God Arises
Affirmation of Prophethood
~ 262 ~
unprejudiced way will surely grant that the
Prophet’s life was quite exemplary from the moral
point of view. Prophethood was conferred upon
Muhammad, may peace be upon him, in his fortieth
year. The whole period of his life prior to this was
so markedly of a high moral character that he had
earned himself the title of “As-Sadiq al-Amin,” or
“the truthful, the trustworthy”. Throughout the
entire region where he lived, he was highly thought
of by everyone, being considered the most honest
possible person and incapable of telling a lie. Five
years
before the commencement of his
prophethood, the Quraysh in Makkah, decided to
reconstruct the Kabah after a sudden flood had
shaken its foundation and cracked its walls. The
work began, and new walls were built. As the walls
rose from the ground and the time came to place the
sacred black stone in its place in the east wall, they
differed as to who should have the honour of laying
it in place. Competition was so keen that it almost
led to a new civil war. Four or five days passed in
this state. Then Abu Umayyah, son of Mughirah al
Makhzum, suggested to the Makkans, “Let the first
one to pass through the gate of the Ka’bah next
morning be our arbitrator in this dispute.” And the
