Before she was born, both Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and lady Khadija (AS) went to a spiritual retreat separately for forty days by the command of Allah. During those days, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and Lady Khadija (AS) prayed Allah sincerely and prepared their pure soul to receive Allah's blessing, their beloved daughter. After those forty days of worship and servitude, angels brought Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) an apple from heaven, and he broke his fast with those gifts from Allah. That night Lady Fatima (AS) was formed [1].
The father-daughter relationship between Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) and Lady Fatima (AS) was one of a kind. Here, we are going to exemplify some instances of deep father-daughter love between the two and the formation of an ideal respectful relationship.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was always affectionate and caring toward Lady Fatima (AS). He used to kiss her throat every time she returned from a trip [2]. In response, she used to hug her dear father and kiss his forehead, between his eyes [3]. He didn't get to sleep before kissing her cheeks and praying for her, which reveal his deep respect and fatherly love toward her [4]. Aisha said she was the most similar person to Muhammad (PBUH&HP) in her speech. Whenever she came to see Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), he used to take her hand and kiss her and sat next to her, and whenever Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) went to meet Fatima (AS), she used to kiss his hand and sat next to him respectfully [5].
Lady Fatima (AS) lost her mother when she was five. The other five years of her life passed without a mother. As a daughter, she used to take care of her father. Whenever the unbelievers threw him stones and ashes, Fatima (AS) used to take care of him and do what a mother does for her child. That is why when Allah asked Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) to call his wives Umol-Mumenin (Mother of the Believers), she asked him to grant her a title, too, Then Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) called her Umme Abiha, the mother of her father [6].
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was at home, resting, with his cloak over his body. Fatima (AS) came beside him with some food. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) asked her to call her husband, Ali (AS), and her two sons, Hassan (AS) and Hussain (AS). They started eating together when Allah inspired this verse to his Prophet:
"Stay in your houses and do not flaunt your finery like the former [days of pagan] ignorance. Maintain the prayer and pay the zakat, and obey Allah and His Apostle. Indeed, Allah desires to repel all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you with a thorough purification." Quran (33:33)
Then Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) covered the four of them with the remaining of his cloak and prayed:
O Allah, these are the people of my household and my special ones. Keep them pure and clean and take all evil away from them [7].
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) used to know about the difficulty of Lady Fatima's (AS) life after his death and the cruelty imposed on her and her family, and he cried for that a lot. Once when she was crying, he inspired her with this news: "You will join me in the other world soon after" [8] Lady Fatima (AS) was martyred 95 days after the death of his father!
References:
- Naseri, Muhammad (2011), Prophet Muhammad's Behavior with Fatima, Farhang-e Kothar, vol. 81.
- Bihar al-Invar, Vol.43, p. 6.
- ibid, p 40.
- ibid, p 42.
- Amini, Ibrahim The Model Woman of Islam, Fatima Pp108-109.
- Qa'emi, Ali In Fatima's School p.90.
- Tabatabai, Muhammad Hussain, Tafsir Al-Mizan Vol. 16, P 474
- Qomi, Abbas, Montahal Aamal p164.
Judaism in Islam is considered as one of the most significant monotheistic religions, and many verses of Quran are dedicated to describing the fate of the followers of this religion. In different verses of the Holy Quran, when Allah wants to mention people of Moses, He calls them “Children of Israel” (Bani-Israel). The reason for which is that they were the generation of Prophet Jacob or Israel (PBUH), who at the time of Prophet Joseph (PBUH), migrated to Egypt and settled there for years [1].
After Pharaohs gained power in Egypt, they started violence against the immigrant generation of Israel by “slaughtering their sons and sparing their women” (28: 4).
Then after so many years, during which Bani-Israel were waiting for a deliverer, Moses was appointed to save them and deliver them from Egypt to the holy land: “O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has ordained for you, and do not turn your backs, or you will become losers’” (5: 21). They did not accept to enter the holy land as they were afraid of the people of that land. Therefore, they lost their opportunity and were wandering in the deserts for years. There was no promise that if children of Israel do not act according to God’s orders, they will still inherit the holy land.
“We dispersed them into communities around the earth: some of them were righteous, and some of them otherwise, and We tested them with good and bad [times] so that they may come back” (7: 168).
Like any other monotheistic religion that has good or bad followers, the followers of Judaism are either virtuous or sinful according to the above verse of the Holy Quran.
The bad Jews, mainly known to be Zionists, are those who are committing great sins and have huge racist beliefs. Since they believe they are the higher race and others are somehow their properties. Zionism is not a religion, but a political branch that tries to gain power using any tools, even the religion of Jews.
The Holy Quran introduces all prophets as Muslims [2]. Quran strongly defends Jewish believers like the believers of other religions; “Indeed the faithful, the Jews, the Christians and the Sabaeans - those of them who have faith in Allah and the Last Day and act righteously—they shall have their reward from their Lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve” (2: 62).
Quran confirms the book of Moses and says: “We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light” (5:44). And in another verse, it says: “Yet before it, the Book of Moses was a guide and mercy, and this is a Book in the Arabic language, which confirms it…” (46: 12).
Although Quran confirms that all the prophets were from God and they had the same message, the problem, according to the Quran, is that the book of Moses was distorted by those ignorant and arrogant followers of him.
Accordingly, Islam was sent down to the followers of all prophets and the people of all nations and lands as a final and most complete religion, which was fundamentally the same as their religion. But all true believers and true followers of prophets should now be united in the way of worshipping One God and follow the book of Muhammad (PBUH), who has been mentioned in their books (7: 156-7).
God also warns Muslims that when they wish to convey His messages to the followers of other prophets, they should be respectful towards them: “Do not argue with the People of the Book except in a manner which is best, except such of them as are wrongdoers, and say, ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us and in what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one [and the same], and to Him do we submit’” (29: 46).
As mentioned in the article on monotheism, from the Islamic point of view, the followers of other religions should realize the perfectness of Islam “despite the distorted image of Islam” in today’s world. They need to reach complete faith based on a firm understanding of Islam as the last and the complete way of life [3].
Since Jews were waiting for the last prophet and when some of them found him rise from among Arabs and not from amongst themselves, they denied him, since they had this thought that Islam must belong to a specific land or specific people, and it cannot be a complete universal religion for all lands at all times.
God mentions the rabbis with so much respect in the Quran and expects them to enlighten their people in worshipping one God and not to be fighting against each other while they worship the same God: “We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light. The prophets, who had submitted, judged by it for the Jews, and so did the rabbis and the scribes, as they were charged to preserve the Book of Allah and were witnesses to it...” (5: 44).
Going through the story of Prophet Moses (PBUH) and explaining it in details in the Quran had two major reasons:
1. Since when Muhammad was assigned as a prophet, Jews annoyed him in every possible way, God kept sending revelations regarding their past actions and their behavior towards Prophet Moses from whom they had seen many miracles.
2. The story of Jewish people and how they saw the miracles of their prophet and yet, they kept denying him, is repeatedly explained in the Quran, to be a lesson for Muslims. Muslims should remember that they had hard times, too, like the Jews, and they should not become arrogant because the last prophet was raised amongst them. Muslims should not make complaints against God’s orders, and by remembering the history of Jews, they should keep in mind that if they decline Allah’s commands, they will lose their opportunities since blessing is given to those who are God-wary:
“If the people of the towns had been faithful and God-wary, We would have opened to them blessings from the heaven and the earth. But they denied; so We seized them because of what they used to earn” (7: 96).
References:
- The Quran, Yousof (12), 93
- The Quran, Al-Shourea (42), 13
- jews in Islam
Islam has spread much more quickly than the other religions all over the world. The question is how this has happened? And it becomes more important when we consider the situation in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) emerged.
He (PBUH&HP) invited people to Islam while he did not have any wealth or position and even when his family opposed him; except his wife, Lady Khadija (AS), and his cousin, Imam Ali (AS). Several factors were involved which we will discuss in a series of articles. Here, the focus is on how pleasant characteristics of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) helped Islam to become well known throughout the world.
In the Quran it is emphasized that the morals and attitude of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was one of the factors which attracted people to Islam: “had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they (people) would have surely scattered from around you” (3:159). This pleasant behavior of the Prophet (PBUH&HP) which made people inclined to him and Islam is known to be due to the God’s mercy over him (PBUH&HP) (3:159).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was forgiving towards those who had bothered him or even insulted him. It is narrated that once, a Jew accused Prophet (PBUHHP) of owing him some money and insisted on paying him back immediately. Prophet (PBUH&HP) told him gently that he had made a mistake, but the man repeated his claim and suddenly assaulted the Prophet (PBUH&HP). The companions of Prophet (PBUH&HP) came to interfere, but he (PBUH&HP) said: “I know how to deal with my friend.” He (PBUH&HP) behaved very nicely such that the man acknowledged that this behavior is only expected from a prophet and he declared his belief and embraced Islam right there.
However, he (PBUH&HP) was very serious about applying Islamic regulations or others’ rights. It is narrated that a woman from Quraysh [i] had stolen something; she confessed and had to be punished. Many people, including her family, interfered to change the Prophet’s mind and to stop her punishment. Prophet (PBUH) told people that they had meddled because she was from a famous family, but there is no exception to Islamic rules.
To provide an exemplary leader for others, to train people to act alike, to valorize his companions and to convince people to follow his instructions, Prophet (PBUH) used to take advice. Of course, in the end, he (PBUH&HP) was the one who decided and made firm decisions: “consult them on the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah” (3:159).
“Invite (mankind) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better” (16:125). Unlike what is advertised against Islam, Prophet Muhammad (PBUHHP) never forced people or threatened them to accept Islam.
On the contrary, following the advice of the Quran, he promoted Islam with kindness, fairness, and wisdom. Instead of humiliating and discriminating non-Muslims, or being harsh and fierce, he used rational argument and discussion which also improved their rationality and thinking power [1]. This followed the fact that embracing Islam should be according to the personal perception and understanding and it cannot be based on the imitation [2].
Notes:
[i]A mercantile tribe that historically inhabited and controlled Mecca and Ka'aba.
References: