FROM THE MINBAR- BY DR. MUSTAPHA BELLO

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent the Most Merciful. May the Peace and Blessing of Allah continue to abide with the Noble Prophet, his household, his companions and all Muslims till the Day of Resurrection (aamin)

We give thanks to Almighty Allah, We ask for His assistance. We ask for His forgiveness, we place our reliance on Him. We seek refugee with Him from the evil thought of our hearts and the evil of our actions. Whomsoever Allah guides, He is truly guided and whosoever He allows to stray, such would find no one as a helper and guide.

I bear witness that none deserves to be worshipped except Allah. To Him belongs all authority and offer of gratitude and He has capability over all things. I also bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is His chosen and beloved Servant and Messenger. He was sent by Allah with True Guidance and True Religion to prevail over all other creeds and Allah is sufficient as a witness. 

O Allah, Bestow Your Boundless Blessings and Mercy on our Prophet Muhammad, His household, his companions and the generality of Muslims, male and female till the Day of Judgement (aamin).

Today Friday is the 7th of Rabi-ul-Awwal 1445 AH. It’s the season of Islamic (lunar) year that controversy rages amongst Muslims on the religious propriety or impropriety of the commemoration of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Since the aggregate opinion of his biographers agreed that he was born on the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Lunar year, every year Muslims of diverse theological affiliations engaged in this needless and sometimes acrimonious debate particularly in our kind of society. Without engaging in this needless controversy, what is important for us to note is the fact that the emergence of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) on the socio-economic, political and religious landscape of the world is not just a Mercy to the entire mankind but a special favour generously conferred on the Muslims. The Qur’an says:

And Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent amongst them a messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while before that, they had been in manifest error. Qur’an 3:164

The logical implication of the last part of the above verse “while before that, they had been in manifest error” is that if he had not been sent before now, the whole world would still have been in manifest error and ignorance. So whatever we do in celebrating his illustrious exemplary life in the month of his birth or any other period is in thanking Allah for having taken us out of manifest error into guidance through his coming. After all, the Qur’an emphasized the enormous importance of thanksgiving and the grievous consequence of ingratitude thus:

And remember your Lord caused to be declared publicly: “If you are grateful, I will add more favours unto you; but if you show ingratitude, truly My punishment is terrible indeed” Qur’an 14:7

However, if we cannot agree on the rightness or wrongness of Mawlud-n-Nabiyy that is celebrated in our society through a public holiday, perhaps we can do better if we concentrate our energy and focus our attention on the reasons why Allah sent him as the world celebrated the International Day of Peace yesterday 21st of September. This is the kernel of our sermon today. Allah says in the Qur’an 21 verse 107:

And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a Mercy to the universe.

The Mercy being spoken of in the above verse connotes peace, compassion, kindness, generosity, forgiveness and everything that brings relief to the universe and banishes away pain, sorrow, anguish and displeasure from it. Our Prophet is a Prophet of Peace who endured all manners of persecution in the hands of the powerful Quraysh of Makkah for thirteen years without lifting a finger. When persecution was becoming unbearable for the fledging Muslim community, instead of confronting Makkan hegemony which would have resorted into breach of public peace and avoidable casualties and fatalities, he permitted 80 most vulnerable disciples with their families to leave for Abyssinia in search of religious asylum with a Christian King. While the story of the sojourn of these early Muslims in Abyssinia is a subject of discussion for another day, it is on record that the Prophet himself sneaked into neighboring Taif where he was unsuccessful in trying to win the hearts of the people to the nascent Islam. He was not only waylaid but stoned and chased out of the city leaving him bloodied and physically humiliated. Even while still in severe pain that Archangel Jubril appeared to him and said that if he wanted, he would blow the mountains over the people of Taif for such grave insolence and wickedness, the Prophet did not utter any word of rebuke or curse them. Instead he raised his eyes to the sky and prayed to Allah to forgive his tormentors because they do not know the implications of what they did.

In spite of Allah’s categorical affirmation of his citizenship of Makkah by His words “…and you are a freeborn of this city” (Qur’an 90:2), the Prophet never took it to heart to assert his rights and contest his deprivations with his tormentors, instead he endured the persecution and bore it with unparalleled equanimity in history until it was clear to him that his life was in grave danger. To again underscore his love for peace and his desire to sacrifice his comfort and his rights for peace, the Prophet under the guidance of Allah migrated from his beloved city of Makkah to seek for peace and harmonious living for his emerging community of believers in Yathrib. At Yathrib which immediately took his name as Madinat-un-Nabiyy (the City of the Prophet), the first message he gave to those who welcomed him was “Spread Peace…”, “Allow Peace to Reign…” Unlike most world leaders who would have taken advantage of the divisiveness in Madinah for personal aggrandizement, he reconciled the warring Awz and Khazraj tribes and united them under a common Islamic brotherhood. He granted the Jews freedom of worship and established the Madinan Charter which recognized the plurality of the society in terms of law, worship and culture.

While it is easy for some to assert that the Prophet couldn’t have done otherwise in Makkah because he was operating from the point of weakness, the truth is that his entire life has shown in many instances that the strength or weakness of his position does not diminish his incurable love for peace and his unending quest for peace at all cost. For instance, when he gained ascendancy in Madinah, he didn’t go after his former tormentors whether in Makkah or Taif to seek for his own pound of flesh, rather he forgave them all. Vengeance was never part of his life. After he had triumphed over the Makkan forces at Badr and Khandaq and the Islamic Ummah in Madinah had gained strength and recognition as an independent state under God, he had a dream that he visited Makkah with his followers as pilgrims to the House of God-Kabah. He was so ecstatic and earnest about this dream of uniting with his beloved city that he did not hesitate a bit in commencing the journey with over 1,400 Muslims who marched peacefully without arms towards Makkah in an attempt to perform Umrah. In order to demonstrate his peaceful intention, he camped with the Muslims at Hudaybiyyah and sent emissaries to the Makkan oligarchy on his mission. Several events followed but the most important for our discussion here was that an agreement whose terms were to say the least unfavorable to him and his people was foisted on him. Even events before the writing of the treaty revealed nothing but the peaceful nature of the Prophet. As they were about to write the final version of the treaty, the Prophet dictated to his scribe at this event, Ali bn Abi Talib to begin by writing “In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful” to which Suhail bn Amr the leader of the Makkan party angrily retorted “I do not know Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim” instead write “In Your Name, O Allah”. The companions voiced their anger at Suhail’s objection but the Prophet immediately signaled to them to remain silent and ordered Ali to write it the way Suhail had suggested “In Your Name, O Allah”. Then the Prophet continued dictating to Ali, asking him to write “This was what the Messenger of Allah had agreed upon” but Suhail interrupted him before he could even complete his sentence. Suhail said, “Had I known that you were the Messenger of Allah, I would not have opposed you, but would have followed you. Do you turn away from your name and the name of your father: Muhammad bn Abdullah? The companions again voiced their anger at Suhail’s objection and incorrigibility but the Prophet again, through his easygoing and peaceful nature ended the disagreement by ordering Ali to eliminate the Messenger of Allah from the text of the agreement and to instead write “Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah”. What a Prophet! What a Peaceful Prophet!

Apart for the declaration of ten years truce which was agreeable to both parties, there was a third condition of the treaty which stipulated that if any polytheist left Madinah and travelled to Makkah, the leaders of the city would welcome him and allow him to live among them but if any Muslim fled Makkah and went to Madinah, the Prophet had to refuse him entry and bar him the right of living in Madinah. What an unfair agreement yet the Prophet for the love of peace accented to it to the chagrin of the companions! They were also denied the right of entry into Makkah that year by the terms of the agreement! On the surface level assessment one can say that the Muslims lost substantially by the terms of this unfair treaty but with a deeper reflection one can see the foresightedness of the Prophet that with peace so much can be achieved as it materialized two years into the agreement with the fall of Makkah and the triumph of goodness over evil and of light over darkness! 

Another testimony to the strength of character of the Prophet in his pursuant of peace and unwavering commitment to honoring agreement was the case of Abu Jandal who ran to the camp of the Muslims at Hudaybiyyah after the signing of the agreement. He was the son of Suhail the Chief negotiator of Makkah. He was in chains because of his faith; he wanted to migrate but had been overcome by the Quraysh and was kept in chains in order to prevent him from migrating to Madinah. When Abu Jandal heard about the coming of the Prophet to Hudaybiyyah he was infused with enough hope and enthusiasm to try and escape from his captors. And escape he did, making it all the way to the Muslim encampment at Hudaybiyyah. It was a moment of triumph for Abu Jandal who finally had the opportunity to practice his faith without being persecuted as a result. But that was not to be. As soon as Suhail saw his son approaching, he stood up to him and grabbed him by his beard. He then turned to the Prophet and said “O Muhammad, the matter between us had been concluded before he came to you” The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad replied, “You have spoken the truth”. Abu Jandal cried out “O Muslims, if I return to the polytheists, they will try to turn me away from my religion” but his appeal for help was in vain for the Prophet refused to accept him. He said to Abu Jandal “We have agreed to a treaty with them, for which we have given them, and they have given us, a commitment to fulfill its terms and we will not act treacherously with them”. Faced with this tragedy, the Prophet then tried to console Abu Jandal and give him glad tidings of near relief for him and for those like him in Makkan captivity. The Prophet said to him:

O Abu Jandal, be patient and hope for your reward from Allah (for the hardships that you are enduring). Allah will indeed provide you, as well as the weak ones with you with relief and a way out 

Who in history can be more honorable, conciliatory, tolerant, humane and peaceful against all odds like Prophet Muhammad? Who can sacrifice his own ego without worrying, demystify his own status without resenting, forgo his own rights without looking back and tolerate and concede to his arch adversaries without complaining like Prophet Muhammad? Definitely none can be like him after all, the God who created and sent him attested to his sublime character in these words “And Verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character” (Qur’an 68:4)

The main lesson of this exploration into this aspect of the life of the Prophet is for us as Muslims to know that Islam is for Peace, Justice and Egalitarianism in the society as exemplified by the illustrious examples narrated above. Islam mandates its adherents to seek for peace even in the face of seemingly socio-economic and political marginalization as deduced from the following tradition of the Prophet (SAW):

 Abdullah bn Mas’ud reported that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said “After me, there shall be deprivation (of rights) and things that you will dislike”. They asked. “O Messenger of Allah! What do you order us to do?” he answered, “Fulfill the rights over you and ask Allah for that which is for you”.

Muslims should therefore be peacemakers and not trouble makers, conciliators and not provocators in crisis and blessings and not threats to the community after all, the Prophet said “the best of you is he, whose neighbors are safe from the evils of his hand”.

In conclusion Mawlud-n-Nabiyy presented my own generation with the opportunity to learn about the Prophet, memorize poems and songs about him in both Arabic and indigenous languages. This experience I remembered with nostalgia kindled our love for the Prophet as we grew up. Now times are changing! If we must sustain this love for the Prophet it becomes incumbent on all of us regardless of our theological disposition to the commemoration of the birth of the Prophet, to teach our children to love the Prophet by reading to and telling them stories about him. We should also teach them poems and songs which exalt and dignify his illustrious personality. Check it on Goggle “Who is the best man on earth” and the search engine would tell you it is Muhammad (SAW). Let me end this exhortation with these poetry lines I memorized as a child about the Prophet (SAW):

Maqaamu lada sidrati-l-Muntaha

Li Ahmada lashaka li-l-Mustafa

Maqaamu wata Llahi ma mithlihu

Wa haoha ilayhi Shadidu-l-Quwa

Wa inna Nabiyya Aba-li-Qaasimi

Habibu Risalati Fawqa-s-Sama’

Sa’alituka Ya Rabbana Rahmata

Bi jahi Rasulu Nabiyyi-l-Huda

There is a station (position) close to farthest lote-tree

For Ahmad (the Praised One) Yes undoubtedly reserved for Mustafa (the Choice One)

An incomparable position I swear by Allah

At a point The Lord of Mighty inspired him

And Surely He is the Prophet, the Father of Qasim

He was the bearer of Revelation (from) above the high heavens

We ask you O our Lord for Mercy

For the sake of (Your) Messenger, the Prophet of Guidance

May Almighty Allah grant us the receptiveness to understand this messagebetter than the way it has been presented and strengthen us with the ability to emulate the Prophet in words and deeds. May His Choicest Blessing and Salutation continue to abide with noblest of mankind, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), his companions and his household (aamin).

Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us. Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving people! (aamin)

Subhana Rabbika Rabbi-l-‘Izzat amma ya’sifuna, wa-s-salaam ala-l-mursalina wa-l-hamdu-li-Llahi, Rabbi-l-‘Aalamin

IMAM MUSTAPHA ADEBAYO BELLO (PhD)

- Director, Center for Theology & Spiritual Intelligence

- Lagos State University, Ojo

- Nigeria