10 FUN FACTS

 10 FUN FACTS about the Birth of the Messenger (s)

There are many narrations that discuss the birth of the Prophet (s) and the miraculous events that occurred during his mother’s pregnancy and the birth. 

The issues with the authenticity of these narrations are discussed in depth in the Qalam Podcast Episode 9/10 (qalaminstitute.org), from where I have adapted the following fun facts. (Any mistakes found in the facts below are my own).   

1. On the night of the birth of the Prophet (s) the palace of Kisra, in Persia, shook. Fourteen balconies broke and fell off the palace. A sacred fire, which was the central object of worship in the region, that had not blown out for 1000 years, became extinguished. The Tigris river levels became very low, so that water stopped flowing to some regions.

With these events, the king gathered his people and council. He was advised that that there are suggestions of something interesting going on towards Arabia. The king thus sent a man in the direction of the Arabs to find out what was happening. The leaders of Sham were also found to be asking the same question: what was happening in the direction of the Arabs? An individual who was knowledgable about prophecies reported that these events signified that the man who was to be the Prophet of the last times had been born. He details a prophecy that the reign of the Kisra would see only fourteen more emperors until its demise.

2. Amina, the Prophet’s (s) mother had many dreams before the birth of her son. There are other narrations in which it is mentioned that the mother of the Prophet (s) would see dreams, and in her dreams she was being addressed by somebody. Scholars have said that these were the angels who were addressing her and informing her, ‘You are carrying the leader of this nation. When he is born, you must say, ‘ I put him into the protection of the One, may that One protect him from anyone who will be envious of him and may he be placed into the care, the company of the good, the righteous the strong, confident people. And may he be put under the supervision of the slaves of Allah who  are confident and strong leaders of their people. May he arrive and find a place on this earth with no difficulty because he is a slave of the Al Hamid, the one that is constantly worthy of praise, Al Majid, the one who is glorious and magnificent. Until he is shown and he witnesses that which he is meant to witness (Prophethood).

The sign of his birth will be that when he is born, then along with him a light will come that will literally fill the earth with noor (light), so much so that even the palaces of As-Sham will be enlightened. And when he is born, name him Muhammad. Because his name in the Torah was Ahmad. The people of the heavens and the people of the earth praise him. And his name in the Injeel was Ahmad. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth they praise him. And his name in the Quran, the book that will be revealed to him will be Muhammad.’

3. The Prophet (s) was born during the year of the Elephant. Some opinions report that he was born a month after the invasion of the elephants, others say 6 months - the strongest opinions report that he was born 55 days after that incident. 

4. The Prophet was born during the month of Rabi-ul Awaal. The vast majority of scholars, books of history and books of narrations report that the Prophet Muhammad (s) was born during the month of Rabi-ul Awaal. The date he (s) was born has a variety of narrations, including the 2nd, 8th, 10th And 17th. The 12th is the popularly known date mentioned by Ibn Ishaaq. His birthday corresponds to the date 25th April 571 CE. 

5. The Prophet (s) was born in a Monday. In an authentic hadith reported by Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (s) was asked by a bedouin man, ‘Ya Rasul’Allah, What do you advise us about fasting on Mondays?’  

The Prophet (s) replied, ‘That is the day on which I was born, that was also the day on which divine revelation was revealed to me.’ 

In other narrations we also find that the Prophet (s) was taken on the journey of Isra wal Miraj on a Monday, he (s) migrated to Madinah on a Monday and entered Madinah on a Monday and, he (s) passed away on a Monday.

6. Amina, the Prophet’s (s) mother experienced no pain during her pregnancy or the birth. 

She said, ‘From the day that I became pregnant with him until the day that I gave birth to him, I never felt any pain. I never experienced any discomfort whatsoever. 

7. A magnificent light. When the Prophet (s) was born, there were a couple of women that were present in the room. They both note that when Amina gave birth to the Prophet (s) they were  literally blinded, we couldn’t see anything except noor (light) in that house. When one of them looked up they noticed there was an opening in the roof, the ceiling of the house. They looked up and could see the stars and it seemed as if the stars were coming closer to witness the birth of the Prophet (s). The stars kept getting closer so much so that they became afraid and almost screamed out that the stars are going to fall on top of us! 

One of the women narrates, ‘When the Prophet (s) was born, at that moment I heard someone saying, ‘Yarhamak’Allah’, (May Allah SWT have mercy upon you). A light appeared that literally lit up all the palaces, all the way to Ar-Ruum. 

8.  The Prophet (s) sat up on his knees when he was born. There are some narrations that report that at the time when the prophet (s) was born, he actually sat up on his knees. Some narrations report that when he was born his eyes were wide open and he was staring up at the sky.  

(A disclaimer to note here; Some of these narrations are speculated and there have been some criticism as to whether these narrations are authentic or not. Nether the less great scholars such as Ibn Ishaq have chosen to mention these narrations. So they still found value and benefit in mentioning these narrations.)

9. Amina wanted to name her son Ahmad, while his grand-father, Abdul Mutaalib wanted to name him Muhammad. 

Abdul Mutaalib took his grandson to the Kaabah where he named him and spoke a few words of poetry; 

I praise Allah for giving me this blessed child. 

This beautiful child, who is very blessed and noble. 

Already in the lap of his mother, his cradle, he has already become a leader of other children. 

And I put him in the protection of Allah, who is strong and who is firm and who owns the foundations.

And I put him into Allah’s protection so that he can grow up to become strong. 

So much so that I can see him reach adulthood. 

I put him in the protection of Allah from anyone that will have hatred towards him, 

from anyone who will be jealous of him and 

from anyone who will be insecure, uncomfortable and will be jealous of him. 

And anyone that will try to approach him,

may Allah SWT take away his eyes. 

And May Allah SWT lift away his ability to speak. 

May Allah SWT not give him the ability to lift his tongue against him, against this young boy,

and the man that he will become. 

And then Abdul Muttalib pointed at his grand-child and said, ‘ You are the one who has been named in Al Furqan. In the books that have been sent by Allah and are well established and have been recited throughout the generations. And your name Ahmad has been mentioned throughout the generations and throughout time.’ 

A few quraysh noticed him standing there with a baby and approached him excitedly and questioned, ‘What did you name him? 

‘Mohammad’,  came the reply. 

Today the most common name in the entire world is, Mohammad. 

10. A feast. Abdul Mutaalib waited until the seventh day after the birth of the Prophet (s). On that day he kept a great feast in honour of the birth of the Prophet (s). Everybody in Makkah came and celebrated his birth.