Aamul Feel the Year

of the Elephant

QTimeline

The king of Yemen built a beautiful church. There were beautiful silk carpets hanging on the walls
and it was decorated with the best of everything. He wanted people to come to pray in Yemen
rather than go to visit the Ka'ba in Makka.
In spite of all his efforts people still went to Makka.
He decided that the only solution was to destroy the Ka'ba. He chose one of his strongest and
bravest man called Abraha to take an army of elephants to destroy the Ka'ba.
On the way to Makka, the army of Abraha destroyed everything in their way and stole hundreds of
camels. Amongst them were some camels that belonged to Abdul Muttalib who was Prophet
Muhammad's (pbuh) grandfather.
Abdul Muttalib knew that Abraha was coming to destroy the Ka'ba. He ran to the Ka'ba and prayed
to Allah.
"O Allah! Save Your house and do not let them destroy it!"
Then he went to Abraha.
"Why do you wish to see me?" said Abraha.
Abdul Muttalib said he wanted his camels returned.
Abraha was shocked!!
"I have come to destroy the Ka'ba. You are the chief of Makka and the guardian of the Ka'ba and
all you are worried about is your camels!"
Abdul Muttalib replied:
"The camels belong to me, and so I ask for their return. The Ka'ba belongs to Allah and He will look
after it Himself".

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When Abraha heard this he returned the camels and marched forward to destroy the Ka'ba. Allah
sent a flock of birds that flew over the army pelting them with small stones of baked clay which
killed the elephants and the soldiers.
All except Abraha were destroyed and he rushed back to Yemen to tell the King what had
happened. He was followed by one of the birds.
"What sort of amazing birds were these!" asked the furious king.
Abraha looked up and showed him. The bird threw a stone and Abraha died on the spot in front of
the King.
It was in this year that our Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) was born on the 17th of Rabi ul Awwal.

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QTimeline

Abdul Muttalib

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He was born to Salma in Yathrib, the city which was later to be called Madina. His father Hashim
had died in Makka and did not see his son.
When he was born he had a patch of white hair on the front of his head and so his mother called
him Shayba, which means one with white hair.
He grew up to be a very well behaved young boy with excellent akhlaq. The people of Madina
were so impressed with his akhlaq that they called him Shaybatul Hamd, which means the one
with white hair who is praiseworthy.
A man from Makka once visited Madina and saw Shaybatul Hamd. When he returned to Makka he
told Hashim's brother Muttalib that he had seen his brother's son.
Muttalib went to Madina and with Salma's permission he brought the young Shaybatul Hamd to
Makka.
When the people of Makka saw Muttalib with the young boy entering the town they thought he
was Muttalib's slave. In Arabic slave is 'abd' and so they called him Abdul Muttalib which means
slave of Muttalib.
Muttalib tried to explain that this was his nephew but the name stuck.
Abdul Muttalib grew up to be the chief of Makka. He had lots of sons of whom one was Abdullah
(pbuh) who was the father of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

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Hazrat Abdullah (pbuh) &

M14

QTimeline

The Christian priests had a shirt that belonged to Prophet Yahya (pbuh). They knew from their
scriptures that when the father of the last Prophet would be born, blood would appear on the
shirt.
They knew therefore when Hazrat Abdullah (pbuh) was born and were searching for him.
He was his father's favourite son.
Abdul Muttalib had vowed that when he had ten sons he would sacrifice one. He drew lots and the
name of Abdullah came up. Abdullah was very good and much liked by the people of Makka.
When they saw that Abdul Muttalib was going to sacrifice him they persuaded him to go to a wise
woman in Yathrib who could tell him of an alternative sacrifice.
It was agreed that lots would be drawn using camels. 10 lots were drawn of 10 camels each.
Eventually 100 camels were sacrificed and Abdullah was saved.
The Prophet (Pbuh) used to say that he was the son of two sacrifices - Ismail & Abdullah.
Abdul Muttalib dreamt that Abdullah should be married to Amina daughter of Wahab. They were
married a year before the 'Year of the Elephant'.
When Sayyida Amina (pbuh) was pregnant, Abdullah went with a trade caravan to Syria. On the
way back he fell ill and died before the Prophet (pbuh) was born. He is buried in Madina.
He left some camels, goats and a slave girl called Umme Ayman which were given to the Prophet
(pbuh)
Sayyida Amina was very sad after her husband died. When the Prophet (pbuh) was six years old
she too died on the way back from visiting Abdullah's grave. She is buried in Abwa, a place
between Makka and Madina.

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Birth of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)

QTimeline

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Imam Ja'fer As-Sadiq (pbuh) has said that Allah created the light of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)
before any of his creations.
He was born in the year of the Elephant (570 C.E.) in the month of Rabi ul Awwal. It was just after
sunrise on Friday the seventeenth.
Shaytan who had been previously allowed to visit the heavens suddenly found that he could not
go.
He went to the Ka'ba disguised as a little bird and saw angels celebrating. Jibrail saw him and
recognised him. He was asked to leave but asked Jibrail to tell him what had happened. Jibrail
told him that the last of the Prophets; Muhammad (pbuh) was born. Shaytan left weeping and
wailing. It is said that he wept for forty days.
It is also said that all the idols fell on their faces and the palace of Kisra who was emperor of Persia
started shaking and had cracks in it.
Abdul Muttalib saw a white cloud shadowing the house of Sayyida Amina (pbuh) and ran to
enquire. He was told of the birth of Muhammad (pbuh)
Inspired by Allah, Abdul Muttalib named the child Muhammad. When asked why; he replied that
he wished that Muhammad should be praised in the heavens and in the earth (Muhammad means
one who is praiseworthy).
It is said that Sayyida Amina (pbuh) had named him Ahmed before Abdul Muttalib called him
Muhammad.

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Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)

QTimeline

M14

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was looked after by his grandfather Abdul Muttalib and his uncle Abu
Talib because his father had died before he was born.
When he grew up he got married to Sayyida Khadija (pbuh) she was a very good lady who gave all
her money for Islam. They had a daughter called Sayyida Fatima Zahra (pbuh)
The people of Makka used to believe in many gods which they made out of wood, flour, stones
and other things. They kept them in the Ka'ba. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told the people of
Makka that there is no God except Allah and that he Muhammad was the messenger of Allah.
Allah sent him messages through the angel Jibrail. One message is called an aya. The messages are
the ayaat of the Qur'an.
The Makkans did not like Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and wanted to kill him so he left Makka and
went to Madina. This journey of his is called Hijra from which date the Muslim calendar begins.
Most of the people of Madina became good Muslims.
As ordered to him by Allah the Prophet (pbuh) chose Imam Ali (pbuh) to be the leader after him at
a place called Ghadeer. At Ghadeer the Prophet (pbuh) also told the Muslims that he would soon
be returning to Allah and that after him they should follow the Qur'an and his Ahlulbayt.
He died on the 28th of Safar in Madina when he was 63 years old.

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Al - Amin
QTimeline

(The trustworthy one)

M14

Once, the Ka'ba was being rebuilt. The people of Makka were all working together to build it.
When the walls reached the level where they had to place the 'Hajar al-Aswad' (The black stone)
the work stopped. Everyone wanted to place the black stone in its position because it was so
important.
There was a big argument and it seemed like there would be a civil war in Makka.
A wise man spoke out and said:
"Do not make war because it destroys homes and cities. It causes misery and hardship. Find a
solution to your problem."
He suggested that they choose a person who would decide what to do from themselves.
The people asked who and how they should choose. The wise man suggested that they appoint
the first person who enters Masjid al-Haram through a particular door which he pointed towards.
Everyone agreed and all eyes were fixed on the door.
A young man entered. Everyone was glad for it was Muhammad Al-Amin (Pbuh) (The Trustworthy
One). They crowded around him and told him what had happened.
He told them:
"All the leading men of Makka must share in this important work."
The people looked surprised:
"How is that possible?"
Muhammad (Pbuh) gave instructions for all the leaders of the tribes to be present. When they had
all assembled he took off his cloak and placed the Hajar al-Aswad in the middle. He asked all the
leaders to pick the cloak and bring it to the side of the Ka'ba.
Muhammad (Pbuh) gently guided the stone to its special place. All the people were pleased. He
had not yet declared his prophet hood but even then the people of Makka used to turn to him to
settle their differences.

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Announcement of
Prophethood

QTimeline

M14

As soon as the Prophet (pbuh) announced that there are no gods but Allah, he was rejected
totally. He remained the same person - with the excellent akhlaq but what had changed is that he
had declared his belief in Allah.
When he was forty he got the first revelations in the cave of Hira in mountain of Noor (Light)
where he used to meditate. It was brought by angel Jibrail and it was the first five ayaat of Suratul
Alaq.
"Read in the name of your Lord who created (all);
He created man from a clot of blood;
Read! Your Lord is the most bountiful,
Who by the pen taught man what he did not know".
It was the 27th of Rajab (The day of Bethat) in the 14th year of the life of the Prophet. He was
busy in remembrance of Allah in his usual place in the cave of Mount Noor (a mountain situated in
the north of Makka). The angel Jibrail came to him and recited to him the above ayaat of the
Qur'an. The Prophet had not been taught to read and write by any on earth but his abilities were
taught to him by the Lord.
The first person who the Prophet told of this was his wife - Sayyida Khadija. She immediately
testified to his Prophethood and gave him her full support.
The Prophet began the preaching of his mission to a limited circle for the first three years. Then
he was asked by Allah to invite his near relations to Islam.
"And warn your nearest relatives.
Suratush Shu'ara 26:214
The Prophet (pbuh) arranged a meal inviting 40 of his relations. This is known as 'Da'watul Dhul
Ashira'. He invited them towards Allah and introduced himself as the Messenger of Allah. He then
asked thrice:
"Which one of you will support me so that he may become my brother, wasi and successor after
me?
Each time Imam Ali (pbuh) who was 15 years old at the time stood up and said:
"O Prophet of Allah! I am prepared to support you!
The Prophet (Pbuh) held Imam Ali's (Pbuh) hand high and told his audience that Ali (pbuh) would
be his successor and they should listen to him and follow him. The others who were present
taunted Abu Talib saying he would now have to take orders from his son. The meeting ended.
After this he began preaching openly to the Quraysh who reacted violently. The Prophet and his
followers were constantly harassed. The Prophet was not allowed to worship in the Ka'ba. Thorns

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were strewn in his path, dirt and filth were thrown at him, he was accused of being a madman,
magician and poet and was taunted and insulted. His faithful companions too were tortured.
Some were placed on the hot sands and heavy stones were put on their chests, nooses were put
round their necks and they were dragged in the streets. The first martyr of Islam was Sumayya,
the mother of one of the companions of the Prophet, Ammar Yasir.
The Prophet had about 100 followers and physical cruelty made life unbearable in Makka. The
Prophet advised his followers to got to Abyssinia under the leadership of Jaffer Tayyar. This was
the first Hijra in Islam (in the fifth year of Prophet hood) and 15 people took part in it. The
Prophet then advised a second Hijra.
When the Quraysh found out that the Muslims were living peacefully in Abyssinia, they sent
expensive gifts to the ministers of the King of Abyssinia to bribe them. Then they sent their
representative Amr Al-Aas who visited King Najashi (of Abyssinia) asking for the return of the
Muslims claiming that they had invented a new religion. The ministers loudly supported the
request.
King Najashi asked whether the Muslims had killed anyone, stolen property or committed any
crimes. Amr relied that their only crime was the invention of a new religion. King Najashi called
Ja'fer bin Abu Talib to the court and asked him why the Muslims had abandoned the religion of
their forefathers and started a new religion. King Najashi was impressed with what Ja'fer said and
asked him to recite some ayaat from the Qur'an. Ja'fer recited ayaat from Suratu Maryam which
moved the King and his ministers. Frustrated that they could not overcome the Prophet, the
Quraysh boycotted the families of Hashim and Muttalib, having no contact with them nor allowing
food or drink to reach to them. Abu Talib had no choice but to take them to a valley belonging to
him called Shib-e-Abu Talib.
For three long years from Muharram in the 7th year after declaration of Prophethood they stayed
there under so much hardship that at times they lived on leaves and grass. They came out when
the Prophet told Abu Talib that the agreement signed by all the Quraysh to boycott them had
been eaten up by insects and only the words "In the name of our Lord..." remained. Abu Talib
went and told this to the Quraysh who found it to be true and had no choice but to stop their
boycott.
Shortly after Abu Talib and Khadija both died and this grieved the Prophet so much that he called
the year Aamul Huzn (The year of grief).

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Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)

QTimeline

M14

The hour drew near and the moon was split apart; and if they see a miracle they turn aside and
say: It is magic! ...
Suratul Qamar - 54:2, 3
The people of Makka once came to the Prophet (pbuh) and said:
If you are a Prophet of Allah, then make the moon split into two!
The Prophet (pbuh) pointed to the moon and with Allahs help the moon was seen split into two
parts.
A man called Ibn Abbas says that he saw the peak of Mount Hira between the two parts of the
moon.
The people then asked for the two parts to be joined together and it was done.
They saw the miracle with their own eyes. The Jews who were present became Muslims but the
Makkans like Abu Jahl said it was magic and walked away.
The crack is present in the moon even today.

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Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)
Meraj

QTimeline

M14

One night the angel Jibrail came to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and said that he was to go on a
special journey.
The Prophet (pbuh) rode on a special animal called Buraq which travelled faster than lightning. In
Arabic lightning is Barq.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was taken from the Ka'ba to Madina where he was later to go. From
there he was taken to Mount Sinai where Prophet Musa (pbuh) had an appointment with Allah for
forty nights.
From there he went to Baytulhaam (Bethlehem) where Prophet Isa (pbuh) was born and then to
Baytul Muqaddas (Jerusalem) where in the mosque of Aqsa he led Salaatul Jama'a praying with all
the other Prophets sent before him.
From Baytul Muqaddas, Buraq took him to the heavens where he met all the other Prophets and
saw the places of punishment and the places of blessings.
He also went to the masjid in the heavens.
Allah says in the Qur'an that the Prophet (pbuh) was taken on this special journey so he could see
some of the wonderful signs of Allah.
When we have a very good friend we too want to show them our secrets and treasures. Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) is a perfect Muslim who obeyed Allah all the time and so is very close to Allah.

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Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)
Hijra to Madina

QTimeline

M14

The people of Makka who did not believe in Allah had tried everything. They tried to stop the
Prophet (pbuh) from believing in Allah by offering him riches and comfort but that did not work.
They tried to be nasty to him and his followers but that too did not work so they decided to kill
him. They chose one person from each tribe to meet one night and kill the Prophet (pbuh) whilst
he was sleeping.
Allah had told the Prophet (pbuh) of their plan through the angel Jibrail. The Prophet (pbuh) asked
Imam Ali (pbuh) to sleep in his bed that night. On hearing the request Imam Ali (pbuh)
immediately did a sijda of shukr to thank Allah for having given him the honour of protecting the
Prophet (pbuh).
The Prophet (pbuh) recited some ayaat of Suratu Yaseen and slipped out of the house under the
very noses of the killers. Imam Ali (pbuh) had never slept more peacefully.
Later in the night, the killers burst into the house. They lifted the blanket to find Imam Ali (pbuh)
sleeping in the Prophet's (pbuh) place.
Their plan had failed.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was on his way to Madina where the people had invited him to come.

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QTimeline

Farewell Hajj

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Since the time when Prophet Ibrahim (Pbuh) had built the Holy Ka'ba, it had been a place of
worship. Over the years, this worship had deteriorated into strange and undesirable practices.
People used to dance naked around the Holy Ka'ba, and they had put idols inside it.
Even after the conquest of Mecca when these idols were broken, the people did not know how to
perform the Hajj ceremonies properly. The Prophet (Pbuh) therefore performed Hajj in 10 A.H., so
that the people would remain in no doubt as to how it should be done.
He could also instruct the people about the boundaries of Mina and Arafaat and teach them about
the times of departure from these places.
In Dhulqada he announced that he was going to perform the Hajj that year.
Thousands gathered outside Madina awaiting the departure of the Prophet (Pbuh).
The Prophet (Pbuh) appointed Abu Dajana as his representative in Madina and proceeded toward
Makka taking with him 60 animals for sacrifice.
At Zil Hulayfa, in the mosque of Shajara, he put on his Ihram.
At Arafat, the Prophet (Pbuh) whilst mounted on his camel, delivered his famous and historical
speech to the thousands of people who had gathered. He addressed the people and went through
a summary of his teachings to them. He repeated all the major and minor elements of Islamic
principles so that there could be no doubt left in their minds. When he finished he offered his
noon and afternoon prayers with 100,000 men.
The Prophet (Pbuh) then completed the Hajj
This Hajj is known as Hajjatul Wida (the Farewell Hajj) because it was the last Hajj that the Prophet
(Pbuh) performed in his life. During this Hajj he demonstrated every feature of the ceremony, so
that there could be no confusion later.

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A Very Special
Announcement

QTimeline

M14

It was a hot sunny day. Lots and lots of people were coming back from Makka after doing hajj with
the Prophet (pbuh). They stopped at a place near Johfa which was known as Ghadeer e Khum.
The angel Jibraail came and told the Prophet (pbuh) that he had a special announcement for the
Prophet (Pbuh) to make to the people.
The Prophet (pbuh) asked Bilal to give the adhaan. Bilal had a beautiful voice and he was the
Prophets favourite muadhin (Someone who gives adhaan). When the people heard the adhan,
they all came to hear the Prophet (pbuh). Even those who had gone forward came back. After the
Dhuhr salaa, Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) stood on a pulpit made out of saddles.
He told the people that he was soon to die. He was leaving behind two very important things
which the Muslims should always follow:
The Quran and The AhlulBayt.
He then held the hand of Imam Ali (pbuh) high up and told the people that as per the command of
Allah, Imam Ali (Pbuh) would be the leader of the Muslims after him. He said:
For whosoever I am the mawla (master), Ali is his mawla (master).
He repeated this three times.
As soon as he had announced this, Jibraail brought another message from Allah which said that
Islam was now complete and perfect. This was the last aya of the Quran to be revealed. It is aya 3
of Suratul Maida.

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Wafat of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)

QTimeline

M14

In the Muharram of the year 11 A.H. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) became very ill.
Three days before he died he asked for a paper, pen and ink so he could write some advice for the
Muslims so that they would always stay on the right path.
On the 28th of Safar 11 A.H. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) died with his head resting in the lap of
Imam Ali (pbuh)
The last thing he said was:
Salaa! Salaa!!
Imam Ali (pbuh) gave him ghusl and kafan and it was he who buried him in his house which was
joined to the mosque of Madina.

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