ILM AL-HÂL

37 WE MUST KNOW OUR PROPHET ﷺ WELL Being an honourable, virtuous and good person both in this world and in the hereafter, is only possible by knowing our prophet Muhammad ﷺ , the cause of mercy to all the worlds, by understanding him thoroughly and being a true follower of him. If a person fails to know, acknowledge and love our prophet ﷺ , it is not possible for them to be among the honourable and virtuous. Our Prophet’s name is Muhammad ﷺ , his father’s name was Abdullâh and his mother’s name was Âminah. His father passed away when his mother was 7 months pregnant. He illuminated the whole universe with his birth in Makkah Al-Mukarramah near dawn on Monday the 12 th of Rabî‘ Al-Awwal, corresponding to the 20 th of April 571 C.E. He resembled no other babies at birth. The light of prophethood in him blinded onlooking eyes. He stayed with his foster mother, Halîmah, until he was four years of age. After that, he was returned to his family. When he was six, his mother Âminah passed away. His grandfather Abdul Muttalib took him under his care. But, two years after his mother’s demise, his grandfather passed away. After this time, he stayed with his uncle Abû Tâlib. Muhammad ( ﷺ )’s childhood, youth, bachelorhood, marriage (i.e. each and every stage of his life), passed with a unique virtue and perfection not seen in any other human being.