tends to his improvement then years of self-discipline without it. Behind even pleasure Lurk twenty pains for it is better to forego
one fleeting joy and spare oneself a lifetime of regret.
The works of GOD are visible and invisible.
Self-knowledge is the shortest method/road to a knowledge of GOD.
In Sufi selsillah, the head or the Guru is called Murshid and the discipline is called
Murid.
Murid-one who inclines.
Salek (Traveler) Mumin (Believer)
He a traveler is moderate in his food, rest and desires and strives to attain knowledge of
himself and GOD acquire a capacity by prayer-sprit of humanity.
“Knowledge has begun but no end”.
Seek knowledge from the cradle to grave/womb to tomb.
Written by Ashok Singh