Seerah | Lecture 4 | The Childhood of the Noble Prophet ﷺ (continued)

The parents of the Prophet Muhammad, Sayyiduna Abdullah and Sayyida Amina, died as muwahhidin (believers in one God) on the correct path. The Messenger of Allah was later granted the miracle of bringing them back to life, at which point they accepted iman before returning to their graves. It is considered an act of kufr (infidelity) to speak disrespectfully of the Prophet’s parents or to claim they are among the inhabitants of Jahannam, as such statements cause distress to the Prophet.

The Prophet Muhammad is the most powerful creation of Allah, and the Anbiya (prophets) and Rusul (messengers) hold the highest station among all creations, a rank that no wali (saint) can reach. Miracles performed by saints, such as the irhasat (miracles occurring before the declaration of prophethood) or the use of wasa'il (means of intercession), occur solely through the power of Allah. The distinction in the phrasing of miracles—such as the difference between "Qum bi-idhnillah" used by Sayyiduna Isa and "Qum bi-idhni" used by Sheikh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani—is attributed to the specific mission and context of the individual, rather than a difference in inherent power.

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Key topics & takeaways

Belief and Intercession

• Status of the Prophet's parents — they are believers who will enter Jannah and intercede for others ▸1:30
• Prohibition of disrespect — claiming the Prophet's parents are in Jahannam is a form of kufr because it causes harm and distress to the Messenger of Allah ▸2:53
• Hierarchy of creation — the prophets and messengers hold a station that no saint can ever attain ▸3:37
• Source of power — all miracles, whether performed by prophets or saints, occur exclusively through the power of Allah ▸4:27
• Use of wasilah — the Prophet Muhammad was used as a means of intercession by people before he even announced his prophethood ▸23:48
• Seeking rain through the Prophet — it is permissible to seek help or rain by directing one's attention toward the Prophet or his righteous representatives ▸22:43

Childhood of the Prophet

• Guardianship — after the passing of Sayyida Amina, the Prophet was raised by his paternal grandfather, Sayyiduna Abdul Muttalib ▸6:32
• Signs of prophethood — a Jewish scholar in Makkah identified the Prophet as the final messenger based on descriptions in the Torah, including a cloud providing shade and redness in his eyes ▸8:10
• The Seal of Prophethood — the mohr of nubuwwah (Seal of Prophethood) was visible on the Prophet's back, confirming his status to those who inspected it ▸9:35
• Footprints — the Prophet's footprints were observed to be identical to the Maqam-e-Ibrahim ▸11:00
• Guardianship of Abu Talib — following the death of Abdul Muttalib, Abu Talib became the Prophet's guardian and instilled deep respect for him within the family ▸12:14
• Blessings in the home — the presence of the young Prophet brought immense barakah (blessings) to Abu Talib’s household, including food sufficiency and the Prophet’s naturally radiant appearance ▸14:12

Miracles and Events

• The drought in Makkah — when Makkah faced a severe drought, Abu Talib sought rain by taking the young Prophet to the Kaaba and reciting poetry regarding his blessed face ▸17:44
• The miracle of rain — upon Abu Talib’s request and the Prophet’s gesture toward the sky, clouds appeared and rain fell immediately ▸19:02
• The journey to Syria — at age twelve, the Prophet accompanied Abu Talib on a business trip to Basra ▸24:08
• The priest Bahira — a Christian priest named Bahira recognized the Prophet as the final messenger by observing a cloud following the caravan and a tree bowing toward him ▸26:16
• Bahira’s test — Bahira confirmed the Prophet's identity by asking questions and observing the mohr of nubuwwah on his back ▸28:09
• Bahira's wish — the priest expressed a desire to live until the Prophet's declaration of prophethood so he could be the first to support his mission ▸30:06