Holy Jesus (Prophet Isa, in Islam)

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) in Islam, Maryam (Mary, mother of Jesus) and Muslims.

Muslim beliefs and traditions still remain a mystery to many non-Muslims. Between ignorance and outright malicious lies, Muslims need to find a common ground with others. Non-Muslims, especially Christians, are often surprised to discover that Muslims also believe in Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him). This web page aims to not only provide the Islamic perspective on this great Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) and Maryam (Mary), the mother of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), but also to bring forward the common ground between Muslims and Christians.

Muslims are required by Allah (SWT) to believe in all of the Prophets. These include Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ) and Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) peace be upon them. The Noble Qur'an, the Islamic holy book, also instructs Muslims to believe in the books revealed to every Prophet as well. The book given to Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) is called Injeel in the Noble Qur'an.

According to the Noble Holy Qur'an, Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) was one of Allah's (SWT) most beloved messengers, a precursor to Prophet Muhammad (61:6) and was sent to guide the Children of Israel. In the Noble Qur'an, stories about the life and teachings of Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) are abundant. The Noble Qur'an recalls his miraculous birth, his teachings, the miracles he performed by Allah's (SWT) permission, and his life as a great prophet of Allah (SWT). The Noble Qur'an speaks of Maryam (Mary) not only as the mother of Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him), but as a righteous woman in her own right.

Muslims believe that Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) was the son of Maryam (Mary), and was immaculately conceived without the intervention of a human father. The Noble Qur'an describes that an angel appeared to Maryam (Mary), to announce to her the "gift of a holy son" (19:19). Maryam (Mary) was astonished at the news, and asked: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?" (19:20). When the angel explained to her that she had been chosen for the service of Allah (SWT), and that Allah (SWT) had ordained the matter, she devoutly submitted herself to His will.

The Noble Holy Qur'an further describes that Maryam (Mary, mother of Jesus) retreated from her people (outside the city), and gave birth to Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) underneath a remote date palm tree. The date palm tree miraculously provided nourishment for Maryam (Mary) during labor and birth. (See Chapter 19 of the Noble Qur'an for the entire story. The chapter has aptly been named "The Chapter of Maryam (Mary, mother of Jesus)")

However, the Noble Holy Qur'an repeatedly reminds us that Prophet Adam, the first human being, was born with neither a human mother nor a human father.

Therefore Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) miraculous birth affords him no higher standing or presumed partnership with God. When God ordains a matter, He merely says, "Be" and it is so. "The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be!" And he was" (3:59). In Islam, Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) is regarded as a human prophet and messenger of God, not part of God Himself. The Noble Qur'an also denies that Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) was crucified.

10 brief points Christians should know about Jesus and Muslims Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him)

1. Muslims love Prophet Jesus. We also love Prophet Abraham, Prophet Moses, and Prophet Noah, to name just a few other Prophets Muslims revere. May God's peace be upon all of these great messengers of God.

2. Muslims also love the mother of Prophet Jesus, the Virgin Mary. We believe she was a pious and noble woman chosen over all of the women of the world.

3. Muslims believe that Prophet Jesus was born miraculously of a virgin mother and no father. His birth is miraculous like the birth of Prophet Adam, the first human being, who was created with neither mother nor father.

4. Muslims do not believe that Prophet Jesus was the son of God. God is so powerful and self-sufficient that He does not need a son or any kind of partner.

5. In Arabic Bible the name for God is Allah. Therefore all Arab Christian call God Allah as Muslim do as well.

6. Prophet Jesus did not die on the cross. Rather, God saved him as his enemies were confused about him. Prophet Jesus was taken up by God to Heaven.

7. Prophet Jesus is called Isa (pronounced Eesa) in Arabic and the spirit of God (Roohullah) is his title.

8. Prophet Jesus performed miracles by the Will of God, like healing the blind and those with leprosy.

9. Prophet Jesus prayed to the same God as all Prophets and we Muslims pray to.

10. Prophet Jesus will return before the end of the world during the time of Imam al-Mahdi, the embodiment of the Messiah or the saviour.

Imam Ridha (as) said, 'The most terrifying events for creatures are three: the day one is born and comes out of his mother's belly and sees the world, the day he dies and sees the afterlife and its people, and the day he is raised and sees laws he did not see in this world, and Allah (SWT) made Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) secure in these three events and protected him from fear, and He said:

"And peace on him on the day he was born, and on the day he dies, and on the day he is raised to life." (Noble Holy Qur'an 19:15)

And Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) the son of Maryam (Mary) made himself secures in these three events, and he said:

"And peace on me on the day I was born, and on the day I die, and on the day I am raised to life." (Noble Qur'an 19:33)

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) lived for thirty-three years; he was not killed nor crucified, but it was made to appear so to the Christians. On the night of the twenty-first of Ramadan he was raised while there were nine thousands three hundred thirteen angles with him. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) was raised from the earth alive and his soul was taken between heaven and earth, then he was raised to heaven and his soul was returned to him. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) will come down to the world before the Resurrection day with the twelfth Imam al-Mahdi of the Household of the Prophet, and invite the people to Allah (SWT).

In the resurrection will come a man in a group and the angels will be around him with wings outspread and the light will be in front of them. Then the people of the Garden will crane their necks toward him and say, 'Who is this who is thus allowed by Allah?' The angels will say, 'This is the spirit of Allah and His word! This is Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) the son of Mary!'

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) once said about himself, "I sleep while I have nothing and I rise while I have nothing, and yet there is no one on earth more wealthy than I," and Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) said another time, "I began the morning with my Lord, the Blessed and Supreme, above me and the fire (of hell) before me and death in pursuit of me. I have not obtained that for which I wished and I cannot keep away the things I hate. So who of the poor is poorer than I?"

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) passed by a man who was blind, leprous and paralytic, and Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) heard him giving thanks and saying, "Praise be to Allah (SWT) Who has protected me from the trials with which He afflicts the majority of men."

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) said, "What trial remains which has not been visited upon you?" He said, "He protected me from a trial which is the greatest of trials, and that is disbelief."

Then Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) touched him, and Allah (SWT) cured him from his illnesses and beautified his face. Then he became a companion of Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) and worshipped with him.

These two stories about him suffice to show his humility. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) served a meal to the Apostles, and when they had eaten it, he himself washed them, and another time he stood up and washed their feet. They said, "It would have been more proper for us to have done this, O Spirit of Allah."

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) replied, "Verily, it is more fitting for one with knowledge to serve the people. Indeed, I humbled myself only so that you may humble yourselves among the people after me even as I have humbled myself among you."

The conversations of Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) with the disciples are very interesting. They asked him, "O spirit of Allah, so with whom should we keep company?" Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) said, "He the sight of whom reminds you of Allah (SWT), his speech increases your knowledge and his action makes you desirous of the other world." And a man asked Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) the son of Mary, "Which people is the best?" Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) took two handfuls of earth and said, "Which of these is the best? The people are created from earth, so the most honorable of them is the most God wary."

Almighty God also introduced Himself to Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him), He described His endless mercy to him, and He gave him necessary instructions. Once He said to him, "O Isa (Jesus)! I do not forget those who forget Me, so how could I forget those who remember Me! I am not stingy with those who disobey Me, so how could I be stingy with those who obey Me." And He said another time, "Be to the people like the earth below in meekness, like the flowing water in generosity, and like the sun and the moon in mercy, which shine on the good and sinner alike."

A man accompanied Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) the son of Maryam (Mary) and said that he would go with him. They continued along until they came to a river. They sat and started to eat. They had three loaves of bread. They ate two of them and one remained.

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) went to the river, drank some water and returned. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) did not find the third loaf, so he asked the man who had taken that loaf. The man said that he did not know.

They continued until they came to a doe followed by two fawns. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) beckoned one of the fawns, killed it, roasted it and they ate it. Then Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) addressed the fawn [that had been eaten,] saying, "Live!" It came to life and went. Then Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) said to the man, "By the God Who has shown you this miracle, who took that loaf of bread?" The man said that he did not know.

They continued until they reached a lake. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) took the hand of the man and led him over the water. When they reached the other side, Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) said, "By the One Who has shown you this miracle, who took that loaf of bread?" The man said that he did not know.

They continued until they reached a desert. They sat down. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) gathered some sand or dust and said, "By the permission of Allah (SWT), be Gold!" It became Gold. He divided it into three portions.

Then Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) said, "One third is for me, one third for you, and one third for whoever took that loaf of bread."

The man said, "Alright, I took that loaf of bread."

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) said, "Then all of this Gold is yours." Then he left him.

The man encountered two other men in the desert. They wanted to take his Gold and kill him. He said, "Let us divide the Gold into three portions." They sent one of them to the village to buy food.

The one who went said to himself, "Why should I let them have portions of this wealth? I shall put some poison into the food, and kill them." So, he poisoned the food.

The other two said, "Why should we give a third of this wealth to him. When he comes back, let us kill him, and divide the rest of the wealth between us."

When he returned, they attacked him and killed him. Then they ate the poisoned food and died. The wealth remained in the desert with the three dead men beside it.

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) passed them and saw the situation. He said to his disciples, "This is the world, so beware of it!"

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) was once seen running away from a man. People were surprised to see him running away. Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) did not run away from anything or anybody. He was known for his goodness, humbleness and friendliness.

They asked him: "Isa, spirit of Allah, why are you running away from that man?"

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) replied: "I am running away from a fool."

People were still more surprised, they knew that Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) was a prophet. He had cured the sick. He had even brought the dead to life. So they said: "But Isa, spirit of Allah, you have power to bring dead to life."

Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace upon him) smiled and said: "True, I have brought dead to life. But I find it difficult to bring a fool to his senses."

Marriages of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)

Marriages of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)

When the Holy Prophet passed away, he left nine wives behind. This has become a main target of the Christian and Jewish writers. They say that plurality of marriage (polygamy) in itself points to avidity and to yielding to lust and desire, and the Prophet was not content with four wives which had been allowed to his Ummah but exceeded even that limit and married nine women.

It is necessary to point out that this is not such a simple matter to be dismissed in a sentence that he was inordinately fond of women, so much so that he married nine wives. The fact is that he had married each one of his wives for some particular reason due to particular circumstances.

His first marriage was with Khadijah. He lived with her alone for twenty-five years. It was the prime time of his youth and constitutes two-thirds of his married life. We have written about her on the preceding pages.

Then he married Sawdah bint Zam'ah whose husband had expired during the second migration to Abyssinia. Sawdah was a believing lady who had migrated on account of her faith. Her father and brother were among the most bitter enemies of Islam. If she were left to return to them, they would have tortured and tormented her, as they were doing with other believing men and women, oppressing and killing them, forcing them to renounce their faith.

At the same time, he married 'Ayishah bint Abu Bakr, who was then a six-year old child. She came to the Prophet's house some time after the migration to Medina.

Then he emigrated to Medina and began spreading the word of Allah. Thereafter, he married eight women, all of them widows or divorcees, all old or middle-aged. This continued for about eight years. It was only then that he was prohibited by the Almighty from marrying any woman besides those whom he had already married. Obviously, these happenings cannot be explained by his love for women because both his early life and the later period contradict such an assumption.

Just look at a man with a passion for women who is infatuated with a carnal desire, enamored by female companionship, with a sensual lust for them. You will find him attracted to their adornment, spending his time in pursuit of beauty, infatuated with coquetry and flirtation and craving for youth, tender age, and fresh complexion. But these peculiarities are conspicuously absent in the Prophet's life. He married widows after having married a virgin, old-aged ladies after having married young girls. Then he offered his wives a choice to give them a good provision and allow them to depart gracefully, i.e. divorce them if they desired this world and its adornment. Alternatively, they should renounce the world and abstain from adornments and embellishments if they desired Allah and His Prophet and the latter abode. Look at this verse of the Qur'an:

O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire this world's life and its ornature then come, l will give you a provision and allow you to depart a graceful departure. And if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the latter abode, then surely Allah has prepared for the doers of good from among you a ,mighty reward. (Qur'an, 33:28-29)

Is this the attitude of a man infatuated with lust and desire?! The fact is that we will have to look for reasons other than lust and avidity for his plurality of wives:

· He had married many of them in order to give them protection and safeguard their dignity.

· It was hoped that the Muslims would follow his example and provide protection to aged women, widows and their orphaned children.

Sawdah bint Zam'ah's marriage comes into this category. Zainab bint Khuzaymah's husband, 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh (a cousin of the Prophet), was martyred during the battle of Uhud (as stated above). This was the second time she became a widow. She was one of the most generous ladies even in the era of ignorance, so much so that she was called "Mother of the poor". Now she was facing hard times. The Prophet, by marrying her, preserved her prestige and dignity. She passed away in the life-time of the Prophet. Year of marriage: 3 A.H.

Ummu Salamah, whose actual name was Hind, was married to 'Abdullah Abu Salamah (another cousin of the Prophet who was also his foster brother). Abu Salamah and his wife were among the first to migrate to Abyssinia. She had renounced worldly pleasures and was highly distinguished for her piety and wisdom. When her husband died, she was very advanced in age and had many orphaned children. That is why the Prophet married her. Year of marriage 4 A.H.

Hafsah bint 'Umar ibn al-Khattab was married to him after her husband Khunays ibn Hudhayfah was martyred during the battle of Badr, leaving her a widow. Year of marriage 4 A.H.

· To set free the slaves: His marriage with Juwayriyyah, i.e. Barrah daughter of al-Harith (chief of Banu al-Mustaliq) was performed in 5 A.H. after the battle of Banu al-Mustaliq. The Muslims had arrested two hundred of their families. Juwayriyyah was a widow, and the Prophet married her after emancipating her. The Muslims said: These are now the relatives of the Messenger of Allah by marriage; they should not be held captive. So they freed all of them. Impressed by this nobility, the whole tribe of Banu al-Mustaliq entered into the fold of Islam. It was a very large tribe, and this generosity of the Muslims as well as the conversion of that tribe had a great impact throughout Arabia.

· To forge friendly relations: Some marriages were entered into in the hope of establishing friendly relationships with some tribes in order to blunt their enmity towards Islam.

Ummu Habibah, i.e. Ramlah daughter of Abu Sufyan, was married to 'Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh and had emigrated with them to Abyssinia in the second migration. While there, 'Ubaydullah was converted to Christianity, but she remained steadfastly on Islam and separated from him. Her father, Abu Sufyan, was in those days raising one army after another in order to annihilate the Muslims. The Prophet married her and afforded protection to her although the hope of any change in Abu Sufyan's attitude did not materialize.

Safiyyah was the daughter of Huyaiy ibn Akhtab, (Jewish) chief of Banu an-Nadhir Her husband was killed in the battle of Khaybar, and her father sided with Banu Qurayzah. She was among the captives of Khaybar. The Prophet chose her for himself and married her after emancipating her in 7 A.H. This marriage protected her from humiliation and established a link with the Jews.

· To establish and implement important laws: The case of Zainab bint Jahsh is its only example. She was a cousin of the Prophet (daughter of his paternal aunt, and sister of 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh, the first husband of Zainab bint Khuzaymah). She was a widow. Islam had annulled class differences and declared that a family's tribe, wealth, or social status are not the criteria of distinction. Every Muslim is equal. While announcing it, the Prophet, in the same sitting, gave his three relative ladies in marriage to persons of "low" birth or status. It was done in order to practically demonstrate the Islamic equality, which up to that moment, was only a theoretical p nciple. Among them, Zainab bint Jahsh was given in marriage to Zayd ibn Harithah, an Arab slave whom the Prophet had freed and adopted as son. People called him Zayd ibn Muhammad. This marriage soon turned sour. Zainab could not overlook that she was a granddaughter of 'Abdul­Muttalib, and that Zayd was an ex-slave. No matter how much the Prophet advised them, she did not change her behavior, so finally Zayd divorced her.

In the midst of the continuing social reforms, the Qur'an had declared that adoption was not recognized in Islam, that the sons should be affiliated to their actual fathers. Allah says:

Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his breast, nor has He made your wives whom you declare (to be your mothers) as your (real) mothers, nor has He made those whom you call (as your sons) your (real) sons. These are (mere) words of your mouths, and Allah speaks the truth and He guides unto the (right) way. Call them after their fathers; this is more just with Allah, but if you know not their fathers, then they are your brethren in faith and your friends. (Qur'an, 33:4-5)

After this admonition, people started calling him "Zayd ibn Harithah". But there was a need to put this new system in effect in such a way as to leave no room for doubt or ambiguity. Allah, therefore, ordered the Prophet to marry Zainab bint Jahsh, the divorcee of Zayd ibn Harithah. The Qur'an explains:

.... But when Zayd had concluded his concern with her (i.e. divorced her) We joined her in wedlock as your wife so that there should be no difficulty for the believers concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they have concluded their concerns with them, and the command ofAllah shall be carried out. (Qur'an, 33:37)

In this manner, both marriages of Zainab hint Jahsh served to enforce two very important social ethics. Some non-Muslim writers have claimed that the Prophet had fallen in love with Zainab's beauty and that this was why Zayd divorced her. Such writers are blind to the fact that Zainab at that time was in her fifties. Why did not Muhamaad fall in love with her when she was still a maiden and he himself was young? Consider this question especially in view of the fact that Zainab was a close relative of the Prophet, and that there was no system of hijab at that time, and, in any case, relatives usually know about each other's beauty or ugliness.

One of his wives was Maymunah whose name was Barrah bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyyah. When her second husband died in the 7th year of Hijrah, she came to the Prophet and "gifted" herself to him if he would accept her. She only desired the honor of being called the wife of the Prophet. The Prophet waited for the divine guidance in her regard. Permission was granted to him from his Lord as we read in verse 33:50 of the Holy Qur'an which says:

O Prophet! Certainly we have made lawful unto you ... a believing woman if she gifts herself unto the Prophet; if the Prophet desires to marry her, (it is) especially for thee (O Prophet!) rcjher than for the rest of the believers. (Qur'an, 33:50)

Thus do we see that each of these marriages had some solid reasons behind it; passion and lust were not among them.

Khadijeh, Mother of The Orphan

KHADIJEH MOTHER OF THE ORPHAN:
(Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid, Bibi Khadija, Hazrat Khadija)

Though she was even wealthier than other rich people, unlike them, she always thought about helping the poor and sharing their sorrow and difficulties, and solving their problems.

For this reason, Khadijeh (Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid, Bibi Khadija, Hazrat Khadija) ordered her servants to never close the doors of her house to any poor person and to always have ready at hand the things the poor needed. She commanded her servants to inform her whenever a poor person wanted to talk to her or wanted something from her during the day or night. She could not bear the thought that a poor leaves her house in sorrow, not having received something from her.

So the deprived and poor knew the way to Khadijeh's house and called that house, "The house of hope and security." More than any other, the orphans sought refuge in her house, because Khadijeh (Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid, Bibi Khadija, Hazrat Khadija) sympathized with them a lot and she would care for them in a motherly way. So they called her "Ummul Yatama", meaning, "Mother of the Orphans".

Having talked about Khadijeh's (S.A.) house, the following lines will help you gain a conception of her house.

The house where lived Khadijeh (S.A.) and from where she performed all the benevolent tasks for the poor, was one of the nicest in Makkah. It had two floors, each one of which was decorated by a small balcony. The northern section of the house so faced the Holy Kaaba (House of Allah) that the latter could be seen from its small windows. In addition to this, the visitors to Allah's house could be seen too. The windows of the other three sides faced three of Makkah's roads and every passenger entering Makkah could be seen from those windows. There was a green dome at the top of the building, which made it look a hundred times more beautiful. The interior of the house was divided into two sections, one of which Khadijeh (S.A.) kept for private usage and where no one was allowed without her permission.

Khadijeh (Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid, Bibi Khadija, Hazrat Khadija) chose the northern section of the house, which faced the Holy Kaaba as her living quarters, and from there she stood in front of the house of Allah and prayed to Him everyday.

The other section of Khadijeh's (S.A.) house was for the guests. Special servants entertained the guests, looking after their needs. Everybody was satisfied when they left Khadijeh's house. This is why all the people living in the region would call Khadijeh's house, "the house of generosity and kindness". In hard times, people would go and come back, hands full and happy. We can say that the section of Khadijeh's house open to the public was home to many homeless, the poor, refugees, orphans and the oppressed. If anyone was looking for shelter, people would send him to Khadijeh's house.

A famous writer described Khadijeh's house as follows:

Every orphan who didn't have anyone to depend on,Every father who couldn't get food for his children,Every woman who was homeless,Everybody who suffered and became shelter less,All of them knew the way to Khadijeh's (S.A.) house and went there.They took refuge in her kindness and wealth.The sore hearts of those people were treated with her favour and grace.

This was why Khadijeh's house was always full of people. Whole day and night, there were coming and going activities there. Khadijeh (S.A.) would come to that section accessible to the public a few hours everyday. She would sit with her poor and homeless guests, talk and listen to their distress and difficulties. She would caress the children and wipe the tears of the mothers. Then she would call her private servant and he would bring some bags of money. Khadijeh (S.A.) would then distribute the money amongst the people.

Kind Khadijeh (S.A.) would always sit with the orphans at dinner and eat with them. She would herself feed the delicious food to them. She would place her hands around their faces, caress and kiss them, saying: "My dear children! Don't feel like orphans. (I am your mother). I will support and love you like my own child."

Khadijeh's (S.A.) support and protection was not only for the orphans who didn't have any parents, but also for those who had parents. During those days, known as Al-Jahiliya (The age of Ignorance), some fathers who were narrow-minded and foolish would bury their own daughters alive, for different foolish reasons. They were proud of this ugly and indecent act. On every opportunity, they would boast about what they had done. However, they never thought about the day of Judgement and that Allah will judge them:

"When the female (infant) who was buried alive will be asked for what sin was she killed." (Noble Qur'an, 81:8-9)

During those days, this ugly and indecent act was common amongst some Arab tribes. They would kill their innocent daughters because of poverty and believed that having a daughter is something to be ashamed of. They would cowardly bury their daughters alive.

Then glowed the light of Islam forbidding such a practice. Allah says in Noble Qur'an:

"And do not kill your children for fear of poverty; We give them sustenance and yourselves (too); surely to kill them is a great sin." (Noble Qur'an, 17:31)

As a result, when some mothers gave birth to a girl, their husbands would get angry at them. They either had to give their daughter to their cruel husband, who was free to do whatever he wanted to do to the innocent baby, or send the baby to Khadijeh's (S.A.) house from where it could be supported and saved from being buried alive. Now we are going to tell you one of those stories.

O Khadija, among all the people of the world, you have attained a sublime position, the most honorable position. You have been granted the honor of being wife to Prophet Muhammad (saw), the great man whose peer has not been born by any woman in the whole world. All praiseworthy virtues and majestic qualities plus modesty are to be found in him and will be so forever.

One night, when darkness covered the region of the Hejaz / Hijaz (Arabian Peninsula), the wealthy, who had no conscience, were sleeping in their comfortable beds, putting their arrogant heads on their comfortable pillows. They were sleeping comfortably and never bothered about anyone or anything else as they had everything in the world. Also money was always at their disposal and they could do whatever they wished, even irrational. They thought that as long as the earth exists, they would have power.

On the same night, the poor and helpless people were sleeping in their dirty houses or beside the walls of some rich person's house in the city or in Khadijeh's (S.A.) house and they would try to forget all about their sorrow and misery, at least for that night.

During this dark night, the stars and moon were hiding behind the dark clouds. Not willing to see the prejudice and inequality amongst the human beings, they had stopped shining.

On that night, everybody was asleep except Khadijeh (S.A.) and her special servant and............

Khadijeh (S.A.) was thinking in her private room. She was swimming in the sea of dreams and had surrounded herself with the turbulent waves of her thoughts.

Then suddenly someone knocked at her door. Khadijeh (S.A.), still dreaming, lifted her head and asked: "Who is it?" Someone answered: "It is me, my lady, Maysara." Khadijeh (S.A.) replied:

"Come in! I am awake. I can't sleep tonight." The door opened and Khadijeh's special servant, Maysara, rushed into the room, all confused.

Maysara said: "As Salaamu Alaikum, my lady, I am sorry if I am bothering you."

Khadijeh (S.A.) replied: "Wa Alaikum Salaam. What is wrong, Maysara? I see that you are worried. Has something happened or...?" Maysara answered: "No, no! Don't worry. You yourself said that we should tell you whenever an indigent, helpless or an oppressed person wanted to see you."

Khadijeh (S.A.) said: "Yes, yes. I myself said that. Now what has happened and who wants to see me and why?" Maysara answered: "My lady, a young woman carrying a heavy sack has come to the house. She was shaking and crying and her hair was untidy. She begged me to bring her to you. It seems that she came here because she is afraid and depressed."

Khadijeh (S.A.) answered; "Very well. There is no problem. Tell her to come in. I myself told you to call me anytime, day or night if any helpless or homeless person wanted to see me. Don't let that person leave this house in sadness or with empty hands".

Maysara went to call the young woman to take her to Khadijeh's room.

Khadijeh (S.A.) started thinking about that young woman and she told herself: "Oh Allah! What has happened to this poor woman in the middle of the night? What kind of problem has she faced that has caused her to leave her house alone at this time and to come to my house? Who is this helpless woman? Where does she come from? And why did she come here? Maybe she is a mother who came here with her sick child so that we can provide food and medicine for it.

"Maybe she is a slave who has come here because of her unjust master. Or maybe she is a chaste woman whose house the street ruffians entered by force to kill her husband or take her innocent child. Maybe none of these, but maybe her cruel husband wanted to take her innocent daughter away from her and bury the girl alive under the cold dust of the desert. Maybe for this reason, she took the baby and brought her here seeking refuge in my house."

Many thoughts occupied the chaste mind of Khadijeh (S.A.) when suddenly the door opened. A young woman, whose head and face were covered with a veil, entered, crying. Tears had completely wet her red and dusty cheeks. Her arms and legs were shaking out of sorrow and she could only say:

"As Salaamu Alaikum."

She then sat down on the floor and tried to kiss Khadijeh's feet, but the latter stopped her and hugged her and kissed her face like a kind mother. Khadijeh (S.A.) asked her: 'my daughter! What has happened? Why are you so upset? Be sure that whatever I can do I will do for you. Tell me, my daughter. Tell me what has happened."

The young woman moved away from Khadijeh's embrace and opened the heavy sack and placed it in front of Khadijeh (S.A.). She removed a beautiful baby from it, which was like the blossom of spring and hugged it.

After the young woman gave the baby many long and warm kisses while still in tears, she placed the baby in front of Khadijeh (S.A.) and said:

"Oh Lady of Quraish! Oh kind Khadijeh (S.A.) I beg you, please have mercy upon my baby and me. Look how beautiful it is and what beautiful black eyebrows it has. For the sake of Allah look how it looks at me with its sweet eyes. See what a beautiful smile it has. It seems that the baby understands what I say because it looks at me this way. The baby knows that I want to take it away from myself and give it to somebody else."

Then the young woman looked at the sky and said: "Oh Almighty Allah! Save us from this insecure and ignorant situation and from dirty deeds. Send us a savior who can stop this savage situation and the cruel killings. What did this innocent baby do that makes its father want to bury it alive with no fear? What did I do wrong that I must give up my baby?

The woman prayed to Allah and then started crying even more. The baby, afraid of her mother's cries started crying also.

Khadijeh (S.A.), who was quiet until this time, took the woman's lovely baby and hugged it and sympathetically said to the young woman: "My daughter! Don't worry. "I will keep and protect your baby like my own daughter, I know how you feel now and why you are so upset. I am a mother and I know the heartache of mothers. I will raise her and whenever you want, you can come here and see your baby."

The young woman said: "What if my husband comes and wants to take her from you? He is an obstinate person. When I was pregnant, he told me: 'If it is a boy, he is mine. If it is a girl, it belongs to the grave.' He repeated this sentence everyday to bother me."

Today when I felt the pains of delivery, I took refuge in the desert so I could deliver the baby. There, this beautiful girl was born. I didn't return to the house because I knew if I took it to the house, it would have meant the grave for it; as a result, I came to your house because I knew that my daughter would be protected here.

Oh kind Khadijeh (S.A.)! We, the women of this region, know you very well. We know that you protect the orphans better than their parents, but I am still afraid that my angry husband may come here and get the baby from you.

"He may even hurt me and kill me for having given the baby to you. But it doesn't matter. Let him kill me but my daughter will be alive."

The young woman uttered these words and fell down at Khadijeh's (S.A.) feet and started crying very hard. Khadijeh (S.A.) picked her up and placed her hand on the dusty hair of the young woman and very kindly said: "My daughter! I told you not to worry about your baby. I will raise her like my own baby and I will never give her to your husband. He can't do anything here. If he comes here, I will hide her. Be sure that your baby is in a secure place. Now get up and rest a little bit. You don't feel well. You have come a long way. Leave everything to Allah because Allah is closer and kinder to a person than anyone else."

After the young woman heard the kind words of Khadijeh (S.A.), she went to a corner of the room and fell into a deep sleep. The great Khadijeh (S.A.), whose pure spirit was shaken by the recent incidents thought very hard about the things that the young woman had told her. Then she asked herself: What is this misfortune that is over coming the Arab fathers, that causes them to become so cruel and conscienceless as to bury their innocent babies alive with their own hands under tons of black soil? Do they fear poverty or feel ashamed?

The Lady of Quraish (Khadijah Bint Khuwaylid, Bibi Khadija, Hazrat Khadija) kept thinking about this unfortunate situation and deliberated as to how long this practice would continue. Having pondered deeply, she started to pray and commune with Allah. She said:

"Oh Allah! I swear by your Prophets and the people who are close to You. I beg You to send the Saviour that Jesus and the other Messengers have promised for these unfortunate and ignorant people so that this ugly, and unfortunate situation comes to an end. Only then would innocent mothers be able to hold their unprotected and innocent babies in their arms."

After prayer, she went to sleep. She dreamt that the sun was rising from the sky and turned several times around the house of Allah. It then moved towards her house, where its huge brightness dazzled her eyes.

She woke up and realized that the day of Islam was near.