Part 1 - Adapted into English from Shaykh Dr. Othman Al-Khamees's Arabic Seerah lecture preserving the original meaning.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds, the Protector of the righteous. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon the mercy sent to all mankind-our Prophet, our leader, our beloved, Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah (peace be upon him)-as well as upon his family, his Companions, and all those who faithfully follow his path until the Day of Resurrection.
We ask Allah, the Exalted, to make gatherings in which His religion is studied a source of intercession for us on the Day of Judgment rather than evidence against us. Our purpose in these sessions is to journey through the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), not merely to recount historical events, but to extract the lessons, guidance, and examples that illuminate every stage of a believer's life.
The biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is unlike any other biography. Every Muslim finds joy in hearing it because it is the story of the greatest human being to walk the earth. Every mention of him increases love in the heart of the believer, and every event in his life provides guidance for those who sincerely seek Allah.
As al-Qadi 'Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) observed, anyone who has acquired even a small portion of knowledge or understanding cannot fail to recognize the immense rank that Allah bestowed upon His Prophet (peace be upon him). Allah singled him out with virtues, noble characteristics, and unique qualities that cannot be fully enumerated. He praised his character, elevated his status, purified him, commended him, and rewarded him with the greatest of rewards. Every blessing begins with Allah's grace and returns to Him in gratitude.
Allah also manifested the perfection of His Messenger through his character, his conduct, his noble manners, the miracles granted to him, and the clear proofs that were witnessed by those who lived alongside him and transmitted with certainty to those who came after them.
Such is Muhammad (peace be upon him), whose life deserves our careful study and sincere reflection.
To appreciate the significance of the Prophet's mission, one must first understand the society into which he was born.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah, a city that had long held a unique place among the Arabs. Before Quraysh assumed leadership, the tribe of Khuza'ah governed Makkah for several centuries. During their rule, one of their leaders, 'Amr ibn Luhayy al-Khuza'i, travelled to the Levant and encountered people worshipping idols. When he asked them about their practices, they claimed that these idols brought rain, answered supplications, and granted victory.
Deceived by their claims, he brought an idol known as Hubal back to Makkah. Because he was a respected and influential leader, the people followed him, and idol worship gradually spread throughout the sanctuary that had originally been established upon pure monotheism.
Before this corruption, the people of Makkah remained upon the religion of Prophet Isma'il (peace be upon him), the son of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). It was through the actions of 'Amr ibn Luhayy that associating partners with Allah (shirk) first entered the Arabian Peninsula. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) later informed us that he saw 'Amr ibn Luhayy being punished in Hell for introducing this corruption into the religion of Allah.
He was also responsible for introducing a number of superstitious religious practices and unlawful customs that later generations accepted without evidence, demonstrating how easily deviation spreads when people abandon divine guidance.
In time, authority over Makkah passed from Khuza'ah to Quraysh.
This change occurred through Qusayy ibn Kilab, one of the Prophet's noble ancestors. After marrying into Khuza'ah, Qusayy eventually gained leadership of Makkah, and from his time onward Quraysh became the custodians of the Sacred House.
Thus, when Muhammad (peace be upon him) was eventually born, Quraysh governed Makkah. Although political authority had changed hands, the religious corruption introduced generations earlier remained deeply rooted within Arabian society. The Ka'bah, originally established as a sanctuary dedicated solely to the worship of Allah, had become surrounded by idols, and many forms of pagan worship had become commonplace.
Yet despite this darkness, Allah had already decreed that guidance would once again emerge from this very city.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) descended from one of the noblest lineages among the Arabs.
He was Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy ibn Kilab, continuing through the honored ancestry of Quraysh.
Allah chose His Messenger from the most honorable family, the most respected tribe, and the most sacred city. This was part of the divine wisdom in preparing humanity to receive the final revelation.
Allah Himself drew attention to the lofty rank of His Messenger when He revealed:
Indeed, Allah elevated the remembrance of Muhammad (peace be upon him) in ways unparalleled in human history. No one enters Islam without testifying that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Every call to prayer (adhan) proclaims his prophet-hood. Every prayer includes blessings upon him, and every believer repeatedly bears witness to his message throughout daily worship.
His name is inseparable from the worship of Allah-not because he is worshipped, but because Allah Himself honored His Messenger by raising his mention among all peoples until the Day of Resurrection.
To appreciate the Prophet (peace be upon him) more deeply, it is beneficial to become acquainted with his family.
His grandfather was 'Abd al-Muttalib, whose original name was Shaybah al-Hamd. The title "'Abd al-Muttalib" became attached to him after his uncle al-Muttalib brought him from Madinah to Makkah, causing people to mistakenly believe he was his servant. The name remained, although he was in reality his nephew.
Among the sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib, only four lived long enough to witness the Prophet's mission: al-'Abbas, Hamzah, Abu Talib, and Abu Lahab. Two embraced Islam-al-'Abbas and Hamzah-while Abu Talib and Abu Lahab died without accepting the Prophet's message.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) also had several paternal aunts, among whom Safiyyah is unanimously recognized as having embraced Islam. Reports differ regarding some of his other aunts, but Safiyyah's faith is established without dispute.
On his mother's side, Aminah bint Wahb belonged to Banu Zuhrah, a respected clan of Quraysh. Through this lineage the Prophet (peace be upon him) was related to notable Companions such as Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, whom he affectionately referred to as "my maternal uncle" in the broader tribal sense, although his actual maternal uncle was 'Abd Yaghuth ibn Wahb.
These details are not merely genealogical records. They help us appreciate the noble family through which Allah chose to send His final Messenger.
Understanding his ancestry strengthens our knowledge of his life and deepens our love for him, while reminding us that true honour ultimately comes not from lineage alone, but from faith, obedience, and the favour of Allah.
This is where our study begins: with the world into which the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born, the corruption that had spread across Arabia, and the divine preparation for the arrival of the final Messenger whose light would transform mankind.
Having considered the state of Arabia and the noble lineage through which Allah chose His final Messenger, we now turn to the birth of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
It is firmly established that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was born on a Monday during the Year of the Elephant. Beyond these points, however, certainty does not exist. While many people commonly state that he was born on the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal, this is not a matter upon which definitive historical agreement has been reached. The scholars of Prophetic biography (sirah) have differed considerably, proposing several different dates within the month. Some even questioned whether the commonly cited date could have coincided with a Monday according to historical calculations.
Therefore, honesty demands that we distinguish between what is certain and what remains probable. We know with confidence that he was born on a Monday during the Year of the Elephant. As for the exact date within Rabi' al-Awwal, it remains a matter of scholarly disagreement rather than established fact.
This teaches us an important principle: Muslims should distinguish between what is decisively established and what rests upon historical probability. The honour of the Messenger (peace be upon him) is not dependent upon assigning certainty where certainty does not exist.
Since the discussion of the Prophet's birth naturally raises the subject of commemorating it, it is appropriate to address this matter before continuing with the events of his childhood.
Our love for the Messenger (peace be upon him) is not open to question. Loving him is an obligation of faith. Yet true love is not expressed merely through claims or emotions; rather, it is demonstrated by following his guidance, obeying his commands, avoiding what he prohibited, and striving to imitate his noble character.
Allah accepted no deed unless it is performed sincerely for His sake and in accordance with the prophetic way (Sunnah) of His Messenger (peace be upon him). Therefore, every act of worship must be supported by authentic evidence from the religion itself.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) lived for sixty-three years, yet he never celebrated the anniversary of his own birth. Neither did Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, or 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them). None of the Companions, despite being the people who loved him most deeply, are reported to have observed such a celebration. Likewise, nothing of the sort has been authentically transmitted from the Tabi'un or from the four great Imams: Abu Hanifah, Malik, al-Shafi'i, and Ahmad.
If those generations, whose understanding of Islam was unmatched, did not introduce such a practice, then they remain the examples whom Muslims should follow.
The lecture attributes the first widespread institutional celebration of the Prophet's birthday to the Fatimid state, presenting this as evidence that the practice originated centuries after the earliest generations of Islam rather than during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) or his Companions.
The Messenger (peace be upon him) declared that he had left nothing that would draw people nearer to Allah except that he had instructed them regarding it, and nothing that would distance them from Allah except that he had warned them against it. Had commemorating his birthday been an act beloved to Allah, it would not have remained hidden from the Prophet (peace be upon him), his Companions, or the generations that followed them most closely.
Furthermore, while the exact day of his birth is uncertain, many historians agree that the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal is the day upon which the Messenger (peace be upon him) passed away. This serves as another reminder that historical uncertainty should not become the foundation for religious observance.
None of this diminishes our love for the Prophet (peace be upon him). On the contrary, the believer remembers him every day. His name is mentioned in the call to prayer (adhan), in every prayer, in daily supplications, and upon the tongues of believers throughout the world. His remembrance is not confined to a single annual occasion but fills the life of every sincere Muslim.
Before the Messenger (peace be upon him) entered this world, Allah had already decreed that he would experience trials unlike those of most people.
His father, 'Abdullah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, passed away while Aminah was still carrying him in her womb. Thus, Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born without ever knowing his father.
From the very beginning of his life, Allah prepared His Messenger through circumstances that would cultivate patience, reliance upon Him alone, and compassion toward those who experience hardship.
The first woman to nurse the Prophet (peace be upon him) was Thuwaybah, the freed slave of Abu Lahab.
She had also nursed Hamzah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib as well as Abu Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Asad. Through this nursing relationship they became foster brothers of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
This later gave rise to legal rulings concerning marriage. When Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) suggested that the Prophet (peace be upon him) marry her daughter, he explained that such a marriage was impermissible, not only because she was his stepdaughter, but also because she was connected to him through foster kinship established by breastfeeding.
Thus, even events from the Prophet's earliest infancy later became practical demonstrations of the wisdom and precision of Islamic law.
Among the customs of Quraysh was that newborn children were often entrusted to wet nurses from the desert. Life in the open desert produced stronger bodies, purer Arabic speech, and healthier upbringings than life within the city.
When the women came to Makkah seeking infants to nurse, they generally preferred children whose fathers were alive, since the fathers would be responsible for paying their wages. Because Muhammad (peace be upon him) was already an orphan, one woman after another declined to take him.
Among those women was Halimah al-Sa'diyyah. At first she also passed over the orphaned child, hoping to find an infant whose family could provide greater financial reward.
Yet after all the other infants had been taken, she and her husband prepared to return home empty-handed. At that moment she said to her husband that it seemed better to take the orphan than to return with nothing at all. He agreed, and they returned to Aminah to request permission to take Muhammad (peace be upon him).
What appeared outwardly to be the least desirable choice became the greatest blessing of her life.
From the moment she took the Prophet (peace be upon him) into her care, Allah placed extraordinary blessing (barakah) in her household. Blessings spread through her livestock, her provisions, and her livelihood in ways that distinguished her family from those around them.
After nursing him for the customary period, she became reluctant to return him. Having witnessed the blessings that accompanied him, she requested permission from Aminah to continue caring for him. Aminah agreed, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) remained with Halimah until he reached approximately four years of age.
Only after spending four years with Halimah did the Messenger (peace be upon him) return permanently to his mother.
Yet even this period proved short. He remained with Aminah for only about two years before she too passed away.
Thus, before reaching the age of six, Muhammad (peace be upon him) had lost both parents.
After the death of Aminah, his grandfather, 'Abd al-Muttalib, assumed responsibility for him. His care, however, also lasted only a short time. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) reached approximately eight years of age, his grandfather died as well.
Responsibility then passed to his uncle Abu Talib.
Reflect upon the succession of these events. He was born without a father. He spent his earliest years away from his mother. When he finally returned to her, she died. His grandfather then cared for him, only to pass away two years later. Once again, the young Muhammad (peace be upon him) entered a new household under the protection of another guardian.
This continual movement from one guardian to another was no accident. Allah was preparing His Messenger through hardship before entrusting him with the greatest responsibility ever placed upon a human being. Every loss cultivated patience. Every transition deepened his reliance upon Allah alone. Every experience enabled him to understand the struggles of the orphan, the vulnerable, and the oppressed whom he would later call to the mercy of Islam.
Such was the upbringing of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Before revelation descended from the heavens, Allah Himself was preparing His chosen servant through the events of his early life, shaping a heart that would carry the final message to all of mankind.
By the time Muhammad (peace be upon him) reached adulthood, Allah had already shaped his character through years of hardship, loss, and dependence upon Him alone. Yet another stage of preparation remained before revelation would descend.
When Allah decrees that one of His servants will bear a tremendous responsibility, He prepares him long before the responsibility itself arrives. This was especially true of the final Messenger (peace be upon him).
At the age of forty, the time appointed by Allah for the beginning of prophethood arrived. However, revelation did not begin suddenly. Allah first prepared His Messenger through signs that strengthened his heart and made him ready for the greatest event in human history.
Our mother 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that the very first form of revelation experienced by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the true dream. Although she herself was born years after the beginning of revelation, she narrated these events because the Prophet (peace be upon him) later informed her of them.
She said that whenever the Messenger (peace be upon him) saw a dream, it came to pass with complete clarity, just as unmistakably as the breaking of dawn.
These truthful dreams were not revelation in the complete legislative sense, but they were among the earliest signs that Allah was preparing His chosen servant.
The dreams of ordinary people are not all alike. Some are truthful, while others are merely confused thoughts or whispers from Shaytan.
The dreams of the Prophets, however, are entirely different.
Allah does not permit Shaytan to gain authority over His Prophets in this manner. Every dream shown to a Prophet is true and forms part of Allah's guidance for them.
Although Muhammad (peace be upon him) had not yet publicly received prophet-hood, Allah was already nurturing and protecting him. Just as Allah said regarding Musa (peace be upon him),
so too does Allah prepare His Messengers before entrusting them with revelation. Allah knows best where to place His message. He chooses whom He wills and prepares them with perfect wisdom.
As these truthful dreams continued, another habit became beloved to the Messenger (peace be upon him).
He would leave his home and withdraw to the Cave of Hira', where he remained in worship for a number of nights at a time. He would take provisions sufficient for his stay before returning to his family and then repeat this practice.
This naturally raises an important question.
If revelation had not yet descended, and the formal acts of Islamic worship had not yet been legislated, how exactly was the Prophet (peace be upon him) worshipping Allah?
The answer is that Allah knows best.
The precise manner of his worship before revelation has not been described in detail. We therefore refrain from claiming certainty where the sources remain silent.
Nevertheless, there are indications that the Arabs had not completely forgotten the religion of Ibrahim and Isma'il (peace be upon them). Although much of it had been corrupted over the centuries, traces still remained among certain individuals.
It is therefore possible that the Prophet (peace be upon him) worshipped Allah according to whatever remained of the pure monotheistic tradition that Allah had preserved for him. Beyond that, we do not speculate.
Although paganism dominated Arabia, not every element of the original religion had disappeared.
Many customs still reflected remnants of the faith of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), even though they had become mixed with innovations and distortions.
The Arabs still recognized that Allah was the Creator. They understood that prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, and sacrifice had religious significance, although they no longer performed these acts according to the guidance originally revealed by Allah.
They continued to circumambulate the Ka'bah, travel to Mina, Muzdalifah, and 'Arafah during pilgrimage, and perform many outward rituals inherited from earlier generations. Yet these practices had become corrupted by false beliefs and innovations.
For example, Quraysh considered themselves too honorable to stand at 'Arafah with the rest of the pilgrims, preferring instead to remain at Muzdalifah. When Islam came, the Prophet (peace be upon him) rejected this distinction and restored the pilgrimage to the practice established by Allah.
Likewise, many people would clap and whistle while circling the Ka'bah instead of engaging in proper worship. Allah Himself condemned this behavior in the Quran.
Even when rebuilding the Ka'bah, however, Quraysh insisted that only lawful wealth should be used for its construction. This illustrates that they still retained some awareness of lawful and unlawful earnings, despite the widespread corruption of their religion.
Thus, the society into which the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born had not abandoned every trace of divine guidance. Rather, the original religion had become obscured beneath generations of distortion, superstition, and idolatry.
The mission of Muhammad (peace be upon him) would therefore not introduce an entirely new faith. It would restore the pure monotheism of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) after centuries of corruption.
Even during the age of widespread idolatry, Allah preserved a small number of individuals who rejected the worship of idols.
Among them was Zayd ibn 'Amr ibn Nufayl.
He openly denounced the practices of Quraysh, condemned sacrificing to idols, and rejected every form of associating partners with Allah (shirk). The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) later informed his Companions that Zayd would be resurrected as a nation by himself because of his steadfast devotion to pure monotheism before the advent of Islam.
Although he died before revelation descended upon Muhammad (peace be upon him), his life demonstrated that sincere seekers of truth could still recognize falsehood despite living in an idolatrous society.
Another remarkable figure was Waraqah ibn Nawfal, the cousin of Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her).
Unsatisfied with the pagan practices of Quraysh, Waraqah embraced Christianity in its authentic monotheistic form as he understood it. He rejected the worship of idols and devoted himself to the scriptures available to him.
Although later events would reveal his important role at the beginning of revelation, even before that moment he stood apart from the religious corruption surrounding him.
These individuals remind us that Allah never leaves the earth completely devoid of those who sincerely seek Him.
While these remnants of truth still existed among a handful of people, the Messenger (peace be upon him) continued his periods of worship in Hira'.
He reflected upon the signs of Allah in creation, withdrew from the corruption of his society, and devoted himself to his Lord in whatever manner Allah guided him.
The world around him remained immersed in ignorance, unaware that its history was about to change forever.
The man sitting alone in the Cave of Hira' had not yet been commanded to proclaim the message. No revelation had yet descended. No Quran had yet been recited.
Yet every true dream, every moment of seclusion, every act of worship, and every step of his remarkable life formed part of Allah's perfect preparation.
Soon the Angel Jibril would descend with the first words of revelation, inaugurating the final message that would illuminate the earth until the Day of Resurrection.
