The Event Representing the Greatest Divine Appreciation

In addition to being an event representing the greatest divine appreciation to the most suitable human being, the sending of Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W.) is also a source of inspiration to those who want to follow the example of the master of prophets. The first lesson to learn from that noble event is that entering the circle of divine attraction to man makes him go into a process of getting nearer to the centre of happiness inexistence. Do we ask for happiness from other than the one who created it and who best knows its requirements?

From among the requirements of entering, that circle is the cleansing of the natural dispositions. The evil soul, which is full of lusts and malice, is not capable of being attracted even if it demonstrated good deeds. It is not unusual for a good deed to coexist with an evil soul. We are callers for the necessity of specialization and the thorough study in exploring the hidden aspects of the soul, instead of indulging in the bodily performances, which do not alter the nature of man; rather, it could boost his pride and make him more occupied.

Blessed is the one, whom Allah provides for and takes out of orphanhood and the loss of the provider, which we all live in. Sea how Allah chose a newborn tossed about by the waves of the Nile to become the only person He ever addressed, in Mount Sinai; and see how Allah chose the one who was thrown in the middle of a blazing fire to be the builder of His Sacred House (The Kaaba); and see how He chose Mecca’s orphan whom He brought out of a small cave to conquer the kingdoms of man and demons.

Let us contemplate on the opening of the ‘soul’s sheaths’ for it opens a large door for hope. The Prophet who served his Lord as much as he could throughout 40 years had his sheaths open all at one time in the Night of the Sending, and all of a sudden he shifted from the individual to the national (collective) approximation. This obviously was not a product of one night but rather the outcome of a persistent struggle to obey Allah. That is why the one who walks in the way of struggling with and taming of the soul must not be disappointed when his spiritual sheath do not open at the beginning, for Allah might grant it to him overnight and he will be transferred to a conceivable but an indescribable world.

The purpose of the divine contribution to a servant is not the occupation with the Self and the seeking of supernatural achievements and higher ranks, rather, its recompense is expressing gratitude to this blessing by introducing the wondering hearts to the source of this familiarity, which is unlimited as its other attributes are. An example of this is when the Prophet returned back from the cave to call upon the harshest people on earth (including Abu-Lahab and Abu-Jahl) as in this story which shows the extent of the hardship the Prophet had to endure; when the verse ‘And warn your clan, your nearest kin’ was revealed, the Prophet climbed the rock of al-Safa and said, “Come to me!” The tribe of Qoraysh gathered and said, “What’s with you?” He said, “If I tell you that the enemy is on your door step, would you not believe me?” “Yes”, they said. He said, “Then I am a harbinger to you of an imminent severe chastisement”. Abu-Lahab said, “May you perish, is that what you called upon us for?” Allah then revealed sura Perish which begins with ‘Perish the hands of abu-Lahab, and perish he!’

Another lesson to learn from The Sending is that Allah consistently exposes man to trials so that He would know his nature. Allah manifests Himself in a completely different way, well known to those who experienced it, during hard times and during good times. This is why hardships never make the believer uneasy as along as he knows that Allah is looking unto his hardship with kindness. The pleasure of feeling that look takes away that distress. The free heart does not care about the confined body!

The Prophet’s life events fluctuated between hardship and ease. He moved from the joy of The Sending to the agony of the siege at the mountain trail of Abu Talib; and the joy of the freedom in Madina, the land of the first Moslem state made possible by the victory in the battle of Badr, to the bitterness of the defeat of the Moslem army in the battle of Uhod; and then the joy of returning to the home city as a conqueror of the Sacred Town (Mecca). Finally, let it be known that nobody has an influence on existence but Allah. This is the greatest of the lessons of existence.

Every man can have his own Sending. His Sending would be his resurrection from the darkness of the underworld to the light of the upper world, and from the captivity of cheap lusts, which he shares with beasts-even vermin- to wondering in the realm of the spirit; and from the disgrace of disobedience to the grace of obedience, being guided by the angels of mercy and inspiration. So when will our Sending be? Life is short and the longer the ignorance lasts, the less is the hope in the rising of the sun of true Islam upon the hearts that never experienced submission to the Lord of the world of the worlds.

The rituals of the three holy months are integrated. The blessings of the month of Rajab are a prelude to the ramifications of the blessings of Sha`ban. It is also a prelude to the special divine hospitality of the month of Ramadan, to be crowned lastly by the blessing of the best Night of Power we ever had since Allah honoured us with attaining legal capacity (majority). So, shall we prepare ourselves for it starting from now?