Introduction to the Study of The Holy Quran — Page 235
235 inquired of the Prophet what he meant by saying that God would deal out to Musaylimah what had been revealed to him. The Holy Prophet replied: "I saw in a dream two bracelets round my wrists which I disliked. While still in my dream I was directed by God to blow upon the bracelets. When I blew upon them, both of them disappeared. I interpreted this to mean that two false claimants (to prophethood) would appear after me. " 278 This incident occurred towards the end of the Holy Prophet’s life. The last and the largest of the Arab tribes who had not yet accepted him was prepared to make its submission and the only condition put forward by it was that the Holy Prophet should appoint its chief as his successor. Had the Prophet been actuated even remotely by any personal motives, nothing stood in the way of his securing the unity of the whole of Arabia by promising his succession to the chief of the largest tribe of Arabia. The Holy Prophet had no son of his own and no dynastic ambition could have stood in the way of such an arrangement, but he never regarded even the smallest thing as belonging to him and as being at his absolute disposal. He could, therefore, not deal with the leadership of Muslims as if it were in his gift. He regarded it as a sacred divine trust and believed that God would bestow it upon whomsoever He thought fit. He therefore rejected Musaylimah’s offer with contempt, and told him that, let alone the leadership of Muslims, he was not prepared to bestow upon him even a dry palm twig. Whenever he referred to or discoursed about God, it appeared to onlookers as if his whole being was in the grip of a passion of love for and devotion to God. He always insisted upon simplicity in divine worship. The mosque, that he built in Medina and in which he always led prayers, had only a mud floor which was innocent of all covering or matting and the roof, which was made of dried palm branches and leaves, leaked whenever it rained. On such occasions the Holy Prophet and members of the congregation would be drenched with rain and mud but he would continue with the prayers till the end and on no occasion did he give any indication that he would postpone the service or remove to more weather-tight shelter. 279 He was also watchful regarding his Companions. ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar was a man of extreme piety and purity of life. Concerning him the Holy Prophet once said: "‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar would be an even better man if he were to be more regular with regard to his Tahajjud prayers. " ‡ When this was communicated to ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar he never thereafter missed these prayers. It is recorded that the Holy Prophet, happening to be in the house of his daughter Fatimah, inquired of her and his son-in- law, ‘Ali, whether they were regular with regard to their Tahajjud prayers. ‘Ali replied: "O Messenger of Allah! We try to get up for Tahajjud prayers but on occasion when God so wills that we are unable to wake up in time we miss them. " He went back and, This is a voluntary prayer which is said in the latter part of the night and is not one of the five daily prayers. —Ed.