الحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على سيدنا رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه ومن
والاه
All praises belong to Allah Ta'ala. Peace and blessings be upon
His final Prophet Muhammad, His family and companions.
Unfortunately, a misconception has arose that the Noble Prophet
Muhammad صلى الله وعليه وسلم was unaware of Tawheed before
receiving revelation, and that He followed the religion of His
people.
This notion is very far from the truth and needs to be
rectified.
There are many Ahadith which prove that the Prophet صلى الله
عليه وسلم was divinely protected by Allah Ta'ala before receiving
revelation and that He never engaged in the practices of the people
of Jahiliyyah.
Imam Ibn Sa'd in his Tabaqaat, Abu Nu'aym in his Dala'il
an-Nubuwwah, Imam Ibn Asakir in Tarikh Dimashq, Imam Ibn al-Jawzi
in Al-Wafa and Imam Suyuti in al-Khasa'is al-Kubra all narrate on
the authority of Abdullah Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما that Umm Ayman
رضي الله عنها said:
"Bawwanah was an idol which the Quraish would visit and venerate
once a year. Abu Talib would attend with his people, and he tried
to persuade Muhammad to join them. But Muhammad would refuse, until
Abu Talib became angry, as did His aunts. That day they were so
angry and said: 'Oh Muhammd! What is wrong with you that you keep
avoiding our gods?' They continued to pressure Him until He left
them. He later returned frightened and shaken. His aunts asked what
happened. He replied: 'I fear I may become insane.' His aunts
reassured Him that Allah Ta'ala would not harm Him through shaytan
as He only possessed praiseworthy qualities. They asked: 'what did
you see?' He صلى الله عليه وسلم replied: 'whenever I draw close to
an idol, a man appears wearing white and exclaims 'Oh Muhammad!
Turn around and do not touch it!" After that day He never
approached an idol."
(Dala'il an-Nubuwwah: 1:108, Maktaba al-Asriyyah; Al-Wafa bi
Ahwalil Mustafa: 1:113, Maktaba al-Asriyyah; Al-Khasa'is al-Kubra:
1:206, Maktaba al-Qayyimah)
This narration proves that He صلى الله عليه وسلم was divinely
protected by Allah Ta'ala even before receiving revelation.
Let alone idol-worship, Allah Ta'ala even protected Him from
exposing his knees, which is against Haya, or modesty, a great
branch of Iman
Imam Hakim narrates in his Mustadrak with a Sahih chain, Imam
Bayhaqi and Imam Abu Nu'aym in Dala'il an-Nubuwwah narrate from Abu
Tufail رضي الله عنه that when the Quraish were building the Ka'bah,
they carried stones from a mountain in Makkah Mukarramah. The
Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was assisting them, when suddenly His
knee was exposed. At that moment He heard a voice saying: 'Oh
Muhammad! Your 'Awrah!' That was the first and last time His صلى
الله عليه وسلم 'Awrah was shown.
Imam Bukhari and Muslim narrate similar reports on the authority
of Jabir رضي الله عنه
(al-Khasa'is al-Kubra: 1:205, Maktaba al-Qayyimah)
There are countless other narrations which attest to the fact
that He صلى الله عليه وسلم was protected by Allah Ta'ala even
before receiving revelation and that He never engaged in acts of
Jahiliyyah.
Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal رضي الله عنه says:
"Whoever says that the Prophet صلى الله وسلم followed the
religion of His people, has uttered a detestable statement! Did He
not abstain from from eating that which was slaughtered in other
than the name of Allah?!"
(Al-Wafa: 1:113, Maktaba al-Asriyyah)
May Allah Ta'ala grant us the true understanding of His Beloved
صلى الله عليه وسلم
And Allah Ta'ala knows best.
Abu Zahra