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| Sunday, 1 May 2005 |
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Features |  |
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Meelad-un-Nabi was celebrated on April 22 : Muhammad - the Prophet Down the ages came the Prophets and philosophers sages and savants, with their dedicated missions - each in his own fashion, each in his own way, to uplift mankind from his animal life to loftier heights. Then came Muhammad, a posthumous child also bereft of his mother at the age of six, untutored and unlettered, to rise to the call of His Creator, when he was forty, with an Universal message - a Message that did not confine its belief in its message alone, but made it incumbent, to believe in Allah, the Creator, in the Angels, Faiths and Prophets before it. Muhammad, the boy was just like any other Arab boy of his age, but he possessed marks of greatness in him. As a youth he earned the reputation as 'Al Ameen' the trustworthy. When he was 40 years, while meditating alone in the cave of Mt. Hira in the darkness of the night, deeply engrossed in sublime thought, he was asked by Angel Jibreel to "Read in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, who created man, proclaim that thy Lord is most Bountiful. He realised he has been chosen as a Prophet of Allah. From then onwards Muhammad begins his mission. He was harassed and persecuted. Those who called him 'Al Ameen' now started to call him a crazy man. They would stone him and throw dirt on him. Even the Meccans went to the extent of trying to tempt him away from his chosen path. He courageously refused to give up and firmly told them. "Even if you place the Sun on my right hand and the Moon on my left I shall carry on the command of my Lord, the Creator. His own people in Mecca turned him away. He then went to Tayef in the hope that people there would accept his message. There too he was driven away and they started to hoot and pelt stones at him. He was wounded and bleeding. Stricken with sadness Muhammad returned to Mecca and hoping that his mission might be received in other parts of the country, than in his native Mecca. His hopes soon materialised. News had spread that a Prophet had arisen in Arabia with a new conception. Meccans on hearing it, were provoked and attempted to kill him. The Prophet left Mecca with his companion Abu Baker to Medina facing many a hazard including being the frustrated Meccan killers. The welcome in Medina was grand. On arrival every prominent citizen invited him to be his guest. Six years had now passed in Medina and people flocked to hear his words of wisdom. His mission was gathering momentum. Later on, comes the glad tidings that his native Mecca would accept his new faith. His perseverance, patience and humanness have brought praise from all corners of the globe. It is timely that we all adhere to his teaching at a time like this, where the world is confronted with various dogmas and ideologies. We should all endeavour to follow the footsteps of our beloved Prophet. - Fareena Mehalar, Royal Institute
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