The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 129
IV Early Life Auspicious Birth The hour of the manifestation of Āminah’s light was fast approaching and the days of her delivery were near. She lived in The Valley of Banī Hāshim and was anxiously waiting for her child to enter the light of this world, so as to rejuvenate the memory of her deceased husband and thus become a source of tranquility and solace for her ever grief-stricken heart. Therefore, 25 days following the occurrence of the Aṣḥābul-Fīl , 1 the Holy Prophet sa was born on 12 Rabī‘ul-Awwal , 2 correspondingly the 20 th of August 570 A. D. , or according to recent and perhaps more authentic research, 9 Rabī‘ul-Awwal , correspondingly the 20 th of April 571 A. D. It was a Monday morning. 3 The fact that the birth of the Holy Prophet sa is so closely contiguous to the occurrence of ‘the elephant’ is, in itself, a clear indication from God that just as He rendered vain the physical attack upon the Ka‘bah, in the same way it was time when falsehood and vain worship would also be wiped out in a confrontation with the ultimate divine religion. It appears as if the Holy Qur’ān has also mentioned the attack of the Aṣḥābul-Fīl to indicate the same superlative purpose. In any case, as soon as the child was born, Āminah sent word to ‘ Abdul-Muṭṭalib who immediately came to Āminah satiated with feelings of extreme happiness. Āminah presented the newly born before him and said that, “In a dream, I saw his name to be Muḥammad sa. ” ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib took the newly born in to his arms and made his way to the Baitullāh , where he offered his gratitude to God and named the child Muḥammad sa , which means the ‘most praiseworthy’. Then, he brought 1 The People of the Elephant (Publishers) 2 The third month in the Islāmic Calendar (Publishers) 3 Maḥmūd Pāshā Miṣrī