The Blessed Childhood of My Beloved Rasool

While describing the blessed childhood of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Sayyidatuna Halimah Sa’diyyah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا - the foster mother of the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

First sight of the blessed face

The very first time I saw him, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم dressed in woollen clothing was resting on blessed bedding. I gently awoke him; he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم opened his blessed eyes, and glanced at me with a smile on his face. I witnessed a light emerged from his splendid blessed eyes, which rose to the heavens. Upon witnessing this glorious sight, with affection and devotion, I kissed his blessed forehead. (Mawahib-ul-Ladunniyyah, vol. 1, pp. 79)

Relief from famine

My tribe ‘Bani-Sa’d’ suffered a famine. When I returned to my tribe with the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the famine had vanished, there was lush greenery everywhere, trees became full with fruits and our livestock became healthier.

Home remained illuminated

One day, a neighbouring lady enquired: Halimah! Your home remains illuminated all night long, what is the reason? I responded: The light is not from any candle, rather this light is from the luminous face of Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

700 Goats

I had seven goats, I made the blessed hands of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم touch my goats, by its blessing, in just one day, they produced enough milk to last us for 40 days. Moreover, my goats were so blessed that they increased from seven to seven hundred.

Pond got blessed

One day, my tribe remarked: Allow us to be blessed by him too! So I placed his blessed feet into a pond and made their goats drink water from it. Subsequently the goats multiplied and through their milk my tribe became prosperous and rich.

Prostration by a goat

One day, I was sitting with (Sayyiduna) Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم on my lap, some goats passed by us, one of them approached us and prostrated to him and kissed his blessed forehead.

Abstinence from playing

At the blessed age of 9 months, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم spoke properly. When other children invited him to play, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم responded: I am not created to play.

Manifestation of various blessings

He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم regularly visited the forest with my children and grazed my goats. One day, my son said to me: Mother! (Sayyiduna) Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is remarkably extraordinary, any forest he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم enters, becomes lush with greenery, a cloud follows and shades him in the sunshine, we do not see any footmarks when he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم walks on sand, stones become soft like dough beneath his blessed feet and we observe his footprints on them, and forest animals kiss his blessed feet.

(Anwaar Jamal-e-Mustafa - Al-Kalam-ul-Awdah fi Tafseer Alam-Nashrah, pp. 107-109 paraphrased)

Allah Allah woh bachpanay ki phaban

Us Khuda-bhaati soorat pay lakhaun Salam

(Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish, pp. 3)

The Rasool of mankind, the Peace of our heart and mind, the most Generous and Kind صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم arrived as mercy for all the worlds. It wasn’t just adults who reaped the benefits of this mercy, children did too.

The Greatest and Noblest Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was very compassionate towards children. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would call them to meet him, stroke their heads with his merciful palms and pray for blessings and bounties to be bestowed upon them.

Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Hishaam’s mother took him to the blessed court of our Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم stroked his head affectionately and prayed for him to be blessed. (Al-Isaabah, vol. 4, pp. 217)

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would also delight the children and fill their heart with happiness. It is narrated that the younger brother of Sayyiduna Anas رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ had a sparrow; that sparrow died. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم went to his house and said: ‘What has happened to Abu ‘Umayr?’ [Someone] humbly replied: ‘His sparrow has died.’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said it to him amusingly: ‘O Abu ‘Umayr! How is your sparrow? O Abu ‘Umayr! How is your sparrow?’ (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Awsat, vol. 5, pp. 13, Hadees 6429)

On his return from a journey, he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم allowed children to get on his mount [i.e. the animal he was riding]. (Sahih Muslim, pp. 1014, Hadees 6268; Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4, pp. 91, Hadees 5966, paraphrased)

When any child was born and brought to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, he prayed for it to be blessed and did Tahneek (i.e. putting something sweet into the child’s mouth after chewing it). (Sahih Muslim, pp. 134, Hadees 662)

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم shortened his congregational Salah whenever he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم heard the cry of a child during it. (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 253, Hadees 707, paraphrased)

Shafqat-e-Mustafa Marhaba Marhaba

Rahmat-e-Mujtaba           Marhaba Marhaba

During one of his journeys, when the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم intended for Salah, he
صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to his horse: ‘May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ bless you! Do not move from your place until we complete the Salah.’ Then Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم made that horse stand in front of him. Therefore, as long as the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم kept offering Salah, the horse did not move any part of its body. (Ash-Shifa, vol. 1, pp. 315)

Dear Madani children! Did you see that despite being an animal, how did that horse act upon the command of Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He did not move until the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم completed his Salah. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and His Noble Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم have commanded us to carry out various activities too. For example, offering Salah, reciting the Holy Quran, obeying parents, respecting elders, speaking the truth, not causing harm to a Muslim brother without any reason, refraining from stealing, etc.

We must also perform all those deeds commanded by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ; especially we should offer Salah regularly, and refrain from all the forbidden acts. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ bless us all with the privilege of spending the life according to the laws of Shari’ah.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن   صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Fictional parable

Seven-year-old Huzayfah and five-year-old Mariyah were two siblings with deep mutual love for each other. They’d come and go to school together, play together, and even do homework together. However, numerous complaints were received from School against Huzayfah, last month.

He would either push another child to the ground, hide someone’s book, spill water on someone or pinch some child. His parents tried to make him understand for quite a long but the latest report wasn’t very different from the previous month.

One day Huzayfah and Mariyah were doing their homework in a room. Huzayfah happened to be in a mischievous mood, he shouted; “Mariyah”, and as soon as she turned to look at him, he threw a pen at her with force, striking her eye. With her hand on her eye, Mariyah screamed loudly and started crying.

Hearing Mariyah’s voice, her mother rushed to the scene. After lifting Mariyah’s hand and noticing blood beneath it, she panicked and instantly took her to a doctor.

After inspecting Mariyah’s eye and applying medicine on the wound, the doctor remarked: You should be grateful that the pen hit the outside of her eye and that she only sustained a minor injury; if it had hit the inside of her eye it could have caused permanent damage.

Dear Madani children! Please control your hands and feet; avoid throwing pens, pencils, rulers, etc., at others; do not push other children, smack them on their heads, or pinch them, since actions like these will hurt their feelings. A small mistake by you could cause terrible suffering for someone else.

Showing disrespect to parents

Dear Madani children! You should avoid walking ahead of your parents, sitting before them or making disrespectful remarks to them.

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: Refrain from walking ahead of your parents, swearing at them, sitting before they do, or calling them by their names. (Kanz-ul-‘Ummal, vol. 8, part 16, pp. 197, Hadees 45506)

Eating from other people’s side

To eat the food from other people’s side during a collective meal is highly inappropriate and uncivil. Sayyiduna ‘Umar Bin Abi Salamah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ says: As a child, I was in the care of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم noticed my hand extending to all parts of a food pot, so he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم remarked: O child, eat in the name of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, using your right hand, from the side closest to you. From then onwards, that is how I eat. (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 3, pp. 521, Hadees 5376)

Speaking in the presence of elders

When elders are talking, youngsters should refrain from intercepting in their conversations unnecessarily. In a similar way, juniors should refrain from initiating conversations in the presence of individuals who are senior in knowledge or age.

Once, Sayyiduna ‘Abdur Rahman Bin Sahl, Sayyiduna Muhayyisah Bin Mas’ood and Sayyiduna Huwayyisah Bin Mas’ood رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم came in the blessed court of our Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Sayyiduna ‘Abdur Rahman Bin Sahl (who was the youngest of those present) started a conversation. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم remarked: Let an elder speak.(Sahih Bukhari, vol. 2, pp. 368, Hadees 3173)