MUHAMMADP.B.U.H AS AMIN AND TRUSTWORTHY


Apart from his praiseworthy qualities, Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was well recognised as Amin and Trustworthy before he became Prophet. He had also a marked aptitude for archery like his great ancestors IbrahimR.A and IshmaelR.A. He showed great potential of becoming a good bowman. A powerful asset for this lay in the strength of his eyesight.

Some initiatives he took before his Prophethood, prove his superiority upon others. He considered social, political, economic and even the court system with an insight and good judgement far beyond the comprehension of the common man. His honest dealings were very popular.

Twenty five years before declaration of the Prophethood, he was being called ‘The Trustworthy’ and ‘The Forbearer’.

Patience was a great quality in Arab life. Arabs believed that to be poor and destitute was not bad, but to be devoid of courage and patience in hardships and a habit to show impatience and perturbation was detestable.

The fame of his tolerance, friendship, loyalty and upholding of his promise had spread far before he declared Prophethood.

An Arab researcher ‘Abu Daud’ writes that when Muhammad’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was thirty years old, a merchant promised to meet him at a place to discuss something concerning trade. The merchant forgot to keep his promise and could not reach the place at the time agreed upon. When three days later the merchant passed from the place of their meeting he found the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) standing there to fulfil his part of the promise.

Gold was very rare in Arabia. A gold coin weighing five grams was considered a great fortune by the Arabs. Discovery of America led to the widespread use of gold throughout the world. The Spanish, after discovering America first took its gold to Europe and then exported it to Africa and later to Asia.

In his youth the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) worked for a merchant named ‘Qais bin Zayd’. He used to give his merchandise to Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) for sale at far off places. He would pay the profits from 1500 to 2000 gold coins to the merchant on his return. He could have usurped this huge amount if he wanted to, and spent it the rest of his life in comfort. As he was an Amin, his accounts were always accurate. When he was leaving, Qais said, "O Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), may long life be bestowed upon you. I will never find a person more gentle and honest as you".

During youth, whenever he went on a journey, the other merchants, considering his honesty, would request him to take their merchandise and deduct his wages from the profits. He did as told, but never took the wages on his own.

Ibn-e-Hanbal in his book, ‘Almasnad’, P-425, printed in 1368 Hijri in Cairo, wrote; "Whenever Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) returned from journey, he would ask about his friends and if some were not financially sound, he would give some portion of his earnings to them in charity". Such an act at a time for a merchant of goods was indeed rare and another proof of his clear and pure character.

In earlier period the walls of Holy Ka’bah were just above the height of a man, and there was no roof over it. Even when the door of the Holy Ka’bah was locked, access was easy; and then there had been a theft of some treasure which was kept in a vault dug inside the building for safety.

The nobles of Quraysh decided to re-build Holy Ka’bah and put a roof over it. The first man to lift a stone from the top of one of the walls was the Makhzumite Abu Wahb, the brother of Fatima. She was grand-mother of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). When Abu Wahb lifted the stone, it leapt from his hand and returned to its place. The chief of Makhzum, named Walid who was the son of the now dead Mughirah, took up a pickaxe this time and said, "I will begin the razing for you"; and going to the Holy Ka’bah he said: "O Allah, fear not, we intend good". Thereupon he knocked down part of the wall between the Black Stone



and the Yemenite Corner of the south-easterly wall.

Adjoining the north-west side of the Holy Ka’bah there is a small precinct surrounded by a low semicircular wall. This area is presently known as ‘Hateem’. The two ends of the wall stop short of the north and west corners of the House. The space within it is named Hijr IsmaelR.A, because the tombs of IshmaelR.A and Hagar lie beneath the stones, which pave it. Abdul Muttalib so loved to be near the Holy Ka’bah that he would sometimes order a couch to be spread for him in the Hijr.

When the walls were all down as far as the foundation of IbrahimR.A they came upon large greenish cobble-stones like the humps of camels placed side by side. A man put a crowbar between two of these stones to lever one of them out; but at the first movement of the stone a quaking shudder ran through the whole of Makkah, and they took it as a sign that they must leave that foundation undisturbed.

Inside the Corner of the Black Stone they had found a piece of writing in Syriac. They kept it, not knowing what it was, until one of the Jews read it "Heavens and the Earth, the day I formed the Sun and the Moon, and placed round about her seven inviolable angels. She shall stand so long as her two hills stand, blessed for her people with milk and water". Another piece of writing was found beneath the Station of IbrahimR.A. "Makkah is the holy house of Allah. Her sustenance cometh unto there from three directions. Let not her people be the first to profane her".

For re-building the Holy Ka’bah, Quraysh worked separately, clan by clan, until the walls were high enough for the Black Stone to be built again into its corner. A violent disagreement broke out amongst them, for each clan wanted the honour of lifting it into its place. The deadlock lasted for four days. The tension increased to the point where battle seemed imminent. The precinct round the Holy Ka’bah was called a mosque. In Arabic, Masjid is a place of prostration. The rite of prostrating oneself to Allah in the direction of the Holy House had been performed there since the time of IbrahimR.A and IshmaelR.A. It was decided that the decision to place the Black Stone should be left to a person who enters the mosque first next morning. The first man to enter the Mosque was Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). His arrival was greeted by exclamations and murmurs of satisfaction. "He is Amin", said some. "We accept his judgement" said others "Bring me a cloak", he said. He spread it on the ground, and taking up the Black Stone he laid it on the middle of the garment. "Let each clan take hold of the border of the cloak. "Lift it up, all of you together". When they had raised it to the right height he took the stone and placed it in the corner with his hands.

The resolution of placing the Black Stone (Hijr-Aswad) in the corner of Holy Ka’bah not only proves his superior Judgement but also the trust placed by elders of Quraysh on his wisdom, justness, ability and fairness. They held him in great esteem for his trustworthiness.