Makkah al-Mukarramah — The Sanctuary of Allah

Nestled amidst the rugged mountains of the Arabian peninsula lies the sacred city of Makkah al-Mukarramah — the most honoured spot upon the face of the earth. At its heart stands the Holy Kaaba, the first House of worship raised for humanity, rebuilt by the Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam) and his beloved son, the Prophet Ismail (Alaihis Salaam), as an eternal sanctuary dedicated to the worship of the One True God, Allah Almighty.

For centuries before the dawn of the Final Message, Makkah stood as the spiritual centre of Arabia — a haven of peace where blood was not shed, and a meeting place of caravans, tribes and pilgrims. Around this sacred House, Allah Almighty destined that His Beloved, the Seal of the Prophets, should be born.

The Noble Lineage — Banu Hashim of the Quraish

Allah Almighty, in His perfect wisdom, chose for His Beloved Messenger the purest and most honoured lineage of Arabia. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Salallah-ho Alaihi Wa Aalehi Wasalam) was born into the illustrious clan of Banu Hashim, the noblest branch of the mighty tribe of Quraish — the custodians and caretakers of the Holy Kaaba itself.

His blessed father was Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib (Radi Allahu Anhu), renowned throughout Makkah for his radiant countenance, his sublime character, and the light of prophecy that was seen upon his brow. His noble mother was Hadrat Aminah bint Wahb (Radi Allahu Anha), a lady of unmatched purity, dignity and grace, hailing from the noble Banu Zuhrah of Quraish.

His paternal grandfather, the venerable Abdul Muttalib, was the chief of Makkah and the guardian of the Holy Kaaba — a man of immense honour, wisdom and generosity, whom the Arabs revered as the master of Quraish. Through him, the sacred lineage of the Holy Prophet (SAWAW) traces back unbroken to the Prophet Ismail (Alaihis Salaam), and thence to the Prophet Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam), the Friend of Allah.

The Blessed Birth — Mercy Descends Upon the Worlds

On the blessed dawn of Monday, the 12th of Rabi ul-Awwal, in the celebrated Year of the Elephant (Aam al-Feel) — corresponding to 570–571 CE — the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Salallah-ho Alaihi Wa Aalehi Wasalam) opened his blessed eyes upon this world in the sacred city of Makkah al-Mukarramah.

It is narrated that at the moment of his blessed birth, the entire universe was illuminated with a divine light — a radiance that, according to the traditions, reached from the East to the West, so that his noble mother Hadrat Aminah (Radi Allahu Anha) beheld the palaces of Syria brightened by its glow. The idols within the Kaaba fell prostrate, the fire of the Persians was extinguished, and creation itself rejoiced at the arrival of the Master of both worlds.

His grandfather Abdul Muttalib, overcome with joy, carried the blessed infant into the Holy Kaaba, and there, standing before the House of Allah, offered thanks to the Almighty and bestowed upon him the noble name Muhammad — meaning "The Praised One" — a name unknown among the Arabs before him, chosen so that all creation, in the heavens and upon the earth, might praise him for ever.

Allahumma Salli Ala Sayyidina Muhammadin
Wa Ala Aali Sayyidina Muhammadin Wa Sallim.