Some glad tidings that came before and after the Birth of our Master Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi sallam.
Praise be to Allah and may Allah add to the honour of our Master Muhammad and raise his rank and the rank of his kind Al and companions, and protect his nation from that which he feared for them.
Dear brothers in Islam, today’s sermon (khutba) is about some glad tidings that came before and after the Birth of our Master Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi sallam.
Al-Hakim, Al-Bayhaqiyy, and others related when Prophet Adam repented to Allah after eating from the tree which he was not permitted to eat from, that he said: O my Lord, I ask you by Prophet Muhammad to forgive me. Adam was asked: how did you know Prophet Muhammad when he is not yet created. Adam replied, I know of him because when I was created, I raised my head and saw written on the pillars of the (^Arsh) Throne:
LA ILAHA ILLALLAH MUHAMMADUN RASULULLAH
I understood then that Allah would only place next to His Name the name of His most beloved creation.
Prophet ^Isa gave advice to those who followed him. He told them:” After me will come a prophet named Muhammad. Believe in him and follow him should he appear during your lifetime.” This Muslim jinn, heard this and told it to group of people travelling from their homeland, Yemen. This happened before the appearance of Prophet Muhammad, had become widely known throughout the land. Night befell this group of people, and one of them, al-Ja^d the son of Qays( الجعد بن قيس ), heard a voice but saw no speaker. It was the voice of Muslim jinn saying:” O travelling caravan that sleeps during the night, if you stop at the Hatim( الحطيم) , a place in Makkah, give my greetings to Muhammad, the one who received the Revelation, and tell him that out greeting accompany him wherever he is. Also tell him that we are supporters of his Religion. It is what Prophet ^Isa, the son of Maryam, advised us to be.”
Among those who knew the description of Prophet Muhammad and was anxiously waiting to meet him is Bahira. Bahira who was a monk used to meet with the people travelling in caravans on their way to Ash-Sham. Once as one of the caravans was passing by, Bahira noticed that there was a cloud hovering over the convoy. He found this to be quite strange in the middle of the desert, so he watched patiently as the convoy drew nearer.
As the travelers settled underneath a tree to have a rest in its shade, Bahira went to them only to find that the cloud was shading the tree, and some of the branches of the tree were shading prophet Muhammad exclusively. Upon witnessing that Bahira invited them all to have food with him. All of them attended except for Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam since he was young at time. When Bahira discovered that the young boy Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam didn’t attend he asked them about him. They told him that he didn’t attend because he was the youngest. Bahira insisted that he should attend and so Muhammad did. Bahira started watching him closely until the Muhammad finished eating. Bahira asked him to answer some questions he had, Muhammad sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam agreed. Bahira asked him about his traits, habits, and other matters. He found it all matching exactly what he had known about the Prophet of the end of time. Bahira also saw the seal of prophet-hood between the shoulders of the prophet. Bahira asked Abu Talib who was one of the uncles of the prophet about his relationship to the prophet; Abu Talib replied he is my son. Bahira said he is not your son, this boy’s father is supposed to be deceased. Abu Talib said he is my nephew and was raised as an orphan since his father had died when his mother was pregnant with him. Bahira then asked Abu Talib to look after the prophet and to protect him from the enemies as great matters await him in the future.
And Allah knows best.